Complete change of career!

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#21

I know driving on the road is a bit different to being on the track, but those were the things I loved! I used to really enjoy being alone in the cab, even though music etc wasn’t allowed.

And the breakdowns added a bit of excitement. Especially when you were being pushed back to the depot, down the steepest hill on the network by a tram 20 tonne lighter than you using a coupler that had previously broken during tests and a bloke in the back cab manually ready to try pump the air into the brakes if we broke free :joy::rofl:

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#22

I’m planning on having a complete change but I have no idea where to start especially since I’m not really smart enough to get into uni and picked the complete wrong thing in college.

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#23

Oh yeah I’ve seen a fair few YouTube vlogs on the subject, shows the good, the bad, the ugly.

I’d decided just before the pandemic that I wanted to crack on and do it once I hit 40. I’ve hit that target so it’s time to get on with it. Just so happens the pandemic has kind of helped, given you can just go straight for class 1. I’ve already found the company I’ll be using, they put you in a rigid to start with, to get used to the larger size and then move on to the big beast after X amount of hours

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#24

Just one small thing to consider as a new HGV driver (and I’m in no way trying to put you off) is that a lot of employers will not take on inexperienced drivers (I never have properly found out why), so you may have to look at agency work.
That said, unless agencies have changed in recent times, it is a very good way to gain the experience and also gives you some freedom to work when and where you want to.

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#25

Tbf I’ve looked at a lot of vacancies lately to see what’s what, most will take on new starters now, they’ve not for much choice at the moment :sweat_smile: which is a good thing.

It’s generally down to insurance, they have to pay out more instance premiums for a less experienced driver. Or there insurance provider specifics hell no we won’t cover that person.

Again that’s changed a fair bit and the crisis means they’ve had to adapt.

I doubt that’s the only reason but it’s one I’ve heard from a few directors of haulage companies when they’ve been interviewed.

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#26

I thought this meant race track to start with and wondered how those downsides related to racing around Brands Hatch! :rofl:

You’ve had quite a varied career!

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#27

Until I re-read @Dan5’s post I thought exactly the same :grin:

Fortunately, driving can be a very varied career depending on what exactly you are driving
(even if the basics of getting a vehicle and it’s contents from A to B are essentially the same)

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#28

Thought I’d come back to revisit this topic. I’m on track for a change of career sometime this year.

This week I’ve got all my HGV theory tests booked in. Once I’ve passed them, I’ll be making enquiries to get the practical side of it sorted.

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#29

Best of luck :+1:

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#30

Practiced all the CPC stuff, consistently passing all that, along with the other ordinary theory stuff.

I just need to have a bash tomorrow on the hazard perception clips to get used to those again :roll_eyes:

#31

good luck with it all :slight_smile:

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