Hi passed my C+E 29 March, Class2 1999.Clean.Digi just been in vans for 6yr but confident and capable. 
Looking to get my first start, Willing to work weekends and Hols for £experince. Does anyone know of anyone in or around Gateshead/Newcastle willing to give a Rookie his Chance 
Daross:
Hi passed my C+E 29 March, Class2 1999.Clean.Digi just been in vans for 6yr but confident and capable.
Looking to get my first start, Willing to work weekends and Hols for £experince. Does anyone know of anyone in or around Gateshead/Newcastle willing to give a Rookie his Chance
No offence mate and I do understand you wanting to gain experience but if you’re saying that you are willing to work as a driver going out on your own on weekends and holidays working for nothing then I hope you have no luck.
Going out with someone else to gain experience is one thing but taking the breadcrumbs out of a drivers pocket is quite different, every day you work for nothing another driver stays home and earns nothing.
tachograph:
No offence mate and I do understand you wanting to gain experience but if you’re saying that you are willing to work as a driver going out on your own on weekends and holidays working for nothing then I hope you have no luck.Going out with someone else to gain experience is one thing but taking the breadcrumbs out of a drivers pocket is quite different, every day you work for nothing another driver stays home and earns nothing.
Couldn’t agree more. While I can see the reasoning behind it from the ‘Newbie’ point of view it really ■■■■■ as an idea.
The company need a driver for a run on Sunday. They can call in an agency driver, agency driver earns money. Give it to a regular driver as overtime and regualr driver earns money. Give it to you and no drivers earn money but the company are on a good screw.
Please don’t work for nothing unless all you are doing is riding along with another driver and not stopping someone earning.
There have been a lot of posts on here recently with drivers offering to work for nothing and IMHO that is worse than those who will drive for minimum wage because they have bills to pay.
yeah i would ride shotgun for free get experience from a paid driver but doing paid work for free is a short steep slippery slope, imagine if every noob offered to work for nothing, a bosses charter
hardly fair on guys that have served their time and its illegal anyway
Gator:
…and its illegal anyway
Is it? Explain voluntary work then. 
Coffeeholic:
Gator:
…and its illegal anywayIs it? Explain voluntary work then.
dont know that many trucking companies that are registered charities 
if you are employed in a commercial venture you have to be paid min wage simple why does that need explanation 
Gator:
if you are employed in a commercial venture you have to be paid min wage simple why does that need explanation
Not true, you don’t have to work for a charity to be exempt from the NMW.
No sorry guys you got it all wrong.
As i meant i would work when im on holiday from my job as annual leave (not which i think you think bank hols etc.) also it would go without saying that i wouldn’t do it myself but as shot gun only on C+E would do yard shunting for nout in C+E but if they wanted me for class 2 i would want paid.
mrpj:
Gator:
if you are employed in a commercial venture you have to be paid min wage simple why does that need explanationNot true, you don’t have to work for a charity to be exempt from the NMW.
yes i know its not just charities that was just the obvious example but read the link you have posted there is no exemption to work for free in the trucking industry or any other if it adds up to an employment or workers contract you get NMW the phrase “adds up to” being the important point
mrpj:
direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/ … /DG_175114
Volunteers
You are likely to be a volunteer if you do not have an employment or worker’s contract (eg you are not a worker). It doesn’t matter who you volunteer for; it can be anyone, not just voluntary organisations.Just because you are described as a volunteer does not necessarily mean that you are not entitled to the NMW. If the arrangements under which you ‘volunteer’ add up to an employment or worker’s contract, you will be entitled to the NMW unless a specific exemption applies (eg the exemption for ‘voluntary workers’).
ROG:
mrpj:
direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/ … /DG_175114Volunteers
You are likely to be a volunteer if you do not have an employment or worker’s contract (eg you are not a worker). It doesn’t matter who you volunteer for; it can be anyone, not just voluntary organisations.Just because you are described as a volunteer does not necessarily mean that you are not entitled to the NMW. If the arrangements under which you ‘volunteer’ add up to an employment or worker’s contract, you will be entitled to the NMW unless a specific exemption applies (eg the exemption for ‘voluntary workers’).
The keyword IMO is “entitled”, this says to me that the individual can turn it down but the company cannot refuse to pay it ie only the company can act illegally.
with all these people willing to work for free no wonder some companies are advertising for drivers at silly rates. don’t mug yourself off by working for free
When I done a little stint for Brake Bros they ask If I wanted to work for free one day just to see if I liked it,so I chose a Saturday rode shot gun with another driver who was being paid overtime and god did I learn alot after working for them for a little while it turns out he is the company sheep (bleating on about how bad the company was) I still enjoyed it and after the bad picture he painted of the company I expecteded it to be bad but out of 18 months I only had a handful of bad days and I gained alot of experience my advise would be if someone gives you a chance work your ■■■■ off for them just to prove you can be as good as the golden oldies
Thats the kind of advice i was hoping for
ryly1979:
When I done a little stint for Brake Bros they ask If I wanted to work for free one day just to see if I liked it,so I chose a Saturday rode shot gun with another driver who was being paid overtime and god did I learn alot after working for them for a little while it turns out he is the company sheep (bleating on about how bad the company was) I still enjoyed it and after the bad picture he painted of the company I expecteded it to be bad but out of 18 months I only had a handful of bad days and I gained alot of experience my advise would be if someone gives you a chance work your ■■■■ off for them just to prove you can be as good as the golden oldies
As Tachograph and Coffeeholic also say, don’t work solo for free.
I offered on the Friday I went fro an interview to go that night as econd man or just accompany to see the route and then the second trunk route Monday in case an opportunity came up in the future.
Did Friday and shared driving with paid driver, Monday morning got call can you do the route you did Friday, tonight ? Been on for them since.
To offer to learn the route is ensible for both company and newbie. To drive for nothing is just daft.
If you’re on the dole there are a few sponsorship deals to try out jobs and get paid that might also work but then you’re dealing with the JC and a lot of paper, better face to face and make a deal.
As the old hands say please dont work for free in the capacity of truck driver. By all means see if an owner driver will let you come out to learn the ropes .If skips or tippers are involved then there is much to learn that is not part of the driving test or training.
Well does anyone know of anyone willing to give a rookie a chance? JUST AS SHOTGUN up here in northeast ie. Newcastle or surrounding area I want to learn as I will be a long distance driver so any help would be great chaps