How to get experience?

[broadside]

Hello all!

I've been a lurker here for a while and am in need of some advice.

I was made redundant a few months back and I decided to do my C licence and then do my C+E as it was always something I'd wanted to do since being a a youngster.

I'm now in my mid 40's, I passed my C licence three weeks ago and I'm doing a HIAB course later this week. My C+E training doesn't start until the end of January (weather permitting), so I thought I'd try and get some agency work for a few weeks to tide me over. However, the majority of jobs are requiring a minimum of six months experience with most being two years.

I've held my drivers licence for 29 years which is clean and I've had no insurance claims in that time either, so I can't be too bad on the road. I even passed my C licence with only 4 minors.

So its a chicken and egg situation I find myself in.... I can't get a job without experience, so how do I go about getting experience so I can get a job? It's quite frankly doing my head in as I could really do to start pulling a wage in of some description. I'm based in the North East of England.

Thanks.

Edited by broadside on Thursday 20th November 10:06

[StuntmanMike]

Where are you? I would try the agency's they will be crying out for drivers, we are entering the busiest time of the year.
Save any money you earn because it will all die in January.

[handpaper]

Sign up with a couple of agencies, keep your phone near you and never refuse work that is legal, whatever the time or type.
Since so much depends on getting experience, do anything you can to get it. As a bonus, you'll earn more money and get a good reputation with the agencies.

[broadside]

Thanks for the replies.

I have tried to sign with a few agencies but their response has been the same. Minimum 6 months preferably with 2 years. Seems to be an insurance stipulation rather than anything else.

Anyhow, I did sign on with a local agency yesterday so hopefully I'll get something soon, and as advised I will take on everything and anything to get the experience I need when it becomes available.

[truck71]

I think the thing to consider is a C licence is not in huge demand in the North East. Change location and or upgrade to C+E and then you'll have a choice. Head down the A1 to the M62 corridor or across the A69 to the M6 corridor with a C+E and you'll be working this afternoon. Not many hubs in the North East- try Tees port operators directly.

[broadside]

Thanks Truck71! I'm doing my C+E in January, just wanting to get some money in over the next few weeks to tide me over. As you say, lots more opportunity with a C+E even in the North East.

I'm doing my HIAB training course tomorrow to help give me some differentiation.

[truck71]

broadside said:

Thanks Truck71! I'm doing my C+E in January, just wanting to get some money in over the next few weeks to tide me over. As you say, lots more opportunity with a C+E even in the North East.

I'm doing my HIAB training course tomorrow to help give me some differentiation.

You'll be fine with a C+E even with no experience. I'm starting a warehouse to wheels scheme at two of the DC's I'm responsible for and this is not rare in the industry, someone with the licence already would be ideal for stage two of this scheme. The DC's I refer to are not in the North East but it gives you a flavour of what you might expect. If you don't want to work for an agency you might get on a similar scheme with a large operator within a reasonable striking distance, it maybe at a lower level of pay until you pass a 6 month probation or such like but it gets you going. Whilst it is a very tough and under appreciated job HGV driving has rarely been as lucrative or in demand as it is at the moment; the caveat being demand varies massively dependent on location, but local and not necessarily regional. Good luck.

[Snapper7]

broadside said:

Hello all!

I've been a lurker here for a while and am in need of some advice.

I was made redundant a few months back and I decided to do my C licence and then do my C+E as it was always something I'd wanted to do since being a a youngster.

I'm now in my mid 40's, I passed my C licence three weeks ago and I'm doing a HIAB course later this week. My C+E training doesn't start until the end of January (weather permitting), so I thought I'd try and get some agency work for a few weeks to tide me over. However, the majority of jobs are requiring a minimum of six months experience with most being two years.

I've held my drivers licence for 29 years which is clean and I've had no insurance claims in that time either, so I can't be too bad on the road. I even passed my C licence with only 4 minors.

So its a chicken and egg situation I find myself in.... I can't get a job without experience, so how do I go about getting experience so I can get a job? It's quite frankly doing my head in as I could really do to start pulling a wage in of some description. I'm based in the North East of England.

Thanks.

Edited by broadside on Thursday 20th November 10:06

What employers what and what they get are often worlds apart.... In my old profession they always asked for experience and I was often told I was to experienced to be given an interview.. Or I got the interview, impressed the hell out of them and had amazing feed back only to be told that I was too good or experienced... But lost the job to new comers because they were cheap to employ... Why they never advertise 'I'd your a good newbie to the business that is willing to work for the minimum of wages for extensive hours of being abused then we would be interested in talking to you'.

Industry spokesmen on the news are claiming that 40,000 drivers are leaving the industry this year due the cpc clearing out older driver working part time, and other drivers getting hacked off with the job, the conditions, or the money. And with only an expected 1400 drivers entering the industry they will have to employ new drivers. Do the maths. At this stage experienced are all moving up to the companies that pay more or have better working conditions... So it is musical chairs with the drivers as the chairs and the employers looking for them.. As the drivers / chairs get less they get more desperate...

I am in the same position as you, about to class 1, but ready to drive class 2 now. I have spoken to some companies and at this stage they seem to be holding trying to find drivers for old wages.. But they have wagons parked going nowhere. They lost there drivers because the threw the towel on on sept 11th or went to a new employers who paid more... The more the wagons don't roll because they have no drivers the more it costs them and the more desperate they will get... New drivers are there only option...

Just don't under sell your self

[anonymous-user]

Snapper7 said:

What employers what and what they get are often worlds apart.... In my old profession they always asked for experience and I was often told I was to experienced to be given an interview.. Or I got the interview, impressed the hell out of them and had amazing feed back only to be told that I was too good or experienced... But lost the job to new comers because they were cheap to employ... Why they never advertise 'I'd your a good newbie to the business that is willing to work for the minimum of wages for extensive hours of being abused then we would be interested in talking to you'.

Industry spokesmen on the news are claiming that 40,000 drivers are leaving the industry this year due the cpc clearing out older driver working part time, and other drivers getting hacked off with the job, the conditions, or the money. And with only an expected 1400 drivers entering the industry they will have to employ new drivers. Do the maths. At this stage experienced are all moving up to the companies that pay more or have better working conditions... So it is musical chairs with the drivers as the chairs and the employers looking for them.. As the drivers / chairs get less they get more desperate...

I am in the same position as you, about to class 1, but ready to drive class 2 now. I have spoken to some companies and at this stage they seem to be holding trying to find drivers for old wages.. But they have wagons parked going nowhere. They lost there drivers because the threw the towel on on sept 11th or went to a new employers who paid more... The more the wagons don't roll because they have no drivers the more it costs them and the more desperate they will get... New drivers are there only option...

Just don't under sell your self

Agree with all, one big thing though is yes, there are a lot of drivers leaving, there is every year. The issue is with the amount of new drivers to replace them, it really is getting critical.
Sadly the negative side of the job somehow seems to get the most attention, who would want to spend up to 3K on getting qualified and then earn £7.50 an hour??? Truth was the worst case scenario when you want to get some experience and Stobarts Tesco are the only ones who will take you.
Things are changing fast, very fast, up here on the north west you are looking at minimum £10 per hour agency from what I see and hear, 50 hours per week plus weekend and overtime bonuses and you do the math?
The last 3 big depots to open near me all offered between 29k and 34k for drivers and we have another 2 opening soon at Gemini on the M62, rumour is that Travis Perkins is around the 32K mark, not bad for an egg stained steering wheel attendant eh!!
The adverts for jobs that I see now rarely mention the 2 years experience, one lad over on trucknet claimed to have passed his test and got agency work the same day, frankly I believe him. My place are desperate for cover, we have a lot of loads and trunkers left behind all the time, we can't get drivers and In turn struggle to get subbies for the same reason and trust me, we don't pay rubbish rates, it's just a shortage.
I would say go for it, the work is there and yes some of it might be rubbish but a lot is not, trust your own intelligence to figure it out and if your not sure just ask, the one thing I will say about HGV drivers is they will always try to help a new guy no matter how hard faced they like to appear!!

[scanner102]

It's a shame that you're not down here in East Anglia as people, especially seasonal work like sugar beet bulk hauliers, are screaming out for people.
I was lucky as I knew a relative of one such haulier and asked for her to put in a word for me and he rang me to say "how quick can you get your licence?" Two weeks later I was booked on to do my CE and then a further two weeks after that I was in the seat carting sugar beet. That was a year and a bit ago now, but this year is even worse, he's got 9 lorries but at the moment only able to run 4 at the weekend!

But that is only my (lucky) experience. But like a lot of people have already said, keep an eye out and speak to a lot of people!

[GC8]

Some agencies will advertise for drivers who have just passed.

I see your point but believe that you will understand why when you have more experience.

[broadside]

What a difference a week makes!

I did my HIAB course last Saturday and my instructor asked if I was looking for a job. He said that the haulage firm his offices are based in were looking for a class 2 driver. I rang the firm on Monday and they asked if I would spend a couple of days with them to see if the available job was of interest. I had a fun couple of days and learned lots at the same time.

They offered me a job last night and I start on Monday.

Thanks for all your help and advice it has been really useful!

[waynedear]

A bit late but congratulations.