When am i going to get work

okay its the wrong time of year but i have rang rang rang… asda saferway sainsburys tescos and its the same answer, your a new driver cant take you on untill you have at least 2 years experience… insurance is to much… does not matter im 40 years old…so much for safeway having their big advertised recruitment drive to get over the shortfall of drivers…

agency i belong to five and i have not had a class 2 drive or a call for a 7.5 ton whats is wron…were do i live manchester…go on gissa job

Where in manchester you from if you don’t mind me asking

simon

Hello Goofball,

Sorry to hear of your temporary difficulties. However, I can assure you that you will get work.

I always recommend the following to inexperienced drivers…

Put all of your kit in the boot of your car, take your driving licence with you, and drive around haulage yards on a monday morning. Stop at every one. Ask about work.

Stress that you have a unique advantage. You can start RIGHT NOW.

This is a powerful incentive to a stressed transport manager who faces the loss of a contract because he can`t get a load delivered and this approach got me work on more than one occasion in my early days.

Can I just correct one other thing?

Insurance comanies do not stipulate “must have two years experience”, the stipulation is “must have held licence for two years” which isn`t the same thing.

Even so, it only requires the insured to pay a slightly higher premium or agree to a larger excess.

New year, new job. You`ll do it.

Vince

Goofball, daft as it sounds, I got my job thru my instructor as he parks his wagon in the yard where I’ll be working now; and he got me another job offer from else where cus he has been an instructor since noah first tried reversing the arc he knows a lot of people. Also he does ADR (or did) so again has a lot of contacts - so I suggest that you get in contact with your instructors and beg them to ask around their contacts. . . a bribe of newcastle brown ale may work wonders :confused:

Have you tried the smaller haulage firm in your area, Ok the money might be the same and you may have to drive the fleet dog, but you get the experience.
Its what I did go round all the local haulage companies and leave my name and number. One day one was in a muddle and they phoned I did a three days work for them and then they kept phoning until I got a fulltime job.
Also if you have any mates in the business, ask them to put a word in for you, this often works, especially with small hauliers.
Good Luck, but that first job is a slog.

Vince:
Put all of your kit in the boot of your car, take your driving licence with you, and drive around haulage yards on a monday morning. Stop at every one. Ask about work.

good advice… 1 other thing, make sure your car looks clean and tidy, turn up in a scruffy car and they will expect you to look after the truck in the same way. if it’s tidy the same applies… Don’t matter if its old…

GOOD LUCK

Trade Plate vehicle delivery companies will usually take newbies.
Good for experience too as you get to drive all manner of make, gearbox, axle configuration & body.
1st month you’ll get your share of smelly bin lorries & slow road sweepers, then its onto the brand newy Scannies et al.
Money not fantastic, but you can’t have it all ways.

the advice sounds good…passing class 1 i thought the gates of work would open up and employers would ■■■■■■ my arm off for work and agencys would be constantly ringing me…but the the only thing ringing in my ears is silence…were in manchester swinton…

No- well done on your test pass, but they won`t now be beating a path to your door.

You have to ask them.

Vince

i will be pestering them as i want this life style as my career…today i tried eddie stobarts and again nothing doing ring back in the new year … promising i suppose…any one no of work going gissa job

Let me spell it out in words of one and two syllables.

Dont phone. Dont write. Don`t email.

Take your miserable body and its driving licence to the place where all of the lorries are still parked up way too late on a monday morning.

That is all you have to do if you want work.

Alternatively, you can spend the time writing to T&D, complaining that you can`t find a job.

Your shout. All the best.

Vince

goofball:
the advice sounds good…passing class 1 i thought the gates of work would open up and employers would ■■■■■■ my arm off for work and agencys would be constantly ringing me…but the the only thing ringing in my ears is silence…were in manchester swinton…

Hi Goofball you could try a company called Transvan Express in ashton in makerfield (just down the lancs from you) they are always looking for drivers the moneys not the best but its a job and it will get you on the first rung of a driving career and don’t worry about experience just don’t mention it to them.
If you want to try them there number is 01942 717383 speak to chris or gary.

simon

straight talking thats what i love from this forum …no beating around the bush here… gonna try that number now this am…ive got my bag,my truck atlass 13.99 my high vis jacket and steel shoes here goes

Goofball,
I saw a post on one of the forums, (cant remember whether it was Trucknet or PDA), from a James Irlam driver, and he said that Irlam is willing to take on newly-qualified drivers. Get in your car, as Vince has told you and get yourself off to Chelford, and tell them how pleased you would be to be given a chance to prove yourself. If you wait for the agencies to ring, youll be waiting till about March, cos they haven`t got a lot of work at this time of year. Good luck in your quest, and please let us all know how you get on
Happy New Year
Trev

Don’t forget that its not only the supermarkets & hauliers who need HGV drivers.
If the agencies are not providing the work & you want to work & you want to drive contact Skip & Tipper operators, anyone who distributes Milk, Meat etc,etc, Recovery operators etc, in fact get the Yellow pages & look for insperation.
Unlike Vince I write & normally find if I contact a variety of companys I get jobs offerd.

tried trans at ashton and nothing doing will now try yellow pages and a happy new year to you all

welcome to the trucking world mate it is a blast. i got my licence and joined an agency, no work for week one no work for monday morni…phoned them and said hello am here when do i start and almost havent stopped since then. bottom line is BUG THEM TILL THEY HAVE NIGHTMARES EVERY TIME YOU CALL, work will soon be there.

good luck
gearjammer

gearjammer:
BUG THEM TILL THEY HAVE NIGHTMARES EVERY TIME YOU CALL

The way to find work, summed up in just ten words! :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

Vince

goofball:
tried trans at ashton and nothing doing will now try yellow pages and a happy new year to you all

sorry for the duff info mate they are usually screaming for drivers :cry:

simon

joined top gear recruitment today… told them i had passed my class 1… told them i did the crash course on the 2 then the 1 … have you any experience they asked …no i said… well your not going to get any work then…another nail in the coffin… i no that it was said earlier to stop moaning but its no use writing on these pages singing and shouting about the good things of gaining a hgv licence if the down side of getting a licence is not explored as well … there has to be a balance…thats reality…