Money isn't everything....or is it?

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

I applied for a job online with a company. I got a phone call interview just to guage me then an online interview then a physical interview (all social distancing measures followed).

Got through the interview.

I was totally honest about my limited experience and felt my reversing was dreadful. I wanted to work with a large firm with yard space and spare units so I could practice on my time (no pay).

Offered for an assessment drive.

I didn’t pass the assessment. I smashed it out of the park. I’m a good driver. My reversing needs work but I’m a lot further on than I should be after a few weeks driving.

The kit is Daf and unbelievably well maintained. I went out in the old garage shunter. An 18 year old with nearly a million miles. It ran like a dream!

The trailer curtains slide like a dream. The rear doors close as they should. Everything works.

Assessment - 15 minutes playing with every button. Do you feel comfortable? We can go through them again? Let’s go through them again and you tell me what they do?

Walk around checks - all cab phone based. You unhook it from cradle and take photos and follow it to the letter. I liked it. It’s idiot proof (so suits me!)

4 hours of H&S classroom based work followed. That was hard going!

Asked if I could go in and just practice reversing before I start work proper.

No problem. It’ll improve your confidence and skill. We’ll sort that out for whichever day you like.

Everything, and I mean everything is how I imagined it should be.

They are paranoid about their trucks and reputation. They’re not trying to stick it to the driver. As long as driver’s have all the start of day pictures they will be behind you.

V.O.R - if that’s what you feel it needs or something hasn’t been done. Do it and grab another unit.

And they’re 10 minutes from my door.

Pay?

Less than £11.50 nights.

2

Remember what makes you happy and family happy thats all that matters.Not some jumped up think there important person.

3

Money seems fine to me. Near enough average for nights on general for the busier areas of the UK.

If you like the old truck, insist on taking it. If you bump it then it won’t be the end of the world. Don’t be afraid to ask other drivers for help and to watch you back. Unless they’re in a rush to get going, most will be happy to talk ‘trucks’ with you.

4

Surely you do it for a little while, get your experience and then see if you can get a pay rise or look elsewhere?

At least when you look elsewhere you’ll be less wet behind the ears, so are a bit more likely to see if something smells like BS etc?

5

It is a very good question, and I don’t think anybody can say if it is or isn’t since its a 100% “it depends” situation, of course making more for your role is always going to be better than making less, there isn’t going to be anybody that could make a proper argument for that but at what price do those extra £ per hour come at?

Working for a company that takes actual pride in what they do, look after the kit well, make sure that you are given the equipment and training you need, problems are actually sorted, and so on is going to be a lot less stressful, all you need to worry about is what you do then to me that sounds like heaven!

Money makes the world go around, and having more off it makes many things easier, but if you are stressed, run down, don’t sleep properly it gets to a point where you have to stop before you really start making yourself ill

my 2p’s worth anyway

6

Plenty of other drivers with, as you’ve described yourself, “limited experience” who would be glad to cut their teeth on a job that pays £11.50 ish per hour. There are experienced class 2 hiab drivers working for a very well known builders merchant for less than £9 per hour (naming no names but blue trucks with white lettering). And I know of a well known Tyneside haulier where class 1 drivers are on minimum wage :confused:

7

you’ll be saving a few quid,and hours,by working for a Co. on your doorstep,and as you say they look after their kit,there will no worries about taking a truck out with bits hanging off,dodgy tyres etc.

8

I’ve got to say I have been questioning why i am doing this CAT C test, having spent a lot of time - since August, learning, relearning testing re testing and when i got to the practical test it seemed like the DVSA instructor is willing you to fail and watching you with such beady eyes that you have a slim chance.
Everyone says - just drive right for the test, but that’s not easy with delays between retests.
They tell me that the RAF boys nearby 98% of them pass first time at their own training facility and i can’t help but think that HGV driving is firmly aimed at ex forces as some sort of job creation scheme, because i can’t explain how 98% of them would pass when the national average pass rates are much lower.

Build5:
I applied for a job online with a company. I got a phone call interview just to guage me then an online interview then a physical interview (all social distancing measures followed).

Got through the interview.

I was totally honest about my limited experience and felt my reversing was dreadful. I wanted to work with a large firm with yard space and spare units so I could practice on my time (no pay).

Offered for an assessment drive.

I didn’t pass the assessment. I smashed it out of the park. I’m a good driver. My reversing needs work but I’m a lot further on than I should be after a few weeks driving.

The kit is Daf and unbelievably well maintained. I went out in the old garage shunter. An 18 year old with nearly a million miles. It ran like a dream!

The trailer curtains slide like a dream. The rear doors close as they should. Everything works.

Assessment - 15 minutes playing with every button. Do you feel comfortable? We can go through them again? Let’s go through them again and you tell me what they do?

Walk around checks - all cab phone based. You unhook it from cradle and take photos and follow it to the letter. I liked it. It’s idiot proof (so suits me!)

4 hours of H&S classroom based work followed. That was hard going!

Asked if I could go in and just practice reversing before I start work proper.

No problem. It’ll improve your confidence and skill. We’ll sort that out for whichever day you like.

Everything, and I mean everything is how I imagined it should be.

They are paranoid about their trucks and reputation. They’re not trying to stick it to the driver. As long as driver’s have all the start of day pictures they will be behind you.

V.O.R - if that’s what you feel it needs or something hasn’t been done. Do it and grab another unit.

And they’re 10 minutes from my door.

Pay?

Less than £11.50 nights.

9

Riddlemethis:
I’ve got to say I have been questioning why i am doing this CAT C test, having spent a lot of time - since August, learning, relearning testing re testing and when i got to the practical test it seemed like the DVSA instructor is willing you to fail and watching you with such beady eyes that you have a slim chance.
Everyone says - just drive right for the test, but that’s not easy with delays between retests.
They tell me that the RAF boys nearby 98% of them pass first time at their own training facility and i can’t help but think that HGV driving is firmly aimed at ex forces as some sort of job creation scheme, because i can’t explain how 98% of them would pass when the national average pass rates are much lower.

This is only my thoughts from my limited time driving. I did a three days on a rigid and went straight to C+E so it’s only my thoughts -

The test scenarios for class 2 and 1 are laughable. You’ll never use that daft ‘bay 1 to bay 2’ reverse ever again.

Try reversing under a hopper while it dumps hot tar in the back then reversing back onto a spreader while you’ve got teams of roadworkers all waiting for you to dump and move so they can get their job done…and you’ve got to find where the roadworks are actually located (it’s not a static location that you can find on Google maps!)

All of this is done at what feels like break neck speed!

…and don’t forget to get your ticket signed!

Class 1 is no better. In fact I’d say it’s worse and I’ll explain why.

A certain large company had this as it’s safe system of work to uncouple-

SSOW - unclip red line. Then apply trailer break, legs down, unhook other lines, dog clip, king pin, pull forward.

Guess what happened in a high pressure moment with fifty trucks behind me waiting to drop trailers and thirty shunters whizzing around?
Yep, I forgot the other lines and ripped them clean off!!

I’d already unclipped in my mind (B.L.A.C.K) so thought I was finished on the gantry.

I thought trucks spent their lives on motorways. They don’t. Fuel is the over riding priority (even more than drivers wages) your time is spent navigating A roads at best.

Thinking back to my test and the work I’ve done so far, I’d choose my test route and a bay reverse every day of the week.

Your examiner is likely an ex trucker. He knows what you don’t. If you can’t confidently get round his course you’re going to struggle in the real world.

I passed first time and I’ve struggled every day since in one way or another.

It’s a steep learning curve and I don’t feel the test prepares us for the real world. It’s sadly lacking in lots of areas, but my biggest gripe is reversing (especially for class 1) there needs to be more emphasis put on it.

Did you know they’ve been using the same test since the 1970’s? Don’t believe me? Have a look on YouTube and you’ll see old tests on different TV programs.

Every other has been updated when roads change, more traffic, road rage etc etc…and the truck test is sat there in the bloomin 1970’s

I think the army boys have an easier ride because they drive all day, every day on private land (Crown land owns more land than everyone else put together) a 16 year army lad probably does more miles than me!

You can do it Riddler, be calm. Ignore examiner. Do what you were taught.

10

[if you think the army boys have an easier ride, I think you’re dead wrong.

They have hundreds of miles to practice and loads of bay reveres without ever going out on a public road.

I’ll tell you who else has it easy - the farm lads. They’ve been blind siding since they were a nipper. They’ve driven artics. They’ve driven tractors. They’ve driven cars around the fields and yards. Those young men are years ahead of us!

It’s not a ‘rigged system’ they just get it. Like second nature just like the army lads. They’ve had years on private land with no pressure to practice and refine their skills.

We don’t.

Nobody was born knowing how to blind side. Anyone who laughs at a noob has obviously forgotten his first week.

11

Riddlemethis:
I’ve got to say I have been questioning why i am doing this CAT C test, having spent a lot of time - since August, learning, relearning testing re testing and when i got to the practical test it seemed like the DVSA instructor is willing you to fail and watching you with such beady eyes that you have a slim chance.
Everyone says - just drive right for the test, but that’s not easy with delays between retests.
They tell me that the RAF boys nearby 98% of them pass first time at their own training facility and i can’t help but think that HGV driving is firmly aimed at ex forces as some sort of job creation scheme, because i can’t explain how 98% of them would pass when the national average pass rates are much lower.

Build5:
I applied for a job online with a company. I got a phone call interview just to guage me then an online interview then a physical interview (all social distancing measures followed).

Got through the interview.

I was totally honest about my limited experience and felt my reversing was dreadful. I wanted to work with a large firm with yard space and spare units so I could practice on my time (no pay).

Offered for an assessment drive.

I didn’t pass the assessment. I smashed it out of the park. I’m a good driver. My reversing needs work but I’m a lot further on than I should be after a few weeks driving.

The kit is Daf and unbelievably well maintained. I went out in the old garage shunter. An 18 year old with nearly a million miles. It ran like a dream!

The trailer curtains slide like a dream. The rear doors close as they should. Everything works.

Assessment - 15 minutes playing with every button. Do you feel comfortable? We can go through them again? Let’s go through them again and you tell me what they do?

Walk around checks - all cab phone based. You unhook it from cradle and take photos and follow it to the letter. I liked it. It’s idiot proof (so suits me!)

4 hours of H&S classroom based work followed. That was hard going!

Asked if I could go in and just practice reversing before I start work proper.

No problem. It’ll improve your confidence and skill. We’ll sort that out for whichever day you like.

Everything, and I mean everything is how I imagined it should be.

They are paranoid about their trucks and reputation. They’re not trying to stick it to the driver. As long as driver’s have all the start of day pictures they will be behind you.

V.O.R - if that’s what you feel it needs or something hasn’t been done. Do it and grab another unit.

And they’re 10 minutes from my door.

Pay?

Less than £11.50 nights.

I did have feelings like this after I failed, the long wait from first half of training to last half and test, why am I bothering with this, but I made a mistake and according to the test it is a fail. Everybody has a different reason why they want to drive trucks for a living, don’t let an obstacle get in the way of that dream.

Sent from my LYA-L09 using Tapatalk

12

Wouldn’t open one eye lid for that

13

No one can expect to hit the ground running, passing your test is just the start it means you’ve considered to be competent to go forward, the day you start your first job is when you start to learn the job.

You cannot expect to drop onto a plum job immediately after passing your test, yes it might happen if you’ve gone from a warehouse to wheels program but for most new drivers unless they had previous experience of long term driving on vans or small lorries they are an unknown quantity so not every employer is keen to offer new drivers a job.
The companies operating high profile often specialised equipment and offering the best terms and conditions don’t need to take a chance on unskilled unproven possibles, they can cherry pick from those who have proved their worth so to speak…yes there are exceptions, those not paying for their vehicles and damage (ie logistics running transport for companies who have washed their hands of it but still ultimately foot the bill for poor management decisions) are more likely to throw the keys of £150k outfits at complete unknowns.

Accept you arn’t usually going to be starting at the top or anywhere near, you are going to have to do what almost every other driver has done including me, find an employer who will give you a chance, it might not pay that brilliantly and the equipment may leave a lot to be desired, i was sort of lucky in that the pay was good but the motors were diabolical.

Learn the job, do your best, if lorry driving is for you you will naturally improve and you might find your employer realises he’s found a good 'un and as it were ‘promotes’ you, pay is always negotiable sometimes in more ways than one, if the job proves not to have some sort of better prospects, then still do your best and once you have some decent experience under your belt start looking around, if you decide to leave try and leave on good terms, don’t be like some silly buggers who come on these pages thinking about shopping their employer to DVSA or whatever they are called this week, leave properly and thank the employer for giving you a start.
You’ll be surprised how small this industry is, as you go on you’ll meet people years from now who remember you from other places, if you have a good attitude and reputation then it can only help secure your prospects in this industry, and industry unlike any other.