Seeking advice, considering career swap! (Long Post)

Hey all, so just looking for some input from the experienced guys and gals to hopefully provide some kind of reality check for me…

Quick background:

Live in Essex, UK, I’m 25 come February, engaged with 2 sprogs under 5 (started early, ha!).

Current job:

I’m a dual fuel engineer (gas/electric) working for one of ‘the big 6’ energy suppliers, get paid on average 30K per year + good pension / okay perks. It’s a job that I don’t mind doing, keeps the roof above our heads, pays the bills, food on the table and some extra for me and the boss - it’s a start!. However, one of the best things about the job I love is the driving side. Now, I don’t drive anything as monstrous and impressive as some of you, I drive a mere Ford Transit Custom - however I’ve been driving for some 5-6 years now and love every minute I’m in a vehicle behind the wheel, as of late more than the the actual installation side.

The bad:

Recently, a combination of my employer screwing me something chronic and the overwhelming corporate-mindset where I’m treat as a ‘mere engineer’, not a skilled tradesman isn’t helping my motivation for the job. Somehow, despite that I’ve gone through; 12 months training, passed a period of mentoring, sat numerous exams (each with 90% pass rate, no exceptions), constantly working to industry-standards, numerous practical exams, regular auditing of my work, on-going training and face-to-face customer service etc, somehow, someone trained for some 2 weeks (?) who sits in the office taking telephone calls has more authority than me. And there’s rumors floating about our job security. Kind of makes me think of the stories I hear of you truckers that get blamed for everything - guess I’ve already got a skin for that! Heh.

The good:

I enjoy the professionalism of having to know my stuff; regulations, measurements, acceptable tolerances, potentially dangerous situations… . I also enjoy the physical work a lot, I’m left alone all day, no one breathing down my neck - I’m highly-preferential to lone working and making-decisions by myself. I’m very comfortable in my own skin.

My loose expectations of trucking:

I like the sounds of tanker driving in the distant future also happy to do long-distance as long as I can be home majority of the week for the kids and missus. Should I choose this path; I’d be interested at being as skilled as possible - get any and all driving qualifications. I fully-appreciate I’ll have to put up with the ‘low-end’ for some time - I’m no stranger to hard graft. I don’t mind initially taking a pay hit as I am not in it just for the money, foremost it’s a ‘quality of life’ improvement. I also believe, in the future the potential earning of trucking can outweigh my prospective future salary here as an engineer, unless I get a lot of PJ’s. My forseeable future here will only get me to about 32K ish max.

What I’d like to know:

Do any of you fine ladies and gentlemen haul with a young family, if so how do find it? How secure is the trucking industry? Does anyone have experience trucking in Essex? I’d really appreciate and value your opinions… I encourage blunt honesty in the matter.

Thanks to anyone who sat through and read this… it may of been 5-10 minutes of your time you ain’t getting back but I assure you it will not be for naught.

Rik

32k per annum is a reasonable expectation for a driver in Essex I’d think.
But you may be seeing less of your growing family whilst earning it. There are a great variety of different driving jobs with wildly differing hours, but as a new driver they wouldn’t all be open to you straight off. After parting with your few thousand quid in training you’ll be starting at the bottom. You’ll hear how some walk into a great job but these are the exceptions.
Distance work will involve nights out. (If you can there are back in a day it’s not very far is it?). Tank work will often involve extra training and if well paid you’ll be competing with more experienced drivers.
Snotty kids who know nowt, but tell you what to do, exist in many industries. Transport is no exception.
There’s good bosses and managers as well as bad, of course, but same all over isn’t it?
Job security? I can’t see your job being automated anytime soon. Driving will become automated eventually, and sooner than a lot believe, but I wouldn’t worry about it happening soon enough to affect you.
If you’ve a few grand lying around and have got a VERY serious itch to drive then maybe give it a go? But it’d be tempted to advise you think about a change of employer in your present line first?

Sent from my GT-S7275R using Tapatalk

Hey Franglais, I appreciate the swift response! Curiously, are you a trucker yourself?

I am aware that not all jobs would be open to me at the start of my journey, that’s a given. As you rightly put it:

You’ll hear how some walk into a great job but these are the exceptions.

The nights out side of the job interests me. To be fair, it would probably bode well for the type of person I am anyway - I unfortunately really like my ‘me time’.

You mentioned how:

… and if well paid you’ll be competing with more experienced drivers.

If this is the case, although I appreciate older and/or more experienced drivers would be far more suited to the job, Hell, they’ve earned that privilege, is there not the idea that younger drivers have the appeal that time is on their side - a company would get years out of a younger driver (should he prove up to scratch)?

In terms of my job security, with regards to what you mentioned:

Job security? I can’t see your job being automated anytime soon. Driving will become automated eventually, and sooner than a lot believe, but I wouldn’t worry about it happening soon enough to affect you.

No. My job would be near impossible to automate, true. However, it’s a limited time type of deal - once the well’s dry it’s dry. It’s only so long until everyone has SMART technology in their properties and no longer need metering services. It is a part of a government mandate: come 2020 all properties are supposedly going to have SMART meters. It will fall down to the ‘snotty kids’ with 2 weeks training to administrate the meters remotely ergo relieving us engineers of a purpose.

Finally you mentioned how:

If you’ve a few grand lying around and have got a VERY serious itch to drive then maybe give it a go? But it’d be tempted to advise you think about a change of employer in your present line first?

I’m already looking for an alternative employer due to how I’ve been treated recently. I don’t currently have a few grand lying around, however, I’m soon to recieve a significant amount of money, through; work, insurance and Union channels that would put me in a good position to give it ago. I hear Roadtrain (training school near me, who’d I’d select for training) offers a ‘give it a go’ service. But at the moment I’m just looking for a range of opinions to get a relative idea and to obviously dismiss my concerns.

Thanks for your post though Franglais!

I probably count as a “curiosity of a driver”… make of that what you will.
Before taking any training up read the newbie thread, and check out reviews on any/all trainers in your area. Ive no recent experience of any, and have no axe to grind, but dont get caught up with some form of agency masquerading as a school. I can`t comment one way or another about any of them.

Will your skills and qualifications allow you to transfer into new builds, or renewal and maintenance, or doesn`t that appeal anyway?

“Tramping” or nighting-out is a way of life for many who wouldnt change it. Others, fancy it, try it, and decide against it. If you get a C & E (artic) licence there should be a range of options for you. Once you get a year or two of experience you should be able to try a distance job, and be safe enough to get back into locals if it doesnt work for you, or your family.

Do you know any drivers well? What do they say?
Clearly don`t believe everything you hear in the pub on a Saturday night, anymore than you should believe on this forum!

Ive said enough, others will doubtless have other points to make.
Anyway, good luck, whatever you choose.

I got my class two licence in 2009 and it was hard to jump from a full time job albeit self employed into the unknown. I eventually did it in 2010 when I became unhappy with the way I was being treated by my employer.

I’ll be honest, I did stretch the truth a bit with regards to my experience. I said I had more experience than I really did. I got a call within 24 hours of joining an agency and just did van driving and 7.5T work. That was double manned and I really enjoyed it, delivering AGA cookers around the South, only 5-7 drops a day and for a newbie it was nice to have an experienced driver with me.

The problem was that I only ever seemed to get about three days a week work from the agency. I joined a few more but never actually got any work. The one I was working for put me forward for a multi drop job that would have been full time employed but they lied to me on the start times and number of drops. At interview it all became apparent so I turned it down. Some ppl would have taken it but it was’nt for me. Thirty drops a day, crazy early start time, handling cash etc.

I think one big question you need to ask yourself is will you be able to survive on just bits of work here and there? It may be some time until you land a full time job. The drop in salary would be considerable if you just get a few days work. You may be lucky and land a full time job, Brakes take on new pass drivers and pay high £20k’s. It’s meant to be very hard if the reviews are anything to go by. It would take you a fair amount of time to work up to tankers and get the relevant tickets. I think that’s the main thing you need to consider, can you get by on a lower wage whilst you wait for the right opportunity? Maybe you have a Mrs who earns to which would help massively

I don’t use by HGV licence in my current job but still view this site from time to time. You say you enjoy driving, if it was your full time job the enjoyment may go. I only say that because it seems every time I look on the Pro Drivers section of the forum it seems that nearly everybody just moans about everything, the hours, other drivers, money, routes, TM’s, warehouse staff, places to tight to get in, car drivers etc etc

There are many careers in and around transport apart from driving eg traffic office, transport management, driver training. I’m fortunate enough to have done them all and, if you’re suited to it, there’s a good life to be had.

I’d like you to train with me (take note of the Christmas Offer) but, failing which, Roadtrain at Thurrock is a sound set-up. Not quite as good as me though haha!

Whatever you decide, all the best with it, Pete :laughing: :laughing:

I suppose irregularity of work could cause a problem or two as I’m the bread winner and she’s a home maker / stay at home mum for a while longer till our youngest (3 in February) starts nursery in April next year. Even then, as much I appreciate her willingness to help and contribute, it much not substantiate the level we require - we want to move out of our current rented place to a bigger one.

Originally, the ideal situation was that me and my best mate get into a HGV job together and do 2-man long hauling (we have a worryingly real bromance spanning the last 15 years or so), as we both aren’t at peace with our jobs and how they’re affecting us - his is a case of pay increase and job satisfaction and mine’s simply job satisfaction (because I’m in the comfortable position to choose a job I want as I already have a job that pays does what I need it to). Side note: Is that a common job set up - 2 man in one trucking doing long distance work / multi-drop? I’d happily take a pay drop to work with my mate?

The only real thing compelling me to stay in the gas / electric game is the potential prospects of getting my full ticket to run a company on the side with my old man who’s in the same industry as me and eventually perhaps going down the full-time self employed route. Which has a nice bonus of having something my son and/or daughter can fall into one day (if it’s successful enough).

Thanks Peter Smythe and Dakota for your contributions - I value your input.

Peter, just a quick one if you’d be so kind… you mentioned how:

I’m fortunate enough to have done them all…

I read that as you’ve also done hauling. Can I ask, do you regret your choice of time spent trucking? And, have you done this with similar home/family commitments to myself? I feel like the choice between trucking and plumber / sparky is like…

Trucking:

I feel I want to do and would play to my interests, passions and personal character.

Plumber / Sparky

A career I’m okay with doing and has with the added bonus of being useful to my friends and family and the route of self-employed is always there.

Trucking feels like a selfish choice, doing it so I can be happy. Whereas the other feels like ‘the right thing trade to do’ because it’s useful for those around me?

Cheers for your time!

Rik

My history is both unusual and impossible to repeat now due to licencing changes. I started coach driving at 18. Trained as PSV instructor at 19. Continued coach driving and training to 21 when achieved Class 1 (CAT CE). Just 6 weeks later, trained as HGV instructor and was probably the youngest qualified HGV instructor at that time.

Alongside this, I was married at 18 (still married to the same lady) and became a Dad at 20.

Having qualified as HGV instructor but knowing sweet nothing about the actual job, I went driving for a couple of years on general (rope and sheet) which involved some nights out every week.

Then back to teaching both PSV and HGV.

Wind on around 5 years and I set up a coach firm running, eventually, 5 coaches. One of these had L plates on of course!.

A few years later, I took on the driving school I have now and have run for the last 33 years. In that time I’ve also run a few trucks on haulage and, at one time, 15 wedding cars just for the fun of it. Oh yes, nearly forgot the 35 motorbikes on training until 2003!

So I’ve had real mix and the list above isn’t complete as there’s probably a limit on the length of a post!!

I have a very understanding wife, but it still got tense when I was away and the ankle biters were teething etc.

Much of this depends on the strength of your relationship and your willingness to be away if needs be.

Having said all of that, there’s plenty of work that doesn’t need you to be away. But most jobs will involve early starts and/or late finishes.

I ought to mention that I also have a very powerful work ethic which, tbh, can be a xxxx nuisance!

Driving used to be known as a “vocation”. The word is still used in licencing terms. This means it’s a “calling”. Something you’re meant to do. I wanted to be a coach driver from the age of about 8. It’s not something to do just as a job. But that’s a very old fashioned view - but I’m an old geezer haha!

Any help I can give, just shout.

Pete :laughing: :laughing:

I’m 26 and been driving since 2014. Its not all sunshine and rainbows this driving lark but its something I love. I never could get on with people and I hate being in the same place all the time. I’ve moved jobs a few times to find the one that suits me. I personally do tramping, I love the long hours, the nights away etc because its easier work but I’m single with very little outgoings. Last week I pulled in almost £800 but I put in the hours for that money.

As you have a young family, I’d seriously be thinking about how your relationship could handle you being away for 4 to 5 nights a week. I’ve spoken to many drivers who are divorced because of the job but that isn’t to say it happens to everyone.

Basically, its only something you and your family can decide on but thats not to say that you can’t have a go. As long as you keep your license clean, there isn’t anything to stop you from getting it now staying in your current job a bit longer then getting on the road when your kids are bit older.

For the record though, I can like many others on here vouch for the training that PSTT provides. They aren’t the cheapest but they are worth very penny. I did my Cat C, ADR and Cat CE with them.

Radar19:
I’d seriously be thinking about how your relationship could handle you being away for 4 to 5 nights a week.

There are a lot of driving jobs out there that don’t involve 4 or 5 nights out a week. A well known high street retailer pay 36k for a 4 day/48 hour week, the supermarkets are similar.

Every shift pattern you can think of is out there in driving, something to suit everyone.

My uncle has had a 35 year + driving career, taking european coach trips and UK tramping, both of which he loved, as well as owning his own unit for a few years. He is now past retirement age working 4 on 4 off doing PM shift trunk runs for one of the largest supermarkets and says its the best driving job he has ever had.

If you are on £30k, and presumably do shortish hours Mon-Fri currently, I really wouldn’t bother changing jobs.

You can earn more than that if you do shifts and/or weekend work or sleep in the wagon, but Mon-Fri days with sensible hours, you will struggle to beat £30k mate.

Thanks for all the feedback, appreciate it.

Well, as far as my job goes… I’m on 07:30 - 16:30 which I can’t complain about and I get my van (including all maintenance + diesel), tools, stock and PPE 100% provided. Don’t get me wrong, I like my job enough and I am extremely grateful that I have a job as a skilled tradesman. It’s just, since passing my driving test all those years ago I can not think of a time that I haven’t truly loved driving and witnessing different sights and honing my driving prowess.

I suppose, to touch on what I mentioned on an earlier post - it’s a case of: a) (driving full time / trucking) what I believe I would love to do as it involves doing something I have only developed a stronger passion for, or, b) (plumber/ eventually sparky) doing something I’m honestly pretty good at due to also having an interest in, and brought up in a strong D.i.Y background. Complimented by my good levels of self-discipline and high standards I set for myself and my work.

I suppose I’m just trying to rule out this temptation / musing for trucking I’ve been considering for sometime. It’s odd I know… but… I kind of want someone to tell me something that really puts me off, y’know? Something concrete to tell me; “look pal, this isn’t the right option for you - tempting as it may be”. I guess I do have something like that, as with the potential to go self-employed (or not for that matter), being a tradesman gives me the added perk of being able to offer a trade to my son when the squirt’s older.

Either way… I thank you all for your contributions.

Great topic and one very close to my own heart at the minute. The numbers for myself are similar the the OP and i’m based in the north west. I have the same driving ambition and its been there a long time i’m now 38 but it still wont go away its niggling at me constantly. I too unfortunately enjoy my own company and this can be a curse too.

I for sure will be keeping an eye on this one

9 hour days and a free van for £30k. You need your head feeling if you want to pack that in to drive wagons mate! :neutral_face:

eagerbeaver:
9 hour days and a free van for £30k. You need your head feeling if you want to pack that in to drive wagons mate! :neutral_face:

Yes, that is a lot of money for the hours compared to what you will get for trucking. As per Juddian’s thread on the main board, it’s difficult to work out comparative pay scales in haulage, especially for euro, when everyone has a different set up. My lot will be earning 41k +, but thats doing about two thirds euro, one third UK, so they are away.

As for your question about double manning, that is what we do, but there aren’t many firms that do it. And if you did get a start, it would be unlikely that your mate would as well, or certainly there would be several months before he did unless you dropped very lucky. Having said that, two of my drivers were mates and that is exactly what happened, one got a job and a vacancy arose and the second one got recommended. Been here five years and crew together about 75% of the time - and they are still mates.

albion:

eagerbeaver:
9 hour days and a free van for £30k. You need your head feeling if you want to pack that in to drive wagons mate! :neutral_face:

Yes, that is a lot of money for the hours compared to what you will get for trucking. As per Juddian’s thread on the main board, it’s difficult to work out comparative pay scales in haulage, especially for euro, when everyone has a different set up. My lot will be earning 41k +, but thats doing about two thirds euro, one third UK, so they are away.

As for your question about double manning, that is what we do, but there aren’t many firms that do it. And if you did get a start, it would be unlikely that your mate would as well, or certainly there would be several months before he did unless you dropped very lucky. Having said that, two of my drivers were mates and that is exactly what happened, one got a job and a vacancy arose and the second one got recommended. Been here five years and crew together about 75% of the time - and they are still mates.

Totally expected you to say and now they hate each other and have to double man with other people.

OP gazing into my crystal ball if all the rumours about automation are true 4 million worker, 15% of the current workforce replaced by automation over the next decade. Then having a trade might be one of the few secure unautomated industries.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

eagerbeaver:
9 hour days and a free van for £30k. You need your head feeling if you want to pack that in to drive wagons mate! :neutral_face:

+1.I’m with the Beaver on this one.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

If your not afraid of graft & you got yourself on to the mail work through the night there’s no reason you couldn’t earn 37k easily.

If you got the money then go for it Get it done while yoi can and keep your licence for 2 years or so then if you ever got bored and i mean really sick n tired of your job then start looking. Think of this as a long lasting investment Goodluck.

Lots of great responses in a short space. It’s all contributing nicely!

eagerbeaver, when you mentioned:

9 hour days and a free van for £30k. You need your head feeling if you want to pack that in to drive wagons mate! :neutral_face:

Although I am eternally grateful for my current employment and my salary, I still can’t help but consider that my job satisfaction could increases dramatically - I know as some guys and gals have said; “that may change” but it also may not. My job is okay, the company I work for is a monster on the energy scene but that can be a double-edged sword as I have experienced a fair number of times. And then there’s the problem of career progress growth and wage increase. Over a period of time, be it 5 years or 10 years or even more, the only way I’m going to see a pay increase is if; firstly I can look at ‘Technical Specialist’ role - supervisor-like and basically I’d be the man to call for ANY queries for other people on the field - expected to know EVERYTHING (i’m likely to do this). Secondly, I brave the corporate politics and go into management - I do NOT want to be a manager for some time - till I’m much older and can’t be bothered to work ‘on the tools’ anymore. And even then figures don’t really get to what I’d like after spending time with a company.

I suppose to reiterate my problem, as I’m not hugely concerned with what I earn at the moment it’s become something of a conundrum as I sit here with the ever-present question:

‘as we who actually work and want to work as opposed to our non-working cousins, surely it makes sense to aim for ‘doing something you love and never working a day’’

I just so happen to be in a good position of; currently employed within a tolerable role and paid what some deem as good (me included), BUT on the side, I could look into setting myself up for a job I WANT. As this current job was more as situation where I was unemployed at the time and I got this one as it was a good opportunity, playing to my natural strengths and confidence with tools and my old man worked here.

I’d be disappointed in myself if I hadn’t of at least explored this world and industry like I am attempting to, gain a little understanding of what it’s like and try delve into some personal experiences.

Thanks again for all the opinions and wisdom shared thus far! I’m still very keen for contributions.

Rik