Been thinking over starting my training for a good year or 2 now, Im 26 years old currently in a job that is just not paying, (minimum wage factory work)
I have 2 young kids, a missus and a lot of debt from silly mistakes so i really need to sort something
Been doing a lot of research over the last month or 2 and i love driving and being on the road so this seems perfect!, i have a few questions if some could help with please
Honest opinion - Class 1 or 2? Checking on my local job sites there is pretty much the same amount of work going for either class
Can i go straight into class 1 or would i need to complete class 2 first?
Another question, is it worth it?
I am still struggling to see how the wages, in my opinion, are so high…
Going from under 8GBP p/h to seeing pretty good looking wages from 12GBP+ p/h
I was surprised to see how much you could earn, that makes me wonder, is there a catch to the driving lol
Honestly any info would be great and i really appreciate it, Also, leave some info on yourself, would be nice to see how long you may have been doing this for, what you think of it etc.
Personally id say go all the way to class 1, generally better work, better rates and better to drive in my opinion.
You need to complete class 2 first and then after your licence comes back do class 1.
Best job ive ever had, it has its ups and downs like any other job but i love it.
DannyD92:
I was surprised to see how much you could earn, that makes me wonder, is there a catch to the driving lol
You’ll see pretty quickly that you style of driving changes when you start your training, at the end of the day it is a skilled job and a lot of people couldn’t cut it if they tried.
All i would say is be realistic before you go splashing your cash on training, make sure you at least have a rough idea of what the job actually involves (speak to some drivers if you know any.)
The area of the UK you live in can make a lot of difference in finding a LGV job
Some areas especially pre xmas are crying out for drivers even newly passed whereas others will not touch a newbie until they have HAD the licence for a certain amount of time
The work in this area i think is pretty good due to being near London and also Dover
That is all i can think of it being as they are wanting so many workers
Someone said on the phone the other day they are crying out for drivers, say they have X amount of driving jobs available and just not enough drivers
in return he said that is why companies have put the wages so high, every company needs the drivers i guess.
I am a way away Peter otherwise i would have given it a think haha
Have any of you had any dry patches this past year?
also, the hours, when it comes to being out on a job, if you have to sleep that night in the cab, will you get paid for this, that was something else i was confused about
Who is telling you they are crying out for drivers?
I’m in Sussex and do South London work and work was pretty quiet on agency from Feb to April this year, which is normal-ish and it did pick up after.
Christmas this year hasn’t been as busy as last year - This time last year, I was almost maxing out my hours every week in the run up to Christmas. This year, I’m not even getting 5 shifts a week.
I would take your Class 2 first and get some experience on that and see if driving is for you. Generally Class 1 work is easier with less physical work but the trunking work can get a bit boring after a while if you get the same route.
Have you considered getting a plant licence and CPCS card to drive 360 Excavators etc? They’re on about £16+ an hour - Work seems very contractual though
With CAT C for £1120 fully inclusive of VAT, insurance, test fee (test at our private test centre), fully qualified and registered instructors and full customer care support, I would certainly think it’s worth a trip up the motorway! And free accommodation for the duration of the course.
But you need to get your £200 deposit in by Friday (tomorrow) 1630 to get this terrific deal. Probably our best ever!!!
And if you are doing it, Peter’s training school gets very good reviews.
I recently retired, but Class 1 were earning around 12.50 in Herts. You can get better hourly rates than that, but you need to weigh up the deal. We paid through breaks, on overtime after 8 hours, daily meal allowance, easy work, so if someone offered 14.00 an hour , unpaid breaks, flat rate etc you have to work out if its worth it. Drivers earned between 45-54k topline.
As a few people have said really depends on where you live and the demand.
Where I live in Devon I am “mid-way” along the typical West Country - rest of the UK routes. So not as much Class 2 / 1 work as at the main destination hub cities such as Avonmouth, Bristol, Southampton etc. I live in an area where people take their 4.5 hour tacho break, halfway to somewhere else
Not so useful when searching for employment without a long commute. Saying that I am currently earning £11.50 p/h doing ADR work on days with weekend working. Not wonderful, not dreadful. It pays the bills and handballing a fuel hose isn’t so bad after a while. Just wish they’d invent lightweight fire extinguishers
If you have the money, do your Class 2 and see what you think for a few months before funding Class 1. If you can stretch to funding your ADR certificate that would also open up a few more jobs for you. I found work at £11.22 p/h Mon - Fri days within a month of passing my Class 2.
Good luck and I’d certainly take a good look at the offers and training that Peter Smythe offers.
Sometimes the agencies quote ltd company rates. These are slightly higher than PAYE rates, but you are self-employed and you don’t get paid for holidays.
It is true that driving will generally pay rates significantly better than minimum wage. Long hours also mean an extra improvement on the overall wage. It is debatable if the risk to reward ratio is correct though.
Bear in mind that you will also be dealing with a load at your destination(s). Some of the pay rates take into account how hard the work is. Sometimes you see class 2 work paying the same as class 1, but the class 2 driver has unloaded himself at eight or nine drops, whereas the class 1 driver has opened his curtains two or three times or put the vehicle on a couple of bays.
You cannot necessarily say when you will be finished and early starts are quite common. When it actually comes to getting up at 2.30am, it is significantly harder than just saying it. If you look around on these forums, you will find stories of 15 hour shifts. This is like an office worker starting at 9am and finishing at midnight. It does happen!
Sometimes transport offices will treat you very badly, but then again, once you are out on the road there isn’t really anyone to bother you (besides the other motorists / cyclists). It can be a solitary existence, but you have the opportunity to listen to the radio, music, podcasts etc.
There are a reasonable amount of regulations to abide by and the driver can be personally fined as well as the company. If you do fall foul of the law, you can potentially have your licence suspended and obviously that can leave you in a pickle. Traffic Commissioners are pretty hard-nosed and pleadings of mouths to feed are of no concern to them.
