Hello all!
I passed my Cat C+E in August and began applying for a couple of jobs around my area. I applied to 3 in total and got an interview and assessment from 2, which I was happily surprised about given I have no experience. Unfortunately as my licence hadn’t come back from the DVLA yet one of the companies wouldn’t allow me to do the assessment so that was cancelled. I went ahead with the first company, had an interview with the owner and did an assessment drive. They seemed happy and half an hour later they rang me to offer me the job!
I start tomorrow and am spending a few weeks with their driver trainer to get into it. It’s doing waste and recycling with walking floor trailers, Mon - Fri and once I’m confident on my own I’ll be tramping 4 nights a week, which suits me. The pay is decent, especially for having no experience and it will increase once I am competent on my own.
Just thought I’d make a post to let others know it’s possible to get a job with no experience, and if anybody has any advice I’m all ears! Grateful to have so quickly got my foot in the door and gaining experience.
I’ll be back to let you all know how I get on.
Congrats mate, let us know how it goes!
Best advice I can give is take your time, do things safely over quickly. You’ll get quicker as you get more experienced naturally anyway. Most of all Enjoy it!
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Well done on getting the job Tommy.
Like you, I start my first job tomorrow with an experienced driver for a few weeks.
Fingers crossed there are no issues for you. Hope your feeling confidant. As Benja has said slow n steady.
Good luck mate
Congrats mate, hope you fare well in your new job.
Congratulations Tommy!!
Hope all goes well mate and i look forward to reading about your progress?? I start my class 1 training on Tuesday with a company sponsorship, And the company also is mainly walking floors (waste collections/delivery) So will be interesting to hear how you get on!!
All the best mate!! 
Toot Toot
Well, that’s my first week finished! I did 60 hours this week with the driver trainer and I loved it, can’t fault him one bit. Not going to lie, the first day or two I was like holy crap… a lot to take in… driving fully loaded on the road, how to use the trailer, paperwork, keeping an eye on the tacho, trying to reverse… I can say every day has got easier and more enjoyable though and the trainer has been patient and helped me out massively. My reversing was absolutely crap at the start but by the end of the week I improved a lot, still a long way to go though but it’ll come with practice.
I’ve been learning to drive more economically, using cruise control, the exhaust brake, gear changes and gradient of the road to slow down (or speed up) rather than using the footbrake all the time. They have telematics in the truck and my score was poor the first day, improved the second and by the third the score was pretty good.
Some of the places I’ve been are really really tight at the recycling plants, not just inside but the weigh bridges and entrances. One place has a long tight track you have to go around before leaving and it’s crazy tight for an artic, kind of like a jungle safari with all the trees and potholes. Some places were muddy, some had massive hills and drops, some were just sand tracks. Certainly a variety.
So far I’m happy, the company I’m with seem really decent, truck is good, everything is done properly and any problems they get dealt with. Good of them to send me out with the driver trainer, no way I would have survived the week on my own. I’m with him for another week, not sure if I am the week after, I reckon I will be ok after next week.
Thanks for the congratulations and advice everyone, good luck with your class 1 training Young Scottish Newbie, take your time and you’ll ace it. The walking floors are really good, easy to operate once you’ve got used to it.
TommyT8:
Well, that’s my first week finished! I did 60 hours this week with the driver trainer and I loved it, can’t fault him one bit. Not going to lie, the first day or two I was like holy crap… a lot to take in… driving fully loaded on the road, how to use the trailer, paperwork, keeping an eye on the tacho, trying to reverse… I can say every day has got easier and more enjoyable though and the trainer has been patient and helped me out massively. My reversing was absolutely crap at the start but by the end of the week I improved a lot, still a long way to go though but it’ll come with practice.
I’ve been learning to drive more economically, using cruise control, the exhaust brake, gear changes and gradient of the road to slow down (or speed up) rather than using the footbrake all the time. They have telematics in the truck and my score was poor the first day, improved the second and by the third the score was pretty good.
Some of the places I’ve been are really really tight at the recycling plants, not just inside but the weigh bridges and entrances. One place has a long tight track you have to go around before leaving and it’s crazy tight for an artic, kind of like a jungle safari with all the trees and potholes. Some places were muddy, some had massive hills and drops, some were just sand tracks. Certainly a variety.
So far I’m happy, the company I’m with seem really decent, truck is good, everything is done properly and any problems they get dealt with. Good of them to send me out with the driver trainer, no way I would have survived the week on my own. I’m with him for another week, not sure if I am the week after, I reckon I will be ok after next week.
Thanks for the congratulations and advice everyone, good luck with your class 1 training Young Scottish Newbie, take your time and you’ll ace it. The walking floors are really good, easy to operate once you’ve got used to it.
Hey bud! Glad to see your enjoying yourself mate, Also its great your sent out with a trainer for a few weeks, As by the sound of it you’ve had some tight/difficult spots to deal with!!
Well done mate and long may your enjoyment last! After all not many people get paid to do something they enjoy!!
Thanks mate I passed thankfully =) start my training next week as far as I’m aware its 5 days training and then out on my own!! Should be good though, Artics drive way easier than rigid’s!! Looking forward to starting even more after reading how your first week went mate!! 