I had my first run in class1 the other day and after doing a few simple tasks I was to go to pick up a trailer and drop it at a certain distribution centre. Picked it up and hooking up was no bother just took my time and double and triple checked everything so not to make a mess on first trailer. Got to distribution centre no bother and arrived at intercom. A voice asked me for a ref number and I then was admitted to the yard, there were only three other trucks in the queue. I had asked one of the drivers earlier in my own yard about tipping in this centre and was told “ah you will be fine there ain’t a lot of room but bay 10 is the worst hopefully you won’t get it”.
After about 90mins of a wait I was told “next driver to bay 10” and my heart sank! Given it was my first day and never been in the yard before I pulled round to bay 10 not knowing what to expect and there it was. I thought you want me to put this truck in there this could be fun or a complete disaster!
I pulled round and into position. I tried I think 3 times already and the water was running down my face as I started to panic and block up the whole place. I was talking to myself and kept saying “just don’t hit anything” and “slow and steady” whilst taking a deep breath or two.
Another driver saw I was struggling and said to me in his best English “first day?” He then gave me a few pointers and after what seemed an eternity and a few shunts later I was on the bay!!!
At this point I was just glad to have got on the bay I totally forgot to thank the polish driver that helped me as he was away again. To you sir who ever you were a huge THANKS!!!
Once I was tipped and away I was never as glad to get back to my own yard again. It was an experience but has it put me off absolutely not it’s made me want to do it better the next time
So in conclusion if you see a driver struggling at any stage please be patient it could be me!!!
Toddy5453:
I had my first run in class1 the other day and after doing a few simple tasks I was to go to pick up a trailer and drop it at a certain distribution centre. Picked it up and hooking up was no bother just took my time and double and triple checked everything so not to make a mess on first trailer. Got to distribution centre no bother and arrived at intercom. A voice asked me for a ref number and I then was admitted to the yard, there were only three other trucks in the queue. I had asked one of the drivers earlier in my own yard about tipping in this centre and was told “ah you will be fine there ain’t a lot of room but bay 10 is the worst hopefully you won’t get it”.
After about 90mins of a wait I was told “next driver to bay 10” and my heart sank! Given it was my first day and never been in the yard before I pulled round to bay 10 not knowing what to expect and there it was. I thought you want me to put this truck in there this could be fun or a complete disaster!
I pulled round and into position. I tried I think 3 times already and the water was running down my face as I started to panic and block up the whole place. I was talking to myself and kept saying “just don’t hit anything” and “slow and steady” whilst taking a deep breath or two.
Another driver saw I was struggling and said to me in his best English “first day?” He then gave me a few pointers and after what seemed an eternity and a few shunts later I was on the bay!!!
At this point I was just glad to have got on the bay I totally forgot to thank the polish driver that helped me as he was away again. To you sir who ever you were a huge THANKS!!!
Once I was tipped and away I was never as glad to get back to my own yard again. It was an experience but has it put me off absolutely not it’s made me want to do it better the next time
So in conclusion if you see a driver struggling at any stage please be patient it could be me!!!
Sounds like a good first day! I am however curious… What makes bay 10 so bad?
Well done! Pretty new to class 1 myself. I’m forming opinion that 95% of a reverse is your starting position, and taking thought and care in where you start can make or break it. It is slowly getting easier for me, so I guess just hang in there!
The nice thing is that your anonymous Eastern European driver recognised that you were new, and offered appropriate help/guidance. A good many of the “Professional Drivers” would simply sit and watch, while recording your pathetic attempts on their camera phones.
Roymondo:
The nice thing is that your anonymous Eastern European driver recognised that you were new, and offered appropriate help/guidance. A good many of the “Professional Drivers” would simply sit and watch, while recording your pathetic attempts on their camera phones.
I know it was decent of him as he didn’t have to but I was glad of help
Well done for firstly not giving up and secondly for saying thank you to the guy who shed light on your moment of darkness, and does it not say something that he was not a British driver that stepped up to the mark?
4 pieces of advice for you if I may:
Take a look even if the advice is there. Even better if you can get them to show you via hand signals and voice directions what they mean.
Don’t be a ■■■■ take a shunt.
Take it steady, take it slow, no one drove a Volvo FH out of their mother’s delicate bits…
Thank those that help, especially if there are others around
Keep on trucking buddy, it’s not a job it’s an adventure
Well done for firstly not giving up and secondly for saying thank you to the guy who shed light on your moment of darkness, and does it not say something that he was not a British driver that stepped up to the mark?
4 pieces of advice for you if I may:
Take a look even if the advice is there. Even better if you can get them to show you via hand signals and voice directions what they mean.
Don’t be a [zb] take a shunt.
Take it steady, take it slow, no one drove a Volvo FH out of their mother’s delicate bits…
Thank those that help, especially if there are others around
Keep on trucking buddy, it’s not a job it’s an adventure
I was never giving up I’m a stubborn bugger that way
Roymondo:
The nice thing is that your anonymous Eastern European driver recognised that you were new, and offered appropriate help/guidance. A good many of the “Professional Drivers” would simply sit and watch, while recording your pathetic attempts on their camera phones.
Well, this is Eeastern European’s driver honour. I help to you now and you will help me next time. For instance if your truck is stuck in 15 inchs snow with -15 degrees Celsius outside in the middle of nowhere you wouldn’t record you attempts on your camera, would you?
Then it comes to the ,team work’’ Good luck everyone!!!
