Hi everyone.
53 year gadgie from Darlington area.
Been in the steel industry at Redcar for 37 years until being made redundant last October.
Had a couple of temporary jobs since but needed consistency and security so after chatting with an HGV driving mate decided to give driving a go. Even with CNC programming and operating experience getting a full time job in your 50s is virtually impossible.
Passed the class 2 on 25/05/2016 and the class 1 three weeks later.
Feel extremely lucky and privileged to have had my training paid for from the redundancy training package provided by the government.
Most poor folk don’t have that opportunity.
Been working for an agency 1 week after passing class 2 and my 1st day went reasonably well but I bricked it most of the day.
I was given a Merc’ Axor, (I think), with 8 gears, tag axle and curtain sides and on a multi drop route.
I was totally unprepared. Only trained with a simple 6 speed box with single rear axle and never even used a curtain side.
An old hand loading before me was class. He happily allowed me to follow him while loading and showed me how to load, use the securing straps, use the curtain and very briefly how to use the tail lift as I’d had no training at all. (Easy when you know how).
The tacho was a nightmare because there was minimal training at the CPC course and absolutely no practical training. This was the 1st week last January.
All we got was, “this is what one looks like, (passed it around for us to see), and you’ll soon pick it up”. Thanks for nowt Newcastle.
Anyway, been doing multi drop delivering carpets in class 2 since to get experience. Not sure where they get their times from though.
Their delivery times are impossible to achieve and they expect you to use your offloading times as rest periods. The regular drivers were going out an hour early to try and get home on time. So they are working 5 hours per week unpaid extra, working on rest periods and breaking all speed limits just to keep to their times.
I’m the least militant person going but I wasn’t going to be part of this. I get paid by the hour anyway.
Just got back from 2 weeks holiday and have been offered a job driving class 1. Start Thursday, pick up the lorry Friday and start next Monday.
I’m the positive type so really looking forward to it but as you can imagine, with no experience I’m bricking it too.
Bet you’ve all seen it before. Where do I park, fuel, rest and I’ve only ever reversed approx’ 10 times on the test and practice grid.
Reversing is my biggest fear. I’m not scared to ask for help and total respect to all HGV drivers that I’ve spoken too and asked for help in the recent past. Every one of them has been nothing but positive and helpful offering advice and told me to take my time and don’t be rushed. Thanks so much to you guys. Really, nothing was too much trouble and they loved helping finishing with, “we’ve all been there”.
Do you old hands know how much that helps and inspires us “Newbies”? Actually I bet you do.
The one outstanding thing that I’ve noted from older drivers is that most served an apprenticeship. Drivers mate, roping, sheeting etc and then driving.
Honestly, on my first day it was like giving a baby a loading gun with the safety off.
It’s so wrong to give people 12 hours driver training and then let them loose on their own.
So to recap. Induction Thursday. Pick up the unit I’ll be driving on Friday and start driving with trailers on Monday.
I’m confident that the people I’m going to work for are as good as you’ll get. Know them from before I started driving and they definitely are not cowboys so that’s the least of my worries.
Sorry for a long boring first post but any and all advice welcome.
Thanks
Don’t stress yourself out about jumping up to the big boys toys, just remember to take your time and keep an eye on the trailer through the bends.
As for reversing, you will have days where you don’t believe It’ll get any easier, but trust me it does, lining yourself up correctly to make it as simple as possible will save you no end of shunting.
Most importantly do not ever let warehouse staff, other drivers or especially the general public push you into rushing. Take as long as you need.
As Chunk says, don’t allow others, or yourself to stress you out…
The first weeks or so is by far the worst with reversing, as the test reverse is a joke compared to the real world, but you will get there. Again don’t rush or panic, and setting up a good starting position is the key to making it easy on yourself. If you need to take a shunt, pull forward further than you think you might need, and all the space you have, as this makes it so much easier.
The tacho was a nightmare because there was minimal training at the CPC course and absolutely no practical training. This was the 1st week last January.
All we got was, “this is what one looks like, (passed it around for us to see), and you’ll soon pick it up”. Thanks for nowt Newcastle.
Yep this is about it but does depend where you go & who was your trainer as they do differ very much
Depends who you are going to work for but stop worrying it will all start to come together soon just some practice
Take your time with all don’t be afraid to ask
I am just up the road so you might see me about but won’t see me at all
Best of luck mate. As said, take your time and the confidence will come gradually. If you’re not sure about something, ask. If you’re against the clock and you can’t make a clear path in the traffic like you were Moses at the water, it is what it is.
I think of the cards in my wallet that allow me to drive professionally as the most important cards I carry… bank and credit cards aren’t worth owt if I lose my drivers licence.
Class advise and without sounding patronising I’ll be taking it all.
Thanks a lot guys. After reading loads of forums I only joined this one because of the positive comments and advice.
The others were dishing out comments to “Newbies” such as, “why do you want to be a truck driver, I wouldn’t do it if I had my time again” and about as negative as it gets. A real downer from whingers.
The one about the cards in the wallet is a quality comment and even though it was at the back of my mind in some form or another, it’s now as clear as day and now my priority.
If I get stuck reversing then I’ll get out and take a look and ask for help if need be.
I’m not worried about making a ■■■ of myself, (already am one haha), love banter and craic, but just the usual apprehension. So long as I don’t damage anyone or anything eh?
I’ll ask tomorrow about reversing practice, cheers.
Got to be positive and look forward to it. I suppose we are all scared of the unknown and then wonder what there was to be frightened of afterwards.
The one about the cards in the wallet is a quality comment and even though it was at the back of my mind in some form or another, it’s now as clear as day and now my priority.
If I get stuck reversing then I’ll get out and take a look and ask for help if need be.
I’m not worried about making a ■■■ of myself, (already am one haha), love banter and craic, but just the usual apprehension. So long as I don’t damage anyone or anything eh?
I’ll ask tomorrow about reversing practice, cheers.
Got to be positive and look forward to it. I suppose we are all scared of the unknown and then wonder what there was to be frightened of afterwards.
AndyTee:
Class advise and without sounding patronising I’ll be taking it all.
Give us a chance!
One thing I learnt very quickly with reversing, or was screwing up to start with!
Was when I was trying to reverse into a 90 entrance, I’d not go far enough past it, and was whacking on lots of lock and pivoting the unit around the trailer, resulting in me running out of room at the front. What you have to do instead is go a bit further on/past the target, put a bit of kink on, and allowing that kink to build as you reverse.
Not sure if I’ve explained that very well, but I’m sure you’ll work it out when the time comes!
AndyTee:
Class advise and without sounding patronising I’ll be taking it all.
Give us a chance!
One thing I learnt very quickly with reversing, or was screwing up to start with!
Was when I was trying to reverse into a 90 entrance, I’d not go far enough past it, and was whacking on lots of lock and pivoting the unit around the trailer, resulting in me running out of room at the front. What you have to do instead is go a bit further on/past the target, put a bit of kink on, and allowing that kink to build as you reverse.
Not sure if I’ve explained that very well, but I’m sure you’ll work it out when the time comes!
Good advice that evil! A mistake I made (and still do from time to time) many times! Let the vehicle do the work so you don’t have to, don’t want to be flailing at the wheel too much!
if your as green as that…you might want to work out how to lift a trailer…theres videos on youtube thatl show whats what and make it easier than listening or reading…once you start…find a gear,any gear…shudder it out of the yard doing your best to look like you know what your doing,then stop down the road a bit and work it out as you go in your own time when nobodys watching you and it wont matter if you miss 9 splits and its grunting and groaning,…then just get on with it and wing it.baptism by fire will cure you or kill you.if its agency,then if you wreck it,your only a bum on a seat to them anyway,and theres millions of agency shifts elsewhere. just make sure you give yourself plenty of room and straddle the lanes if your turning in town.whatevers behind the back doors don’t matter,its whats squeezing up your side that does.
dieseldog999:
if your as green as that…you might want to work out how to lift a trailer…theres videos on youtube thatl show whats what and make it easier than listening or reading…once you start…find a gear,any gear…shudder it out of the yard doing your best to look like you know what your doing,then stop down the road a bit and work it out as you go in your own time when nobodys watching you and it wont matter if you miss 9 splits and its grunting and groaning,…then just get on with it and wing it.baptism by fire will cure you or kill you.if its agency,then if you wreck it,your only a bum on a seat to them anyway,and theres millions of agency shifts elsewhere. just make sure you give yourself plenty of room and straddle the lanes if your turning in town.whatevers behind the back doors don’t matter,its whats squeezing up your side that does.
Lol… had a mate who went the Agency route being new to the trade and one of the questions asked was ‘Have you driven fridge trucks?’… answer: ‘No’ response from agency dude was ‘It can’t be that hard so I’ll tick a yes for you’
What you have to do instead is go a bit further on/past the target, put a bit of kink on, and allowing that kink to build as you reverse.
