Hi, first post, newly qualified Class 2 and hoping to do class 1 in the near future!
However, after doing much reading, there are lots of people saying employers tend to look for ‘2 years experience’ before taking people on.
Where I live (near Accrington, Lancs), there appears to be plenty of haulage firms pretty much on my doorstep so I will be starting my ‘hunt’ soon. I’m currently employed as a bus driver and have been for 5 years and wondered if this counts as ‘large vehicle experience’ in employers’ eyes or do they usually look specifically at haulage experience?
You will probably get a real mixed bag of responses to this post. When you go out on the “hunt” some hauliers will stick to wanting truck experience (this is sometimes an insurance requirement but is more often habit and tradition) and others may consider your PCV experience. But there’s others that wont be looking for experience. They will go on attitude and whether they “take” to you. So don’t rule anything out. Go prepared to work. Look clean and respectable. Be polite, answer any questions and avoid waffle.
All the best, Pete 
Most supermarkets will accept 0 years experience if you can pass an assessment. And they pay well. Work is a bit boring though. If you have 5 years on buses you will walk the assessment.
NFT Rochdale, Manchester take on new Class 2 drivers. It’s best to approach them directly rather than through an agency. Just find out the phone number of the transport office and ask to speak to recruitment.
Register with at least 2 or 3 agencies. Here’s one in your area.
The Best Connection
Soho Foundry Cecily Lane
Blackburn
01254 261987
Did 8 cold calls yesterday with my CV to transport yards plus a couple of more this morning. Dropped CV off yesterday just before 17:00 at a local company. They called me straight back.
Went in today and they offered me a job there and then as somebody left on Friday. Full time and permanent Monday to Friday with some Saturday mornings. Money a little less than I’d like but I’ve had one assessment drive elsewhere and it was part time plus I got two agency shifts last week for a very sketchy chilled distribution haulier who didn’t care about me or hours.
This company is updating their fleet and they are established… Seems honest hard graft which is all I can ask as a new pass. Hope you have similar success.
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Thanks for your replies guys.
It turns out I need not have worried, as I seem to have walked into a job with EFS with a little effort from the wife (making a phonecall to an old contact within the company) and minimal effort from me (I turned up for an informal interview) … they were surprisingly keen to hire me as a new starter!
Onward and upward, let’s see what this truck driving lark is all about! 