Time to Chase a Dream or Stick with the Mundane

Hello and hats off to you truckers.
I’m guessing you may know what i’m going to say but i’ve looked on the net and on here but there are no post/articles etc that answer the following question how i would like.
Not to be disrespectful but i would like this question to be answered from those who’ve been in the trucking business preferably class 1 a good few years its comings/goings etc.
So from the age of about 16 i’m always been drawn to lorrys(trucks haha) and have always liked the idea of being a lorry/class 1 driver (but to cut a long story short) i passed my car driving test this year and have got the real urge to chase my dream as i simply love lorries(DAFS & Volvos are my favs) being on my own, and driving.
However just when i feel the time is right(personal life) to start on the road to achieve my dream tesla decide to make there electric autonomous truck. Now considering the cost of a class 1 license, and how long you need to have held it usually a year etc, if you were me with this burning desire(that’s borderline obsession:“eating, sleeping, dreaming with that one thing my mind” ) to become a lorry driver & with your knowledge/reality of the business and it’s potential future, would you recommend i start out on the pursue this dream?

Many thanks & respect even if you don’t reply.
(but please do :laughing:)

I would absolutely recommend that you follow your dream. You are the ideal candidate ie someone who wants to drive trucks above any other work rather than someone taking up trucking because there is nothing else around.

I wanted to drive coaches from being about 10 years old. And, at 18, I was doing just that. So it can be done. Having said all that, there is a bias against young, inexperienced drivers though it’s certainly not impossible to get a start.

If you seriously think this is for you I strongly suggest you check out the Christmas Offer and Prize Draw at the top of the threads.

If I can help further, don’t hesitate to shout.

Pete :laughing: :laughing:

Thanks pete.
To be honest my main concerns are this new tesla truck coming out and it’s effect on drivers/the industry and how long it would take me to get my backside on that cosy lorry/truck seat.But without looking on the link you’ve referring to it’d cost me about £3000 which’s why i’m anxious about pursuing.
Thank you & safe trucking

As you’ve said “i would like this question to be answered from those who’ve been in the trucking business preferably class 1 a good few years its comings/goings etc” I’ll move this to the PDF.

To be honest my main concerns are this new tesla truck coming out and it’s effect on drivers/the industry and how long it would take me to get my backside on that cosy lorry/truck seat.But without looking on the link you’ve referring to it’d cost me about £3000 which’s why i’m anxious about pursuing

There’s no question that a degree of automation will be with us over the coming years and that’s bound to have an effect on drivers. But the streets wont be crammed with Tesla trucks anytime soon and I would still expect you to make a career out of the industry if that’s what you want.

£3000 is quickly recouped once you have secured a reasonable job.

Pete :laughing: :laughing:

I think anybody entering the world of work in the next few years will have several career changes during their working life and I’m now in my 50’s and have had at least 4 major changes of career, so it’s nothing new.

As for the Tesla, it’s not autonomous; it will need a driver.
They grade vehicle autonomy from 1 to 5, 1 being no systems what so ever and 5 being fully autonomous in all situations.
Most modern trucks are at level 2, I think, as they have automatic braking and lane change support.

The Tesla is level 3, which means it has some self steering function and will be ready for platooning, but it will still need a driver once it gets away from routes where it is able to platoon and will need a driver ready to intervene during platooning.

The Tesla is by no means unique in this most truck manufacturers are developing level 3 technology for trucks and alternative power units, Mercedes will be selling an electric heavy duty rigid very soon and ■■■■■■■ launched their electric truck before Tesla, it’s just Elon Musk is a great publicist.

hhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmm telsa truck…automation…2 posts…hhhmmmmmmmmmmm … :confused:

still…lets go with it for now… :slight_smile:

Simple answer, you’ll always regret the things you didn’t do. If you’re in a position to pay for your license, go for it. No job these days is completely future proof.

Pretty much what others have said. You will get at least 2 decades before any serious autonomy kicks in. Just have to accept it might not be a career for life.

dieseldog999:
hhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmm telsa truck…automation…2 posts…hhhmmmmmmmmmmm … :confused:

still…lets go with it for now… :slight_smile:

Steady!..you will wake the sleeping Damon, err, I mean Demon :open_mouth:

I always wanted to be a lorry driver, from the age of eight I knew what i wanted to do.
Autonomous trucks will be quite a few years down the line before they eventually take over SOME aspects of the transport industry. But I really believe that there will always be drivers wanted for the more difficult jobs, the ones not involved with straightforward A-B trunk runs. Go for it, and dont listen to us moany old gits who, because, we have been doing it for so long, hanker for the old days and ways. A lot of us are due to retire in the very near future, your future starts where we leave off.

Chase the dream. If you don’t you’ll always regret it. Don’t over think it, just get started down that road

StandingCrow:
Thanks pete.
To be honest my main concerns are this new tesla truck coming out and it’s effect on drivers/the industry and how long it would take me to get my backside on that cosy lorry/truck seat.But without looking on the link you’ve referring to it’d cost me about £3000 which’s why i’m anxious about pursuing.
Thank you & safe trucking

I think you’re worrying unnecessarily. One electric concept truck isn’t going to wipe out the need for drivers any time soon. If anything it should spur you on to get going as soon as possible so even if down the line your fears come true at least you’ve had a good few years following your dream

Go for it!

This is a complete career change for me and I wish I had done it years ago.

If you don’t do it then you’ll regret it whereas if you do and it doesn’t work out you can change again and do something else

Chase the dream, if you dont do it you’ll always regret it. Even if it doesnt work out at least you can say you had a go…

The autonomous revolution isn’t going to happen overnight, Tesla are still in the planning stage of its semi autonomous truck.
If you don’t do it you’ll kick yourself for years to come, trucks and drivers will be needed for a long time yet, unless they are developing self loading/ unloading trailers as well ( Aldi will be on to that :laughing: )

Chase the dream.

Life has no purpose, so you might as well enjoy your random existence whilst you wait for it to finish :sunglasses:

StandingCrow:
Thanks pete.
To be honest my main concerns are this new tesla truck coming out and it’s effect on drivers/the industry and how long it would take me to get my backside on that cosy lorry/truck seat.But without looking on the link you’ve referring to it’d cost me about £3000 which’s why i’m anxious about pursuing.
Thank you & safe trucking

Look, you need to forget the electric truck … maybe in 30 years it will mean the end of a driver as such …

My dream was always to be a cop, I did it and then did it again when I moved to Australia … I have my class 1 in the UK and here.

If I read right your single … loads here love the job, personally I do not … but you can’t beat the countryside in the summer and as others say waking up to a different view every morning … follow your dream … I’m sure Peter Smythe can do an excellent deal for both tests and free bedding I believe just don’t share with a Dave

StandingCrow:
Hello and hats off to you truckers.
I’m guessing you may know what i’m going to say but i’ve looked on the net and on here but there are no post/articles etc that answer the following question how i would like.
Not to be disrespectful but i would like this question to be answered from those who’ve been in the trucking business preferably class 1 a good few years its comings/goings etc.
So from the age of about 16 i’m always been drawn to lorrys(trucks haha) and have always liked the idea of being a lorry/class 1 driver (but to cut a long story short) i passed my car driving test this year and have got the real urge to chase my dream as i simply love lorries(DAFS & Volvos are my favs) being on my own, and driving.
However just when i feel the time is right(personal life) to start on the road to achieve my dream tesla decide to make there electric autonomous truck. Now considering the cost of a class 1 license, and how long you need to have held it usually a year etc, if you were me with this burning desire(that’s borderline obsession:“eating, sleeping, dreaming with that one thing my mind” ) to become a lorry driver & with your knowledge/reality of the business and it’s potential future, would you recommend i start out on the pursue this dream?

Many thanks & respect even if you don’t reply.
(but please do :laughing:)

The vast majority of truck driving is mundane. That’s the reality.

Twoninety88:
Go for it, and dont listen to us moany old gits who, because, we have been doing it for so long, hanker for the old days and ways. A lot of us are due to retire in the very near future, your future starts where we leave off.

haha although i’m only 27 i’m already one of those “moany old gits”, always moning about something, you can’t be the smell, sight and noise of a good truck.

adam277:
Pretty much what others have said. You will get at least 2 decades before any serious autonomy kicks in. Just have to accept it might not be a career for life.

That’s the kind of thing i want at least 10-20(more the better) years in the industry,sorry if some felt this question to be stupid but like i said, it’s just the way articles on the net etc was talking they made it sound like i’d have a case of s*ds law i. e take 3 months saving, test, get license, eventually get job, love the job for bout 3 months most, out of job (or behind tesla, which’ll probably have same outcome) . But i think from what you have all said i’ll be ok :smiley: So i’m of to work to start saving and read trucking magazine :wink:
Safe driving.