Postman to HGV driver for Royal Mail. Advice needed please!

[Swoolham]

Hi Everyone,
I need some advice please.
I've been a Postman in Norfolk for 6 years, but am hoping to change to HGV Role in the near future. I applied for MGV training last month, so hoping to hear back soon. I wondered if anyone can help me with any of the following questions please?

1. Do you get the option as to whether you drive locally or nationally?
2. Is it a better job than being a Postman?
3. Do you get good support?
4. Is there much job security?
5. What are your experiences please?

Any advice given would be greatly appreciated, as I'm considering swapping from Postman to this role in the future.

Thank you

[ConeHater]

Just some basic thoughts, are there any LGV vehicles based anywhere in Norfolk other than Norwich ? If not, if you want to drive the larger vehicles and Royal Mail pays for your training, that’s where I imagine you’ll be commuting to ! I don’t recall Norwich having that many LGV duties, I thought there were less than a dozen PDG drivers there so if there’s plenty based there anyway to cover duties, absence and leave an opportunity to transfer may be a long time coming. Also when you take into account that the existing drivers there will probably have some reasonable seniority behind them then anyone transferring in with fewer years can look forward to the less favourable shifts ! Don’t know where you’re based at the moment, maybe Peterborough would be better choice ? Sorry if much of this appears a bit negative, but you know how this company works, if there’s a way to make life difficult, they’ll find it. Good luck.

[SpacePhoenix]

The largest DOs might one one based there but on the whole they'll be based out of MCs

[ihatedogs]

MGV driver here, didn't go through the training but do know a bit of info from others that have in previous years.
As RM is paying for this, you're expected to take the first position offered to you within a "reasonable distance". I say expected but you actually sign a training contract so you'll have no real say in where you go. " reasonable distance" has previously been set at 40 miles so that's something to be aware of.
I've never known of anyone going through the training and not moving onto distribution but, as the contract says you pay the costs back, as a percentage, if you leave within two years, then it seems fair to assume that if you get your licence and then refuse a duty RM would take the money back through your wages.
On a personal level, do it if you get the chance. I loved being a postie but nobody wants to be slogging around the streets daily when they are 60 years old.

[citypostie]

If you manage to get into distribution after 6 years as a postie I'd say you've done very well! I've applied for the driver training and from what I've heard I'll be lucky to get on it with 28 years service because everyone is trying to jump ship from deliveries after the car crash that was Christmas pressure this year!

[j1mmyc]

quote=citypostie post_id=965795 time=1641327000 user_id=8320]
If you manage to get into distribution after 6 years as a postie I'd say you've done very well! I've applied for the driver training and from what I've heard I'll be lucky to get on it with 28 years service because everyone is trying to jump ship from deliveries after the car crash that was Christmas pressure this year!
[/quote]

You say that but can't see royal mail giving training to people in there 50's there gonna be looking for 30's, 40's as they will have more work years left but then this is royal mail so proberly give training to 60+ people with a few years working left, I applied ibe got 17 years service and only 35 so I'm hopeful,if not ill pay for my own training if not accepted

[citypostie]

I hope I'm wrong because I've been trying to get onto distribution for years and see this as my best chance because it's been a closed shop for years! I'm hoping the fact I can already drive the 7.5t trucks on my license will put me ahead of some applicants

[2214MN]

6,330 applications for 500 places. Not sure I fancy my chances

[k979aaa]

6,330 applications for 500 places. Not sure I fancy my chances

Hopefully seniority will prevail for those that have done the hard yards!

[FirstPost]

How much is the take home pay for HGV drivers?

[Shandy123]

[quote=FirstPost post_id=966455 time=1641921711 user_id=93985]
How much is the take home pay for HGV drivers?
[/quote]

Hard to give a definitive answer to this, as everyone has very different stoppages from their pay.
My basic gross wage is £3003 per month. Then you have any built in overtime pay (I get 4hrs 'scheduled attendance' a week with my duty), and then add any incidental overtime in due to traffic jams, slow mail centre workers making you later, etc (I probably get another 5 hours a week of this).
Overtime is paid at £22:56ph, as far as I can work out by doing payslip maths. Standard rate seems to be £19:09.
Hope this helps

[Seymour Buts]

Hi Everyone,
I need some advice please.
I've been a Postman in Norfolk for 6 years, but am hoping to change to HGV Role in the near future. I applied for MGV training last month, so hoping to hear back soon. I wondered if anyone can help me with any of the following questions please?

1. Do you get the option as to whether you drive locally or nationally?
2. Is it a better job than being a Postman?
3. Do you get good support?
4. Is there much job security?
5. What are your experiences please?

Any advice given would be greatly appreciated, as I'm considering swapping from Postman to this role in the future.

Thank you

How did you apply? Our dom doesn't want to lose staff being already short, so they refuse to advertise it in our office. I'd like do it though. Is there a link online?