Firstly it always daunting when you first pass your HGV Driving test, you have the license and your ready to start your career as a truck driver so which are the best trucking companies for new truck drivers and what should you look out for.
Gaining Experience
Obtaining your HGV license has been grueling but you did it and are now able to look for a job driving a truck, but as with any career you find yourself in a difficult position.
Plenty of job adverts to apply for but they all say a minimum of 12 months experience or in some cases longer than that, so how do you get experience to be able to apply?
There are a number of ways in which you can gain driving experience and I will list some of them below.
Just passed Class 2 Truck Driving qualification
The first step for New Truck drivers is driving a class 2 vehicle in the UK, only when you have obtained your class 2 license are you then able to apply for a class 1 license.
After passing your test you need to look at your lifestyle and think about what you want from driving a truck, for example, have you a family, would certain hours suit you better than maybe long-distance driving where you could be sleeping in the cab 2 or 3 nights a week.
Only when you know what jobs to target will you be able to start looking for the right company to apply for a driving job.
When you start looking for an HGV driving job it is important to do some research check out all the companies that are local to you within a radius you would be prepared to drive to and from work on a daily basis.
Search relevant Jobs online by using Job Sites such as Indeed, Total Jobs or Reed to name a few examples, these sites will allow you to search current jobs near you, for instance type in “class 2 driver” then set your postcode and select distance to narrow down the search.
A good source of Jobs is looking on Social Media such as Facebook as there are many driving jobs groups or trucking groups where you can simply ask questions which could lead to an interview.
If you find a job that fits your criteria apply for it, even if it says experience required, most companies want to fill the position and there are ways of getting your foot in the door.
Telephone companies directly and ask to speak to their transport manager let them know you are looking for work, if there is a vacancy offer them a free days work so they can have an employed driver come with you and assess your driving.
Making contact is usually the first step so don’t be put off by all the experience required text as most companies worth their salt will give you full training, even if you already have some experience.
If a driver has been driving a tipper truck for 12 months this does not mean he can automatically be able to operate a concrete mixer or tanker with no training so it is always worth applying.
Another way of proving you would be a great driver for a company is to maybe improve your qualifications, for example, if you were looking to get a job tipper driving, you could simply take a site safety course these courses are relatively inexpensive and are often completed in a day.
A transport manager would love you flashing a site safety card under their nose.
An employer will always take you seriously if you are willing to show initiative and commitment to the job role they are offering.
Another way of getting your foot in the door is to consider agency driving, simply register yourself with a local agency and they will find you class 2 driving work in your area.
Agency driving is a great way of getting experience as you could get to try different types of jobs such as curtainsiders, fridges, flatbeds, and tippers.
When you are allocated a job ask other employees about things you are not sure of, most drivers love to show off their skills and are normally very willing to help new drivers.
Finding the right company for you to start HGV driving
Finding the right company for you to start HGV driving will simply be the one that meets your needs as a driver, below are some key topics you need to consider when looking for a truck driving job.
- Working Hours
- Working Conditions
- Distance
- Training
- Salary
- Pension Scheme
- Temporary or Permanent
- Job Role (type of vehicle will you like it? eg Tipper, Curtainsider, Mixer, Flatbed – Daily duties will you like them? eg multidrop, long-distance, local.)
To gain experience driving a truck I would recommend at least 12 months driving a class 2 vehicle before considering moving up a class to larger vehicles.
Just Passed Class 1 Truck Driving Qualification
Firstly passing your class 1 test and obtaining the license to drive a 44-tonne articulated vehicle is something to be proud of but also very scary at first so finding the right company to drive a class 1 vehicle is very important.
Training must be your first priority when looking for a job ensuring that any future employer will give you adequate training, before expecting you to jump into a strange vehicle fully loaded and navigate the roads of Britain or beyond.
Even with years of experience driving a class 2 vehicle, driver driving a class 1 vehicle is challenging.
Looking for the Best Company to drive a class 1 vehicle is pretty much the same as mentioned in Class 2 above, you need to evaluate what you want from the job as a driver.
Ask all the relevant questions when approaching a company to make sure the job is actually going to suit you or you would not only be wasting your time but also the time of the company.
If a company has all sleeper cab tractor units you can bet your bottom dollar you will be doing nights out, If they have mainly day cabs it is more likely they are more local runs.
When you succeed in starting your new job ask as many questions as you can to obtain knowledge and experience, this will certainly help you not only with your new job but also help you get a job easily in the future.
Essential Kit New Truck Drivers should Have!
I hope you found this Article “Best Trucking Companies for New Truck Drivers” useful I would love to hear your comments as a new driver or comments from experienced drivers and how they got their first job, please leave a comment below.
