There are a couple of posts currently running regarding getting into the industry, the overwhelming response seems to be "don’t ". I rarely get involved in them because the truth is that despite getting sometimes frustrated at dealing with idiots and getting ■■■■■■ of with large portions of humanity I actually still do look forward to going to work!
That’s not to say I don’t greatly enjoy time away from the job, I do, but I also feel that there are a ■■■■ sight worse ways to make a living.
Today I’m full of the joys of spring as I’m delivering to the South West of the UK which puts me in a good mood to start with, I’ve had a cracking subsidised breakfast at Farmfoods Avonmouth, the sun is shining, I’m killing 2 hours waiting to go into Morrisons Willow Green and the rest of my day has been (for once) planned very well with no sense of urgency.
Overall I’m being paid quite well to cruise around enjoying the scenery with my music playing only to stop now and again whilst somebody unloads my trailer. Yup, there are lots of worse ways to earn a living. Oh, it also helps if you embrace the positive and ignore the negative (people and situations).
I agree it’s quite possibly one of the least labour intensive jobs out there and let’s face it we get paid for sitting on out arse holding a steering wheel straight for the most part of it.
I’ve worked on building sites in ridiculous weathers when I was a young un,so I can appreciate how easy this job is.
Some people like to talk driving up as some sort of difficult job to put people off doing it,it really isn’t.
I was just thinking of the days when I used to go out this morning maoster and I can remember some cracking days, sometimes in winter on a clear day and despite the 03.00 start, you’d be ambling along looking at some great scenery inbetween drops, watching the sun rise, mostly meeting nice people, singing along to the radio. And I always knew, despite the bad days, it beat sitting in an office looking at the same view. 25 years later, I can confirm I was right. 
xichrisxi:
I agree it’s quite possibly one of the least labour intensive jobs out there and let’s face it we get paid for sitting on out arse holding a steering wheel straight for the most part of it.
I’ve worked on building sites in ridiculous weathers when I was a young un,so I can appreciate how easy this job is.
Some people like to talk driving up as some sort of difficult job to put people off doing it,it really isn’t.
To be fair I expect 20 years ago when the driver didn’t have a phone or sat nav and had to be the mechanic if they broke down and deal with the other problems without the office on the end of the phone it was probably was a difficult job. Now they have all that they are no longer “required” to do that, whilst the older generation can they won’t be paid for it. I guess thats what we call progress
kcrussell25:
xichrisxi:
I agree it’s quite possibly one of the least labour intensive jobs out there and let’s face it we get paid for sitting on out arse holding a steering wheel straight for the most part of it.
I’ve worked on building sites in ridiculous weathers when I was a young un,so I can appreciate how easy this job is.
Some people like to talk driving up as some sort of difficult job to put people off doing it,it really isn’t.
To be fair I expect 20 years ago when the driver didn’t have a phone or sat nav and had to be the mechanic if they broke down and deal with the other problems without the office on the end of the phone it was probably was a difficult job. Now they have all that they are no longer “required” to do that, whilst the older generation can they won’t be paid for it. I guess thats what we call progress
Without a doubt it’s changed massively and become even easier for anyone that doesn’t like any manual labour 
xichrisxi:
kcrussell25:
xichrisxi:
I agree it’s quite possibly one of the least labour intensive jobs out there and let’s face it we get paid for sitting on out arse holding a steering wheel straight for the most part of it.
I’ve worked on building sites in ridiculous weathers when I was a young un,so I can appreciate how easy this job is.
Some people like to talk driving up as some sort of difficult job to put people off doing it,it really isn’t.
To be fair I expect 20 years ago when the driver didn’t have a phone or sat nav and had to be the mechanic if they broke down and deal with the other problems without the office on the end of the phone it was probably was a difficult job. Now they have all that they are no longer “required” to do that, whilst the older generation can they won’t be paid for it. I guess thats what we call progress
Without a doubt it’s changed massively and become even easier for anyone that doesn’t like any manual labour
Unless you do lidl and aldi… 
kcrussell25:
xichrisxi:
I agree it’s quite possibly one of the least labour intensive jobs out there and let’s face it we get paid for sitting on out arse holding a steering wheel straight for the most part of it.
I’ve worked on building sites in ridiculous weathers when I was a young un,so I can appreciate how easy this job is.
Some people like to talk driving up as some sort of difficult job to put people off doing it,it really isn’t.
To be fair I expect 20 years ago when the driver didn’t have a phone or sat nav and had to be the mechanic if they broke down and deal with the other problems without the office on the end of the phone it was probably was a difficult job. Now they have all that they are no longer “required” to do that, whilst the older generation can they won’t be paid for it. I guess thats what we call progress
We had a lot more phone boxes 20+ years ago. If we broke down we found one of those and phoned the office! No spanner work involved… 
the maoster:
There are a couple of posts currently running regarding getting into the industry, the overwhelming response seems to be "don’t ". I rarely get involved in them because the truth is that despite getting sometimes frustrated at dealing with idiots and getting ■■■■■■ of with large portions of humanity I actually still do look forward to going to work!
That’s not to say I don’t greatly enjoy time away from the job, I do, but I also feel that there are a ■■■■ sight worse ways to make a living.
Today I’m full of the joys of spring as I’m delivering to the South West of the UK which puts me in a good mood to start with, I’ve had a cracking subsidised breakfast at Farmfoods Avonmouth, the sun is shining, I’m killing 2 hours waiting to go into Morrisons Willow Green and the rest of my day has been (for once) planned very well with no sense of urgency.
Overall I’m being paid quite well to cruise around enjoying the scenery with my music playing only to stop now and again whilst somebody unloads my trailer. Yup, there are lots of worse ways to earn a living. Oh, it also helps if you embrace the positive and ignore the negative (people and situations).
You sound like you have a nice job and I have a nice job, hopefully it will see me out, but the vast majority of driving jobs are absolute pants and I’ve done some of them as no doubt you have. So have a nice day bud, you’ve earned it but others are still suffering!
T&E you are correct in what you say; yes I’ve had some shockers (recovery being one of them) and this is imo one of the best paid jobs in Lincolnshire, good tackle, 100% legal. Yeah they do expect their pound of flesh, but with £100k + worth of tackle I understand that. The biggest plus point for me is that as I’ve proven to be a grown up I’m left alone to do the job as I see fit with absolutely zero input from the office. That alone makes life much more bearable.
the maoster:
There are a couple of posts currently running regarding getting into the industry, the overwhelming response seems to be "don’t ". I rarely get involved in them because the truth is that despite getting sometimes frustrated at dealing with idiots and getting ■■■■■■ of with large portions of humanity I actually still do look forward to going to work!
That’s not to say I don’t greatly enjoy time away from the job, I do, but I also feel that there are a ■■■■ sight worse ways to make a living.
Today I’m full of the joys of spring as I’m delivering to the South West of the UK which puts me in a good mood to start with, I’ve had a cracking subsidised breakfast at Farmfoods Avonmouth, the sun is shining, I’m killing 2 hours waiting to go into Morrisons Willow Green and the rest of my day has been (for once) planned very well with no sense of urgency.
Overall I’m being paid quite well to cruise around enjoying the scenery with my music playing only to stop now and again whilst somebody unloads my trailer. Yup, there are lots of worse ways to earn a living. Oh, it also helps if you embrace the positive and ignore the negative (people and situations).
Yep that sounds good
And the other side
Been stuck somewhere with no facilities
Going to bed at 6 in the evening to start work at 2 or 3 in the morning
Working 60 to 70 hours a week and there is no view or sunrise or sunset worth that
Going around like a zombie from working nights
Being treated like a kid because nobody trusts you most places you go
Poor wages, long hours, little social life,
Now whats negative about that we all do it
When people ask me what I do for a living, I tell them I get paid to listen to the radio. Should have done this year’s ago.
I found driving artics one of the least stressful jobs I’ve ever had, especially day work one hits and back. Containers took the biscuit with how lazy that job was. Long hours weren’t good for home life but some decent firms don’t have long hours and better rates. Lot to be said for low stress work. Stress gives bad hormones. I don’t realise how much very high pressure I have in my job until I stop doing it and feel normal for a bit
Upside: easy job, no stress, lots of travel and a little bit adventurous. Down side: lots of hours to make a liveable wage, don’t work so many hours and the pay is poor. Niche jobs a little tricky to get into.
The job is what you make of it and to be fair, some people could find a problem with winning the lottery. The job suits me and I am happy enough with it, it won’t suit some people so you take your pick if it is for you or not. I don’t moan over it, I simply get on with it. Some days are better than others. With the right attitude its a great job.
the maoster:
Today I’m full of the joys of spring as I’m delivering to the South West of the UK which puts me in a good mood to start with, I’ve had a cracking subsidised breakfast at Farmfoods Avonmouth, the sun is shining, I’m killing 2 hours waiting to go into Morrisons Willow Green and the rest of my day has been (for once) planned very well with no sense of urgency.
Overall I’m being paid quite well to cruise around enjoying the scenery with my music playing only to stop now and again whilst somebody unloads my trailer. Yup, there are lots of worse ways to earn a living. Oh, it also helps if you embrace the positive and ignore the negative (people and situations).
I must admit there are times when I’m away, especially when I’m left alone to get a few drops off over 2 days, get through them , plan a decent place to park, nice summers night spent in a beer garden or somewhere, and everything goes right according to my plans, and I think to myself, sat there in the sun in my shorts and shades… …‘’ There are worse jobs to have’’ 
On the other hand today has been an epic pain in the ■■■■. 
Started a lot earlier than normal ( just to help out the lad in the office) got to Hexham for 0600 for a load and go, … Leeds for AM delivery…got out of there for 0915.
So I said it can’t be that ■■■■ important their AM delivery,… so ■■■■ em, I had a break on way down, did not rush.
Got there for 1205 sat another 2 hours.
Then into Mercs for an inspection, out at 1600.
I’m still loading now to park up later, in one of our lovely depots (which is a complete hole of ■■■■)
So today I’m thinking…‘‘Hate this ■■■■ job’’
Swings and roundabouts I suppose.
robroy:
pierrot 14:
That’ll teach you for dragging it out in the morning Rob
Yeh, thing is I could have started my usual time, of 6.(instead of getting my arse out of bed at an ungodly hour) got to Hexham for 8, and still have came out the same time I did.
Don’t like early starts, they play [zb] havoc with my film star good looks.
Hexham not that far & just look at the scenery around watching the sun rise
For me depends on the day & job but yep suppose I still enjoy it there are some good bits
A different spin if you like…
I started HGV work about 12 years ago. I got made redundant from Royal Mail but landed an overnight car part job. Fixed routes, job and knock, wage was fine.
I gave it up to go get my bus licence and ended up doing coaches for years both in UK and Europe. Then the European arm got sold and I was stuck doing UK. Odd hours, long hours, weekends mainly in and out of London.
I got promoted and became management and I really hated it so after three years I quit and went back driving but it wasn’t the same.
So I quit properly and went back to HGV work and I enjoy life again. Yes I do long hours some days but I generally work Monday to Friday, days and if I work a Saturday it’s a short run on overtime and I’m actually not losing out financially. I enjoy going to work and get to see and stay in different places daily.
So yeah it’s not as bad as some make it out
Spring Time always improves my mood. Temperature and sjounlight are always welcome.
I enjoy a good moan about the job, and would hesitate to advise anyone to enter it now. But I too pretty much enjoy what I do. I do take all my holidays and would take more if I could but I don’t hate my time at work and am not counting down the hours until I’m back home.
I’m normally given enough work to keep me busy for a couple of days then I’ll call in for more. If I get problems I’ll try and sort them but will often run my solutions past the office.
It works ok normally.
As Maoster says if we act like adults and get treated like adults it’s a better deal for all.
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Franglais I think your final point is spot on and I reckon that’s at least partly why I enjoy what I do.
Where I live I could earn maybe 50p an hour more on agency or at a blue chip company but where I am now I get left alone so long as I’m doing what I should be and that’s all I ask.