Quote from Pete Smythe
‘‘It’s worth mentioning that truck driving is known as a vocation. Another word for this is “calling”. It’s what you’re meant to do (or maybe not). Only you know the answer to that one.’’
By the way when choosing a trainer, remember the above chap, Pete Smythe, didn’t try to fill you with the idea of glory and riches beyond your dreams…i have no association with Pete Smythe, have never met him, but have come to have great respect for the man’s ethos in the world of training.
That line in quotes should be at the top of the page in flashing letters.
Lorrying isn’t a career as such, its not like moving from white goods selling to car sales to working in a bank, its a whole different world, some will take to it like a duck to water, others won’t.
You won’t know till you try it, it’s nothing like car driving at all.
Not trying to put you off, just be aware that this is a whole different game to what you have done before, yes it may be the making of you, but equally you may find it isn’t for you.
You might fall on your feet and do well, many do.
Look at yourself honestly, are you prepared to graft, do you mind ■■■■■■■ boxes of drinks and food on a pallet or sack barrow into shops, do you mind about getting dirty, are you happy to leave your house in the dark and get home (unless you are away from home 1 to 4 nights a week) in the dark for 4 months of the year, do you mind getting messed about, have a decent control of your temper (you’ll need it), but balance this with will you stand up for yourself (you’ll need to now and again).
Not trying to put you off, far from it, those prepared to muck in, who don’t have some idea they are above a bit of graft (the new i’m a bit special culture), can make decent life and living out of lorrying, it has a vast array of different segments which as you skill up you will get a sense of what you want to do.
Everyone is different, there is a job for everyone in transport, but every one who does has to put up with endless bloody traffic and the millions of utter morons who infest the roads, and those two problems are escalating for various reasons at high rate, hence patience and the ability to take everything thrown at you in your stride is an important attribute.
As for money, yes it has a ceiling, if you stay behind the wheel you should be able to knock up over £30k present rates, more choice if you get an artic ticket and i would advise you to do so at the earliest opportunity if you really think this job is for you.
If you progress and specialise in the game you can comfortably knock up £40k present rates plus (not including night out pay) but the better end of jobs require several things, skill or muck or long hours or hard graft or shifts or pure luck to land the holy grail and often a combination of all.
It might take you years to get to the better end, it took me around 11/13 years before i got my big break into the better end of things, a few hiccups since as jobs have gone bust changed contracts etc along the way.
Much of it will be down to you, if you have some nous, it sounds like you have, then the job can be very very good.