What did you do before becoming a HGV driver?

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
101

Left school in 95.

Was a receptionist and occasionally double-glazing telesales.
Then a piano mover.
Took medicals and assessments to join RAF as an MTD but then had a bike accident and had 2 years sick instead.
Then call centre work.
Then web design.
Then insurance telesales.
Then banking tele-servicing.
Then credit underwriting.
Then insurance telesales.
Then selling motorbikes.
Then trade-plating commercials under 7.5tn
Took C in about late 04 I think then C+E early 05.
Agency monkey since (and last 7 months off after another bike accident).

102

i was a machine operator then yard shunter before becoming a relief /holiday cover/last minute job driver then waited patiently for my own unit and runs the yard shunting was a great help before sitting my hgv test could save you a few quid or days training if you get a chance to reverse artics before your assesment

ps good luck and stick at it

103

Margate minicab driver.

104

I did loads of jobs from leaving school but in 1962 I found myself 19 years old, unemployed, broke and homeless in London.

The Labour Exchange lady asked me what sort of job I fancied and I just thought driving might be OK.

Got sent for 3 interviews, lied about my experience (none really), was offered 3 jobs and took the one that mentioned overtime.

The truck was an ex British Rail Austin 5 tonner (petrol) doing removals and general haulage all over The Smoke.

105

1999 left school went to college to study sociology, lasted 5 months.
worked for my dad in care home for mentally handicapped.
2001 Got bored so did some agency work, picking packing, FLT,
got sent out as a drivers mate one day, thats when I got the “bug”
Started with MWD in Kettering doing UK/European van and 7.5.
2004 Helped start up courier firm, got shafted! :smiling_imp: Left that,
2005 Started another courier firm with a “MATE”, got shafted again! :smiling_imp:
2006 Bit of agency work, while I waited to do my Class 2. PASSED SEPT.

106

Left school in 86 and started a YTS. That lasted a year then I fell out with the boss.
In 1988 started a cadetship as Marine Engineer in the Merchant Navy and still doing that today.

Got my C+E in 1991, my mate had trucks and it gave me something to do while on leave. I have played the agency game ever since.

107

left school in 2000 worked in tesco as a cleaner :smiling_imp: :smiling_imp: then two years packing then some van work didn’t pay well so i went back to packing :frowning: :frowning: then @21 jacked in did my class 2 :sunglasses: :sunglasses: then did my class 1 a year later :laughing: :laughing: happy days

108

Left school in 69 was driving a forklift at 15 loading lorries,
1970 lorry drivers mate delivering garages
1972 loading-bay loading lorries
1973 passed driving test drove 35cwt all over UK/ and some Europe
1975 passed class one, been tucking ever since

109

1996-2001 = factory chimp (replaced by cheaper chineese model)
2001-2003= building site labourer
2003-2004= 7.5t/ Class 2 (various places)
2004- present= fire service

15/9/09 7 day c+e course just for the love of it.

110

left grammar school july 1959, then 23 years in Royal Navy, followed by 18 years as a maintenance elctrician on North Sea production platforms. 0ade redundant, started driving, having passed class 1 in the navy, came late but loving it.

111

I left school in 1994. I drove a heston baler for my Dad during harvest.
When i passed my car test I drove a telescopic loadall in a straw chopping plant.
Baler for my Dad again.
2 months packing fruit at local cold store.
Making furniture for caravans.
Back to my Dad.
Worked for my Dads rival (my Dad had to sell up due to serious ilness), driving a fastrac and 40’ trailer. Put myself through my test while with him.
July 1999, started work for Brian Palmer and been there ever since!!

112

Left school in 1982 without having excelled in an academic fashion.

I then became a van driver, becoming a class 1 truck driver in 1987 and I’ve done that ever since…apart from a crap stint in the police (2001 to 2007, I didn’t like that job)…now I’m back where I belong and well out of that other rubbish job!.

Can you tell I’m a tad bitter about it? Hope it doesn’t show.

113

kicked out of school at 15

washed up for 2.50 an hour in cafe.

went travelling with a waltzer on a fair.

manager of a drive thru restaurant!!! :blush:

postman…

passed class 2 first time…100% on theory and hazard perception!! :sunglasses: :sunglasses:

started withe british bakeries mendlesham working 2am til 11-12

now tramping mon to fri for a small firm based in lowestoft and lovin it!!

and im only 28… :smiley:

114

left scholl in 78 with 9 o levels went to do a heavy electrics coarse lasted about a 3 weeks. got an appentiship in the motor trade did 4 years, qualified as senior technition, m.o.t tester ect. moved to vehicle breakdown and recovery, thats where i got my class one after only 6 lessons, went full time driving on tramping in the late 90’s had one year out in 2005 to go back on the spanners but soon got drawn back to the road again, dont feel happy being inside just love being out on the road even with all the agro we get!!

did do 12 months over the water running to swiss and germany, if i could only find some more work out there life would be perfect :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

115

Left school in 2001, went to college and done my AS levels in IT, Business studies and sports science.

Left college in 2002 and went to work for a local builder, where i was there ■■■■■, then was put through my 360 excvotor test, then left to work for a company who use to lay massive concrete floors in warehouses (powerfloating ect ect) left there 2007 and in the begining part of this year i took my class 2 and passed first time then a week later i took my class 1 which i also passed first time.

I then joined with many agencies who wouldn’t give me the time of day (being 22 with no experince understandable really) i phoned every local company around and got a start with the company i work for now, which lucky enough is a stones throw away from my flat, and i couldn’t be happier love it :smiley: [/u]

116

Left school at 16 did an apprentice as welder fabricator.left that at 19 to become a comercial kitchen fitter loved the job mainly because of all the places i got to visit,did that for 6 years made redundant a mate of mine asked me to take a pick up to scotland for his firm with two pallets of rads on for terex… that was 12 years ago and i love driving that much its the only job ive done since then…

117

Studied Electronic Engineering at Leicester Polytechnic (now De-Montfort University) and got offered job with a finance company as one of Maggie’s 80’s high-flyers (as long as you had a degree they were happy). Did very well for a couple of years & then had nervous breakdown. Doctors advised me to go for something less stressfull, so started scaffolding & that led me into driving 7.5 tonners then HGV. Did a few years general haulage then started with a paper merchants, progressed into the office & took a load of courses offered. Eventually left & set up own small computing business whilst still doing agency driving work. Computing business going well, agency work drying up. Have to add that my OH is in a very well paid local government job so we don’t have to rely on driving too much, which is just as well!!

118

Reef:
Oh and seeing as ROG is being a smart arse i passed all my tests 1st time too
8 lessons in car then passed 1st time,
LGV C started course on monday morning passed test friday afternoon,
LGV C + E started course monday morning passed test thursday morning. :unamused: :wink: :sunglasses:

i also got 35 out of 35 on my theory test too so go on pat me on the back im so clever i have to tell everyone else just how superior i am…Maybe i should put the above as my signature or something equally ■■■■…ffs

im gona be a bigger smart arse than reef im afraid! i got 60 out ov 60 on the questions and 69 out ov 75 on the videos!

passed my class 1 on a 5 day course
passed my class 2 on a 5 day course
passed my car theory and practical in just under 2months after my 17th bday!!

119

Hi Conor,
Needed to look the dates up;
Left school at 15 in 1972
1972 to 1976 apprentice carpenter and joiner
passed city and guilds in carpentry June 1975.
Self employed carpenter until 1979 when passed HGV Class 1.
!979 until 1987 employed as Class 1 driver, CRC Exeter, Mid Devon Haulage Bow, Frank Tuckers Exeter.
Passed CPC 1986
Become Owner Driver and employed 2 other drivers.
1993 had DIVING accident got the bends, didn’t work for 2 years.
Retrained became a driving instructor Cars first then LGV’s. and still doing it.
Didn’t have grey hair until became ADI

120

I was in rail college, speciality railroads and railbridges. Apart of work placement never worked a day in that industry.

Then I studied Astronomy and Physics, during my studies I was tutoring (math, technical mechanics, polish language, guitar playing).

Apart of that I did some other jobs, stocktaking in supermarkets, etc.

Then I becomed a youth camps carer for two summers. In meantime I was driving a small van for my friend’s company (usually Ford Courier, Fiat Uno Van or Polonez truck, mostly on long distances)

I quite enjoyed that.

Apart of that I worked for a student’s mag and I was offered a job in the IT magazine.

When magazine was bought by foreign company and it was no longer good to work there, I leaved to Scotland for a summer. I was driving sprinter vans or I was a driver mate for an agency.

Then I came back to Poland to finish my unbiversity and, as I recognized, that I can earn monthly teachers salary in two days by driving a lorry in UK, i did my class 2. In meantime I organized expedition to Turkey for total solar eclipse for scientific club of astronomy students, we drove there by 18 years old for scorpio and one 4X4 car :slight_smile:

( knsa.info/turcja.php - text is in polish, but you can see some nice pictures there).

Then I came to scotland and becomed a lorry driver for two years - first for an agency, then for hebridean company, one european courier company, [zb] transport and now I am driving for Reglit (till this monday).