For approx the last 10 years - up to April this year - trainers have been compelled to use vehicles with a minimum of 8 forward gears. This was around 20 years late - but never mind. So pressure was on to find suitable vehicles. Very difficult as 8 forward gears on a two axle vehicle is unusual. This is why so many particularly large vehicles came into use. We decided not to go down the route of compromising and we specified our own new vehicles in 2005. Since then, we’ve had at least one new truck each year and intend continuing this. They are now auto to keep up with the rules. So, for the next year or two, there is a choice of manual or auto from us.
So, to answer the question, the choice of vehicle was nothing to do with preparing you for CE - which would quite likely be auto anyway.
Pete 
Well, my first night run didn’t go too badly.
I took a wrong turn in the thick mist in the moors, back o’ Huddersfield, meaning I missed the preferred fill up station, so had to back track - meaning I added approx 45mins onto the start of the journey! The m1 was steady as she goes. I made a bit of an arse of myself at the lorry park, in front of an obviously experienced tanker driver, who was filling his water rank up our something by the entrance (the bonnet was up, anyway). by trying to sqeeze around the right side of him, then turning sharp right out the gates. It didnt work, and he looked decidedly nervous as I performed a million shunts in front of his cab. Eventually, he helped me out (obviously relating I was ‘special’ and was banksman for me, but I still didn’t manage it. He asked why I hadn’t just turned around and fine sound the back of the lorry park, so I could drive out straight… Good point. Anyway, by this point he was all done and he obligingly backed up his tanker so I could reverse, straighten, and leave. So why I proceeded to do a 9 point turn and go out the other way, when then way out was now clear, I just don’t know! I guess I was too flustered
and embarrassed by that point! Honestly, I felt like that Dublin woman
on youtube, trying to park her car for an hour, lol!
Had my first day on Monday
Passed my Cat C test a couple of months ago, mainly to help fill in the gaps between my main job.
Got work with Elliotts loo hire driving a 7.5T truck delivering new (CLEAN!) portaloo’s on the thetford army camp.
Brilliant experience. Driving around all day on empty roads is a great way to build some confidence and get to know your lenght, width, turning circle etc without looking like an idiot or holding anyone up.
Well, it was great until the last drop. The rain had turned some of the tracks into swamps. I got stuck, no chance of getting out in an automatic. Big rig wrecker came, he got stuck but eventually got himself out with his 8 wheel drive and winched me out! Not the best start to a job!!!
oh dear, Hammy - sounds like a ‘learning experience’, very ‘character-building’! Do you think it was unavoidable, that any lorry driver could have ended up stuck there? or is it mostly down to your lack of experience?
Well tomorrow is DDay - got my C+E test. Wish me luck!!!
If you see a daf cf in the region of Catterick, Darlington or Richmond with an old 35foot co op trailer on it, please be kind!!
All the best for tomorrow 
Passed! C+E in the bag! Two minors, I’m happy with that!
MuddaTruckka:
Wall of text 
Well, the title doesn’t say “my Short New HGV Driver Journey” does it? 
