Driver For Hire ?

Today was the day I had decided to register with the Driving agency's.
I had rang them all before and made appointments to see them.
I assumed it was just a matter of turning up and registering.

I arrived at the first one and it everything seemed to be going OK.
I took my Driving licence, passport, a utility bill, my digital driving card, my bank details and my complete work history including first job since leaving school. I'm 40 now!

I also took a Tacho test and a directions exam , how do you get to London from Leicester etc....

I signed around 20 forms and answered about 100 questions. The whole process took about an hour.
This is all just for the privilege of joining a list of drivers longer than the river Severn.

It was a pain but obviously necessary if I want to work any time soon.

I went on to my next scheduled meeting , another agency just up the street.

I carried my rucksack of paperwork in through the door and the receptionist gave me a look that told me she didn't want the Big Issue. I guess the shave and the smart clothes counted for nothing in this part of town.

I explained I had come to register for a Class 2 driver job, the sniggers and the awkward silence said it all.

After what seemed like an age but was only in reality a few seconds the receptionist informed me that the Driving Registration strategist was unavailable for the moment and would it be possible to come back at a later date?

I wasn't impressed and said I'd try my luck elsewhere. The sniggers turned to suppressed laughter and I left with the sound of muffled giggling in my ears.

I went on to the next agency and I was met with the same enthusiasm. I went to my last scheduled appointment and again their driving recruitment officer was unavailable.
I was sensing a pattern here and decided to give it a rest for the day. I had successfully registered at one agency out of a potential seven.

I remember the good old day's when I had two agency's actually fighting over who got me for the day and the highest bidder would win.

I even had one agency ask me where I was going that day and then they rang that company up and cancelled me, then sent me in to one of their customers and sent one of their other drivers to fill the cancelled position. That was the way the agency's worked those day's.

I have been disillusioned with all the setbacks today but I have the ADR examinations coming up next week with the promise of some work afterwards if I pass so I'm also optimistic for the future.