Hi,
I passed my C+E a few months ago. Had an interview, went out on a trial run…
I took everything in my stride whilst going forwards, but I crumbled and just couldn’t get it with the reverse.
Is this common? I was under pressure as I was in a busy hub … I would like to have practiced in an empty yard and learned my own way, but I didn’t have that option.
I think the C+E test for reversing doesn’t prepare you for the real world.
Any tips?
The large corporates that pay quite well have no problems recruiting experienced drivers and can set a reasonably difficult assessment. If they don’t need to train, they won’t.
You need to look for somewhere that will put you on accompanied training with another driver. You may be waiting a while to be accepted on a scheme, so a small haulage firm that will let you practice in the yard and send you out with someone would be your best bet. Unlikely to be the best paying.
Sharing that experience, all my assessment drives were fine apart from reversing because even the “new passes welcome, training provided” would rather have someone they don’t have to train and can just get them out earning for them right away. My first driving assessment for Primark they took me to a busy tight double parked loading yard with lorries coming and going, and wanted me to blindside jack knife it onto the bay. After about 15 mins of shunting around with clearly no hope of doing it the assessor told me to just sit in the passenger seat and he’d do it. Unsurprisingly didn’t go any further 
You’re right, the C+E test absolutely doesn’t teach you to reverse, I assume yours like mine was simple a step by step guide to passing the test. “turn til you see the X appear in your mirror, full lock the other way til you see the cone, straighten up and back”. Doesn’t teach you how to actually assess, think about, plan and perform a reverse. Just follow the steps to pass the test.
I got my break with a small family run company, didn’t even have a driving assessment, they knew I was new and just put me out with an experienced driver for a week to show me how its done. The chap who runs the company told me they don’t bother with assessments because if you’ve convinced the DVSA you’re good enough to hold the licence then thats better than any assessment drive they could do. I still think its bizarre they trusted me with the keys to a 44t artic knowing nothing about my driving ability, could have stacked it into the gate coming out of the yard. But Im truly thankful for the opportunity!
My first reverse on day one:
(smaller image, shouldnt break the width! 
)
Took me about 20 shunts to wiggle a tanker into that tight bay, but everyone was helpful and didn’t mind me taking my time. It very much feels like “Christ how does anyone do this? This is impossible I’ll never get it in” Then one day it will just “click” in your head, you wont have to even think about it you’ll just instinctively know what to do.
By about day 3 or 4 I was nailing it with just 1 or 2 shunts if any. Its purely down to finding someone who will let you have a few days playing around figuring out how to reverse.
When I have come up against awkward reverses and clearly been struggling a bit on my own, there’s always been another driver hopped out and offer to help, every single one has said “don’t worry we’ve all been new at one point” nobody has ever gotten irate or shouting to hurry up or anything. Including when I was making a right ■■■ of myself at a very tight turn on a services diesel pump.
The biggest thing that helped me, what finally made reversing click in my head, is thinking of it that you’re not turning the trailer, you’re pivoting it around your 5th wheel then pushing it in the direction you want it to go, move slowly and less steering is more, the more steering you have to do twice as much the other way to take it off. And if your lorry can do it dont forget to raise you middle axle, and move the weight over your drive wheels, makes steering so much more responsive and easier.
What a gift of a thread, just at the right time for me, thanks Riz. I need to get my recent reversing experience off my chest. It’s encouraging to me that you have driven Class 2 for 15 years, passed Class 1 with a clean sheet and still find reversing trailers a challenge.
After my first proper Class 1 experience on Friday (multi-drop), I’m struggling to believe that I will ever cross the bridge from reversing a trailer being a complete mystery to me to it clicking and becoming instinctive. I seem to remember feeling like this about learning to drive Class 2 and passing the Class 1 reversing test, so I am also aware that it’s probably all part of the learning curve but ■■■■, the learning curve is long, challenging and demanding.
It’s also depressing when Class 1 drivers with years of experience admit to occasionally struggling with a reverse. Although a driver I was out with the other day put that “every day is a school day” into context by explaining that it’s more about occasionally having to come out of your comfort zone, so when he gets a new drop he has to learn a new reverse, which he had to do relatively recently. This particular one was a 90 degree blindside into the tightest, filthiest yard you’ve ever seen. I was sat next to him while he performed wizardry with only a cone to help him. I felt sick at the thought of having to do it.
I know that I can read as many tips, watch as many videos, play as many simulators and watch as many drivers as I like but nothing will prepare me for reversing an artic than actually doing it. As someone who’s only been driving professionally for 14 months and still gaining experience on Class 2, I dream of moving onto Class 1 without having to go through the pain of learning how to reverse the hard way. The fact is, for me as an agency driver, it’s either learn the hard way or don’t do it.
Last week when the agency booked me in for 2 days at a new client, they ever so casually mentioned that one day was a Class 2 the other a Class 1. I protested that I wouldn’t be able to do the Class 1 because I can’t reverse. Neither they nor the client seemed bothered! I requested a day’s training with a driver and they did arrange that. It was helpful and daunting in equal measure but we still had a full delivery schedule so I only drove for half the day because I’m too slow and we needed to crack on. My main takeaway from that day was I don’t know what I’m doing.
I have had two other outings in a Class 1. The first was in a single axle trailer. I had 4 drops, I knew about them the day before so I could plan. I did have to do some reversing and I had a lot of help from a couple of young forkies who had grown up driving tractors. The second didn’t really count and wasn’t planned. The yard I was working at had a maintenance issue with the class 2 vehicle I was supposed to be driving and needed a collection doing and when they saw I had C+E they put me on it.
The only reversing I had to do, bar straightening up a bit in the customers yard, was park it in the yard when I got back. They said park it anywhere, which I did, then a forkie came out and said “You’re not leaving that there are you? Park it next to that trailer over there and get it nice and tight”. Thankfully he was a driver and talked me through the whole manoeuvre once he could see I was struggling.
So, Friday…twin axle urban trailer but not rear steer, no real opportunity to plan. I won’t say I had a ■■■■ day because that’s not true. I felt like ■■■■ but it would have been a whole lot ■■■■■■■■ if people had been impatient with me or rude to me. Actually everyone was so nice and helpful. It never ceases to amaze me how many people who work in warehouses/as forkies are former drivers. They all say it will come. I have a hard time believing any of them!
The worst was having to reverse off a main road into a drop. I tried several times and couldn’t do it. It takes about 6 seconds before car and van drivers lose patience, and I lost space in front to pull forward enough, so I just had to move onto my next drop which was further down the road. I managed an ugly turn-around and returned to the site of the abandoned reverse, pulled up on the road and asked them to tip me from there. I was surprised to hear from them that what looked like a straightforward reverse to me, a lot of drivers struggle with.
Another nightmare scenario - a very public three point turn left me feeling like a complete wreck at the end of the day. I’m supposed to enjoy this, right? All my other reverses were in yards where I could take my time. It makes such a difference to your ability to concentrate when you know there is no timer ticking and other drivers watching and getting impatient. You actually have a little time to think about the many things that might help you get it right: don’t oversteer, wait for the trailer to respond etc etc
Finally, 8 drops and 1 collection later I was on my way back to the yard, all my reversing done for the day, when I remembered, ■■■■, I will have to park this up in the yard. I very nearly jumped out and asked one of the other drivers to park it for me, but I persevered. As I was doing it, I had a very brief feeling of “that looks and feels right” and was surprised as hell when it all aligned and back it went. Fluke or first step of the elusive clicking?
I’ve been driving class 1 for 3 years in another 2 weeks.
There is a particular drop we do in Peterborough that is a really tricky u turn reverse to get in a bay under the crane.
3 days ago I managed it in one try for the first time. No shunts and was perfectly positioned and dead straight under my trailer.
I wanted to dance around the yard.
3 years in and still learning.
Every day is a school day and I don’t think that ever changes.
Just to add what everybody else has said - I have now been driving class 1 since March last year, but only doing 1 day per fortnight usually, so would still consider myself very new. I’m lucky that most of the reverses I need to do are in fairly spacious supermarket yards (usually), or back at the RDC so I find it has been a good way of practising without too much pressure.
I’m still learning with every shift, but I find that the setup makes all the difference and as has already been mentioned, going slow with minimal turning of the wheel is usually the best way.
Genuine thanks for your replies, people!
Some great stories and always good to hear from personal experience.
I think my main anxiety was “is it just me who can’t reverse for ■■■■?”, but seems like everyone finds it hard to start with.
Thanks for the feedback
Riz
I had quite a few days in my first few months where I thought, ‘I can’t do this’.
In the same boat.
Passed my test 4 weeks ago, only taught to perform the required reverse Manouver by following visual marks on the trailer.
Have only Picked up two adhoc Class 1 shifts so far, both RDC trunking shifts with a double decker refrigerated trailer.
As an “Agency” driver filling in, there was No handholding, no training, just here’s the keys/paperwork see you later.
Both yards were very tight, the bays had big metal runners barely wider than the trailer. It took me 15mins & as many shunts each time to park on the bar at each end.
Was a nervous reck after each shift.
Got a driving assignment for GXO later in the week, not looking forward to it.
What would be cool if someone offered reversing lessons/practice while their yard is quite.
I paid £115 per hr for my driving instruction while learning, I’d happily pay the same to “Rent” a truck in an empty yard to practice my reversing.
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Riz:
I think the C+E test for reversing doesn’t prepare you for the real world.
It wasn’t intended to “prepare you”, only to test you in a limited way, then you go out there and persuade someone to give you the chance to develop experience.
No test or exam in any subject prepares you for the real world, it just gives you a starting point, the rest is up to you.
WideWolf:
What would be cool if someone offered reversing lessons/practice while their yard is quite.I paid £115 per hr for my driving instruction while learning, I’d happily pay the same to “Rent” a truck in an empty yard to practice my reversing.
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That’s a very positive attitude, I remember years ago thinking I’d be glad of some extra practice. Some companies might help you out “for free”.
I saw a driver posting on FB this week, new pass, car to C+E, so nothing to offer a potential employer that couldn’t be matched by 100 other newbies.
He was complaining that he had the chance of a job for a container company but they wanted him to do a week of supervised driving, unpaid. Some people said “there you go, a week of free training”, he reckoned he was too good for that and turned them down.
I wonder what useful experience he gained off his own bat that following week that would make him more employable?
Zac_A:
He was complaining that he had the chance of a job for a container company but they wanted him to do a week of supervised driving, unpaid. Some people said “there you go, a week of free training”, he reckoned he was too good for that and turned them down.
I’d jump at that sort of opportunity, as you said its basicly a week of FREE training.
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WideWolf:
Have only Picked up two adhoc Class 1 shifts so far, both RDC trunking shifts with a double decker refrigerated trailer.
I was doing something similar in my first week of class 1, after starting with a couple of multi-drop curtain-sider runs.
Quite seriously you get guys that have been in the job 30 years who recoil at the prospect hooking up to a decker. When I hear them say “I don’t do deckers”, I just chuckle to myself.
WideWolf:
What would be cool if someone offered reversing lessons/practice while their yard is quite.I paid £115 per hr for my driving instruction while learning, I’d happily pay the same to “Rent” a truck in an empty yard to practice my reversing.
This!
I’m not a fan of Linked In, but Staffline were on there this week advertising opportunities for new passes in the Stoke, Leicester and other darn sarf areas. Worth a gander for anyone feeling desperate
Zac_A:
I’m not a fan of Linked In, but Staffline were on there this week advertising opportunities for new passes in the Stoke, Leicester and other darn sarf areas. Worth a gander for anyone feeling desperate
Got my first (and only) driving experience with agency work for a well known supermarket via Staffline, starting in March 2022 and still with them. I would recommend them to anybody looking for a start in the industry.
Zac_A:
WideWolf:
What would be cool if someone offered reversing lessons/practice while their yard is quite.I paid £115 per hr for my driving instruction while learning, I’d happily pay the same to “Rent” a truck in an empty yard to practice my reversing.
Sent from my SM-S918B using Tapatalk
That’s a very positive attitude, I remember years ago thinking I’d be glad of some extra practice. Some companies might help you out “for free”.
I saw a driver posting on FB this week, new pass, car to C+E, so nothing to offer a potential employer that couldn’t be matched by 100 other newbies.
He was complaining that he had the chance of a job for a container company but they wanted him to do a week of supervised driving, unpaid. Some people said “there you go, a week of free training”, he reckoned he was too good for that and turned them down.
I wonder what useful experience he gained off his own bat that following week that would make him more employable?
Never work for free.
adam277:
Zac_A:
He was complaining that he had the chance of a job for a container company but they wanted him to do a week of supervised driving, unpaid. Some people said “there you go, a week of free training”, he reckoned he was too good for that and turned them down.I wonder what useful experience he gained off his own bat that following week that would make him more employable?
Never work for free.
It’s not working for free, it’s receiving a weeks of hands on training FOR FREE.
Training that a HGV training provider would charge you £100 per hour for!
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adam277:
Zac_A:
WideWolf:
What would be cool if someone offered reversing lessons/practice while their yard is quite.I paid £115 per hr for my driving instruction while learning, I’d happily pay the same to “Rent” a truck in an empty yard to practice my reversing.
Sent from my SM-S918B using Tapatalk
That’s a very positive attitude, I remember years ago thinking I’d be glad of some extra practice. Some companies might help you out “for free”.
I saw a driver posting on FB this week, new pass, car to C+E, so nothing to offer a potential employer that couldn’t be matched by 100 other newbies.
He was complaining that he had the chance of a job for a container company but they wanted him to do a week of supervised driving, unpaid. Some people said “there you go, a week of free training”, he reckoned he was too good for that and turned them down.
I wonder what useful experience he gained off his own bat that following week that would make him more employable?
Never work for free.
Never turn down experience when you have none. That guy had nothing to offer an employer, he still has nothing to offer an employer, so right now his entitlement is worth next to… nothing
Going out with another driver is not classed as working for free in this type of case
Going out alone for free is