Drivers mate

[swedish_blue]

it pains me to say this but there is 1 company that does a young apprenticeship thing and if you pass certain levels on the course they will put you through the tests.
the comany name is

Wiseman Dairy

[limeyphil]

chaversdad:

limeyphil:
Get in touch with an abnormal load firm.
They also need a second man for certain loads,

Thats were i started , the first time i ever put a truck in gear and moved it forward it was nearly 100ft long , i,m sure with h&s crap now it wouldnt be allowed but no one batted an eyelid years ago

The health and safety rubbish is way over the top nowadays, I think it’s a direct factor in the economic downturn.
However, I’ve always found that most heavy haulage/abnormal load firms are pretty old school, They havn’t become logistics providers, and i hope they never will.
My grandad shut the doors at his heavy haulage firm because of bureaucracy.

[constantine]

B&Q/Homebase do the porter’s through agency, you’ll get to learn the labour of love on multi-drop, if that is what you truly desire?

They don’t pay too bad for them on agency. Need to be a quick learner and willing and if you can maintain a good attitude, you can start stealing tips from the good drivers.

Beware there aren’t that many there including myself Hahahahaha most are good blokes and you get to go out with a different driver every day/couple of days until you gain a reputation for being good. Hopefully during that time you will pick hints and tips off them, not just from a driving perspective either.

I’d say this, (it’s your choice as you are approaching adult age rapidly now at the end of the day though) do your college course, get the qualifications and keep them for life. You never know when you might want or need them.

I’ve gone the other way, done all the qualifications to degree level and professional charterships. Now I’m on the band wagon to go into driving for once and for all from a different industry, as I’ve been and out of casual/weekend driving for a few years now. I finally know what I want to try and do after working 16 years in a variety of jobs.

But I’d never change the experiences that I gained from those qualifications, which I may not have had if I had only done driving through my life.

Best of luck with your choices bud

C

[dennisthemenace]

Muckaway:
Fresh Direct have a depot in Wigan and I guess they use mates on night shifts like Bicester do.

Fresh Direct is a good company, I worked for them in Bicester…

[dennisthemenace]

lizard:
a couple of ideas for you to get your foot in the door.
try argos for drivers mate,
courier companies for loaders and unloaders (mostly nights and its all hand ball)
any haulage company (just go into them and say that you want to be a driver and you know you have to start at the bottom, so you will start with the brush)

it pains me to say this but there is 1 company that does a young apprenticeship thing and if you pass certain levels on the course they will put you through the tests.
the comany name is
s s st sto stob stobar stobarts
(just off to wash me mouth out with bleach):lol::lol:

youtube.com/watch?v=6tI73B5sgkk

[alamcculloch]

If you want to be a driver what about trying to get on the railway .Train drivers easily get 4 times what truckers get.

[farnboroughboy11]

I think you have more of a chance if you get yourself into a warehouse and or on a forklift. Try and get into a company that has a lot of trucks and has busy yard, you will learn so much more than being a drivers mate which is a rare job anyway, I think out 200 trucks probably 1 of them has a ‘mate’ with them.
I will only be a matter of time before you are asked to shunt lorries about within the confines of the yard.

[ironstipper]

PM Rog, he’s always looking for new mates. Although at your age you might be out of his scope now…

now then, now then, Now then.

[ollienotts]

Go to college/uni/get a trade and get a proper decent job with prospects. Avoid this industry.
Close thread.

[foxy_stars]

try currys/pc world - normally through agency - they use 2nd man all the time cos of washing machines and other heavy lifting and stuff. most parcel companies don’t use them.
most agencies will be able to get you in a warehouse - picking/packing/sorting.
if you can get your counterbalance and reach flt licenses then it’ll get you further up the ladder, give you more of an insight into how things are done and with better money you’ll be able to save up for a c license. you might even end up in the yard tug (shunter) moving mt and loaded trailers round which will help with your c and c+e.
other things that you can get to improve work chances - try construction quals, i drive telehandler - when i’m not driving trucks i’m either loading them or tipping them. approach crane firms - they need staff to bank cranes in, strop up loads and for positioning and stuff they’ll also give you other skills.
above all else stay in college until you find summat that works for you.

[perkibre]

alamcculloch:
If you want to be a driver what about trying to get on the railway .Train drivers easily get 4 times what truckers get.

• 1. Good advice, this would be the route I’d try, I turned down a position on British Rail as a Traction Trainee ( Driver), and went into transport instead, worst mistake of my life, your still working on your own, see different scenery most days, 8 hr days, twice as much pay…

[matizerscaniar480]

OllieNotts:
Go to college/uni/get a trade and get a proper decent job with prospects. Avoid this industry.
Close thread.

Ive got a weekend job working at a recovery company in the garage on the spanners [zb]ing hate it with a vengeance!

[matizerscaniar480]

perkibre:

alamcculloch:
If you want to be a driver what about trying to get on the railway .Train drivers easily get 4 times what truckers get.

• 1. Good advice, this would be the route I’d try, I turned down a position on British Rail as a Traction Trainee ( Driver), and went into transport instead, worst mistake of my life, your still working on your own, see different scenery most days, 8 hr days, twice as much pay…

Really not interested in doing that and im not that bothered about becoming a millionaire, been there got the t-shirt in my sleep

[matizerscaniar480]

Fatboy slimslow:
Get yourself down to Walton summit, try Montgomerys, woodsides and a few others! smart appearance, shaved even if you help out in the yard roping and sheeting it’s all a learning curve for you! Many won’t have a drivers mate as such ( insurance ■■■■■ ) but if you don’t ASK you don’t get! you can drive, so that’s a start what you’ve got to do is peck, peck and peck till they get bored of you peckin! I hope it works out for you, as you’re using your initiative and you’re THE future pal!

For some reason i always forget about Walton summit, cheers for reminding me, definitely going to try round there!

[matizerscaniar480]

Retired Old ■■■■:
I would think that most of the “driver’s mate” jobs these days are really porters. If you don’t mind a bit of graft it could be a way into the industry.
Best of luck, matey.

Im not afraid of hard graft thats for sure, cheers.

[tonyb70]

Have you tried any local firms that do van work?

My first job was for a company that distributed land rover parts nationwide
I worked in the warehouse when i started there at 16,
but was always in the yard driving the forklift, ot the 7 1/2 tonners around

I always said to the boss, as soon as i’m 17 and got my liscence, i want to go out on the road, and true to his word,
the week after i passed my test i was on a run to yorkshire with 18 drops in a battered ■■■■■■ van and a night out across the seats,

i used to go all over the country, and having 3 nights out in the van, Its what i wanted to do, and loved it.

Regards

tonyb

[grumpybum]

matizerSCANIAR480:
I know most of you lot dont like kids such as me on this forum

Not true! Most of us welcome anyone genuinely contributing or seeking advice. What we don’t like, is people, of any age, acting like childish brats. You don’t seem to be one of those.

Good luck with your search

[voodoo1]

If you really are serious about getting in the industry,

I did 2 years at the same company doing multiple NVQ (started at 16 after leaving school ) - (National vocational Qualifications) but also got some experience on dhl multidrops through the company

17 i got my car license

I did “carry and deliver level 2” (when i was 17)
“Warehouse and storage” (when was 16 to move onto carry and deliver when i had car license)
and “Traffic office level 3” (3 qualifications better than 2 eh ?)

Couple months on the job exp at a haulage firm in planning

Quite a bit of lorry washing when other stuff was quiet

When i was 18 i booked in and had my class 2 around my 19th birthday.

Now working for a different company on class 2 distribution, but did first couple months on 7.5T work (as the original company was only training provider / work exp placement for £95 a week full time)

Hope this helps

All the best.

[driveroneuk]

Although there are some excellent suggestions above that the OP should take time to give some thought too, I’m surprised no-one’s mentioned the one niche transport sector that always uses drivers mates: Dray work. (brewery deliveries to pubs).

[phantom_mark]

1asp:
coop lea green use 2nd men £6.50ph it wud be with adr network not wincanton

Only 30p/h less than a class one driver in Spalding area, bet you want to rush out and get your class 1 licence now huh