First step to becoming a HGV driver
Discussion
StevieSpain said:
Jeez, you really don´t want to know the spec of the old trucks I used to drive! Absolutely NO creature comforts at all mate. Mind you, I wasn´t tramping or overnighting, I drove a 26 tonne concrete mixer for Tilcon.
I used to get paid about 60 quid a week Mon-Fri, and if the plant manager had done his job correctly and skimmed some mix off during the week.....make another 60 quid on a Saturday morning.
Yeah, love those satnavs when they f
k up 
Mind you, for the first two months of, hopefully, working, I´ll be using my phone and Google frikkin Maps
I own a 1967 Land Rover and have on occasions driven Pre War cars (oldest being a 1911 Sunbeam) so lack of creature comforts is nowt new to me I used to get paid about 60 quid a week Mon-Fri, and if the plant manager had done his job correctly and skimmed some mix off during the week.....make another 60 quid on a Saturday morning.
Yeah, love those satnavs when they f
k up Mind you, for the first two months of, hopefully, working, I´ll be using my phone and Google frikkin Maps
. It's another world with it all now 
Haven't had a go in a 26Ter yet. Done 18 and 32 but missed out the middle
. Will most likely need an "MPQC" (aka EPIC) card for a lot of mixer work these days (and most tipper work) but that's child's play (and 7hrs towards your next DCPC).I use Google Maps and OS maps (both paper and digi). That coupled with a certain amount of common sense usually sees me right.
StevieSpain said:
Oh yeah, the CPC. Not too bothered tbh, I´ve done some mocks this last couple of days and got 100% on 4 out of 5. Not saying I´m st hot or anything, just that alot of it is common sense.
Starting a course next Friday, provided by the tax payers (Thank you very much) Medical included too.
4 weeks time should see me frantically applying for every job I can. Need to build up some cash for a CE and then my triumphant return to Spain
You're not wrong. Was in and out of my theory well within 1/2 the time they expect and the CPC was much of the same.t hot or anything, just that alot of it is common sense. Starting a course next Friday, provided by the tax payers (Thank you very much) Medical included too.
4 weeks time should see me frantically applying for every job I can. Need to build up some cash for a CE and then my triumphant return to Spain
Best of luck bud. Keep us posted
Its Just Adz said:
The sat nav we get given is a bit useless sometimes, had me going round in circles yesterday.
Still really enjoying being out on my own.
The state of our neck of the woods it becomes the norm to be round in circles. The proper lorry ones throw a hissy fit when we try to get to half of the farms Still really enjoying being out on my own.
Glad to hear it
. Kept it out of the walls since? 
. Still out on the Multidrop?Dave how's business on the builders wagon?
carmadgaz said:
The state of our neck of the woods it becomes the norm to be round in circles. The proper lorry ones throw a hissy fit when we try to get to half of the farms
Glad to hear it . Kept it out of the walls since? . Still out on the Multidrop?
Dave how's business on the builders wagon?
Yes still on multi drop, really enjoying it. See some lovely places and some right holes too.Glad to hear it
. Kept it out of the walls since? . Still out on the Multidrop?Dave how's business on the builders wagon?
I’m behaving, no more incidents but it does seem a common occurrence at the company!
I’ve been putting a couple of pics in the picture thread.
StevieSpain said:
leggly said:
I’d just like to say, after thirty years of driving trucks I’m giving it up as of next Thursday. I can’t bloody wait. 
That means there´s a vacancy somewhere I can’t bloody wait. Retiring, or just giving up driving?
Its Just Adz said:
Yes still on multi drop, really enjoying it. See some lovely places and some right holes too.
I’m behaving, no more incidents but it does seem a common occurrence at the company!
I’ve been putting a couple of pics in the picture thread.
Glad to hear it I’m behaving, no more incidents but it does seem a common occurrence at the company!
I’ve been putting a couple of pics in the picture thread.
You really do see the best and worst of a place when you're dodging all over it don't ya!
Aye same this end, one lad in particular usually has something hanging off his lorry! Had my mirror going through a small village the other day, wasn't amused, just a stray branch in a hedge
leggly said:
A bit of both, if I never see the inside of another cab it’ll be too soon. We’re going to run a small business for ourselves so any driving will be for pleasure. As for the vacancy, I worked for Royal Mail for the last 14 years, if I’d known about how good it was I’d have joined them at least 16 years earlier.
Seriously? Royal Mail is a good deal?StevieSpain said:
Seriously? Royal Mail is a good deal?
The work is mundane but the pay and conditions are unbeatable to be honest. You know what time you’re going home a the end of every shift, unless delayed on the road obviously. The trucks do the job and that’s about it, no good if you’re Cab happy and want to spend your day polishing somebody else’s vehicle. £36,000 is around an average wage with possible if you want to overtime, (I never did). The people who work there moan just like everywhere else but only those who have never worked anywhere else believe they’re hard done by. All in all it really was a pleasure to go work most of the time and I never felt pressured to anything at all I wasn’t comfortable with.
I’m sure some really hate the place and all that but from my experience, you’d be hard pushed to find a better working environment.
It’s doing the “ is it open or closed tonight” Highways Agency Lottery and total and utter Bellends the want to play chicken with 44 tonnes that have finally made me realise the job is no longer for me. That and the driver CPC ( I became very good at playing Fruit Ninja on those courses) and the continuing legislation strangling the industry that has made me jump ship.
Will I be back? I really bloody hope not.
I've moved off the multidrop work.
I got a call a couple weeks ago from a friend who said there was some class 2 work coming up with his place, do a quick chat with the boss and I started on Monday.
Less hours, more money, skilled work and I get my own wagon next week.
A bit more PH too.
I got a call a couple weeks ago from a friend who said there was some class 2 work coming up with his place, do a quick chat with the boss and I started on Monday.
Less hours, more money, skilled work and I get my own wagon next week.
A bit more PH too.
leggly said:
The work is mundane but the pay and conditions are unbeatable to be honest. You know what time you’re going home a the end of every shift, unless delayed on the road obviously. The trucks do the job and that’s about it, no good if you’re Cab happy and want to spend your day polishing somebody else’s vehicle. £36,000 is around an average wage with possible if you want to overtime, (I never did).
The people who work there moan just like everywhere else but only those who have never worked anywhere else believe they’re hard done by. All in all it really was a pleasure to go work most of the time and I never felt pressured to anything at all I wasn’t comfortable with.
I’m sure some really hate the place and all that but from my experience, you’d be hard pushed to find a better working environment.
It’s doing the “ is it open or closed tonight” Highways Agency Lottery and total and utter Bellends the want to play chicken with 44 tonnes that have finally made me realise the job is no longer for me. That and the driver CPC ( I became very good at playing Fruit Ninja on those courses) and the continuing legislation strangling the industry that has made me jump ship.
Will I be back? I really bloody hope not.
Are they advertising your old job or getting agency staff in ?The people who work there moan just like everywhere else but only those who have never worked anywhere else believe they’re hard done by. All in all it really was a pleasure to go work most of the time and I never felt pressured to anything at all I wasn’t comfortable with.
I’m sure some really hate the place and all that but from my experience, you’d be hard pushed to find a better working environment.
It’s doing the “ is it open or closed tonight” Highways Agency Lottery and total and utter Bellends the want to play chicken with 44 tonnes that have finally made me realise the job is no longer for me. That and the driver CPC ( I became very good at playing Fruit Ninja on those courses) and the continuing legislation strangling the industry that has made me jump ship.
Will I be back? I really bloody hope not.
I'm in the south west and we've got staff here Royal Mail trained up to class 2 and don't use !
egor110 said:
Are they advertising your old job or getting agency staff in ?
I'm in the south west and we've got staff here Royal Mail trained up to class 2 and don't use !
They usually use agency to fill in but they get the same pay as Royal Mail drivers after 12 weeks I think. Pertemps are the main agency at the Severn Beach RDC. I’m loving not driving artics anymore by the way.I'm in the south west and we've got staff here Royal Mail trained up to class 2 and don't use !
Gassing Station | Commercial Break | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff