Well I guess this is the place to introduce myself- I hope!
I passed my class 1 a couple of months back but having 4 babies at home, ranging from 16yrs to 1yr I just work at the weekends. Of course the downfall of this is that the experience is slow to build up and each day I work still tends to feel like the first day. Working for an agency doesn’t help, never know where your going or what you’re driving 
Hey-ho it can only get better 
Anyhoo, lookng forward to talking and getting to know you!
Its how i started driving before moving to a permanent job. It does help with your confidence and also if you want a full time job, you can say you have done some regular driving since your test. Rather than getting the licence and not using it for a year.
It is good experience, and soon things will become familiar to you.
Good luck
Hi Devon,
Thats exactly the way I am going to go, weekend work for the experience, FINGERS CROSSED when I pass my test.
How do you get on with the different gearboxes?
I learnt on a Scania with a nice easy 5 speed, first job was a Scania with an 8 speed (4 over 4)
It is straightforward enough, the gears are in a H pattern 1-4, then you move the switch and where first was becomes 5th. It took a little while but not as scary as it seemed.
Drove an old L reg ERF with a 9 speed non synchro, which was a pain in the arse because you had to double the clutch for every change.
The worst thing was when I used to drive Ivecos, the firm had loads of the things, all 18 tonners with a 6 speed box. One morning started at 4.30am as usual in the pitch black, was allocated one of them and off i went swearing at the gearbox when it went between 4th and 5th and 5th and 4th. Got to first drop and whilst waiting to tip, noticed that it had an 8 speed box that changed range by coming out of 4th pushing the stick to the right then letting it centralise before finding 5th where 3rd had been ( I think) Anyway it made sense it daylight, i had been going from 4th to 7th. Apparently it was always happening as it was the only one with a 8 speed box and the TM would never bother to tell the driver.
Can’t help with Splitters as never driven one with more than 9.
If you search on here, there are loads of threads about different gearboxes.
Best advice is take your time with the changes, they don’t like being rushed and if they don’t want to go into gear then you are probably trying to get it into the wrong gear.
Hi Wills,
Hope you’re not to nervous tonight with that test tomorrow! 
With the range of gearboxes I must say it’s not too bad. Although today I managed to end up driving a Scania and that was different to the Daf’s and ERF’s that I’ve used so far. But after a few bunny hops and crunching I was on my merry way 
.
I’ve found a major downfall in working just the weekends and that is not being able to build up confidence. My reversing leaves a lot to be desired 
Still, all in good time I’m sure it’ll be OK…some day
Any hoo, good luck again for tomorrow!!!
HI there 8 wheels!
Thanks for the welcome!
I used to work for a firm that had a fleet of IVECO’s and one of them was a splitter just like the one you’ve described. They too were 18 t.
The Scania that I drove today doesn’t sound like the one you’ve described. The gearbox I used today was only a 6 gear but still had to go up the box using a switch. I had problems getting into 4th couldn’t work out what I was doing wrong…maabe you’ve got some advice?
Devon:
I used to work for a firm that had a fleet of IVECO’s and one of them was a splitter just like the one you’ve described. They too were 18 t.
Welcome to TruckNet Devon
the gearbox you mentioned above wasn’t a splitter but a slap over range change
it’s explained better than I can Here
The gearbox I used today was only a 6 gear but still had to go up the box using a switch.
Hmm, not familiar with one of those. Was it new or old?
I had problems getting into 4th couldn’t work out what I was doing wrong
Maybe it would go if you doubled the clutch, sometimes if the gearbox is a bit shagged out it can make it easier.
At the place with the Ivecos there were a few little 13t R-Reg heaps, with the woefully inadequate 150hp engine and an alternator driven fridge (20mph when loaded up the hills on the M2 & M20) One day I was teamed with the other spare driver and every time I went for 2nd would end up with a crunch or nothing at all, the other driver also struggled with it. Between us we crunched around North London and were glad to give it back. A couple of weeks later I was helping the regular bod who drove the thing and noticed that he started in 1st and shifted to 3rd, never once did he even bother to try and get it in 2nd.
So perhaps it was the 'box rather than your technique.
How do you get on with the different gearboxes?
I had a brand new automatic Merc on a night trunk from E.London to Manchester and back. Got on with that quite well 
The hardest thing about the job was staying awake
[Hmm, not familiar with one of those. Was it new or old?
It was really old!!
The gear box was set out like a back to front ‘L’
I done the same in the end and just avoided 4th altogether in the end
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Welcome to the forum!! I’m sure you’ll soon get more familiar. I agree with what other members say… drive as much as you can. It will give you more confidence and help you land a better job.