Hey there! I’m a 20 year old from around Bridgend in Wales. I’m soon to pass my car test, and then I wish to do my class 1 training / test as well. I’ve been looking all over the place for any companies or agencies that hire new passes, but none do. How am I supposed to get a year+ experience of class 1 driving if literally no one will hire fresh passes? Does anyone know any companies that would?
Best to learn to walk before running. Another bit of bad news for you, very few people would hire someone below the age of 21: Insurance company stipulations.
TBH, few of us here would recommend entering HGV driving in the modern age.
What Zac says.
Don’t be conned by media ‘big money in driving’ hype and romanticisms…basically the job is crap…sorry.
The ‘driver shortage’ is a fallacy and a con, there are numerous inexperienced drivers wanting a start,.also experienced men always looking for jobs and/or replacement jobs who will be catered for first.
Difference is (if the experienced man has anything about him) , he wont let them treat him like sh, the newbie aint got a lot of choice, and will need to suck it up…and that is after you have jumped through hoops and took all the b/s to get there.
If I was you mate I’d look for something else to spend the ridiculous amount of cash you need to get started…What about ‘machine’ licences on sites? , much more lucrative and value for money than a 'kin HGV course.
Sorry to pi55 on your chips mate,.I know what it is like to be ‘always wanting to be a trucker’ I have ben there myself, but when I was at that stage the job was ENTIRELY different to the cluster ■■■■ it is today.
To add to your potential woes…from what I have heard S.Wales is not exactly known for having the best paid drivers.
A curveball for ya…
You are a young lad, join the Army get your driving courses and licences,.whilst being paid for it. 
You’re welcome.
Poundland take on new pass drivers if there a depot near you
Years in the Army to get a cheap driving licence?
Nothing wrong with wanting to join the Army, but joining to save a few k£ on a licence is madness.
@Kommou
As above posters have said: driving “isn’t what it was”, but then again, neither are many other jobs.
If you want to give it a go, then good luck to you, but do go in with your eyes open. Do you have relatives/friends etc already driving? Try to get out with them for a trip or two.
Ffs Frangers take a day off will ya.
It aint madness if he fits it in with seeing a bit of life and a lot of the world is it, as a young lad.
A bit of good advice MOST people would say.
It aint compulsory you know to be seen to disagree with every ■■■■ thing anyone says, the forum will survive.
You knew EXACTLY where I was coming from…dont be so f.kin boring and predictable.
The cuckoo nest?
@robroy you can say that about any job though. I see the initial grind and hassle worth it if it means eventually I’ll be able to work all over the UK (and maybe even the EU) while doing something I love. Not a lot of jobs are like that
How do you know you’ll love it if you haven’t actually done it yet?
You don’t.
@franglais unfortunately no family in trucking, but I’m hoping even if I don’t get a class 1 job straight away (class 2 for experience would work), it’s just something I want to work towards
I’ll check them out!
Yeah it’s not looking too good right now
I have been on ridealongs in the passed With a friend of my dad’s, and I’ve wanted to become a truck driver since I was a kid. I don’t see it as just a job
Aye if you like.
Just crack on then mate, take no notice, What do I know?..Fill yer boots.
You’ll regret it if you never try.
I’m in South Wales also and as above, wages are low compared to the rest of the country, but as you know, so are the house prices and living costs.
In Bridgend, you have a few options as starting points to get some experience, once you have your licence of course. Owens are always advertising and seem to be growing all the time, so they could be worth contacting. As a keen 20 year old they may have an opportunity in the warehouse for you to start with. There are also Nolan/John Raymond Transport depots in Bridgend as well as a few smaller outfits doing Lidl/Aldi work I believe.
I don’t know how it’ll pan out with the closure of the steelworks at Port Talbot and Llanwern for the likes of Owens and MCL, but there will also be thousands of unemployed people once that goes. The government are already funding HGV courses for the people that’ll soon be unemployed, so that’ll increase the pool of drivers looking for work in the area further.
Sorry that there isn’t much in the way of good news, but if you want to do it, get the car test passed to start with, and go from there.
If you want any more info on potential agencies or anything else, feel free to drop me a message!
Good luck!
Problem you have is you say your just about pass your car test then do your class 1
Doubt any employer would give you a chance as you will have no driving experience at all not even in a car.
But go ahead anyway set your sights lower maybe for a few years try get on 7.5 t or class 2 work. Or even van work.
As if you can show you’ve been driving a van for a year it’s better than having no experience.
But you turn up for a class 1 say I’m a new pass then say only past my car test recently your find it hard to get a foot on the door
Thank you! I also think it’d be worth calling Owens, even if it’s class 2 work to start off with, so long as it builds experience.
Yeah even class 2 works fine, it’s still classed as HGV experience so I don’t mind working c2 for a year or two if it leads to class 1 work later on!
Don’t denigrate Class 2 work, it IS an HGV, and you’ll find yourself in some testing situations with class 2 that you might not experience with Class 1, such as taking bin wagons down a back lane with a dog-leg at either end.
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