Just curious thinking taking class 1 .
Have a class 2 been driving for 5 years .
How easy is it to get class 1 employment. Would they take into account my class 2 experince.
Or would it be a case no experience driving class 1. And have join agency to gain the experience
Obviously depends where you are but I went straight to class 1 after passing class 2 and was offered employed jobs straight away. I won’t lie it wasn’t the best job or pay but it was a start. Did 6 months and have moved on and have had no issues finding work since. I am sure there will be somewhere willing to start you, especially with your previous experience
IMHO if you have to ask if you should do class 1 you should probably leave it.
I think nowadays class 1 is something you have to want to do.
It was a no brainer for me to upgrade (i wouldnt have even bothered with class 2 if I didnt need to) but if youre in two minds about it, id stick where you are
I want to do class 1. Plan to in.the new year.
Just wondering how easy it would be to get a job once I pass.
As when passed c2 had lot trouble as no experience
So.was on agency for about a year. As most places wanted least 12 months c2 experience
If it’s what you want to do Edd, go for it. There are a good few places that will give you a start even without the class 1 experience, Culina are good at giving new class 1 driver’s a shot and Stobart’s are another. We’re only a couple of months away from Christmas, and as has been said many times before on here, as soon as the agencies get desperate for driver’s to cover the Christmas rush, the “two years experience” bollox goes out the window.
Give it a go, you never know until you try, but if you don’t, you’ll always wonder “what if I’d done it…” 
A lot depends on area…
There’s companies out there that will give a new pass a shot. There’s a few names mentioned above but don’t limit yourself as there’s no harm in trying anywhere even if they say you need experience.
To start with it might no be a blue chip job but there’s nothing wrong with that. I could earn 50p to £1 an hour more at a bigger firm but where I am now there’s no driver analysis, no phone calls bar the absolute minimum, no “where are you” type questions and we get paid straight through with no breaks taken off with minimal H&S (we have some but you’ll not see us banned from climbing on the bed of the trailer for example), cash Christmas bonus etc so it’s a bit old school but to me the lack of hassling is worth forfeiting 50p an hour, which is most made up anyway by losing no breaks which seems to be the done thing around here.
To be honest at min I’m c2 tamper out mon to fri. I enjoy it but get no.time to myself
.so been looking around. And seem.see a lot of class 1 work 4 on 4 off. Which.doesnt bother me doing weekends .
edd1974:
To be honest at min I’m c2 tamper out mon to fri. I enjoy it but get no.time to myself
.so been looking around. And seem.see a lot of class 1 work 4 on 4 off. Which.doesnt bother me doing weekends .
I’d say your in a far better position with actual class 2 experience as the step up to Class1 is then purely down to the vehicle type - you already know all about paperwork collect deliver etc
When I moved to C1 - it was taken into account at the firms I saw
And 4/4 is great once you get used to it! Don’t think I would like going back to M-F!
Even wife stopped me moving to a job closer to home as it was M-F
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When I passed my class 1 (in 2004) I signed on with 2 agencies and was offered work immediately (I’d had 2 months class 2 experience by this point). I was offered Asda on Brackmills, and I knew at the time they wanted 2 years experience, so I queried it, and I’ll never forget the agency bloke’s respone “yeah… just blag them” he said 
. I didn’t think I could make it look as if I had 2 years experience so I declined, but ended up night trunking for Hombase the same week. With a couple month’s experience there, I signed up with another agency and got work with a local haulier who took me on quite quickly, and there I remained for 10 years.
I think agencies are your best bet. Sign up with a few, and I’m sure you’ll be offered something quickly, especially if you pass soon so you can catch the Christmas insanity.