Work has been slow for many drivers, I live in Northampton and I've been surprised how slow its been. I work for a large department store, and the management only see us as bums on seats and we've been told this by managers. Talk about feel valued. Congratulations on the new job.
I passed my class one and couldn't get any work through the agencies all kept saying to me that Because I have no experience it will be hard finding me work so I found a full time class one job working for a amazing company and trucks are top spec Scania and Volvo and upgrade the fleet every 3 years and I've just passed my test and got a 16 plate scania
James Good stuff mate! I faces similar stuff but I was told that a lot of agencies use umbrella companies which affords them the option of insuring us newly passed drivers. Just before Christmas last year was when I worked for Stobarts on the agency. Got a dozen or so Saturday's in and it was an experience in itself. It's all good knowledge! Good on ya for not giving up! ...and look at you now! 🖒🖒🖒
I am embarking on a career move at 47 and been watching your videos. They are a wealth of information and i will be doing my class 2 in a few weeks. Some great advice about attitude when working with the agency. Keep the videos coming Thanks
Andrew French Good Luck for ya test! Keep it together and you'll piss it mate! ......oh, and if you do suffer from test day nerves (like I did), DO NOT have beans the night before ya test! Adrenalin really is brown!!!!
I started lessons on a Tuesday, passed four days later on the friday. set off for Barcelona sunday. With a Volvo F10 a flask of tea and a bag of butties 21 years old. shitting myself when I got of that boat. village after village through france. then 4 hrs customs la jonquera, spain. tipped Barcelona. reloaded tiles 34 collections tile town castallon. back up through spain, france and to the boat. weyhey first one done with no deaths or casualties. got home then did UK. for a couple weeks stripping tilts at scunny steel works. ichy feet. trip to milan. its mine I want it. then that's it the bug it hits you. I wana go further comy block then turkey. then when you hit Istanbul 2000 miles from home. no blonde girls here. then when you run out of tarmac its 10 mph for hours day and night on dirt tracks TIR carnet and marlborough cigarettes bribe for your tip and reload. 5 day home from Istanbul. well if you ask did I like driving. to bloody right I did. so if you want to be home every night or you need a fancy truck. your not a truck driver. do it for you and enjoy it. Iam 50 now and have not drove a few years due to the demise of the international work and sitting in asda for hours for a tip just wasn't for me. so if you wana know would I do it again. hmmm ye why not I still get itchy feet and I have to drive the car now across Europe for my fix. if I can do it you can. so if you have just passed your test chin up and stick with it good luck guys.
Ever so pleased for you Mr Fox - hope it all works out. Thank you for sharing your trucking journey with us all. I think I’m beginning to enjoy the cooking vlogs more than the driving ones, you could be onto something here; something along the lines of ‘Ten minute Cooking in a Truck’. Perhaps there could be a slot on Top Gear for that sort of thing.
I gave up motor mechanics after 25yrs, passed class 2 in Jun 14 & class 1 in Sept 14.., I've never looked back!.., I currently drive a 32t tipper & sometimes 32t grab lorry as I took a crane course last year. My work place is local, mon - Fri & I'm home at 5' each night so see my little one's b4 bedtime!.., it's very good money on the tippers so haven't looked for class 1 stuff yet because of these positives!. I'm pleased to see you've taken a good job with a good company, it also shows that at our age (I'm 43) we can still change careers after a long time & still achieve what we want!, I've certainly never looked back even though I enjoyed most of my previous career and have learned so much it that industry, but deep down this is what I wanted to do, took a chance, spent a lot of cash but well worth it in the end. I've followed you throughout your journey while I was on mine & your videos helped so much, so cheers, good luck in your new job & keep up the good work..,safe trucking buddy👍
Cheers Matt....I`m going to be honest with you those tippers scare the bajjesus out of me mate. I dont blame you for feeling content on class 2 when your doing a job you love and getting back each night to be with your family not too many of those jobs on class 1 mate. All the best buddy.
What I love about you fastasfox is that you haven't 'gone commercial' like some of your contemporaries. I couldn't blame you if you did but for now it makes you appear more inspirational and honest. Maybe that's just me. Been following you from the start and missed you on your recent break lol. Congratulations on your well earned career progression :)
Hi I've only just stumbled on your video blog - 1st I hope the new job is going well, It's 5am on a Sunday morning and I've gorged myself on your videos - Why I hear you ask. After having my Class 2 since 1999 and driving Predominantly Coaches (Class D) since then also driving rigid HGVs (Builders Hiab, Pallet work, Fridges) and even having a Class 1 assessment 10 years ago I thought it was about time to actually bloody do my Class 1 so it's booked in for the 7th August in Taunton Somerset - This is why I am posting this here. 17 years large vehicle driving and still gping to be as nervous as hell come test day. Until now - your videos have been very helpful also helpful knowing Class 1 work is out there for the recently passed drivers.Thank you Rob
Thanks Rob,glad they helped you. I think you will breeze it on class 1 because you have earned your experience on the road in other large vehicles. There is a learning curve to go through on class 1 with the reversing but nowt you wont be expecting. I have been on Holiday for 10 days and I can honestly say I missed work and can`t wait to get back in the saddle. Good luck with your training and keep me posted.
Great help mate you talk lots of sense which is appreciated. Just passed my class 2 and so keen go get going with agencies but need to await the licence being updated and returned by the DVLA. Im more than willing to take whatever work comes along and gain experience as its a full career change for me...
You don't need to wait....just carry your pass certificate until you get your licence back. Tough times at the moment and as such my advice would be to get class 1 asap....normally I would advise a few months experience on class 2 but right now it ain't normal. Run up to Christmas should be busy though. Good luck with your new career pal.
@@fastasfox the trouble I'm having is that the agencies won't fully sign me up until the cpc card and updated licence comes back. That's interesting I have seen lots of class 1 roles and not so many class 2 but would have thought its better to gain experience in 7.5 tonne + before doing class 1. Seems like experience makes a huge difference for employers when I'm trying directly...
@@moto46 under normal circumstances I would whole heartedly agree to get experienced on class 2 first and the pallet network whilst hard work is a great place to cut your teeth because your finding multiple addresses inc domestic for delivery and lot's of places for collections too. I work with a bunch of drivers that range from 2 years straight to class 1 and experienced lads with 20 plus years under thier belts and most of them still freak out when they have to find a new address......but it doesn't faze me in the slightest (Central London , Manchester country lanes). The problem at the moment is class 2 will be sporadic, busy one minute and dead the next, but class 1 tends to be constant and better paid at the end of the day.....not to mention easier. You do need your cpc card (do you already have your drivers card/tacho card?) The good news is that hopefully by the time dvla get your licence back to you, work should pick up on class 2 as the run up to Christmas is pretty busy....but be warned after Christmas on class 2 it will be proper dead until it picks up again in the spring. Any problems drop me a line chap 👍
@@fastasfox thanks for this information. I can see the DVLA have now updated the system to show my Cat C entitlement and CPC so hoping they will arrive next week and I can get going! Hoping to get 7.5 tonne and above work through until next year via agencies and would then look to class 1 January/February. I wonder why more jobs are class 1 as opposed to class 2?
Hello mate. I'm currently in the middle of a career change . I been in the security industry since I was 17 , bouncer and until just recently a dog handler. Had a incident on a door and I ended up getting charged with a assault so I'm unable to get my sia licence back. However I see it as a blessing in disguise as I've always wanted to be out on the road in a wagon so I've got everything booked . I understand there's so much to it but at 33 I thought why not let's give it a go. Finding your videos very informative so thank you for that. Hopefully see you on my travels some day soon
nice one mate! ive never worked for an agency started with a company straight after passing my test!. just started with another company with a 1.20 pay rise, better to work for a company, always in work get paid for your holidays! pleased for you
Just got to keep going when looking for work, I managed at 21 it took some doing but I made it in the end and worked on milk tankers on farms for nearly 3 years I'm now on walking floors tramping all week been doing it for 6 months I'm 24 now and loving it I'm doing my ADR to carry fertiliser so I'll be going back on the farms but with a huge walking floor, but I'm always up for a challenge! My last company always asks how I'm getting on and it just shows if you work hard and do as they ask they'll like you and I know if need be they'll have me back which is nice to know! Good video dude
fair play to u mr fox,good reliable workers are hard to find,and it sounds like ur new outfit have seen that in u,u deserve it mate,and yes to more cab cooking! take care fella
CoNgRaTuLaTiOnS mate! ultimately we all want a regular income which we can rely on coz we've all got a mortgage or rent to pay. You've more than earned that job so well done, take a min to reflect on your efforts. Agency work is exactly what you said, you want your file to be on top of the pile, so every time they need that Mr Reliable, make sure you're it! I've been working for my firm for 7 yrs now, regularly made the whole year sick day free and like to be on time etc. They put me through the whole HGV stuff this time last year, to the day is when i failed my 1st Class 2 test as it happens. I've been learning a new lesson every day since, and i love it! It's a different game completely to working in a factory and making glue or compounds, and now i mainly do tanker work delivering bulk loads. Did a lot of shunting in the beginning since last June when I passed, they asked me to go full time permanent driver mid April and officially began 1st March and it's just great to be challenged and get out there finding new places and being on the road. I still get giddy! I learned in a 4 over 4 on the Class 2 but it was a 3 over 3 splitter on the class 1. Manual is always a bit more work, but they do have the advantage you pointed out. I've followed you from the beginning, you and Mr P, as we started out around the same time. It really is a joy to see your/our stories write themselves over the last year, it can be a tough career......long hours, daunting journeys, tedious waiting times etc .....but that's driving drives! Chuffed for ya Foxy!!!!! 😁😁😁🤘🤘🤘
Your a superstar Mr Cole, thanks for the kind words. This youtube stuff to me is like a club where people can ask whatever they want without feeling stupid and I don't put up with those people that are only interesting in picking faults and putting others down all because they don't enjoy the job anymore....I soon send um off with a flea in their ear lol. How you finding the tanker work? all the best pal.
fastasfox Thanks mate! I love the idea of the Club, I support that 100% because everyone has to learn from somewhere/someone. The tanker work is quite easy to be honest, it's nowhere near as busy as ADR loads what with safety equipment etc. I've worked with pressurised systems for the last 7 years so principles are the same.......the units have a PTO to a compressor which blows air into the pots and the easy operation of a valve opening to a chemical grade pipe connected to a storage tank or ibc's with a tap on the end and offloading is straight forward. I recently had a moment of inspiration to record some stuff and who knows.....a blog might be on it's way sometime in the near future lol it'll be amateurish but we all start somewhere. Tankers are nicer to work with when it comes to a windy day that's for sure! Less overhang to worry about compared to a curtainsider too! So, I sure will be looking forward to some heavy stuff videos from your good self! I bet you must be quite excited to be facing some proper lugging of hefty gear! I nearly applied for a position with a company called Swaines near me, they lug all the oversized stuff and plant gear. Trouble is, when you're new at it and tend to overthink stuff, it's rather trepidating to be wondering if everything is going to stay on the low loader lol. Two things help me in my day to day stuff ........ RR = Road Ready?!? Suspension inflated? Ant gear left lying on the tanker? (key, mallet, pipes unlocked?) Handrail down? Legs up? etc. ........and......... RNR = Rest n Relaxation!
Been watching your videos (in a random order) over the last few days and found them really informative. I passed (smashed!) my theory the other week and looking to get my cat C as soon as my redundancy money comes through from my current employer! (23 days and counting lol) I used to work on agency before and your absolutely right about making sure your the "go to guy!" it's exactly what I had planned to do once I got my licence and your videos have given me a bit more reassurance to go for it! You've also inspired me to thinking about starting my own blog. Changing careers can be quite daunting especially when jumping into something new so perhaps I can take a leaf out of your book and share my experiences as you have done! Great job mate and thanks for the inspiring, yet down to earth vlogs!
I get all of what you have just said buddy and it is expensive,, but the best thing to do is crack on and don't think about it too much or you end up talking yourself out of things. let me know how you get on....and top tip for vlogging buy the basic gopro new they are around £100 used £50 they do a grand job and the battery life is ace unlike the hero 5. Good luck.
Congrats mate, wish you the very best. i only did 3 weeks on agency as i wanted a bit of security and got a class 2 job on the pallet network side for a very reputable company. Couldn't have done any of it without your help and advice. All the best for the future, and keep up the vids.
you're welcome mate, pallet network isn't what i want to do long term as i want to be doing longer distance work but it's good experience throwing new challenges everyday and i've got my foot through the door for when i do my class 1
20k? If you do any job just for the money then you end up miserable and do you know what I get up every morning with a spring in my step.....love my job mate. life ain't about money or how much stuff you can accumulate it's about how you treat people inbetween drawing your first and last breath.
Fastasfox the only reason we go to work is to get paid my question to you is would you do your current job for free with all the negatives you get ie traffic,brake downs,delays with loading/unloading,and nights out away from family?
Working just for money is a bad mentality But we all know that the more joy you gain from your job, the better you'll feel. Would you rather be working in a shitty warehouse stacking shelves for minimum wage (or working at a fast food branch), or would you rather be driving a lorry around the country for minimum wage?
Congratulations mate, really pleased for you. Excellent advice re agency work. I'm doing exactly that myself at the moment. Best of luck with the new job, new truck and new life. Stay safe. Doc
I had to take a few months off and drive a desk due to my dad being ill, but getting back to it now via agency. Been doing a mix of things with the agency, but doing my containers now. It's nice being back on the road.
thanks this what I was thinking. Also thanks for all the great vids, all have been an eye opener into the world of trucking. just passed theory and cpc and going to do my training in July. It's looking like I will be doing it in a 32 ton 8 speed 4 over 4. they letting me have a little go in it next week. Have also tried thier 6 speed 26ton curtain sided that was fun. Thanks again. Dean
Do you have a go bag? You said "they ring you 4am yep I will be there in 30 mins" what do you take with you when they say that? What is you kit like? Do you have spare clothes in case of a over night? wash bag? Laptop/Macbook? ETC.
GrahamsLife24 I'm full time now so my kit stays in the truck Inc spare undercrackers lol. I had a big ex-army rucksack with sat nav chargers spare underwear, maps pens ext etc.....no laptop though. To be honest as an agency driver there is only so much kit you can carry but you soon learn what to leave behind.
To come from being a non driver to a driver I think I get what you are saying in your vids . You talk some good words mate and we need more people like you , here is a feather for you , be lucky drive , catch you up the road mate ;-)
Congrats mate, happy for you! I've just got into the industry myself - being 19 the agency route didn't deliver anything for me but after 3 months of doing nowt with my Class 1, a local family run firm specialising in fridge work has taken me under their wing. They run a fleet of high spec new FH500s which are lush to drive. Really not bad at all for a newbie, but don't get me wrong I was keen do do any job me - they're the only lot up here who'll give a young 'un like me a chance ;)
@@bernardscott1783 We had a Driver that retired at 72 a couple of years back, you have years ahead of you yet. Stick a cover over your rear view mirror and get used to using your side mirrors again would be my advice mate....the single most important tool you will have. Good luck.
Good advice :) I’ve had class 1 and 2 since 2017 and not drive yet. I just passed my PCV October 19 but desperate to change career now. Is November a bad time to leave my job to start agency on the lorries ?
lol, this bit made me chuckle, load of blown fuses means there is a fault on the lorry.......in days gone by , blown fuses were a good sign of people de limiting the limiter, i used to drive European for a large Co. they used to unofficially 'encourage' the use of 'blown' fuses
Congratulations Mr fox. You hit the nail on the head with your advice. Hope you get to the end goal that your interested in. Do keep up with your great Vlogs.
Never thought of asking... Before this, going F/T, what agencies would you recommend..? Are they local to you, or nation wide ones..? Live not far from Trucker Steve BTW. So wonder if he has any info..?
I`m not sure about oop North mate...why dont you drop him a line. My thoughts are that you should sign on with three agencies spread in oposite sides of you region and one of them will give you most of the work so stick with them.....and keep pestering them. Cheers ff.
when a company loads goods on to your truck what is your responsibility? Do you have to watch them load and secure it yourself or they do that thanks. Also is it worth getting in to this job aged 51? Thanks again.
Rab carn First of all we have a driver in our fleet that is 70 and still going strong so I guess your still a spring Chicken and a friend of mine got his class 1 aged 50. Some companies will load you but unless it's fridge work then most will leave it to you to secure. Once out on the road your legally responsible for that load ie it's weight and that it's secured properly. I had a load of timber on a class 2 truck and I asked the office at the timber yard how heavy my load was and the manager talked down to me and said your not overweight...... trust me. My reply stunned him! I told him that my licence had cost me fortune and that I wasn't about to let him throw it away for me and I the told him that I needed the timber weight calculating and that he was to put his name on it and sign it...... he was not happy....but he did it lol. Good Luck if you decide to go for it and take a look at my first few videos it will give you an idea of what you need and the cost etc. All the best.
ok thanks. during the 5 day training will i be trained all that how to secure? when i used to work in warehouses i remember using a pallet truck to line them up evenly in rows in the trailers. The drivers used to go round clicking straps. i suppose it all depends on the type of company.
Hey there fox would be golden of you if you could explain and demo few issues new CE drivers.1: adjusting suspension when coupling and all the ins and out. Secondly the biggest nightmare: Thought process of reversing ie setup, following trailer, how to make corrections etc. Muchos gracias.
Great vid as always fox well done on getting a job mate I'm enjoying full time work myself driving adr non baffled chemical tanks just think fox paid holidays mate stay safe
Normally in the job description they will say nights out required but there are plenty of jobs that don't require tramping. The company I now work for require a couple of nights out a week but we also have drivers that wont do nights out and they get put on the local stuff. hope this helps buddy.
Thank you mate very helpful information 👍 Also, after passing all the hgv theory, cpc and driving tests what's chances of a new driver getting into full time employment and agency work ?
Been watching loads of these vlogs the last few weeks and find them really educational. I passed my Artic about 10 years ago but have been driving a van doing local deliveries since. Mainly because of the experience that I didnt have. And because I always said to my iner-self that I would never be able to drive a big truck. Well now I feel is the time for me to prove myself wrong. I just need someone to believe in me and give me a go. I get the feeling from the varies vlogs that there are more truck companies in the UK than in southern Ireland, maybe Im wrong In that. Do you think Im wrong trying to go straight into artic work or should I try rigid trucks first?
Hi Niall, it wouldn't be a bad thing to try a couple of weekend runs for an agency or on your days off from your full time job. Having spent several years on the road already you will already have the road craft so I would say go for it buddy and that go back on the Artics. The fact that you are scared of the big trucks is a good thing buddy it`s the ones that feel invincible that worry me and it`s always in the back of my mind that I would cause a lot of carnage on the road if it went wrong and I think most truckers feel that. Go for it fella.
You always speak a lot of sense mate. Keep up the good work. PS. I really enjoy your cooking videos. If you could do a few more that would be much appreciated lol.
Most companies deduct 45 mins Just like they do in most industry's. If you night out your company will pay you around £25 plus they will pay your parking fee at the truck stop and a meal.....some don't though. Cheers mate.
My dads mate works for the company your working for. I'll not mention the name of it to show my respect. But well done I know how hard it can be to get a full time job on class 1 with little experience. Keep on trucking 👍
Billy Wright . Hi Billy, I would like to keep a low profile if it's all the same buddy so if you can keep it under your hat I would be grateful. Cheers all the best...ps great company to work for.
A up foxy dunno if u remember speaking to me was a couple of months ago now but I passed my theory today so chuffed got surprisingly good marks too, I will be booking my course within the next 3 weeks can't wait , good advice on the the take any job thing, I do feel I will struggle to find work to start with it doesn't help that I live in a town with a population of around 8 thousand lol and there are no agencies near me I don't think, so it will litterly be a case or apply for anywhere that has hgv work so I can get some experience, anyway great vlogs keep em coming mate I always tune in, the height on that bloomin digger u hauled other week just coz Somone didn't think to extend the arm that little bit more and save u an hours journey coz of a bridge lol madness, cheers josh
You don't need to worry about where the agency is so much and moreover it`s all about where the transport companies are located. Be pushy keep calling them so when that bit of work comes in you will be in their head. Well done on getting over the first hurdle time to crack on ...keep me posted.
well done I also work for an agency in care work and I do the same take it all and ull keep busy be busy when it is and just enjoy the days off when you get them
hey Foxy😀 havent seen a vlog from you all year!! my notifications were turned off 😣 ive been driving for about 3 months now and have gotten over the fear now well after the first few weeks, loving it now.
I was lucky taken on straight away on class 2 since October doing pallet network. Busy as hell! Good experience for someone newly passed really thrown in the deep end! 😂😂
Hi Paul. I wanted to ask you something in regards to agency work. Through what scheme do you get paid (prior to being offered new job) I was talking to trucker bill about this and he's got himself up as a limited company. I think I chose PAYE but i really don't understand it or if I even signed up properly. I also know nothing about umbrella companies, any feedback? Thanks
jonnieiain Hay buddy, most agencies use an umbrella company to do payroll and although the agency gets you all the work your actually employed by the umbrella company. You tend to pay a weekly fee to the umbrella for doing your payroll. You can go self employed like Bill and generally you will get £1 an hour more for this but you will have to employ an accountant and to be honest I did look into it but it was a bit a faff so I left it. Talk to your agency and ask them if they are employing you direct as a few will. I worked for an umbrella company and they ate nowt to be scared of. Hope this helps mate.
thanks for responding mate, will have to look into it but will probably go with umbrella. You have to work out everything in this industry yourself don't ya? Major pain in the backside that nobody really teaches you any of the business side of things, you just have to be thrown into the deep end and work it all out, oh well, cheers :)
jonnieiain I can tell that your going to do alright mate because you have figured that out already mate lol. If you ever get stuck then there are several of us on here that will only be too happy to help mate.
Cheers Paul :) We talked before, I'm not 21 until December so for insurance reasons it'll be tough to find someone who can take me on, even though a lot of people are contacting me. Not impossible to get work, just difficult. I was going to leave my role as a supermarket delivery driver next month, but then I risk not being able to find work so it's a tough call to make
Well done for getting a long term job I like you was the go to guy. But on the buses but just got a long term mental illness so my message is do as much as you can.
well done foxy, keep up the good work. am still trying to get on the class one, the agency keeps saying there's no class 1 work but I do the class 2s they give me. But just dying inside to drive the real thing. But congrats to you
I got my lgv provisional aug 2013. Then the wife got seriously ill so I couldn't afford to be out of work for any length of time and it was a big gamble so I put it on hold. 5 yrs later I've just passed my medical again but applied for my pcv D provisional as I've landed a job bus driving instead. Might do coaches later. Yea I'll have people to deal with but 14yrs of dealing with them already is no problem. Money is good with a bit of overtime and no nights out.
im going for the 5 day course in few weeks. never drove a truck in me life so hopin i pick it up pretty quick. i like the idea of the freedom and out and about on the road and kippin in the truck....sounds perfect to me. i do that in me van now for fun so doin it as a job and gettin paid to sounds cool to me. just hope i pass and get work.
Class 1 and 2 are the classifications of truck licences in the UK. Class 2 is a rigid (straight) truck. Class 1 is an articulated (semi) truck. Usually shortened to the word 'artic'. Both of these terms are now superseded by the EU and are properly classed as 'C' which is the old Class 2 - and 'C+E' which is the old Class 1. I used to work for a company whose warehouse boss was an Australian and he used to say, "It's not a lorry - it's a truck! Laurie is a blokes name...!"
Spadunked First of all Congratulations, if your used to using a smart phone then the Garmin is for you as it is touch screen in the same way...the Tom Tom has a very unresponsive screen plus it takes ages to load routes and God forbid you make a wrong turn....case in point I was in central London and missed a turn and it took 12mins to re-route. The TomTom has a proper old school slow processor but the Garmin is fast. I spent £300 plus on the Tomtom but the Garmin came fitted in my truck. Hope this helps.
Good for you Foxy. Hope it all works out. One day we'll actually meet face to face and you can tell me more! My trucks the same as yours, Tacho says I'm doing 90K but it'll do a true 58mph.
Gd on you well done hope it live up to ur expectations. I work as an flat driver in a warehouse and its boring so I can't wait to get my class 1 free spirit all the way
Not just cab cooking, 'cuz any old hack can do that and lie about how good it tastes; cab cooking by someone who used to be a professional chef. And then, maybe, just maybe, one can produce something nice at home without the need for a C+E licence and actually having to camp out in a truck. :D Edit: 1.7 million kilometres is about what firms retire trucks at over here (Belgium)
Hi fmate I'm in a bit of a muddle and want ya advice. I been driving buses for 10 years now and decided enough is enough I wanna do me hgv license. So I rang around my local driving school berm quoted £1500 for lessons plus tests for class 2. However I came across a company called hgv training where they pay for everything including medical, theory tests hazard tests and ya cat 2 and cat1 licence. Then they find u a hgv job in the area your in and get u started. Thing is whole thing costs 4k which I can pay back within 4 year period just want to know what best way around getting a hgv license. Enjoying ya vids mate keep up the good work
Tractor3Thrasher Hello buddy, first of all do you know if any of your qualifications are transferable to Hgv ie do you still have to do your theory test and do you still need a medical etc because You will already gone through all this to become a bus driver. I would have thought all you need is to add provisional status for Class 2 lgv (when you pass Class 2 you automatically get class 1 provisional status). If you go do an assessment drive at your local driving school (£40/£50) then they will tell you how long a course you will require, I'm not being funny but I don't think you will have a problem doing your class 2 (c) because a bus if anything is longer so you will have the road craft skills already and reversing will be just the same too. Whatever you do don't sign up to a Hgv broker as they don't have a school they don't have trucks and they don't have a job for you at the end of it all and bottom line why pay over the odds for something you could sort out yourself? A good hgv school should charge around £1100 to at the top end £1500 and some do a payment scheme too. There is another option too, some transport companies take drivers on and train them up, then you get to drive for them full time. You do end up signing a contract for a couple of years and often they end up paying you a little less per hour but it is a way in. I don't know if you have watched my first few videos I made but I did a piece on Hgv brokers and why you should avoid them. Keep me posted on how you get on and good luck buddy.
fastasfox aw cheers for ya help pal when I rang my local driving school they told me to get me medical, theory and hazard perception done first so I'm under the impression I have to do it all again. I'm expecting a call off the hgvtraining.co.uk so il fob them off as I done some research and alot of ppl said the same as you did in other videos n forums. Not being big headed or anything but I'm on £11.60 and do 8 hr 5 days a week and to be fair there not many driving jobs that pay that sort of money unless u work weekends. Just want your thoughts on what the best way to make money i.e agency work or big supermarket firms do they pay well etc. Will keep u posted keep trucking pal 😉
Tractor3Thrasher It depends on what part of the country you are from because up North Anything over £10 ph would be good. Nights tend to be a bit more money , but it takes a special breed to do them. My company pays standard rate up to 40 hrs then enhanced rates after that. I hate to tell you this but Weekends tend to pay much better so if you can do the odd weekend it tops up your income. There are jobs out there that pay very well but they are few and far between. Can you do night's out?
fastasfox, hi again yeah I work weekends anyway with being in the bus industry so they don't bother me too much however we don't get extra pay working weekends unless it a bank holiday. I'm from North East pal.
Hello mate, 1st-time commenter, loving the vids. I done my theory test and hazard perception yesterday, scored 93/100 on theory, and 82/100 on HP, including 10 on double hazard clip, are they decent scores?
Congratulations....your journey has began. Just remember it goes quiet after Christmas on class 2 work, class 1 not so much though. Class 2 picks up again at the end of March. Best of luck buddy.
@@fastasfox Thanks mate, starting class 2 lessons middle of January, will do class 1 asap after that. An ex-workmate says he can get me recovery work where he is. I thought I'd need mechanical knowledge for that, but it's only accident recovery, so apparently not.
Good luck in your new job. Hope all goes well for you. I don't know if you know there is a channel called Heavy Hall tv, He`s a Russian who drives heavy haulage in Canada. He drives anything that's heavy and wide loads.
Cheers Paul...I have just subscribed to him I think i can learn a lot from his video`s. Hauling Big Stuff in an amazing country like Canada is right up my street...cheers for the heads up. Thanks .
It depends how many hours you are prepared to work and trucking is more often than not a long day. There is no such thing as 9-5 Monday to Friday in trucking buddy. My target on agency was always £500 take home and to be fair more often than not I was close to this figure sometimes over sometimes a little under. If You work weekends then a figure of £600-£650 would be achievable. I love this job but I did not get into it for the money as I hated my old job. The nice thing about agency is if you wanted to work a 4 day week then you could do Sat sun mon Tue and and still earn a good wedge because you will have picked up the weekend. Do your homework if you want to get into the biz but don't let some of the old boys put you off they are used to a different time in trucking history...good luck.
Trucker Daddy Heavy Goods vehicle But the classification has been changed recently to LGV Large Goods Vehicle. Class 1 Articulated lorry is now Class C+E and Rigid trucks were class 2 but are now called class C. +E means trailer. To be honest though we still call it Hgv and class 1 and 2 lol.
How are you finding it at this point mate? I am commenting half way through the vid so sorry if you've said. I went from the buses to office work and although the hours are nice I don't think I like it. Got my hgv theory already so thinking about making the plunge. All I can find on the net is negativity though! Got a 9 week old baby as well so not sure if it's the best. The year has gone quickly, I started watching you early on!
Matt Lee Hi Matt, If it one thing I hate it's those that say you shouldn't do something..... they don't know you and often they don't know how good they have it either. I love my new career mate and I wish I had done it a long time ago. I will be the first to tell you that the hours can be long so in the week at least your family can see a little less of you. Children do grow up very fast but you gotta do what you gotta do to support them so it is a balance. I will tell you though that there are jobs out there that will fit a little better but they tend to pay a little less. £500 take home pay is considered decent but often you can smash this amount but again that means more hours. Working for an agency is slow in Jan Feb but it would give you the flexibility to work around family life. Good Luck with whatever you decide and let me know how you get on. All the best.... Foxy.
fastasfox Thank you for that, as always your positive spin is appreciated. I've been messaging some companies to try for sponsorship as it's obviously a bit expensive. Currently I take home 1300 a month, as long as I'm making that if not more then it's all good. I'll definitely let you know how it all goes.
With another learner 100% you get full days training each day and the way it works is you will drive for an hour then the other learner gets to go and that means you get to relax take on board what you have just learned and you also llearn from the other fella.
But please put this out , 100km downhill is fine , overspeed is not a fine or a conviction , and if you drive for a big company tell them to fuck off . We need to get this country moving , the UK is the only country where 500bhp lorries go down hill slower than they go up them ;-) Go tell them all tubber ,,,,,,,,
Well done on the job mate..... again haha Well said on the agency advice mate. same as you always been there for the agency. NowI hve gone back to them as you know and straight away they took me on no fuss and been offered work. granted not able to accept but I still got in touch and said sorry I cant.
I`m due a new one in June. however I took the truck I have now and transformed it from a right mutt of a truck into a truck that can hold it`s head up high. I wish I could show you the before and after pictures. Cheers.
fojnica222 If your driving licence says EU on it and you have a class 1 or 2 licence then I think your good to go....you just need 35hrs cpc training and a digi card. Hope this helps buddy.
Yeah work for £8 an hour fuck that,thank fuck my parents made me do an engineering apprenticeship.My grandad has his own haulage company still has got 45 units.Even he said DO NOT BECOME A LORRY DRIVER.... 20k a year or 75k a year
fastasfox yes i did 5 year up to retiring with Greencore i was on the Park Royal run scotch corner was pinchin money only got that run odd times alk my work was south horrible london but hey its what trucking is all about you take it easy you will not go far wrong at Walkers i enjoyed my time with them
hi mate I just need an advise I'm turning 22 years old this year and I want to do class 2 in next few months and I don't know if I will be able to get any jobs at this age ,honestly I don't know how it works with getting jobs with agency ..thanks
Hi I am a fully qualified driver with a Cat C licence after passing module 4 on the 17/05/17 the only issue I have at the moment is that it has been exactly 3 weeks (today) and yet on Monday 5/6/17 I received my DQC card but not my Tachocard as of yet and it's making me worried. So I want to know does the Tachocard usually take longer to arrive and when do I expect to receive it?
Damayn I'm going to ask you a soft question but did you send off for your tacho card or did you assume you will get it after passing your test? I got mine within days buddy, give them a call.
I assumed that I will get it after passing my test as my instructor told me I would get it but when I got concerned I phoned the DVLA they told I have to get a d777b form to fill out and send it off to them stupid of me eh?
Damayn Easy mistake buddy. I sent off for a form online intact I had it before I started my lessons. Shouldn't take long. when you first get out on the road everything is strange so never be afraid to ask.
Yes :: Still with that company and enjoying things but 'living the dream' might be stretching things a bit lol - It was nice to meet up with you, it was just a shame that I didn't have the time to stop for a proper chat.
When I`m in full on vlogin mode I put it in the window. I have just purchase a selfie stick and mini tripod from poundland too. Had lots of technical issues pal but I hope I have sorted it mate.
Jesus, you can certainly drag a subject out
😂😂
Gans on like
Work has been slow for many drivers, I live in Northampton and I've been surprised how slow its been. I work for a large department store, and the management only see us as bums on seats and we've been told this by managers. Talk about feel valued. Congratulations on the new job.
Cheers john.
Being from the USA as a trucker,18 years 3 million miles no accidents. But you are rite about being the go to guy that's how it works
I passed my class one and couldn't get any work through the agencies all kept saying to me that Because I have no experience it will be hard finding me work so I found a full time class one job working for a amazing company and trucks are top spec Scania and Volvo and upgrade the fleet every 3 years and I've just passed my test and got a 16 plate scania
Sweet...the experience thing is such a cop out as they all come running when they get busy.
James Good stuff mate! I faces similar stuff but I was told that a lot of agencies use umbrella companies which affords them the option of insuring us newly passed drivers. Just before Christmas last year was when I worked for Stobarts on the agency. Got a dozen or so Saturday's in and it was an experience in itself. It's all good knowledge! Good on ya for not giving up! ...and look at you now! 🖒🖒🖒
Chris Cole
ya man just passed mine CE Class 1 March /19 I’m finding it hard to get any jobs with no solid experience any tips I’m in Dublin Ireland
I am embarking on a career move at 47 and been watching your videos. They are a wealth of information and i will be doing my class 2 in a few weeks. Some great advice about attitude when working with the agency. Keep the videos coming Thanks
Andrew French
Thanks Andrew.
Andrew French Good Luck for ya test! Keep it together and you'll piss it mate! ......oh, and if you do suffer from test day nerves (like I did), DO NOT have beans the night before ya test! Adrenalin really is brown!!!!
A year later, how did you get on mate? My class 1 test today!
I started lessons on a Tuesday, passed four days later on the friday. set off for Barcelona sunday. With a Volvo F10 a flask of tea and a bag of butties 21 years old. shitting myself when I got of that boat. village after village through france. then 4 hrs customs la jonquera, spain. tipped Barcelona. reloaded tiles 34 collections tile town castallon. back up through spain, france and to the boat. weyhey first one done with no deaths or casualties. got home then did UK. for a couple weeks stripping tilts at scunny steel works. ichy feet. trip to milan. its mine I want it. then that's it the bug it hits you. I wana go further comy block then turkey. then when you hit Istanbul 2000 miles from home. no blonde girls here. then when you run out of tarmac its 10 mph for hours day and night on dirt tracks TIR carnet and marlborough cigarettes bribe for your tip and reload. 5 day home from Istanbul. well if you ask did I like driving. to bloody right I did. so if you want to be home every night or you need a fancy truck. your not a truck driver. do it for you and enjoy it. Iam 50 now and have not drove a few years due to the demise of the international work and sitting in asda for hours for a tip just wasn't for me. so if you wana know would I do it again. hmmm ye why not I still get itchy feet and I have to drive the car now across Europe for my fix. if I can do it you can. so if you have just passed your test chin up and stick with it good luck guys.
My class 1 test is today. I still want to try that life, if it is at all possible these days. Gonna go for it!
Ever so pleased for you Mr Fox - hope it all works out. Thank you for sharing your trucking journey with us all. I think I’m beginning to enjoy the cooking vlogs more than the driving ones, you could be onto something here; something along the lines of ‘Ten minute Cooking in a Truck’. Perhaps there could be a slot on Top Gear for that sort of thing.
Maybe The Grand tour mate lol. How about trucking round the world and I show you how to cook local food in my cab lol.
I gave up motor mechanics after 25yrs, passed class 2 in Jun 14 & class 1 in Sept 14.., I've never looked back!.., I currently drive a 32t tipper & sometimes 32t grab lorry as I took a crane course last year. My work place is local, mon - Fri & I'm home at 5' each night so see my little one's b4 bedtime!.., it's very good money on the tippers so haven't looked for class 1 stuff yet because of these positives!. I'm pleased to see you've taken a good job with a good company, it also shows that at our age (I'm 43) we can still change careers after a long time & still achieve what we want!, I've certainly never looked back even though I enjoyed most of my previous career and have learned so much it that industry, but deep down this is what I wanted to do, took a chance, spent a lot of cash but well worth it in the end. I've followed you throughout your journey while I was on mine & your videos helped so much, so cheers, good luck in your new job & keep up the good work..,safe trucking buddy👍
Cheers Matt....I`m going to be honest with you those tippers scare the bajjesus out of me mate. I dont blame you for feeling content on class 2 when your doing a job you love and getting back each night to be with your family not too many of those jobs on class 1 mate. All the best buddy.
What I love about you fastasfox is that you haven't 'gone commercial' like some of your contemporaries. I couldn't blame you if you did but for now it makes you appear more inspirational and honest. Maybe that's just me. Been following you from the start and missed you on your recent break lol. Congratulations on your well earned career progression :)
Cheers buddy....And i wont monatize my vids but I cant blame people though, but it`s just not why I do it mate.
Hi I've only just stumbled on your video blog - 1st I hope the new job is going well, It's 5am on a Sunday morning and I've gorged myself on your videos - Why I hear you ask. After having my Class 2 since 1999 and driving Predominantly Coaches (Class D) since then also driving rigid HGVs (Builders Hiab, Pallet work, Fridges) and even having a Class 1 assessment 10 years ago I thought it was about time to actually bloody do my Class 1 so it's booked in for the 7th August in Taunton Somerset - This is why I am posting this here. 17 years large vehicle driving and still gping to be as nervous as hell come test day. Until now - your videos have been very helpful also helpful knowing Class 1 work is out there for the recently passed drivers.Thank you Rob
Thanks Rob,glad they helped you. I think you will breeze it on class 1 because you have earned your experience on the road in other large vehicles. There is a learning curve to go through on class 1 with the reversing but nowt you wont be expecting. I have been on Holiday for 10 days and I can honestly say I missed work and can`t wait to get back in the saddle. Good luck with your training and keep me posted.
Great help mate you talk lots of sense which is appreciated. Just passed my class 2 and so keen go get going with agencies but need to await the licence being updated and returned by the DVLA. Im more than willing to take whatever work comes along and gain experience as its a full career change for me...
You don't need to wait....just carry your pass certificate until you get your licence back. Tough times at the moment and as such my advice would be to get class 1 asap....normally I would advise a few months experience on class 2 but right now it ain't normal. Run up to Christmas should be busy though. Good luck with your new career pal.
@@fastasfox the trouble I'm having is that the agencies won't fully sign me up until the cpc card and updated licence comes back. That's interesting I have seen lots of class 1 roles and not so many class 2 but would have thought its better to gain experience in 7.5 tonne + before doing class 1. Seems like experience makes a huge difference for employers when I'm trying directly...
@@moto46 under normal circumstances I would whole heartedly agree to get experienced on class 2 first and the pallet network whilst hard work is a great place to cut your teeth because your finding multiple addresses inc domestic for delivery and lot's of places for collections too. I work with a bunch of drivers that range from 2 years straight to class 1 and experienced lads with 20 plus years under thier belts and most of them still freak out when they have to find a new address......but it doesn't faze me in the slightest (Central London , Manchester country lanes). The problem at the moment is class 2 will be sporadic, busy one minute and dead the next, but class 1 tends to be constant and better paid at the end of the day.....not to mention easier.
You do need your cpc card (do you already have your drivers card/tacho card?) The good news is that hopefully by the time dvla get your licence back to you, work should pick up on class 2 as the run up to Christmas is pretty busy....but be warned after Christmas on class 2 it will be proper dead until it picks up again in the spring.
Any problems drop me a line chap 👍
@@fastasfox thanks for this information. I can see the DVLA have now updated the system to show my Cat C entitlement and CPC so hoping they will arrive next week and I can get going! Hoping to get 7.5 tonne and above work through until next year via agencies and would then look to class 1 January/February. I wonder why more jobs are class 1 as opposed to class 2?
@@moto46 Cost....plain and simple.
Hello mate. I'm currently in the middle of a career change . I been in the security industry since I was 17 , bouncer and until just recently a dog handler. Had a incident on a door and I ended up getting charged with a assault so I'm unable to get my sia licence back. However I see it as a blessing in disguise as I've always wanted to be out on the road in a wagon so I've got everything booked . I understand there's so much to it but at 33 I thought why not let's give it a go. Finding your videos very informative so thank you for that. Hopefully see you on my travels some day soon
nice one mate! ive never worked for an agency started with a company straight after passing my test!. just started with another company with a 1.20 pay rise, better to work for a company, always in work get paid for your holidays! pleased for you
Cheers Daz...ps id don`t seem like 5 mins I was giving you your shoutout,where does time go.
Just got to keep going when looking for work, I managed at 21 it took some doing but I made it in the end and worked on milk tankers on farms for nearly 3 years I'm now on walking floors tramping all week been doing it for 6 months I'm 24 now and loving it I'm doing my ADR to carry fertiliser so I'll be going back on the farms but with a huge walking floor, but I'm always up for a challenge! My last company always asks how I'm getting on and it just shows if you work hard and do as they ask they'll like you and I know if need be they'll have me back which is nice to know!
Good video dude
fair play to u mr fox,good reliable workers are hard to find,and it sounds like ur new outfit have seen that in u,u deserve it mate,and yes to more cab cooking! take care fella
Cheers Boss.
CoNgRaTuLaTiOnS mate! ultimately we all want a regular income which we can rely on coz we've all got a mortgage or rent to pay. You've more than earned that job so well done, take a min to reflect on your efforts.
Agency work is exactly what you said, you want your file to be on top of the pile, so every time they need that Mr Reliable, make sure you're it! I've been working for my firm for 7 yrs now, regularly made the whole year sick day free and like to be on time etc. They put me through the whole HGV stuff this time last year, to the day is when i failed my 1st Class 2 test as it happens. I've been learning a new lesson every day since, and i love it! It's a different game completely to working in a factory and making glue or compounds, and now i mainly do tanker work delivering bulk loads. Did a lot of shunting in the beginning since last June when I passed, they asked me to go full time permanent driver mid April and officially began 1st March and it's just great to be challenged and get out there finding new places and being on the road. I still get giddy! I learned in a 4 over 4 on the Class 2 but it was a 3 over 3 splitter on the class 1. Manual is always a bit more work, but they do have the advantage you pointed out.
I've followed you from the beginning, you and Mr P, as we started out around the same time. It really is a joy to see your/our stories write themselves over the last year, it can be a tough career......long hours, daunting journeys, tedious waiting times etc .....but that's driving drives!
Chuffed for ya Foxy!!!!! 😁😁😁🤘🤘🤘
Your a superstar Mr Cole, thanks for the kind words. This youtube stuff to me is like a club where people can ask whatever they want without feeling stupid and I don't put up with those people that are only interesting in picking faults and putting others down all because they don't enjoy the job anymore....I soon send um off with a flea in their ear lol. How you finding the tanker work? all the best pal.
fastasfox Thanks mate! I love the idea of the Club, I support that 100% because everyone has to learn from somewhere/someone. The tanker work is quite easy to be honest, it's nowhere near as busy as ADR loads what with safety equipment etc. I've worked with pressurised systems for the last 7 years so principles are the same.......the units have a PTO to a compressor which blows air into the pots and the easy operation of a valve opening to a chemical grade pipe connected to a storage tank or ibc's with a tap on the end and offloading is straight forward. I recently had a moment of inspiration to record some stuff and who knows.....a blog might be on it's way sometime in the near future lol it'll be amateurish but we all start somewhere. Tankers are nicer to work with when it comes to a windy day that's for sure! Less overhang to worry about compared to a curtainsider too! So, I sure will be looking forward to some heavy stuff videos from your good self! I bet you must be quite excited to be facing some proper lugging of hefty gear! I nearly applied for a position with a company called Swaines near me, they lug all the oversized stuff and plant gear. Trouble is, when you're new at it and tend to overthink stuff, it's rather trepidating to be wondering if everything is going to stay on the low loader lol. Two things help me in my day to day stuff ........
RR = Road Ready?!? Suspension inflated? Ant gear left lying on the tanker? (key, mallet, pipes unlocked?) Handrail down? Legs up? etc. ........and.........
RNR = Rest n Relaxation!
You don't see people vlogging on tanker work mate...go for it.
I sure will look into it! 1st to face is the minefield of what editing suite to use???
Been watching your videos (in a random order) over the last few days and found them really informative. I passed (smashed!) my theory the other week and looking to get my cat C as soon as my redundancy money comes through from my current employer! (23 days and counting lol) I used to work on agency before and your absolutely right about making sure your the "go to guy!" it's exactly what I had planned to do once I got my licence and your videos have given me a bit more reassurance to go for it! You've also inspired me to thinking about starting my own blog. Changing careers can be quite daunting especially when jumping into something new so perhaps I can take a leaf out of your book and share my experiences as you have done! Great job mate and thanks for the inspiring, yet down to earth vlogs!
I get all of what you have just said buddy and it is expensive,, but the best thing to do is crack on and don't think about it too much or you end up talking yourself out of things. let me know how you get on....and top tip for vlogging buy the basic gopro new they are around £100 used £50 they do a grand job and the battery life is ace unlike the hero 5. Good luck.
Congrats mate, wish you the very best. i only did 3 weeks on agency as i wanted a bit of security and got a class 2 job on the pallet network side for a very reputable company. Couldn't have done any of it without your help and advice. All the best for the future, and keep up the vids.
Honest mate that is such a nice thing to say, I always hoped that people could use my channel as an insight into the job. How you finding the network?
you're welcome mate, pallet network isn't what i want to do long term as i want to be doing longer distance work but it's good experience throwing new challenges everyday and i've got my foot through the door for when i do my class 1
20k? If you do any job just for the money then you end up miserable and do you know what I get up every morning with a spring in my step.....love my job mate.
life ain't about money or how much stuff you can accumulate it's about how you treat people inbetween drawing your first and last breath.
no its not... its about money
Fastasfox the only reason we go to work is to get paid my question to you is would you do your current job for free with all the negatives you get ie traffic,brake downs,delays with loading/unloading,and nights out away from family?
Balls thats the way poor people talk....life is all about money
Working just for money is a bad mentality
But we all know that the more joy you gain from your job, the better you'll feel. Would you rather be working in a shitty warehouse stacking shelves for minimum wage (or working at a fast food branch), or would you rather be driving a lorry around the country for minimum wage?
Congratulations mate, really pleased for you. Excellent advice re agency work. I'm doing exactly that myself at the moment.
Best of luck with the new job, new truck and new life.
Stay safe.
Doc
DOC...where you been? are you still working the containers ? I often look out for you mate.
I had to take a few months off and drive a desk due to my dad being ill, but getting back to it now via agency. Been doing a mix of things with the agency, but doing my containers now. It's nice being back on the road.
Sorry to hear about your poorly Dad Doc.
Thank you. He has a final surgery on 15th, so fingers crossed all is well from then on.
thanks this what I was thinking.
Also thanks for all the great vids, all have been an eye opener into the world of trucking. just passed theory and cpc and going to do my training in July. It's looking like I will be doing it in a 32 ton 8 speed 4 over 4. they letting me have a little go in it next week. Have also tried thier 6 speed 26ton curtain sided that was fun.
Thanks again.
Dean
Congrats on the new Job! I've just passed my theory tests and I've booked my practical tests for late June hoping to be driving by the summer!
Guitars Amps & Pedals
Well done..summer is a great time to start driving...busy and lots of daylight.
Many congratulations dude on the new venture, I've had a few full time jobs from working agency. Hard graft pays off man. Stay safe.
Thanks Damian.
Do you have a go bag? You said "they ring you 4am yep I will be there in 30 mins" what do you take with you when they say that? What is you kit like? Do you have spare clothes in case of a over night? wash bag? Laptop/Macbook? ETC.
GrahamsLife24
I'm full time now so my kit stays in the truck Inc spare undercrackers lol. I had a big ex-army rucksack with sat nav chargers spare underwear, maps pens ext etc.....no laptop though. To be honest as an agency driver there is only so much kit you can carry but you soon learn what to leave behind.
To come from being a non driver to a driver I think I get what you are saying in your vids . You talk some good words mate and we need more people like you , here is a feather for you , be lucky drive , catch you up the road mate ;-)
Congrats mate, happy for you! I've just got into the industry myself - being 19 the agency route didn't deliver anything for me but after 3 months of doing nowt with my Class 1, a local family run firm specialising in fridge work has taken me under their wing. They run a fleet of high spec new FH500s which are lush to drive. Really not bad at all for a newbie, but don't get me wrong I was keen do do any job me - they're the only lot up here who'll give a young 'un like me a chance ;)
Yes age is the toughest obstacle to get over but you found a way mate. The 500FH is an amazing bit of kit...I`m well jell.
Had my class 1 for 2 years had a Daf cf 460 with 1.4 million kmh and pulled like a train them paccars are fantastic
Well deserved job mate..Its hard finding a person with a strong work ethic in any profession.The ones who have it,always win in the end.Enjoy now..
Lets hope so. Thanks buddy.
Great videos mate.after 40 years of plastering and a knackered body so I’m going to change career so I’ve booked my C&E+1 any tips.??
Are you going to pay for your licence yourself or are you going to try and get onto a company scheme?
fastasfox paid for it already mate but since this covid kicked in its all on hold, but a new career at 56 and something I like is exciting.??
@@bernardscott1783
We had a Driver that retired at 72 a couple of years back, you have years ahead of you yet. Stick a cover over your rear view mirror and get used to using your side mirrors again would be my advice mate....the single most important tool you will have. Good luck.
Good advice :) I’ve had class 1 and 2 since 2017 and not drive yet. I just passed my PCV October 19 but desperate to change career now. Is November a bad time to leave my job to start agency on the lorries ?
The perfect time mate....crack on.
Ps January on agency will be dead so make hay while the sun shines.
Let me know when he has finished 🤔
Well done on the new job. I worked for a couple of agencies in the past and what you say is very true, you look after them and they'll look after you
Simple is it not. Thank you Sir.
lol, this bit made me chuckle, load of blown fuses means there is a fault on the lorry.......in days gone by , blown fuses were a good sign of people de limiting the limiter, i used to drive European for a large Co. they used to unofficially 'encourage' the use of 'blown' fuses
Congratulations Mr fox. You hit the nail on the head with your advice. Hope you get to the end goal that your interested in. Do keep up with your great Vlogs.
Cheers mate.
Your welcome Mr Fox
I love working for the Agency you can choose your hours and get a differnet taste of job everyday
Congratulations and best of luck in your new venture Mr Fox. Top lad.
Never thought of asking... Before this, going F/T, what agencies would you recommend..? Are they local to you, or nation wide ones..? Live not far from Trucker Steve BTW. So wonder if he has any info..?
I`m not sure about oop North mate...why dont you drop him a line. My thoughts are that you should sign on with three agencies spread in oposite sides of you region and one of them will give you most of the work so stick with them.....and keep pestering them. Cheers ff.
I did PM TS a few days ago....
I will give him a nudge for ya.
Ta. PM'd you too.
when a company loads goods on to your truck what is your responsibility? Do you have to watch them load and secure it yourself or they do that thanks. Also is it worth getting in to this job aged 51? Thanks again.
Rab carn
First of all we have a driver in our fleet that is 70 and still going strong so I guess your still a spring Chicken and a friend of mine got his class 1 aged 50. Some companies will load you but unless it's fridge work then most will leave it to you to secure. Once out on the road your legally responsible for that load ie it's weight and that it's secured properly. I had a load of timber on a class 2 truck and I asked the office at the timber yard how heavy my load was and the manager talked down to me and said your not overweight...... trust me. My reply stunned him! I told him that my licence had cost me fortune and that I wasn't about to let him throw it away for me and I the told him that I needed the timber weight calculating and that he was to put his name on it and sign it...... he was not happy....but he did it lol. Good Luck if you decide to go for it and take a look at my first few videos it will give you an idea of what you need and the cost etc. All the best.
ok thanks. during the 5 day training will i be trained all that how to secure? when i used to work in warehouses i remember using a pallet truck to line them up evenly in rows in the trailers. The drivers used to go round clicking straps. i suppose it all depends on the type of company.
Rab carn
I would think you will be shown but if your unsure about anything then be upfront with them and ask to be shown. Cheers.
Hey there fox would be golden of you if you could explain and demo few issues new CE drivers.1: adjusting suspension when coupling and all the ins and out. Secondly the biggest nightmare: Thought process of reversing ie setup, following trailer, how to make corrections etc. Muchos gracias.
Nice one Foxy, the next chapter. Tramping all next week up and around the midlands, will give a 'hola' if we pass 👍
Ricky
How will I know it's you lol. Cheers buddy.
I'm batman
lol
Great vid as always fox well done on getting a job mate I'm enjoying full time work myself driving adr non baffled chemical tanks just think fox paid holidays mate stay safe
How do you find tanker work? I have not done any tanker work. All the best ff.
fastasfox finding it good mate enjoying it keeps you on your toes lol
chuffed to bits for you mate hope it's everything you've wanted.
That makes two of us lol. Cheers my friend.
As a hgv driver is it a requirement to sleep in lorry over night or is it optional or does it depend on the job ?
Normally in the job description they will say nights out required but there are plenty of jobs that don't require tramping. The company I now work for require a couple of nights out a week but we also have drivers that wont do nights out and they get put on the local stuff. hope this helps buddy.
Thank you mate very helpful information 👍
Also, after passing all the hgv theory, cpc and driving tests what's chances of a new driver getting into full time employment and agency work ?
Depending on your age then you have a very good chance of finding work, I passed class 2 on Wednesday and on Thursday I was out driving.
Been watching loads of these vlogs the last few weeks and find them really educational. I passed my Artic about 10 years ago but have been driving a van doing local deliveries since. Mainly because of the experience that I didnt have. And because I always said to my iner-self that I would never be able to drive a big truck. Well now I feel is the time for me to prove myself wrong. I just need someone to believe in me and give me a go. I get the feeling from the varies vlogs that there are more truck companies in the UK than in southern Ireland, maybe Im wrong In that. Do you think Im wrong trying to go straight into artic work or should I try rigid trucks first?
Hi Niall, it wouldn't be a bad thing to try a couple of weekend runs for an agency or on your days off from your full time job. Having spent several years on the road already you will already have the road craft so I would say go for it buddy and that go back on the Artics. The fact that you are scared of the big trucks is a good thing buddy it`s the ones that feel invincible that worry me and it`s always in the back of my mind that I would cause a lot of carnage on the road if it went wrong and I think most truckers feel that. Go for it fella.
Congrats Mr Fox! Will look forward to your vids as a company driver! Wish you well on your adventures!!
Cheers mate very kind of you,
You always speak a lot of sense mate. Keep up the good work.
PS. I really enjoy your cooking videos. If you could do a few more that would be much appreciated lol.
Cheers my friend.
Great video 👍 are hgv/lgv drivers break paid every 4.5 hours or unpaid?
Most companies deduct 45 mins
Just like they do in most industry's. If you night out your company will pay you around £25 plus they will pay your parking fee at the truck stop and a meal.....some don't though. Cheers mate.
Hey matey, good to hear your coming on now and where you want it. All the best fella
gary63693
Thanks.
Excellent I enjoy watching the cab cooking look forward to that
Thanks Paul.
My dads mate works for the company your working for. I'll not mention the name of it to show my respect. But well done I know how hard it can be to get a full time job on class 1 with little experience. Keep on trucking 👍
Billy Wright .
Hi Billy, I would like to keep a low profile if it's all the same buddy so if you can keep it under your hat I would be grateful. Cheers all the best...ps great company to work for.
So iv herd pal. And like to respect people's wishes. All the best mate
Hi in middle of learning and can't get my head round axle weights I understand Mgw and payloads but not sure how axles are worked out
Darren Wilson
It tells you on the ministry plate in the truck...dont worry too much it will all slip into place when you get out there.
A up foxy dunno if u remember speaking to me was a couple of months ago now but I passed my theory today so chuffed got surprisingly good marks too, I will be booking my course within the next 3 weeks can't wait , good advice on the the take any job thing, I do feel I will struggle to find work to start with it doesn't help that I live in a town with a population of around 8 thousand lol and there are no agencies near me I don't think, so it will litterly be a case or apply for anywhere that has hgv work so I can get some experience, anyway great vlogs keep em coming mate I always tune in, the height on that bloomin digger u hauled other week just coz Somone didn't think to extend the arm that little bit more and save u an hours journey coz of a bridge lol madness, cheers josh
You don't need to worry about where the agency is so much and moreover it`s all about where the transport companies are located. Be pushy keep calling them so when that bit of work comes in you will be in their head.
Well done on getting over the first hurdle time to crack on ...keep me posted.
well done I also work for an agency in care work and I do the same take it all and ull keep busy be busy when it is and just enjoy the days off when you get them
I totally get you withe the challenge good for you I hope it keeps you tamed
Cheers bud.
hey Foxy😀 havent seen a vlog from you all year!! my notifications were turned off 😣 ive been driving for about 3 months now and have gotten over the fear now well after the first few weeks, loving it now.
Yes once the fear of reversing passes you start to look forward the challenge of a tough reverse do you not?
Remind me what work you are doing?
Turners, Multidrop fruit,veg & plants! Got Aldi Chelmsford in the morning
I was lucky taken on straight away on class 2 since October doing pallet network. Busy as hell! Good experience for someone newly passed really thrown in the deep end! 😂😂
Mike Strinati
I did exactly the same buddy and that's why I don't stress at all now when trying to find new addresses .
What about labradors are you allowed one for company?
Hi Paul. I wanted to ask you something in regards to agency work. Through what scheme do you get paid (prior to being offered new job) I was talking to trucker bill about this and he's got himself up as a limited company. I think I chose PAYE but i really don't understand it or if I even signed up properly. I also know nothing about umbrella companies, any feedback? Thanks
jonnieiain
Hay buddy, most agencies use an umbrella company to do payroll and although the agency gets you all the work your actually employed by the umbrella company. You tend to pay a weekly fee to the umbrella for doing your payroll. You can go self employed like Bill and generally you will get £1 an hour more for this but you will have to employ an accountant and to be honest I did look into it but it was a bit a faff so I left it. Talk to your agency and ask them if they are employing you direct as a few will. I worked for an umbrella company and they ate nowt to be scared of. Hope this helps mate.
thanks for responding mate, will have to look into it but will probably go with umbrella. You have to work out everything in this industry yourself don't ya? Major pain in the backside that nobody really teaches you any of the business side of things, you just have to be thrown into the deep end and work it all out, oh well, cheers :)
jonnieiain
I can tell that your going to do alright mate because you have figured that out already mate lol. If you ever get stuck then there are several of us on here that will only be too happy to help mate.
Cheers Paul :) We talked before, I'm not 21 until December so for insurance reasons it'll be tough to find someone who can take me on, even though a lot of people are contacting me. Not impossible to get work, just difficult. I was going to leave my role as a supermarket delivery driver next month, but then I risk not being able to find work so it's a tough call to make
jonnieiain
Sometimes you just got to pop your head over the trench mate....go for it.
Well done for getting a long term job I like you was the go to guy. But on the buses but just got a long term mental illness so my message is do as much as you can.
Sound advice buddy.
well done foxy, keep up the good work. am still trying to get on the class one, the agency keeps saying there's no class 1 work but I do the class 2s they give me. But just dying inside to drive the real thing. But congrats to you
Don't give up mate.
I got my lgv provisional aug 2013. Then the wife got seriously ill so I couldn't afford to be out of work for any length of time and it was a big gamble so I put it on hold. 5 yrs later I've just passed my medical again but applied for my pcv D provisional as I've landed a job bus driving instead. Might do coaches later. Yea I'll have people to deal with but 14yrs of dealing with them already is no problem. Money is good with a bit of overtime and no nights out.
im going for the 5 day course in few weeks. never drove a truck in me life so hopin i pick it up pretty quick. i like the idea of the freedom and out and about on the road and kippin in the truck....sounds perfect to me. i do that in me van now for fun so doin it as a job and gettin paid to sounds cool to me. just hope i pass and get work.
How did you get on mate?
I'd like to ask what is the class 1 or 2? What is a lorry?
Class 1 and 2 are the classifications of truck licences in the UK. Class 2 is a rigid (straight) truck. Class 1 is an articulated (semi) truck. Usually shortened to the word 'artic'. Both of these terms are now superseded by the EU and are properly classed as 'C' which is the old Class 2 - and 'C+E' which is the old Class 1.
I used to work for a company whose warehouse boss was an Australian and he used to say,
"It's not a lorry - it's a truck! Laurie is a blokes name...!"
I'm a new passer (Class 2) and I've been having a look at various satnavs (including the tomtom_ can you tell my why the Garmin is better please?
Spadunked
First of all Congratulations, if your used to using a smart phone then the Garmin is for you as it is touch screen in the same way...the Tom Tom has a very unresponsive screen plus it takes ages to load routes and God forbid you make a wrong turn....case in point I was in central London and missed a turn and it took 12mins to re-route. The TomTom has a proper old school slow processor but the Garmin is fast. I spent £300 plus on the Tomtom but the Garmin came fitted in my truck. Hope this helps.
Brilliant advice, that i will take on board when i pass my test!! (fingers crossed)
Congrats on the new job, You have certainly earned it 🖒
CRAFTYPUMPKIN1
Ta very much.
Your welcome .
Good for you Foxy. Hope it all works out. One day we'll actually meet face to face and you can tell me more!
My trucks the same as yours, Tacho says I'm doing 90K but it'll do a true 58mph.
99hammy99
Cheers Hammy.
Gd on you well done hope it live up to ur expectations. I work as an flat driver in a warehouse and its boring so I can't wait to get my class 1 free spirit all the way
I love the job buddy and bottom line if you hate your job then something else will always be better.
yeah good for you mate. Im pleased you are going down the road you want to.
Ta Dave.
Not just cab cooking, 'cuz any old hack can do that and lie about how good it tastes; cab cooking by someone who used to be a professional chef. And then, maybe, just maybe, one can produce something nice at home without the need for a C+E licence and actually having to camp out in a truck. :D
Edit: 1.7 million kilometres is about what firms retire trucks at over here (Belgium)
Which Garmin is it?
Hi fmate I'm in a bit of a muddle and want ya advice. I been driving buses for 10 years now and decided enough is enough I wanna do me hgv license. So I rang around my local driving school berm quoted £1500 for lessons plus tests for class 2. However I came across a company called hgv training where they pay for everything including medical, theory tests hazard tests and ya cat 2 and cat1 licence. Then they find u a hgv job in the area your in and get u started. Thing is whole thing costs 4k which I can pay back within 4 year period just want to know what best way around getting a hgv license. Enjoying ya vids mate keep up the good work
Tractor3Thrasher
Hello buddy, first of all do you know if any of your qualifications are transferable to Hgv ie do you still have to do your theory test and do you still need a medical etc because You will already gone through all this to become a bus driver. I would have thought all you need is to add provisional status for Class 2 lgv (when you pass Class 2 you automatically get class 1 provisional status). If you go do an assessment drive at your local driving school (£40/£50) then they will tell you how long a course you will require, I'm not being funny but I don't think you will have a problem doing your class 2 (c) because a bus if anything is longer so you will have the road craft skills already and reversing will be just the same too.
Whatever you do don't sign up to a Hgv broker as they don't have a school they don't have trucks and they don't have a job for you at the end of it all and bottom line why pay over the odds for something you could sort out yourself? A good hgv school should charge around £1100 to at the top end £1500 and some do a payment scheme too. There is another option too, some transport companies take drivers on and train them up, then you get to drive for them full time. You do end up signing a contract for a couple of years and often they end up paying you a little less per hour but it is a way in. I don't know if you have watched my first few videos I made but I did a piece on Hgv brokers and why you should avoid them. Keep me posted on how you get on and good luck buddy.
fastasfox aw cheers for ya help pal when I rang my local driving school they told me to get me medical, theory and hazard perception done first so I'm under the impression I have to do it all again. I'm expecting a call off the hgvtraining.co.uk so il fob them off as I done some research and alot of ppl said the same as you did in other videos n forums. Not being big headed or anything but I'm on £11.60 and do 8 hr 5 days a week and to be fair there not many driving jobs that pay that sort of money unless u work weekends. Just want your thoughts on what the best way to make money i.e agency work or big supermarket firms do they pay well etc. Will keep u posted keep trucking pal 😉
Tractor3Thrasher
It depends on what part of the country you are from because up North Anything over £10 ph would be good. Nights tend to be a bit more money , but it takes a special breed to do them. My company pays standard rate up to 40 hrs then enhanced rates after that. I hate to tell you this but Weekends tend to pay much better so if you can do the odd weekend it tops up your income. There are jobs out there that pay very well but they are few and far between. Can you do night's out?
fastasfox, hi again yeah I work weekends anyway with being in the bus industry so they don't bother me too much however we don't get extra pay working weekends unless it a bank holiday. I'm from North East pal.
Hello mate, 1st-time commenter, loving the vids. I done my theory test and hazard perception yesterday, scored 93/100 on theory, and 82/100 on HP, including 10 on double hazard clip, are they decent scores?
Congratulations....your journey has began. Just remember it goes quiet after Christmas on class 2 work, class 1 not so much though. Class 2 picks up again at the end of March. Best of luck buddy.
@@fastasfox Thanks mate, starting class 2 lessons middle of January, will do class 1 asap after that. An ex-workmate says he can get me recovery work where he is. I thought I'd need mechanical knowledge for that, but it's only accident recovery, so apparently not.
Good luck in your new job. Hope all goes well for you. I don't know if you know there is a channel called Heavy Hall tv, He`s a Russian who drives heavy haulage in Canada. He drives anything that's heavy and wide loads.
Cheers Paul...I have just subscribed to him I think i can learn a lot from his video`s. Hauling Big Stuff in an amazing country like Canada is right up my street...cheers for the heads up. Thanks .
Paul Whitear b
Hello fastasfox love the videos! Just wondering what roughly could you earn on agency weekly/monthly?? Cheers
It depends how many hours you are prepared to work and trucking is more often than not a long day. There is no such thing as 9-5 Monday to Friday in trucking buddy. My target on agency was always £500 take home and to be fair more often than not I was close to this figure sometimes over sometimes a little under. If You work weekends then a figure of £600-£650 would be achievable. I love this job but I did not get into it for the money as I hated my old job. The nice thing about agency is if you wanted to work a 4 day week then you could do Sat sun mon Tue and and still earn a good wedge because you will have picked up the weekend. Do your homework if you want to get into the biz but don't let some of the old boys put you off they are used to a different time in trucking history...good luck.
What does hgv stand for? I drive class one in Canada
Trucker Daddy
Heavy Goods vehicle
But the classification has been changed recently to LGV
Large Goods Vehicle.
Class 1 Articulated lorry is now Class C+E and Rigid trucks were class 2 but are now called class C.
+E means trailer. To be honest though we still call it Hgv and class 1 and 2 lol.
fastasfox Ah lgv. Over here a lgv would normally be a train of two trailers. Interesting. John
Congratulations, well deserved opportunity, I know exactly where your coming from, good luck ATB Mike
Thanks Mike.
How are you finding it at this point mate? I am commenting half way through the vid so sorry if you've said. I went from the buses to office work and although the hours are nice I don't think I like it. Got my hgv theory already so thinking about making the plunge. All I can find on the net is negativity though! Got a 9 week old baby as well so not sure if it's the best.
The year has gone quickly, I started watching you early on!
Matt Lee
Hi Matt, If it one thing I hate it's those that say you shouldn't do something..... they don't know you and often they don't know how good they have it either. I love my new career mate and I wish I had done it a long time ago. I will be the first to tell you that the hours can be long so in the week at least your family can see a little less of you. Children do grow up very fast but you gotta do what you gotta do to support them so it is a balance. I will tell you though that there are jobs out there that will fit a little better but they tend to pay a little less. £500 take home pay is considered decent but often you can smash this amount but again that means more hours. Working for an agency is slow in Jan Feb but it would give you the flexibility to work around family life. Good Luck with whatever you decide and let me know how you get on. All the best.... Foxy.
fastasfox Thank you for that, as always your positive spin is appreciated. I've been messaging some companies to try for sponsorship as it's obviously a bit expensive. Currently I take home 1300 a month, as long as I'm making that if not more then it's all good. I'll definitely let you know how it all goes.
Good advice, I’m saving for my class 1 in March! Hopefully get on the road april
Mtb_ Tom
That is good timing as things start to pick up again in April. Good Luck.
Good luck with the job but keep your hours down it will effect your Health but not in a good way . It has mine 👍
class 2 training, solo or with another learner?? what's best?
With another learner 100% you get full days training each day and the way it works is you will drive for an hour then the other learner gets to go and that means you get to relax take on board what you have just learned and you also llearn from the other fella.
congratulations fox your ideal job I really hope this works out for you 👍👍👍
Living the dream lol.
But please put this out , 100km downhill is fine , overspeed is not a fine or a conviction , and if you drive for a big company tell them to fuck off . We need to get this country moving , the UK is the only country where 500bhp lorries go down hill slower than they go up them ;-) Go tell them all tubber ,,,,,,,,
Well done on the job mate..... again haha Well said on the agency advice mate. same as you always been there for the agency. NowI hve gone back to them as you know and straight away they took me on no fuss and been offered work. granted not able to accept but I still got in touch and said sorry I cant.
A bit of weekend work to ease you in and you will soon pushing to do it full time. Cheers Jay.
Landed a great job, class one tramping out of Gloucester Depot, see you out there and thanks again for your videos. toodles!
Nice one buddy keep them red and cream trucks going
I`m due a new one in June. however I took the truck I have now and transformed it from a right mutt of a truck into a truck that can hold it`s head up high. I wish I could show you the before and after pictures. Cheers.
But will you still make films Foxy? Huge congratulations though mate. Nice income there.
I hope to mate.
Oh my tom tom trucker 6000 is awesome. Never failed me yet
I must have a duff one then because it`s tooooo slooooow this garmin feel like a bang up to date bit of kit and operates like most mobiles do.
fastasfox what Garmin have you got there foxy
is it posisble for croatians to take job trucj driving in uk...........with croatian driver licence..........thank you
fojnica222
If your driving licence says EU on it and you have a class 1 or 2 licence then I think your good to go....you just need 35hrs cpc training and a digi card. Hope this helps buddy.
Well deserved, spot on attitude imo
S J Powell
Cheers fella.
"When it comes to agency catering, I know my onions".. Great news btw
No pun intended lol Cheers.
the same problems here in greece my brother!!!i am also truck driver and the same shit and here!!our job are very bad!!
Yeah work for £8 an hour fuck that,thank fuck my parents made me do an engineering apprenticeship.My grandad has his own haulage company still has got 45 units.Even he said DO NOT BECOME A LORRY DRIVER.... 20k a year or 75k a year
Another well done from me Mr Fox! Chris.
Cheers Chris.
Well done mate. If it's the company I think it is, you will be involved in heavy haulage before you know it.
Tiz the dream mate...gotta keep chasing. Cheers.
Hi mate used to work for that company back in the day running tin cans out of Sutton on ashfield did a few runs into JTFriths
you go steady
I`m at Sutton mate. I miss my Sunday greencore scotch corner run mate.
fastasfox yes i did 5 year up to retiring with Greencore i was on the Park Royal run scotch corner was pinchin money only got that run odd times alk my work was south horrible london but hey its what trucking is all about you take it easy you will not go far wrong at Walkers i enjoyed my time with them
hi mate I just need an advise I'm turning 22 years old this year and I want to do class 2 in next few months and I don't know if I will be able to get any jobs at this age ,honestly I don't know how it works with getting jobs with agency ..thanks
costi muscalu
I will call my old agency boss and ask his opinion and I will get back to you....what part of the country are you in?
I can tell you that I'm in Nottingham ..thanks
costi muscalu
The agency is based in Nottingham...stay tuned.
Hi I am a fully qualified driver with a Cat C licence after passing module 4 on the 17/05/17 the only issue I have at the moment is that it has been exactly 3 weeks (today) and yet on Monday 5/6/17 I received my DQC card but not my Tachocard as of yet and it's making me worried. So I want to know does the Tachocard usually take longer to arrive and when do I expect to receive it?
Damayn
I'm going to ask you a soft question but did you send off for your tacho card or did you assume you will get it after passing your test? I got mine within days buddy, give them a call.
I assumed that I will get it after passing my test as my instructor told me I would get it but when I got concerned I phoned the DVLA they told I have to get a d777b form to fill out and send it off to them stupid of me eh?
Damayn
Easy mistake buddy. I sent off for a form online intact I had it before I started my lessons. Shouldn't take long. when you first get out on the road everything is strange so never be afraid to ask.
Congratulations on your new job Foxy!
Cheers Micky.....you still living the dream at the company I bumped into you at?
Yes :: Still with that company and enjoying things but 'living the dream' might be stretching things a bit lol - It was nice to meet up with you, it was just a shame that I didn't have the time to stop for a proper chat.
Next time mate....now I know who you drive for I will look out for ya.
No,we want to be home with our families every night and earn better money
Arrrr the dream Job lol, that sir is the Holy Grail.
great video foxy i think you should put the gopro on the bed like trucker jay or on the drivers window.
When I`m in full on vlogin mode I put it in the window. I have just purchase a selfie stick and mini tripod from poundland too. Had lots of technical issues pal but I hope I have sorted it mate.
fastasfox I use a bike handlebar mount like Jason Walton puts on his trailer.