1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198 
There's no work for new drivers
Page 25
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
AFTER 23 YEARS' working in an offiee.1 wanted a new career challenge. I read in many papers about a mass I-1G V driver shortage,and thought that road transport looked like the industry for me.
Sot took the medical and theory test and passed mv Class 2 on the third attempt. I was ecstatic: finally I could take one of the thousands of jobs that were available.
How wrong could! be? I've found that if you're a newly passed HGV driver with no previous experience of 7.5-tonne driving. you have no chance of obtaining a job.The reply 1 received from every agency 1 contacted was:"1'm very sorrv,,,si r. but you'll need to have had your licence for at least two years before we can offer you work. Please call us then.
Even when I explained that I had a good work record, would he taking my CPC in March. and was happy to fund any further coursesliillOt need (H I AB,ADR etc), I still received the same reply.
So I thought I'd become an owner-driver. But even then. I got the same reply.
I must say that from where I'm sitting, it's impossible to gain employment as a driver. Anyone thinking about becoming one should think again. especially when you consider how much it all costs.
Finally.' should also confirm that I did think about taking my HG V Class I [C&E licence], but that's another four years to wait. And did I receive any kind of help from the driving school 1 took my test with? None whatsoever.And they don't even return my calls.
Steven McGowan South Bentleet, Essex