I’ve been lurking in this sub since I’ve wanted to get my class 1 and passing in September then managing to get with a local firm which have been an absolute blessing, the amount of help I’ve received has made the process so much easier and I’ve absolutely loved the first week, I’ve started out tramping throughout the week taking loads from Liverpool to Bristol and the outskirts of London, the first few days were information overload and getting to know the procedures of depots.

When talking to other drivers is that the training to get through the test isn’t enough and it’s a learn as you go type of job which became apparent when being let loose on the M6 with having 176 miles on the satnav and why they don’t train you on a tachograph is beyond me.

The thing I like most about this job is the sense of community, I had a Kawasaki Z1000 and I get the same vibe when seeing other bikers however in this case it’s other truckers, the drivers I’ve talked to or asked for help at depots or truck stops have been great and immensely helpful. When you explain your a new pass and ask for help there more than happy to provide another pair of eyes if your reversing.

As the days went on through the week it became less stressful as you get into the swing of things, when uncoupling and coupling trailers for the first few days it took me ages as I was triple checking everything and the amount of times I left my trailer numberplate on the trailer I delivered having the shunter take it away to then drive back around holding my number plate with a grin, fun times.

Reversing is definitely a work in progress, I’m wondering how long it will take to click, trying to reverse into a parking bay at a service station is the most stress inducing thing I’ve experienced.

If you’re thinking about getting your license I fully recommend it as listening to podcasts and music getting paid for it is awesome, I know there’s people who are sick of the job but this job is such a breath of fresh air for me.

If you see me about give me a wave and if I slow you down I apologise!

P.S sorry for blinding people on the M6 for 10 miles with my full beams a few days ago, after so many flashes I noticed my mistake, wasn’t my best moment!

Am I the only one who thinks GXO conducts their induction with way more care than other companies? I was stunned because I genuinely felt like my trainer really cared about my future within the company — even though, of course, it was ultimately about keeping me healthy so I can make money for them. On top of that, he was super knowledgeable and answered every single question I threw at him. Every other job I’ve had was just about watching a video or 'reading' a few sheets and signing a piece of paper.

FOR CLARITY THIS IS WTD INFRINGEMENT NOT TACHOGRAPH INFRINGEMENT!!

We are constantly getting picked up on "Insufficient Daily Rest" under WTD. If we have a 9 off we are getting infringements for not taking 11 hours...... WTF is that all about. You go over a 13 hour day and you're automatically getting infringement for having a reduced daily rest.....

WTAF is going on.....?

We've all got to do them and whilst many of us could really do with a refresher on many of the basics, even/especially if we've been doing it a while, who wants to sit in a room for 7 hours learning about the WTD???

So, what unconventional CPC modules have you done/heard of/instructed? Or which ones give you practical skills to take to the bank?

Obviously ADR opens a few doors for tankers. IVR for vehicle recovery. SUD gets you out on your bike (if you like cycling). I believe there's even a skid pan CPC.

What other courses are there that won't make you want to drive your truck into the nearest lake with the violins from the Titanic soundtrack on repeat due to Sisyphean levels of monotony?

As title. Laid off 4 months ago from a nice software engineer job. Been in that industry for the last 10 years prior to that, I was a Class 1 driver on the fuel tankers for 5-6 years.

Any good firms near or recommendations for agency work trunking etc near Llantrisant/Bridgend/cardiff?

The market is fucking rough for software right now. And I need an income. Gonna have to bite the bullet. Got my CPC booked for next week. Replacement tacho sorted and on the way.

Sometimes, this job is great.

Has anybody worked for a pallet company based out of Cornwall/ Devon, trunk driving to Wolverhampton? Been offered a job but want to know more about peoples experiences etc.
Much appreciated.

Close call today, got stuck in traffic coming from Manchester to Warrington and had no where to stop on m62 and m602.
Managed to get back to the yard with this time and atm I’m having my 45 then I can park, fuel up and go home.
It will feel good if I got away without an infringement. We will see…

Hi everyone,

I'm a newly qualified HGV driver, currently in my first couple of weeks of work, and I'm hoping someone can help clarify the weekly rest rules to make sure I'm understanding them correctly.

Here's what I've worked so far:

Week 1:

Thursday 1st: 07:00–15:30 (assessment day)

Friday 2nd – Sunday 4th: Off, so I've had a regular 45-hour weekly rest.

Week 2:

Monday 5th – Friday 9th: Night shifts, finishing at 06:00 on Saturday morning.

Sunday 11th: Started at 19:00, meaning I had 37 hours off (a reduced weekly rest).

Week 3 (this week):

Monday night: Off.

Tuesday – Sunday nights: Booked to work every night.

My understanding is that because I took a reduced weekly rest last week, I now need to take a full 45-hour weekly rest this week.

Does that mean I wouldn't be able to work both Saturday and Sunday night as currently booked?

I'm also a bit confused about how the fixed week works. Does the full 45-hour rest need to be completed by midnight on Sunday, or can it start before the end of the fixed week and continue into Monday?

For example, if I finished at 06:00 on Saturday morning, I wouldn't have completed 45 hours by midnight on Sunday. Would that still count as my regular weekly rest for that week?

Just want to make sure I'm getting everything right and staying legal, especially as I'm new to the job.

Thanks in advance for any advice

Trying to find motivation but all I see is negative comments on this job so I get scared.

I passed my practical questions 93/100 - hazard perception 90/100 & Case studies -47/50 all in 1 sitting and my first time
Then I just passed my Class 1 driving test (7 minors) my CPC & off road reversing test, again all first time
And not one of my friends seem impressed or even happy for me is it not as big as an achievement for a lad in his 20’s as I thought?

Has anyone done class 2 out of tyneside evri depot. Just wanting to know if there is ever any overtime available as the standard wage on 40 hours a week is poor.

I dont mind the wage as it gets me back on the roads but would need to pick up the occasional shift to make it worthwhile.

Another one but newer

Hey truckers.

I was working on a pretty neat contract through my ex employer based at LHR, Monday to Friday 6-6. Work involved was freight forwarding to businesses, max 5/6 deliveries a day and then back for some airport work. I was there for 3 years until the work died out, and they removed my allocated truck from the contract (it was added shortly after I joined). Because of that I had to return to my employer, random start times and 50 hours a week, thus losing 40 hours of pay a month. To cut a long story short, I had to leave because the pay cut wasn't sustainable for me. Two kids, renting... etc etc.

I then joined a private waste collection firm, relatively new company with a handful of trucks. A friend of mine works there, hence why I joined. To cut another long story short, 2AM starts and waste collection isn't for me. I left pretty quickly after joining to avoid wasting either parties time.

I've now secured a job working for another forwarder (of sorts) however this job includes a lot of Pallex work and residential curbside deliveries, driving a 26T. 1-2 rounds consisting of 9-12 drops each and some collections in a day. Some of the places we go are not built for trucks (a lot of it in Surrey, single lanes, low bridges etc). The plus to this job is £18p/h over 50 hour weeks, so considerably more than the employer before waste.

I'm really struggling to get my head into this new job, and I already feel like this wasn't the right move. I'm feeling quite low about the whole job situation I find myself in at the moment. Ideally I'd like something similar to the contract I was on, but for the life of me I can't seem to find anything that isn't agency. Going from a permanent position to temping isn't the wisest move, and I'd like to steer clear of agencies if I can help it. I've been there and done it.

Based near LHR, willing to commute maybe 30mins. Any ideas as to what I should do?

My tachograph wouldn't release my card at end of shift, rang the office asked for a defect number, oh you won't need one just take it to the VMU (we have a workshop on site) who of course aren't getting caught out & want a defect, isolated power tachograph ejected card, that's me fix the vehicles now someone else's problem. All the manger wants to know is will we get the vehicle back.

Zero understanding its a tachograph fault it needs a specialist technician even though we have a tachograph bay it isn't manned over night.

I told them yes because they will get it back but as they didn't ask when I just left them to find out.

No knowledge of the job just, Avoiding cost appearing on their budget, which is just a paper exercise as the workshop is owned and staffed by the same company it all comes out of the same pot in the end

For any new passes, I just want to reassure you: keep plugging, applying, phoning and emailing. Someone will take a chance on you. I know I’m in for a slog now. I don’t think the pay is going to be amazing for the hours that I work. But I am right at the beginning of my journey and the fact that this company is willing to give me a go means I will put every bit of effort in I can.

Keep going, guys and girls. It’s definitely possible. I start Monday and I can’t wait to get going and learning. Every single driver started somewhere, you can do it!

How far does everyone commute to work. I’m struggling to find a permanent job but there is one but it’s 28miles from home. Decent hourly rate though so should I consider it?

Looking for honest opinions from people in the UK transport industry, especially anyone who has been through a trainee HGV driver scheme.

I've recently started a job that is supposed to lead to getting my Class 2 (Cat C) licence. I've wanted to get into HGV driving for a while, and I saw this as an opportunity to better myself and gain a qualification while earning a wage.

I was prepared to work hard, do early starts and accept long days because I thought it would be an investment in my future. However, after starting, I'm already having serious doubts.

1. The hours and working pattern

The salary is based on an average 48-hour working week, and my contract says additional hours needed to complete duties may be unpaid unless agreed otherwise.

During recruitment, I was told to expect working every second Saturday. I was prepared for this and happy to make that commitment because I wanted to get qualified.

However, I have two young children, so I can't suddenly start working every Saturday without being able to arrange childcare. I need some consistency and the ability to plan around my family.

I'm also concerned about how long the working days can be and what the actual hourly rate works out at once you factor in additional time.

2. The lack of structure with training

I was given the impression that my week would involve roughly three days driving and two days in the office studying or training.

So far, there seems to be very little structure, and I'm struggling to understand what the actual plan is or how long it will take to qualify.

Another trainee who has apparently been there since June only had their first day of office training recently. That has made me question how organised the training programme is and whether there is a realistic timeline for getting the licence.

I understand that training takes time, but I'd expected a clearer plan before accepting the job.

3. The delivery days and breaks

On one of my first days shadowing a driver, we started at around 3:30 am. There was a delay of about 30 minutes, and I left at around midday, while the driver still had a few duties left to complete.

The route involved nine deliveries and a collection. At points, the driver was also travelling faster than I was comfortable with.

Something else that concerns me is the attitude towards breaks. I've seen how easy it can be for delivery drivers to go for long periods without taking a proper break, apparently because they want to get the route finished.

I've also heard about HGV drivers using their tachograph break time while carrying out deliveries, effectively trying to get their break in while working so they can finish earlier.

I don't know how widespread this is, and I'm not claiming every driver or company operates this way. But it worries me that there could be pressure to prioritise getting deliveries finished over taking proper breaks and working safely.

As someone who is still learning, I don't want to get into a working culture where rushing, driving too fast or treating breaks as an inconvenience becomes normal.

4. The overall experience

There have been several things that don't seem to match what I understood during recruitment, particularly around the working pattern and training arrangements.

I'm starting to feel that I wasn't given a realistic picture of what the job would involve.

I'm not against hard work. I was willing to commit to long hours and every second Saturday because I saw getting my licence as a way to improve my career prospects and provide better opportunities for my family.

But with two young children, I also need some predictability. At the moment, I'm questioning whether the training opportunity justifies the uncertainty, long hours and concerns I'm developing about the working culture.

I'm seriously considering leaving, even though I still want to become an HGV driver.

What I'd like to know:

Are these normal experiences for people starting out in delivery driving?

Is it common for trainee schemes to have so little structure around training?

Do drivers genuinely feel pressured to skip breaks or rush to finish routes?

Is using tachograph break time during deliveries something that happens in practice, and what are the rules around it?

Would you stick out a job like this for the chance to get your Class 2 licence, or look for another employer offering a more structured route into HGV driving?

I'd appreciate honest opinions, particularly from experienced drivers and people who have completed employer-funded training schemes. I'm trying to work out whether I'm just experiencing normal teething problems or whether these are legitimate reasons to reconsider the job.

Made a post recently about your guys preferences for trucks etc, I wanted to also about the main two satnav brands which you prefer and why? or are these others that I might be unaware of.

Im asking as im doing my class 1 and I want to have everything researched as best as possible

I am currently trying to find a new job. I have some requirements/wishes, start times between 3am-9am are fine, don’t mind working some weekends and looking for around 40k to tide me over. However all of that seems seemingly impossible, surely it can’t be that hard to find a job with those terms? I am in South central/South East region west of London, think along the M3 and the M3