Truck Driving - how to break the catch 22

[smidsy]

Hei Guys,
I am not getting the hours I need as as a relief teacher, but the only response I get when applying for other work is that my background is in education.

Bus driving it seems is easy to get in to without experience (aside from the 6 week wait for Qtrans to process my D/A) but every truck driving job advertised wants 2 years experience.

Does anyone know of any companies that will take on drivers without (checkable) experience - I've got 25 years on the road and I've had my HC for 19 years.
Surely there must be some companies out there willing to give people a start.
Cheers
Paul

[Bushmiller]

Have you applied for those jobs anyway? Frequently employers ask for credentials way beyond reason (and then wonder why no one applies).

Does no harm to apply and you may get lucky particularly if you get to the interview stage.

Regards
Paul

[fenderbelly]

My son served an apprenticeship as an electrician, he hated it but i talked him into finishing his time instead of just walking away, always something to come back to was my argument.

A year after finishing his apprenticeship he'd had enough, he was between jobs and dropped into the local dole office.
He'd alway loved driving and on looking at the boards he saw a driving job,Tray top delivering windows, he took the card to the desk and said he wanted to apply for that job.
After a few questions the dole clerk said sorry but you're not what they are looking for.

My son demanded to see his supervisor and when the clerk went to get him my son swung
the monitor round and looked at the address.

He went to the company which at that time was a one man band wanting to get another truck.
My son got the job, he now drives B-Doubles between Adelaide and Melbourne.

You just have to persevere i think. good luck

[Foo]

Bus driving is easy to get into, because you don't reverse into tight spots!

If all the experience you have is, driving buses, then you're battling the can't reverse for peanuts syndrome.

Try and aim for smaller/lighter trucks as in courier work maybe.

Foo

[smidsy]

But how do people get a start?
My problem isn't lack of experience but lack of checkable experience. I did some driving back in the 90's but it's not checkable - the guy I drove for is long dead and it was cash work anyway.

I'm 42 and a school teacher, I would have though age, general road experience, and maturity would count.

As for driving the smaller stuff, one issue that I know is against me is that I came from WA last April and spent last year up north so my knowledge of the metro area is limited - sat nav and a road map is fine for tourists, but driving professionally you need to know the short cuts and side roads. This is less of an issue on longer runs.

As an aside, I personally think that driving a truck & trailer would be easier than driving a bus because an artic is more maneuverable.

[Sam]

Smidsy,

Hear where you're coming from, although not driving related I've had the same experience.

I was recently made redundant from the building/engineering industry and thought I would use my previous warehousing/forklift driving experience to get a minimum wage casual job while I took a few months away from my career, refreshed my enthusiasm and possibly find a new career path. Also thinking that maturity, proven work history etc would count but it appears not ! Fortunately I've found a job back what I was doing.

Good luck with it all,

Sam

[Foo]

I know what you're saying Smidsy, it can be a real head bang.Maybe challenge them to give you a go on a trial period. This may only work if, they are not really pushed for getting
drivers though.

Foo

[Bushmiller]

Never, never tell them how old you are. Lie through your teeth and imply how young you are.

Regards
Paul

[dabbler]

Never, never tell them how old you are. Lie through your teeth and imply how young you are.

Regards
Paul

+1 bushmiller
The problem comes when you've worked in the same field for nearly 30 yrs and if already employed this experience would put you on a short list immediately because it's seen as a positive, but when unemployed let's them think "hmmm - 28 yrs means this guy must be at least...." and it's suddenly a negative.

I've given up looking. But before that - yep omitted age and period of absence (in my case due to illness which is another negative). Stopped just short of lying at times.

Smidsy - As far as teaching, I assume you've contacted all the private schools too ? Find out who does the hiring. It might be the deputy for relief but another for permanent. The company I worked for would have jumped on a bus driving teacher. PM me for more info if you want.