hi guys im 19 and have wanted to be a hgv driver since i was bout 10 i was doin the young drivers scheme last year but i got mate redundant, so now ive got to do it myself. i was just wondering how long do u have to have ur car lience befoore i can go do it and what is involved with the test is it just like doin a car lience, any info would be great cheers

 

think you have to be 21 to do class 1 & 2 fella, or at least you did when i took my hgv tests

 

yer i no i have to be 21, which im am nest year,u can be 18 on the young drivers scheme but unfornatly i got laid off orther wise i wud have my class 2 and be well on my way to my class 1

 

personally i wouldn't bother mate. no offence but when you pass there are thousands upon thousands of unemployed drivers at the moment, and no one will employ a greenback over a driver with 30 years experience.

i'm 23 and work for my dad, otherwise i'd be in the same boat. we get literally dozens of calls and phone numbers a week of professional drivers looking for work.

 

yer like u loads of ppl have told me the same but its one of those thinks if i dont do,then i no i will prob regret and by the time i pass things in this stupid crountry mite start to look up

 

depends on your job title as well really im a hgv tech im 21 next year i will be doing mine, but mine does serve another purpose.

 

yer true i just want to be a lorry driver ive dont the long distance van drivin and loved it i want to do flat bed work as i can rope and sheets and use straps no problem

 

If you do it at least the licence is there, you may not get a job straight away but you will be notching off that magical 2 years that every fucker wants.
Go for it, for what it costs you would only go on holiday into europe, pull a pig and bring home an STD.

 

lmao yer true mite aswell make it go to use a, i dont get that every 1 wants a driver with exsperince but unless some one gives a new driver a job hows he surposed to get the exsperiance

 

Exactafuckingmundo.

 

This applies to any job, no-one likes to risk starting someone without experience, it can cost a lot if it goes wrong.

If you owned a Ł30000 truck would you give the keys to a complete stranger, who's only just passed his test?
And then put a load on it worth up to million pounds.?

You will have to find someone with and old truck carrying low value goods paying low wages to build up experience.

My son's a Transport Manager with a large National company and they are laying off drivers almost every week and sending back Units to the lease company.
It's very tough in transport, or any field at the moment.
.

 

true but like i said by the time ive passed things shud hopefuly be lookin up

 

im 22 a hgv tech & i will be doing my class 1 in next month or so, but mine serves a purpose of taking vehicles for test etc.

i always wanted my licence but the job isnt the same anymore, thers so many peaple out there to fuck you over its unreal & poxy speed limiters fucked the whole job up.

if you have to pay for the licence yourself dont bother as youl be forking ouy thousands for no imidiate gain.

also i work for a transport company called E&N Ritchie, we have an imaculate fleet & most are show trucks we regularly carry loads in excess of 1 millon pounds & i have been told as soon as i get my licence im out on the road. but i have proven already am not useless as i have to move, park reverse, etc etc in artics already & touch wood 5 years & only 1 small bump =)

 

supermarket work hasn't really changed at all.

ASDA are not laying people off (at least not at my depot), and we're still getting yearly pay rises....

So, try and get into a supermarket

 

i was put off about doing my class 2 a few weeks back, with people saying theres no jobs, especially with no experience etc

but after bein made redundant and being out of work 6 months, i passed my class 2, and within 3 days i had a job offer, and then within the same week i was into a job driving 7.5t and 18t class 2 trucks. thats with no experience except for standard issue van driving, and no digi tacho experience either. and no, the trucks arent old, mine are 58 plate DAF's, and the cargo can be anything up to a Ł1m+ per day in hewlett packard/apple computer equipment. plus a starting salary of 20k reviewed after my 3 months was a nice suprise too

so by all means think seriously before doing it, but it isnt all complete doom and gloom as some would make out, just gotta try and get in at the right places, supermarkets and in my case computer equipment, all still booming trades.

 

the job isnt all complete doom and gloom,work is still out there but you nedd to put up with paycuts to stay with a firm because its cut-throat,there is always some1 willing to do it cheaper,especially fucking foreingers,ive gone from 600 a week to 400,not pleased but glad ive still got a job,but as said,my gaffer will take on people without experience,but you'll get the oldest truck (w-reg) and the shittest work,but prove yourself to him and he moves you up,ive got a 02reg globetrooter with all the whistles and bells and he told me yesterday he's looking for a new 1 for me,but he's been in halage for 40years and seen 2recessions out,he said to me you just need to tighten your belt and drop the rates slightly,but he keeps 10 trucks going with a full days work so he doing something right.

go for it but be prepared for a lot of no jobs here and when you do get on,long days,and you deal with jumped up wankers day in and day out who you cant let rip at because you'll be the last to get tipped.
other than that good luck

 

hahaha i know that feeling, i delivered in manchester the other day and wore a real madrid shirt, fuckers took 5 hours to unload and check 2 pallets talk about bitter.

 

cheers guys i can reverse and artic with a trailer as i used to do it with the company i started out wiv in the yard so thats no prob ive evern had a go at drivin on a 1 mile strecth of privte lad so ive got the crasp of it just need to pass the test

 

 

good that you can revese one,you nedd to do it on your test in bteewn cones or painted lines,fail this and you fail straight away,same with your emergency brake.

if you want to drive artics a lot of jobs require you to night out,best clear this with the missus,a lot of girls get funny if you work away all week.

 

yer my mums the same wiv my dad bein out all week, i dont mind bein away all week thts what i want to

 

fuck the nights out, i do them on a very odd occasion, scotch etc !!

i dont pay a big mortgage to live in that metal piece of crap.

oh and i used to be mad about lorries when i was younger, but now with over 10 years in the big wheelers i dont feel the same.

the novelty soon wears off, believe me.

 

i 2nd the novelty wearing off but cant beat getting away from it all sometimes,just parked in a quiet layby with a beer and window down chilling.

 

Bet its fun cock in one hand and spliff in the other me howd

 

it is unless you find a lay-by with ladys of the night

 

You done many mate ???

 

i cant theink of anythin better than being away all week

 

cant say on here,but lets say i bumped in to 1 on the welsh hills once and might of required her services
and on the a19 in teeside
a layby in newcastle...

 

go for it mate, but be prepared to start on shit wages with a shit company but always aim to do better.Go back and see your last company once you pass your test and see if they have any work atleast they know you. Don`t stay with the same company just because you like them or your have a good truck, it`s all about the money to pay the bills and to enjoy yourself on your day`s off. It took me five years of shit wages and crap companys to get where i am now. But now on Ł40k a year for 4 days work(class 1 tanker driver (petrol) for 12 years now. The company also put me through my DSA class 1 instructors course and SAFED instructors course which i have used in the past to do alot of training. All the best.

 

yer cheers guys i no its not all easy but hey u take the ruff wiv the smooth

 

you need that attitude in this job pal,especially when you sat in a q on a m-way coz some 1 has caused a pile up by bein a moron,some days will be belters,done fueled and parked up by two,other days you'll wander in a 6 completly fucked off with the job
good luck either way

 

the latter is the way i am most days.

 

same here as soon as this credit crunch bollocks over im off to drive a shovel in local quarry,east hours,easy money,fuck driving lorrys