Hi I’m after a bit of help from all you guys again. I have finally moved up to the Bedford area from Devon where I was a charge hand mechanic in a council workshop. I drove everything there from ride on mowers to artics, Tractors to small vans. I often went out gritting in the winter and a few years ago went out on the bin rounds a few years ago as well as some recovery here and there.
Well yesterday I got out there and signed up to a few agencies. They all asked my experience and I was as honest as I could be saying I’m very very happy in class 2 but my class one experience is limited to shunting around the yard taking for mot and driving to and from the same place on a occasional Saturday morning. We talked about a few options and later on I got a phone call offering me a multidrop starting at 3pm in a artic 45 mins away from home. I turned it down panicked thinking I could not do this!! I did fine on all the tests they give me but I realise I don’t no as much about when I can use poa as I should and how it counts towards your working hours and the working 6 hours and needing a break? If you have a hour poa if you have not done 4.5 hours driving I think u still have to stop for a break When you get to 6 hours? They asked me questions on what motorways linked what places I had educated guesses and got 6 out of 10 but it was multi choice. I’m now worried there going to stick me straight out in a artic and go here here and here and I’m not going to have a clue. I can use a car sat nav and am looking to buy a hgv atlas when I can figure out which one is the best for newbies on the road? I do not really want to buy a hgv sat nav as I’m only planning on about 3 months work before hopefully heading to nz for a year or 2 but then I will probably return to driving but it just seems such a lot of money to have sat there. I have looked to buy a half decent second hand one but have had no luck yet. Do you guys think I could get away with a car sat nav a hgv atlas and just trying to look where I’m going and trying to be sensible?? I’m terrified I’m going to end up lost or stuck somewhere.
Also I signed up for 3 agencies I am ok in thinking I can work for agency A one day agency B the next and work between them like this as long as I make sure I get the correct driving breaks in In-between?? This would not effect the tax I pay or anything like that? As far as I understand I need to tell the other agencies when I work for another one though? It’s all so confusing and as I have seen a lot of you saying on here they are not the most helpful just a bit of sign here here and here and fill this in and we will contact you?
Any advice would be great from you guys. Just looking for a bit of guidance really! Trying to get rid of my pre going out there nerves. I also had a call later in the day asking me to do some work for a pharmaceutical company based in Bedford in a artic it sounded a better job but couldn’t do this morning as I’m waiting at home for some flooring. I was feeling ready to try that though.
If you want paper maps then the Phillips is recommended,your car sat-nav would most likely do for getting started with.Go on ebay and get a truckers one for £50.00 if you want.There is no loyalty or integrity with agencies,so play them as they play you.If A gives you work on Mon.then you can work for B the rest of the week.I would give the artic work a go and see how you get on with it.
Only way to get over nerves is to go out and give it a go just take your time think about what your doing and after an hour or two your think what was I worried about
Signed up with an agency and refused both offered jobs for whatever reason might make them not look at you so favourably in the future. IMO you need to grab the bull by the horns and get out there and try it, otherwise you may end up having to sell your new flooring to live. Nothing ventured nothing gained …
I would try to use a big agency who have a big lead vendor contract to supply 50-150 drivers a day to a big supermarket chain or a so called blue chip company.That way after a basic driving assessment you will get a proper induction were you will be told what is expected of you and you will be free to ask all the questions you want.
I only do agency work and have done for 20yrs and my advice is to stay away from little independent agencies.
All agencies are rubbish but they are easy to abuse once you know what your doing. Just make sure they do actually have work, so many don’t. Good luck
Find out which one is likely to give you most work. If they are employing you PAYE then only 1 will take tax from your wages with your tax code. Any second employers will be deducting tax at basic rate and you will have to wait until the end of year for a tax rebate.
Most agencies now seem to use the umbrella scheme or favour self employed drivers.
You don’t need to tell them if you’re working for other agencies either, only of you’re available to work or not. You must keep an eye on your working hours though.
Your POA can be used to reset your six hour duty time before stopping for another break. It does not reset your drive time. Be careful because digital tachographs will reset your drive time if on POA so you will need to make a note of what you have done or you could end up over your hours.
A car sat nav can be used as long as you are sensible and don’t take what it says as gospel. TBH I would trust a truck sat nav as much as I’d trust a car one. Use a paper map or something like Google maps to plan your route. With Google maps if there’s a train line crossing a road you can use satellite view to see if you go over or under. If you go under you can use street view to look at the heights posted on the bridges (again use common sense as some of the images are out of date)
Thank you for all your help guys I think there all paying paye as nothing was said about the umbrella scheme to me well a few words just saying they don’t do it? So does that mean I will be emergency taxed? That will be expensive? I have a shift on artics with movianto in the morning a half 3 start. The agency have text me saying there is a drop in elsford but I have never heard of it and can’t find it anywhere and a drop in Croydon? I’m nervous now about this. This is through the agency best connection I hear they are all over the place so I think they should be ok?
Also got a interview at Biffa this afternoon which sounds like could be work everyday. I’m going to go across and see how that goes.
Will buy myself a Phillips atlas this afternoon and see how I go with that and the car sat nav for now. Ha ha I’m hoping once I’m in the cab got going I will wonder what I was worried about!
If anyone has done any work for movianto out of Bedford and has any advice I would love to hear it.
Ask if they have some fridge runs for a haulier supplying rdcs. One drop and reload stuff. About the easiest way to get back in and get your confidence back on artics. If you’ve not done fridges don’t stress it they’re simple. Ask someone it’ll take 5 mins to show you.
the only elsford I could find is Elsford | Domesday Book
Head of manor: Bovey Tracey. Taxable units: Taxable value 4.1 geld units. Value: Value to lord in 1086 £14. Households: 16 villagers. 8 smallholders. 8 slaves.
You sure it’s not Aylesford? Could sound like that over the phone at a push. In fact some of the places I’ve been told to head to by planners ‘from other shores’ make Bristol sound like Manchester. You need a translator.
Freight Dog:
You sure it’s not Aylesford? Could sound like that over the phone at a push. In fact some of the places I’ve been told to head to by planners ‘from other shores’ make Bristol sound like Manchester. You need a translator.
Could be Elmsford Nr truro, lots of artic friendly/ interesting roads around there i bet
I have had long breaks in between driving artics ect, never been a problem for me as the saying goes like riding a bike , you never forget how to, However your stamina for long, sometime unsocial hours, is a different story thought,As far as the WTD nonsense goes , that would be the least of my worries, the drivers rules and regs are more important , as if you get caught for driving over your hours ect, that will cost you more money than you will earn in a shift, currently there doesn’t seem to be much if any interest by the authorities re the WTD for mobile workers , so as they say crack on
Freight Dog:
Truro! Can’t see it being that given he’s got Croydon too, that would be a bit mean if they didn’t mention nights out. Better take night out kit
A proper days graft,nowt wrong there,think of the money lol ,
Stop panicking, we have all been there so just have a quick brush up on the rules your not sure of and make a note to carry with you, you know the basics anyway, just make sure you have a break within a 4.5 hr drive, dont work continuously for 6 hrs, thats old hat and what employers expect ( they have a cuppa, and so can you ) just stop for a cuppa when you feel like it and remember to make sure the tacho is on break when you do.
