Where to Start?

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hi all. I need some advice please. I passed my C2 in 2012 and at the time I couldn’t get work due to no experience even though I was a Bus Driver in London for 2.5 years. Anyway, I’ve since been working in admin and I’m now considering trying again. However, I don’t want to go in blind so can anyone provide me with advice on where to start and the pros n cons.

I do appreciate at 1st until I obtain some experience I might have to take what I’m given, but long term I would want to work on a regular route Mon - Fri. Is this realistic and if so which is the best route and what should I avoid?

Cheers

Chris

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2

One route is agency but its lucky dip to what you get. The other is to go round hauliers and see if they have any places. If you can get a day off to go in a see the TM’s then thats even better.

3

Thanks for the advice ‘radar19’ - do you think they would consider me with no HGV experience?

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4

Mate, there is plenty in past threads to confirm this, but the short version is this.

Yes as a Newbie you can get a start, the work will be hard and undesirable (i.e. No one really wants that job :wink:). So if you are keen, motivated, preferably clean, yes you will get a Class 2 job. Agency is jumping in the deep end as you will be thrown the keys, so if that scares you, go for a full time gig and hopefully get a bit of training and eased into the job.

Pay on these undesirable (probably multi-drop, possibly food service delivery) is actually quite reasonable, above what you will get say driving a tipper. So appreciate in the game of “Class 2 or C” work, effort generally equals reward. This will help you look for the catch when pay looks attractive… I was once offer good money to deliver for the Bathstore, I calculated what was involved and said NO before the agency finished saying the name… :wink:

I found pallet work a good compromise as long as the tail-lift is the full rear door, as while it’s not always easy, it’s definitely easier than a lot in my opinion. Having an extra skill can also help like a Moffet (forklift) licence, HI-AB (crane) or ADR. These can count towards your DCPC, which as you haven’t mentioned, might be news to you. It’s 5 x 7 hour training days to legally work for reward!

So to help, here are various links:

HI-AB
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=136558

Moffit
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=136300

ADR
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=128053

Hopefully that should help! :smiley:

Sorry if this appears a sterile response, I’m just working on a generic response for next time this question is asked! :laughing:

5

Hi Evil8Beezle and thanks for the advice [emoji106] - I already have my CPC card and it expires in 2019, so I’m good with that. It’s because I was a bus driver upto 2012 so I’m good to go… Well the only thing I need to do is renew my Digi Tacho Card. Thanks again. Chris

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6

That cool mate, I didn’t have a clue about a bus licence from that far back, as I’ve only been in the game a bit over a year…
Just thought I’d condense what I assume to be highlights into a generic post!
The forum is new to you, but us that contribute regularly do see a certain amount of repetition…

We can’t keep churning over the same info again and again, so a few of us have done almost article posts. As you will see, I’ve written 2 of the links and F-reds did the other. It’s a pity we don’t have a thread rating guide on this forum, as there have been plenty of other threads that make good reading…

7

Thanks mate. I really appreciate you response and yes I can understand there’s a lot of repetition. Thanks again. Chris

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8

No Worries, here are a couple of recent Class 2 & 1 training diaries, these are not by me, as that would be vein! :wink:
It’s some bellend called Ash, who knows what a hard Class 2 VAN driving job is like, and as such will take quite and while to respond when i call him a bellend! :smiley: In fact, I’ll probably have to prompt him… :laughing:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=126880
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=129042

Anyone who also finds this info useful say so!
I may consider composing a useful Newbie general job info/experience set of post/links…

If so, rate this one: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=129689#p2027819

Yes OK, I might be a bit vein… :wink:
Have you met the Beaver? :open_mouth: