Young Learner!

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Morning to you all!

Just thought I’d post my journey to gaining my CE as I go along. I’ve always had a really big interest in Artics since a very young age and its been my dream for a while to become a professional driver and now I’m 20 years old, 21 in a few months also, I think Its time to go for it, I’m funding the training from my current wages working in a warehouse as a VNA/Counterbalance FLT driver.

I had a good look around at various training schools and read the threads posted by you guys for us newbies and it helped a lot, in the end I’ve gone for Total Driving in Ipswich, they sent me everything I need to revise for my Theory, Hazard Perception and MOD 2, I’m also using Drivingtheory4all which is very good. Anyway I passed my Medical last week and received my licence back the following Saturday. My 3 tests are booked for the 15th June and 17th June.

Being only 20 years old its going to be hard to find a company that’s going to let me jump into an Artic but it means so much to me its all I’ve ever wanted so I wont stop trying until someone gives me a chance. I really need to find a job pretty quickly so I’m still fresh from training. I’m going to book a few days off work once I’ve passed to go knock on some doors, I’ll also rewrite my cv and a cover note and send them everywhere. Where I work now we have UK MAIL collect our freight 3-4 times a day and the transport manager visits us quite regularly, I’m usually the one who unloads his artic so I’ve got quite close to him, I was thinking of approaching him once I’ve passed and see what the outcome is.

Feel free to put your opinion across or any tips etc it would be much appreciated, Ill keep you posted.

2

do you have your c licence ?

3

Downton’s are offering an apprenticeship scheme for young new drivers. (downton.co.uk/vacancies/lgv- … pprentice/)

4

Hello Lewis why not have a chat with the transport manager next time you see him and see what he says

5

Hi Lewis, calling yourself young :L

I started when I was 19, so there is work out there (yes I’m on the agency, and while you’ll see a lot of “professional” drivers moan arsing and talking ■■■■ about agency drivers, but I’d rather have money in my pocket when I can…).

As for working for UK Mail, I know they run rigids (my uncle’s usual run is in a rigid), but they might only take Class 1 (Cat CE) drivers, as they are more flexible (can drive anything).

Now I’m not sure if you know (reading your post makes it seem like you don’t), you’ll have to take your Cat C (old Class 2) before you’ll be allowed to take the test for Cat CE (old Class 1) to drive artics. If you’re savings won’t stretch to the second test (CE), consider doing some work on rigids (you’ll probably have to do some 7.5t work to actually get work (age and experience are your limiting factors). It’s what I did and I’ve considered it to be good experience (and I couldn’t take my previous job any longer).

6

steowd95:
do you have your c licence ?

I was also wondering if the OP knows they must pass LGV C before going for CE

7

ROG:

steowd95:
do you have your c licence ?

I was also wondering if the OP knows they must pass LGV C before going for CE

Yeah me too , and if you do a year so 2 in a rigid a company will be more incline to let you loose in a artic .

8

I do apologise yes I am aware cat c has to be done first

9

Good luck with your journey Lewis. Its really refreshing to hear of a young lad who has a passion for the job.

I was interested in trucks as a kid as my Dad was a truck driver,so I understand your motivation!

There are lots of knowledgable and helpful folks on here,so any questions-don’t be afraid to post them.

And before you ask…Yes. An old turkey really is a game bird.

10

Good luck fella. Wish I’d done mine at your age, it was all I ever wanted to do, but my folks had put themselves through hardship to give me a private education, so I was always swayed away from it, due to my qualifications. Ended up doing a fair old few jobs I hated, and after being made redundant aged 41, I decided that now I had a few quid in the bank, I was going to give it a whirl.

I started with a company that ran vans, 7.5s and a couple of 12s, occasionally hiring in 18s and 26s when the need arose. Was fairly happy working there, until it got so damned busy that the larger kit was being used to do proper full on multi-dropping, with far more drops and weight on than the 7.5s, but not being given any extra time to do the job.

So I bit the bullet, I’d had my class 1 for 2 years, and had never even sat in an artic since my test. A company local to me were struggling to recruit class 1 drivers, so had decided to give newbies a try. I applied, expecting to hear nothing back. Told them I was apprehensive, as I’d been offered agency work, which was a case of get out and do it, and don’t hit anything. But what if I had? I’d given up a solid job, and would have ended up out on my ear.

Anyway, the place nearby said they’d give me a whirl, and give me a couple of days with the company trainer to get to grips with going backwards. He set up all manner of scenarios for me, screwing it in, cheeky blindsides, coupling to various makes, shapes and sizes of trailer.

Best thing I ever did. Not only am I driving what I call proper trucks I’ve got a MAN TGX XXL, fully specced, instead of poverty spec day-cabbed DAFs and Ivecos. I’m way less stressed, and to top it all, I’m clearing well over a grand a month more.

Fill your boots mate, hope it lives up to your expectations