First step to becoming a HGV driver
Discussion
Well you learn something new everyday! 
Had a phone call this evening from another driver friend who knows of someone else up there who will have a seat freeing up (day driver) later this month so I've spoken to him and hopefully I'll have an assessment drive at the tail end of next week
Had a phone call this evening from another driver friend who knows of someone else up there who will have a seat freeing up (day driver) later this month so I've spoken to him and hopefully I'll have an assessment drive at the tail end of next week
chilistrucker said:
Positioning is key, get it right and your reverse/life will be much easier, it comes in time so try not to stress on it to much for now, easier said than done though I know.
I remember the first time out on my own in an artic many moons ago thinking I was the bees knees, until I got to the yard I had to reverse into, and then I looked a right lemon and really made a meal of it. In time though it all slowly started to drop into place, position right, steer little and often rather than big over sweeps, and any time you are unsure on a blind spot, stop, handbrake on, get out and have a quick visual to check all is ok. Much better to get out and check than hear a large thud.
Its all practice and experience and it all starts to drop into place after a while, so enjoy it as well
I've not driven one since 2014, but had been doing it for 21 years and could still learn something new everyday.
Good luck to all that are doing, or are thinking of giving it a go.
And sometimes you need to recognise that a manoeuvre might be physically possible but there's still no way a driver can do it.I remember the first time out on my own in an artic many moons ago thinking I was the bees knees, until I got to the yard I had to reverse into, and then I looked a right lemon and really made a meal of it. In time though it all slowly started to drop into place, position right, steer little and often rather than big over sweeps, and any time you are unsure on a blind spot, stop, handbrake on, get out and have a quick visual to check all is ok. Much better to get out and check than hear a large thud.
Its all practice and experience and it all starts to drop into place after a while, so enjoy it as well
I've not driven one since 2014, but had been doing it for 21 years and could still learn something new everyday.
Good luck to all that are doing, or are thinking of giving it a go.
Waiting to tip at Spar in Hastings a few months ago, I was behind a foreigner who simply couldn't get on the dock. Half an hour of hand signals and shouted instructions (in German, the bloke was Hungarian and spoke no English) got us no closer.
To be fair, for him it was a blind side reverse around a blind corner, with a pillar alongside the trailer and very little room opposite the dock.
The solution?
He dropped his trailer, I dropped mine, and I picked his up and put it on the dock.
He bought me a coffee.
Several years ago, agency driving, I got a tag axle unit rather than the more familiar mid-lift. Took me ten minutes to get it on a dock with no obstacles and perfect visibility.
Iv been driving 3 years now and think the job can be whatever you make of it! Some will love it some will hate.
Practise and getting the hours in is the only way to learn and become a good driver i.e. Class 1 with reversing and manovering, people can tell you all they know but untill you do it for yourself you will never learn.
Regarding wages it depends how much you are willing to put in. When I first started I was doing mon-fri 8-12 hour shifts home every night for around 3-400 a week, then moved into the heavy crane transport industry which is a completely different ball game! 100 ton ballast wagons, set routes, many more rules and regs and working away ALOT! But would see £1400 a week if away 7 days/nights.
Now moved back into general haulage on a 4 on 4 off shift pattern same as my Mrs (who also drives hgvs) for a fixed 500 per week plus over time days if I want so big drop in money but an awful lot more time for life!
I would deffinatly recommend getting the license as other have said it's a garentee for work.
Practise and getting the hours in is the only way to learn and become a good driver i.e. Class 1 with reversing and manovering, people can tell you all they know but untill you do it for yourself you will never learn.
Regarding wages it depends how much you are willing to put in. When I first started I was doing mon-fri 8-12 hour shifts home every night for around 3-400 a week, then moved into the heavy crane transport industry which is a completely different ball game! 100 ton ballast wagons, set routes, many more rules and regs and working away ALOT! But would see £1400 a week if away 7 days/nights.
Now moved back into general haulage on a 4 on 4 off shift pattern same as my Mrs (who also drives hgvs) for a fixed 500 per week plus over time days if I want so big drop in money but an awful lot more time for life!
I would deffinatly recommend getting the license as other have said it's a garentee for work.
handpaper said:
And sometimes you need to recognise that a manoeuvre might be physically possible but there's still no way a driver can do it.
Waiting to tip at Spar in Hastings a few months ago, I was behind a foreigner who simply couldn't get on the dock. Half an hour of hand signals and shouted instructions (in German, the bloke was Hungarian and spoke no English) got us no closer.
To be fair, for him it was a blind side reverse around a blind corner, with a pillar alongside the trailer and very little room opposite the dock.
The solution?
He dropped his trailer, I dropped mine, and I picked his up and put it on the dock.
He bought me a coffee.
Several years ago, agency driving, I got a tag axle unit rather than the more familiar mid-lift. Took me ten minutes to get it on a dock with no obstacles and perfect visibility.
Top work Waiting to tip at Spar in Hastings a few months ago, I was behind a foreigner who simply couldn't get on the dock. Half an hour of hand signals and shouted instructions (in German, the bloke was Hungarian and spoke no English) got us no closer.
To be fair, for him it was a blind side reverse around a blind corner, with a pillar alongside the trailer and very little room opposite the dock.
The solution?
He dropped his trailer, I dropped mine, and I picked his up and put it on the dock.
He bought me a coffee.
Several years ago, agency driving, I got a tag axle unit rather than the more familiar mid-lift. Took me ten minutes to get it on a dock with no obstacles and perfect visibility.
I thought you were going to say you got the Tug driver 
Same here, when I first started the tour job it meant changing to a left hooker from a right and I'd been driving those for 13 years, It was harder than I had imagined.
Firstly I'd like to say well done on doing what you want to do, even considering the negative comments.
I've been driving for 7-odd years, came from a suit and tie background and can honestly say it's the best decision I ever made. I proper love my job and love driving, passed my Class 1 in November and slowly gaining experience with that.
I work for one of the big food service outfits and have progressed to what we call a Regional Support Driver and let me tell you the money is out there, even for Mon-Fri back home every night work. Our basic lads are on a salary of £28k and hardly any do a full 9 hours per day, become a Team Support Driver (easy step) and you're on £32k but you'll have to know a few different routes, easy to pick up.
My new package has a basic salary of £35k, should I be sent to a different depot then it's an additional £100 per day and all expenses paid. This is all based on Class 2 multi-drop work.
I've been driving for 7-odd years, came from a suit and tie background and can honestly say it's the best decision I ever made. I proper love my job and love driving, passed my Class 1 in November and slowly gaining experience with that.
I work for one of the big food service outfits and have progressed to what we call a Regional Support Driver and let me tell you the money is out there, even for Mon-Fri back home every night work. Our basic lads are on a salary of £28k and hardly any do a full 9 hours per day, become a Team Support Driver (easy step) and you're on £32k but you'll have to know a few different routes, easy to pick up.
My new package has a basic salary of £35k, should I be sent to a different depot then it's an additional £100 per day and all expenses paid. This is all based on Class 2 multi-drop work.
Hi all
I completely forgot to update regarding my training. I completed my HIAB training on the 13th April. (I got married the week after, so forgot to update!)
The training was easy, started of dangling a small cone from a rope on the crane and getting it to slot over the top of another cone on the bed and on the ground.
then we practised with different types of loads, a 1-ton bag, a 3-metre beam of wood and a 50kg pallet.
The crane has a remote control, you wear it around your neck, this gives you the flexibility to stand in different places when operating the crane giving you better all round awareness.
The test was basically a full run through of delivering a load (setting up cones, outriggers out, take everything off) then a full run though of putting it all back on and making the truck ready to drive again.
I got 4 marks on the test, all of which were having the load too high off the ground, (was only about a metre up, not dangling above people's heads or anything. I put it down to nerves of being on a test as I was fine during all the practise sessions.
Anyway, got the pass (as did the other 2 guys on the course) so that's one less thing to worry about.
Roll on the 15th when I can start my class 2 training!
I completely forgot to update regarding my training. I completed my HIAB training on the 13th April. (I got married the week after, so forgot to update!)
The training was easy, started of dangling a small cone from a rope on the crane and getting it to slot over the top of another cone on the bed and on the ground.
then we practised with different types of loads, a 1-ton bag, a 3-metre beam of wood and a 50kg pallet.
The crane has a remote control, you wear it around your neck, this gives you the flexibility to stand in different places when operating the crane giving you better all round awareness.
The test was basically a full run through of delivering a load (setting up cones, outriggers out, take everything off) then a full run though of putting it all back on and making the truck ready to drive again.
I got 4 marks on the test, all of which were having the load too high off the ground, (was only about a metre up, not dangling above people's heads or anything. I put it down to nerves of being on a test as I was fine during all the practise sessions.
Anyway, got the pass (as did the other 2 guys on the course) so that's one less thing to worry about.
Roll on the 15th when I can start my class 2 training!
Glad to hear it's all coming together for you Dave
Had my assessment for the other drive at the quarry and did a week with him but I get the feeling he only wanted me to cover a holiday so I only did the week
.
I start my new full time job with a marquee company on Monday so after driving 32T 8 wheelers I'll be onto 18Ters instead which should be fun
Had 2 days running a tipper for another company. They did offer me a job but I'd already accepted the marquee gig so onwards and upwards
Had my assessment for the other drive at the quarry and did a week with him but I get the feeling he only wanted me to cover a holiday so I only did the week
. I start my new full time job with a marquee company on Monday so after driving 32T 8 wheelers I'll be onto 18Ters instead which should be fun
Had 2 days running a tipper for another company. They did offer me a job but I'd already accepted the marquee gig so onwards and upwards
That sounds like quite a nice gig. What truck do you get?
I plan to go to agencies once I get certified but I know Salvatori are hiring and they have a depot around 30 min drive from me so will also apply there.
The closer it gets the more excited I get about it. I cannot wait for the day I'm handed a route sheet, a set of keys and a fuel card and told to get on with it.
My boss (who is now my brother in law) has been great about the situation, I don't need to work the one month notice as per my contract, I know that all my work is up to date and I can pretty much hand it over in a single email.
I plan to keep updating this thread beyond starting work up until I get bored/you lot get bored.
I plan to go to agencies once I get certified but I know Salvatori are hiring and they have a depot around 30 min drive from me so will also apply there.
The closer it gets the more excited I get about it. I cannot wait for the day I'm handed a route sheet, a set of keys and a fuel card and told to get on with it.
My boss (who is now my brother in law) has been great about the situation, I don't need to work the one month notice as per my contract, I know that all my work is up to date and I can pretty much hand it over in a single email.
I plan to keep updating this thread beyond starting work up until I get bored/you lot get bored.
Not a clue until I turn up at 7 in the morning! I know they run a mix of newer and older stuff (some still have analogue tachos!) but after driving a 16spd MAN the other day I'm a bit more confident about whatever they throw at me
Fantastic that your gaffer has been great about it, some can get quite funny with you when they know you are jumping ship (being BiL must help though!)
Please do keep it up. From a personal point of view it's great to hear the experiences of someone on a similar timeline to my own
Fantastic that your gaffer has been great about it, some can get quite funny with you when they know you are jumping ship (being BiL must help though!)
Please do keep it up. From a personal point of view it's great to hear the experiences of someone on a similar timeline to my own
K50 DEL said:
This thread is making me seriously consider a career change...
Many years ago I drove a 7.5t the length and breadth of the UK for a living and loved every second of it.
Office life is now wearing thin, I have the cash to invest in my training so maybe I should just go for it...
For me, It was something I always wanted to do, but never actually got round to sorting, I'm very excited about my training and the potential of doing something I enjoy as a career. Many years ago I drove a 7.5t the length and breadth of the UK for a living and loved every second of it.
Office life is now wearing thin, I have the cash to invest in my training so maybe I should just go for it...
The grass is always greener however, I would say make sure that you definitely want to give up the office before you go for it, - What made you stop driving if you were doing it previously?
callmedave said:
K50 DEL said:
This thread is making me seriously consider a career change...
Many years ago I drove a 7.5t the length and breadth of the UK for a living and loved every second of it.
Office life is now wearing thin, I have the cash to invest in my training so maybe I should just go for it...
For me, It was something I always wanted to do, but never actually got round to sorting, I'm very excited about my training and the potential of doing something I enjoy as a career. Many years ago I drove a 7.5t the length and breadth of the UK for a living and loved every second of it.
Office life is now wearing thin, I have the cash to invest in my training so maybe I should just go for it...
The grass is always greener however, I would say make sure that you definitely want to give up the office before you go for it, - What made you stop driving if you were doing it previously?
K50 DEL said:
The owner of the company I was driving for (was a small place, just me and him) had put all his eggs in one basket client-wise and when they refined their processes to not need us any more he decided to close the business down... end of employment for me!
That's pretty much the situation I'm in now and is making me move my truck driving plans forward! There have been a few changes (CPC, digi tacho etc) but if you enjoyed it and are not enjoying your current job, why not go for it?! : )
Update: day 2 of training.
Im enjoying driving the truck around, Im not really getting on with my trainer but I can stick with it, for example driving along and there is a pelican crossing ahead so I back off the throttle and cover the brakes, my instructor: c'mon put your foot down, get a move on.
later another pelican crossing, instructor: SLOW DOWN, it might change red!
I also get "go left here"
Me: what this left turning 5 meters ahead??
ins: no, at the end of the road!
Doing the reversing maneuver today, he just goes and makes himself comfortable and lies down on the grass and leaves me to it, to be honest i would like some feedback 'you could move forward a bit' or 'better to position the truck like this/that' but nothing. I ask him if its alright and I just get 'yeah we'll be fine....hopefully'
Its only two more days os I will grin and bear it, but when im ready for class 1, i think i will look elsewhere.
good news: Passed my CPC this morning with 1 bad mark!
Im enjoying driving the truck around, Im not really getting on with my trainer but I can stick with it, for example driving along and there is a pelican crossing ahead so I back off the throttle and cover the brakes, my instructor: c'mon put your foot down, get a move on.
later another pelican crossing, instructor: SLOW DOWN, it might change red!
I also get "go left here"
Me: what this left turning 5 meters ahead??
ins: no, at the end of the road!
Doing the reversing maneuver today, he just goes and makes himself comfortable and lies down on the grass and leaves me to it, to be honest i would like some feedback 'you could move forward a bit' or 'better to position the truck like this/that' but nothing. I ask him if its alright and I just get 'yeah we'll be fine....hopefully'
Its only two more days os I will grin and bear it, but when im ready for class 1, i think i will look elsewhere.
good news: Passed my CPC this morning with 1 bad mark!
callmedave said:
Update: day 2 of training.
Im enjoying driving the truck around, Im not really getting on with my trainer but I can stick with it, for example driving along and there is a pelican crossing ahead so I back off the throttle and cover the brakes, my instructor: c'mon put your foot down, get a move on.
later another pelican crossing, instructor: SLOW DOWN, it might change red!
I also get "go left here"
Me: what this left turning 5 meters ahead??
ins: no, at the end of the road!
Doing the reversing maneuver today, he just goes and makes himself comfortable and lies down on the grass and leaves me to it, to be honest i would like some feedback 'you could move forward a bit' or 'better to position the truck like this/that' but nothing. I ask him if its alright and I just get 'yeah we'll be fine....hopefully'
Its only two more days os I will grin and bear it, but when im ready for class 1, i think i will look elsewhere.
good news: Passed my CPC this morning with 1 bad mark!
Sounds like a pig of a place to learn Im enjoying driving the truck around, Im not really getting on with my trainer but I can stick with it, for example driving along and there is a pelican crossing ahead so I back off the throttle and cover the brakes, my instructor: c'mon put your foot down, get a move on.
later another pelican crossing, instructor: SLOW DOWN, it might change red!
I also get "go left here"
Me: what this left turning 5 meters ahead??
ins: no, at the end of the road!
Doing the reversing maneuver today, he just goes and makes himself comfortable and lies down on the grass and leaves me to it, to be honest i would like some feedback 'you could move forward a bit' or 'better to position the truck like this/that' but nothing. I ask him if its alright and I just get 'yeah we'll be fine....hopefully'
Its only two more days os I will grin and bear it, but when im ready for class 1, i think i will look elsewhere.
good news: Passed my CPC this morning with 1 bad mark!
. As long as you have time to get used to the truck then it's no different to your car test and you've already done that )I've started my new job for the summer and enjoying the variety. Was out in a 58plate DAF CF today but I've mostly been driving around in this little beauty
carmadgaz said:
Sounds like a pig of a place to learn . As long as you have time to get used to the truck then it's no different to your car test and you've already done that )
I've started my new job for the summer and enjoying the variety. Was out in a 58plate DAF CF today but I've mostly been driving around in this little beauty
Another thing, when I turned up Monday they couldn't find the keys for the truck. After several calls to the other instructors it turned out the truck was down the road having some work done, we had to hikack another students lesson to get a lift down the road! - nothing like a good first impression! . As long as you have time to get used to the truck then it's no different to your car test and you've already done that )I've started my new job for the summer and enjoying the variety. Was out in a 58plate DAF CF today but I've mostly been driving around in this little beauty
I wouldn't mind a new CF to roll around in, I'm training in a 04 plate, 8 speed MAN.
How are you finding it? Happy with it all? Any pitfalls?
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Sounds like they couldn't organise a pissup in a brewery . Are you getting on alright with the driving though? You got a slapper 8 (4 left, 4 right) or a splitter (4 over 4) ? All the stuff where I am now are just simple 6 speeds so no dramas (when I can find the gears in the old uns 
)
I didn't mind the CF, think I preferred it to the MAN I was in last Monday. Had 2 days in a MAN 16 speed the other week which was a nice enough truck but a culture shock after driving i-shifts previously! Overall I liked the CF (more grunt needed though) but I'd still have a Volvo FM/FMX out of the ones I've tried
I'm enjoying the driving aspect of things, the marquee erecting side of things is exhausting though!
Keeping on top of the admin is a pain (hours and checks). When we get to the yard the lads just want to go so I load up (trucks have demountable beds that are preloaded for us so drop it on and go) and do my checks as fast as I can but still have to make sure they are done correctly.
Luckily the only issues I've had have been blown bulbs and I've had to report the tacho in the CF as it kept coming up with "card not inserted" as I was driving along. It was still recording "other work" and "driving" automatically (and correctly) but I couldn't change the mode. Print out and manual notes for my breaks have been the answer today.
Only other issue has been the nature of this specific job. Drive to site, erect a marquee then reload and drive back. I'm not used to the type of graft and it's quite exhausting. Sure I'll be up to strength before too long though.
Driving itself is a good craic, narrowish roads around here mean you have to keep your wits about you but give me a radio, a destination and something to drive and I'm a happy chap
Sounds like they couldn't organise a pissup in a brewery
. Are you getting on alright with the driving though? You got a slapper 8 (4 left, 4 right) or a splitter (4 over 4) ? All the stuff where I am now are just simple 6 speeds so no dramas (when I can find the gears in the old uns )I didn't mind the CF, think I preferred it to the MAN I was in last Monday. Had 2 days in a MAN 16 speed the other week which was a nice enough truck but a culture shock after driving i-shifts previously! Overall I liked the CF (more grunt needed though) but I'd still have a Volvo FM/FMX out of the ones I've tried
I'm enjoying the driving aspect of things, the marquee erecting side of things is exhausting though!
Keeping on top of the admin is a pain (hours and checks). When we get to the yard the lads just want to go so I load up (trucks have demountable beds that are preloaded for us so drop it on and go) and do my checks as fast as I can but still have to make sure they are done correctly.
Luckily the only issues I've had have been blown bulbs and I've had to report the tacho in the CF as it kept coming up with "card not inserted" as I was driving along. It was still recording "other work" and "driving" automatically (and correctly) but I couldn't change the mode. Print out and manual notes for my breaks have been the answer today.
Only other issue has been the nature of this specific job. Drive to site, erect a marquee then reload and drive back. I'm not used to the type of graft and it's quite exhausting. Sure I'll be up to strength before too long though.
Driving itself is a good craic, narrowish roads around here mean you have to keep your wits about you but give me a radio, a destination and something to drive and I'm a happy chap
I'm sure the admin and physical side of it becomes easier the more you do it, like most things it just takes time. Glad to hear that overall it's going well. Here's to hoping I can find a nice job like that too!
There was a moment yesterday where my instructor shut up for about 10 mins and it was just me and the truck, pootling along, working my way through the gears, it was brilliant and I thought to myself 'yeah I can do this for a living'
There was a moment yesterday where my instructor shut up for about 10 mins and it was just me and the truck, pootling along, working my way through the gears, it was brilliant and I thought to myself 'yeah I can do this for a living'
Hi all!
got 4 minors, one was that i let the truck roll back a little before putting the handbrake on. 2 more because i got in the wrong lane on a roundabout and kept the right indicator on while moving over to the left, but he said my observation was good and overall he was happy!
Im over the moon! Im sending off my tacho card application this afternoon, (£32) as soon at that's back i can start applying for jobs!
got 4 minors, one was that i let the truck roll back a little before putting the handbrake on. 2 more because i got in the wrong lane on a roundabout and kept the right indicator on while moving over to the left, but he said my observation was good and overall he was happy!
Im over the moon! Im sending off my tacho card application this afternoon, (£32) as soon at that's back i can start applying for jobs!
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