I know what you mean goofball. I admit it freely, I lied to get work when I was first a hgv, and it aint easy sometimes! I got the sack from a couple of jobs, but by that time I could do it, theres always that avenue, and always will be! 
Mal.
Goofball I know its can be tough to get a job without experience, this is not only true for Truck Driving.
When I passed my test it was 6 months before I got a drive and that was double manning with My brother on weeks off. It was a year before I got my first paying job even though I’d been to see every haulage firm in the local area at least once. Eventually one phoned becuase they were stuck, I got the job done and didn’t brake the motor and they kept giving me work.
Go and see all the local hauliers even the small one’s without flash kit, some do take on new drivers becuase they run old kit and the work isn’t the best. Better to make your mistakes on an old dog than a new top of the range motor.
Keep knocking on the doors one will open.
got an email back from uniloads today…sorry but we have no jobs
Mal:
I know what you mean goofball. I admit it freely, I lied to get work when I was first a hgv, and it aint easy sometimes! .
Exactly.
I remember my very first interview. I had passed my test earlier that day.
I didn`t know diidly-squat about transport, lorries, anything.
My interviewer said “What experience have you got?”
I looked out of the window, saw a lorry and said
“I`ve driven an errfff”
He said “Do you mean an E R F?” 
I didn`t get that job!
I got my next two jobs by lyin…errrr, making the most of my experience, too.
Still, there was no driver shortage in 1986, and there is a massive one now. It is my firm belief that anyone who actively looks for work will find it.
Like me, if the first door you knock on doesn`t respond favourably, you should just knock on another.
Vince
Hey Goofball,
Get in your car tomorrow morning, Saturday, and take a ‘cruise’ around Trafford Park.Look through fences and make notes of size, type ,quantity and condition 
of the trucks parked up inside.Size 'em up, and go back,(and talk yourself into a start, hopefully) on Monday morning! (If the Transport Manager is on duty, have a word there and then,tell him you are willing to start on rigids, although you have a class one, and would be able to drive artics as and when required. 
)If you put it this way, he might just think you’re worth a try, not like some applicants who expect to start on the newest, shiniest artic straight away!
Thats how it worked for me, and I’m sure many other drivers too!
(After 2 months on a rigid, I proved to the boss that I was a ‘grafter’ and was switched to an artic.)
Here’s a couple to start you off:-
Robt. Wiseman Dairys, Black & White fridge vans, rigids & artics.
Worthingtons,local curtainside deliveries, rigids & artics.
Go find 'em 
Graham.
I remember reading a letter in one of the monthly
magazines in reply to two people who were saying they could,nt
get that 1st job driving.
The letter was from the chief trainer or some such title of
Robert Wiseman dairies saying how they would always
consider new drivers especially those who had funded themselves.
another thing to consider is that we haven’t reached the first full week after christmas yet and companys don’t know how much work there going to get .
give it a week or so to settle down(i know easier said then done)then go out chase the companys,hunt that job out .
someone will give you that break.
have you thought about(proberbly to far out)golden west foods at heywood(macd’s contract)or buisness express at shaw
get yourself out and about the estates like suggested.
good luck goofball
jon
Goofball what are you doing Monday?
Have you got your kit ready to go?
Have you got the resiliance to take a few more knock backs?
Do you believe that YOU deserve a chance?
How are you going to convince your next employer of that?
Most of us know the answers for ourselves. Do you?
Now go and make it happen. 
Good luck
Just a further note on the insurance thing and new drivers.
my renewal documents dropped through the door the other day and I have just been reading through them to check everything is in order. Now 99% of the time I am the only driver of my vehicle but I am covered for other drivers as I do sometimes do work that requires double manning. There is NO stipulation as to the amount of experience other drivers must have and the only effect it would have to me cost wise, if I am not the driver, is as follows.
Quote from my insurance policy
The excesses shown below apply in addition to any voluntary or compulsory excesses that may apply.
Driver aged 21 to 24 or a novice* driver aged 25 or over = £400
Driver aged 25 or over and is a non-novice* driver = £250
- A novice driver is a driver who holds a provisional licence or has held a licence for the class of vehicle being covered for less than a year.
Now those excesses don’t seem too bad to me and I wonder why some companies say they can’t afford to insure new drivers?
coffeeholic, i think a lot of the time its just an excuse not to take on a novice, or in certain circumstances it is true, but only because the company concerned has a bad claims record.
we have recently had our new insurance quotes through and they are lower than last year!
i fully agree with what you are saying, but its still a mystery!
paul
Have you tried Welcome to GOV.UK
flatbedman:
we have recently had our new insurance quotes through and they are lower than last year!
Same here Paul I had read and heard that insurance was going to go up but when the renewal details came through the door the other day I was very pleased to find that although my GIT and CMR insurance has remained the same as last year my truck insurance has gone DOWN by £772.30. 
Coffeeholic:
my truck insurance has gone DOWN by £772.30.
can you stop going on about that 
mine went from £3300 to £4700 in august (when I changed vehicles)
took your advice and went round trafford park this morning at -7.30…looked at depots and a lot of places closed…wincanton transport manager not in but staff gave me an app form which i filled in whilst i was there…went to rob wiseman dairy and got an interview for tuesday spoke about insurance being an exscuse and he was bemused at this… 
now im starting to think why the agencies i am with are giving me the insurance exscuse… is it because they rely on their regular drivers to provide them with an income so as to keep them selves in buisness. i sahall attend this interview and on my next day off which is on tuesady i shall make more of my time and visit other sites…
See, we told you. 
went to unilever today… yes were interested in hiring drivers, how long have you had your licence… 3 weeks… oh how we laughed and laughed…the insurance stipulates that we cant take you on…try again in 6 months
Goofball… Its a sad state of affairs when I read threads like this. I am just about to take up my class one training, and when I hear of guys like you that cant find work, it makes me sick. Its that never ending scenario of, no experience, but no job to gain experience…
Well, you got your interview with Wiseman Dairys tomorrow… Wisk you all the best of luck buddy…
more on trade plate work here:
truck.net/bbsuk/Forum1/HTML/001336.html
and here:
trucknetuk.com/bbsuk/Forum1/HTML/001462.html
It really is a VERY GOOD way to gain much experience of many different makes in a short space of time.
Goofball, if you check out the links above, pay particular attention to BossKate’s posting.
I think the £20k job refered to with a Mancs phone no. is
A1 Vehicle Deliveries, office under Picadilly Station.
Hope this is useful…it has taken 3 attempts to get these links in here, and then get it to post successfully!
i shall try that number tonight and if wisemans offer me a job ill let you know…sent an email to irlams tonight…visited your link and tried the number 01613360003 and its a dead number… ah well thanks anyway
Good Luck with tomorrows interview Goofball
Graham.