So after nearly a year doing class 2 I decided to go class 1. Passed last Thursday and have been on the job sites looking for roles. Literally everyone I see wants 1 years experience. Spoke with some agencies who said to me on the down low that registering with them is all well and good but they will give work to experienced drivers or drivers already with them and in all likelihood I’ll get offered class 2 work. Got told to check out stobsrts however they have no jobs anywhere at the moment!
Really want to get a class 1 job somewhere but apparently no one cares that I have class 2 experience. Which I get to a certain extent but surely it has to count for something!
Just wondering if anyone has any ideas of where to look for a new driver. I’m based in Lincoln… but willing to travel for tramping work … I currently do class 2 tramping mon-fri from Scunthorpe.
neon989:
Really want to get a class 1 job somewhere but apparently no one cares that I have class 2 experience. Which I get to a certain extent but surely it has to count for something!
Yep, that’s how it goes. The day I passed my Class 1, I phoned the agency I’d been working with for about 9 months, doing class 2 hiab work. “Congratulations! But we can’t get you any work until you’ve got two years experience…” they said You’ll need to look far and wide and take anything you can get, just to get some experience.
How did you manage to find some class 1 work or are you still doing class 2? Any advice… don’t wanna have wasted all that money. Everyone wants experienced drivers but we all gotta start somewhere!
Noremac, yes we have 2 class 1s however they are filled by 2 full time drivers. I have asked if I can get some time in them for cover for holidays etc however there are another 4 or 5 guys that drive the rigids that have class 1 (our place pays extra per hour if you have class 1 on your licence even though we drive rigids, I think that’s why there are a few of them) so it is to be shared out meaning I will barely if ever get to drive it and would only be for a day at most once in a blue moon. Better than nothing but wouldn’t fill me with much confidence doing 1 shift every few months.
Yeah there is a DHL site near me, ironically they were advertising for a night driver. I’ve applied but never heard anything unfortunately
neon989:
Noremac, yes we have 2 class 1s however they are filled by 2 full time drivers. I have asked if I can get some time in them for cover for holidays etc however there are another 4 or 5 guys that drive the rigids that have class 1 (our place pays extra per hour if you have class 1 on your licence even though we drive rigids, I think that’s why there are a few of them) so it is to be shared out meaning I will barely if ever get to drive it and would only be for a day at most once in a blue moon. Better than nothing but wouldn’t fill me with much confidence doing 1 shift every few months.
Yeah there is a DHL site near me, ironically they were advertising for a night driver. I’ve applied but never heard anything unfortunately
try and get in touch with DHL again…your application was probably put on someone’s desk and forgotten about…if it’s anything like our depot
I was talking to my agency yesterday and they were saying DPD will take you on Class 1 once you have 6 months of tacho and have held the category for one year, regardless of other experience.
For anyone following or interested. I finally bagged a class 1 job last week. There is hope. It took 3 months of looking tons of applications and searching. 1 failed assesment at GXO before snagging one.
You’ll need to look far and wide and take anything you can get, just to get some experience.
