Advice - Ad-hoc work

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hello all,

I’d be grateful for some advice.

I am planning to undertake Class 2 and probably Class 1 after the UK starts to return to some form of normality. The plan is for driving to be a second income stream to supplement the day job. I get quite a lot of time off in winter so that is when I would mainly be planning to drive, but I’d be happy to fit in a couple of shifts per month in summer aswell.

I’m 42yr old now, but as I get older I may move into part-time in my current job and do more driving, it is a skill and a qualification that will always be there as I get older and I’d rather start building the experience now.

To get to my questions;
Will agencies or local firms be willing to offer me work if I am only available for say 5 days per month in the spring/summer and 12 days per month in the autumn/winter?
Will having a Class 1 increase my chances of picking up work?
I’m not afraid of manual labour, done plenty of it (steel erecting, banksman/slinging), but I think I’d prefer long stints of driving with minimal handballing.
I’m in ■■■■■■■■ local to Penrith and not far from Carlisle if that helps with answers.

I guess that most people starting out will be looking for regular, steady work but my situation is different to that, Would that deter agencies/employers from giving me some work?
It’s a big investment so I wouldn’t want to see it go to waste.

Cheers.

2

Not too sure I would want to spend that amount of money to work a few days a month as all in to get class 2 you’re talking £3000. Class 1 another 1000 to 1200.

Agencies might take you on, and not saying you wont get work. However because you’re a new licence holder that might restrict some work, plus you won’t be top of their “to call” list since you’re only occasionally used (due to time available).

One of the headaches is the “new licence” which means some companies won’t or can’t take you on with less than 6 months, 1 year or 2 years on your licence. Some however will take new passes or don’t care esp in agency.

Winter tends to be one of the lower employment times for agency although some jobs will be better or unaffected. Just you’re fighting with other agency drivers looking for less available work.

Class 1 helps as there are an awful lot of people who have class 2. The new licence issue applies here too, but it could be argued that starting off with that licence puts you in a better position.

Class 2 tends to be more manual handling by default although done plenty shifting pallets in / out of a trailer. Still easier than multidrop off a taillift on a class 2.

I don’t want to put you off, but fulltime its quite expensive and only working part time it’ll take longer to get the money back. Agencies can be better for occasional work vs employed direct, but they can be a right pain.

As for Penrith, if you want to get a foot in the door I don’t suppose you gave C1 on your licence? Its been a few years since I lived in Penrith, but I guess people like Greggs (Birketts in my day) and Bells of Lazonby use 7.5T trucks. Ok a bit of manual handling but not heavy.

Still requires a tacho but similar to a class 2 and might be an option without the initial expense. Not sure if it would work but Greggs also do class 1. Might be able to get in and then see if they were interested in employing you.

Not sure if they have trucks based there but Greencore have a depot on Gilwilly Est and I think so do Dominos. Even Stobarts are there on Penrith ind est.

If you were thinking fulltime I would say defo go for it but don’t think it’ll initially be a walk in the park. Part time, is a good option but helps if you don’t need to get the money back too quick.

3

trevHCS:
Not too sure I would want to spend that amount of money to work a few days a month as all in to get class 2 you’re talking £3000. Class 1 another 1000 to 1200.

It won’t cost you anywhere near £3k to get your class 2 unless you fail your test 5 or 6 times.

Try half that tops allowing for a retest.

I also got class 2 & 1 with the intention of doing a few days to see how I found it. No issues getting work via agency, was working every week.

Anyway got sick of the day job so took 2 week off sick before telling them to shove it up their arse and ended up on the road full time.

4

TrevHCS, Thanks for taking the time to give me your thoughts.
Sounds like there are plenty of companies local to me so that’s a plus.

I’m not looking for a return on investment in the short term, so long as I can pick up bits of work to build experience I don’t mind. I want something to fall back on if things change in my current job. What I don’t want is to do the licence then find I can’t pick up anything unless I’m willing to go full-time as that would be a waste of cash and effort.

Do you think knocking on doors at companies would give me a better chance of ad-hoc or am I better sticking to the agencies?

I think that I can get the Class 1 & 2 done for around £3400.

I’ve got the C1 on my licence, I’d still need to do the CPC, could be an option. But as you say, maybe having the Class 1 would make me more employable for ad-hoc work.

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5

Jimmy McNulty:

trevHCS:
Not too sure I would want to spend that amount of money to work a few days a month as all in to get class 2 you’re talking £3000. Class 1 another 1000 to 1200.

It won’t cost you anywhere near £3k to get your class 2 unless you fail your test 5 or 6 times.

Try half that tops allowing for a retest.

I also got class 2 & 1 with the intention of doing a few days to see how I found it. No issues getting work via agency, was working every week.

Anyway got sick of the day job so took 2 week off sick before telling them to shove it up their arse and ended up on the road full time.

JimmyMcnulty, thanks for your reply.

Are you based in ■■■■■■■ aswell? If so, which agencies do you think are best?

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6

I did my class 2 in February.
Total price for everything came to £959. That’s the lot, medical to test.
I did 10hrs training plus test day.
Already got my dcpc, cos I’m driving 7.5t already.
Done the assessment for class 1 and need 14 hrs plus test day. £1033 all in.
Currently on hold cos of the virus. Had test booked for April 17th. Gutted.
If i pass the class 1 first go, ill be just under £2000 done and dusted.
Can be done for sensible money.

7

blackwing:
Hello all,

I’d be grateful for some advice.

I am planning to undertake Class 2 and probably Class 1 after the UK starts to return to some form of normality. The plan is for driving to be a second income stream to supplement the day job. I get quite a lot of time off in winter so that is when I would mainly be planning to drive, but I’d be happy to fit in a couple of shifts per month in summer aswell.

I’m 42yr old now, but as I get older I may move into part-time in my current job and do more driving, it is a skill and a qualification that will always be there as I get older and I’d rather start building the experience now.

To get to my questions;
Will agencies or local firms be willing to offer me work if I am only available for say 5 days per month in the spring/summer and 12 days per month in the autumn/winter?
Will having a Class 1 increase my chances of picking up work?
I’m not afraid of manual labour, done plenty of it (steel erecting, banksman/slinging), but I think I’d prefer long stints of driving with minimal handballing.
I’m in ■■■■■■■■ local to Penrith and not far from Carlisle if that helps with answers.

I guess that most people starting out will be looking for regular, steady work but my situation is different to that, Would that deter agencies/employers from giving me some work?
It’s a big investment so I wouldn’t want to see it go to waste.

Cheers.

Have you not considered how the world and - specifically the haulage industry - will look once this virus shizzle is over? We’re barely a few days in and already companies are laying off drivers all over the place. By the time we come out the other side there will be hundreds of hauliers and small operators bankrupt and out of business, plus lay-offs at the larger places due to the deep depression we’ll be in with no-one buying anything because they have no money. Drivers will be fighting over the comparately small amount of work that will be available and wages will be driven down. Newbies won’t get a look-in. By all means get your licence if you have the funds burning a hole in your pocket and you already have a secure job that isn’t going to get the chop, but don’t expect to be using your new licence for a long time. Even at our place (food industry) the usual 20+ agency crowd we have in every day have all been binned off as the orders have dropped off a cliff and we’re struggling to keep our own lot out. I think a lot of people are expecting this to blow over in a couple of weeks and we’ll be back to normal. It isn’t going to happen.

8

[/quote]
Have you not considered how the world and - specifically the haulage industry - will look once this virus shizzle is over? We’re barely a few days in and already companies are laying off drivers all over the place. By the time we come out the other side there will be hundreds of hauliers and small operators bankrupt and out of business, plus lay-offs at the larger places due to the deep depression we’ll be in with no-one buying anything because they have no money. Drivers will be fighting over the comparately small amount of work that will be available and wages will be driven down. Newbies won’t get a look-in. By all means get your licence if you have the funds burning a hole in your pocket and you already have a secure job that isn’t going to get the chop, but don’t expect to be using your new licence for a long time. Even at our place (food industry) the usual 20+ agency crowd we have in every day have all been binned off as the orders have dropped off a cliff and we’re struggling to keep our own lot out. I think a lot of people are expecting this to blow over in a couple of weeks and we’ll be back to normal. It isn’t going to happen.
[/quote]
You’re quite right, the economy will likely be very different for some time to come. I’m currently furloughed from a job in aviation flight ops, I’ve been told not to expect to be called back to work until sometime in July, even then it could be part-time. In terms of recovery, I think the UK transport sector will recover more quickly than international aviation which was booming only a month ago. Getting my licence done as soon as I can gives me an option of another career which I don’t have at the moment, if things were to go south and I ended up redundant.
Best case scenario is I’m back at work full-time in July and I will wait my turn for driving work once all the experienced drivers are suitably employed.
Worst case scenario, I’m on the hunt for a full-time driving job in 6 months and will have to take my chances as a new driver.