Seriously can't weigh things up

I posted several weeks ago about looking to get my licenses an get on the road. Part of it was due to becoming increasingly unhappy with the job im currently in, but it pays okay.
Currently employed as a textile technician. Wages are days evening 12.60
Nights have a premium on them 14.11
40 hours a weeks on a 3 shift pattern. Anything over 40 paid at 1.5
Take home per month around 1850-1900

Even though I’m unhappy but bare with it due to the wages. But rarely do over my 40 hours because after 8 hours stuck in a factory I can’t wait to get out of there.

I can’t weigh things up due to seeing jobs advertised at lower wages than I’m currently on. An lots of uncertainty of whether finding work that’s consistent.

I’ve always had abit of a thing about being out on the road an driving.

Is it worth going trucking? Outlying the money to get the licenses? For a possibility of a wage drop?

Currently got most the money to start my class 2 in February, so guess I’m thinking whether to spend this money for the career change or just keep it in savings [emoji848]

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What you are earning now and rarely doing over 40 hours i would be staying where you are. You might end up in a salary paid job which alot are and be doing overtime on a daily basis for nothing and be earning less! You will without a doubt be taking a drop in wages!

To be blunt and honest I would stay where you are.
The general public hate trucks, other road users despise trucks who have the audacity and cheek to be using their road.
Customers order stuff , it arrives by truck, the arrival of the truck has caused a major inconvenience to their working day.
They don’t really want their stuff and make you unwelcome .
By unloading it, they have done you a huge favour .
Its too early/late or not booked in.

Decision is going to have to be based on what job you are happy doing not just money (although that’s a major consideration)

90% plus of driving jobs I can guarantee you are going to be doing more than 40 hours. Chances are a fair bit more.

Do you really want to drive or is it just a way out? If the latter - I’d say forget it. You will end up just as unhappy.

I’ve took a pay cut (quite sizeable) twice in my life. Both times I did it to either make my life easier or better in some way. That paid me back more than a few quid.

What’s your family say?

What about other trades?

Edited to add - this job isn’t just driving - a lot of it’s dealing with people be it customers or the office etc (sadly a large amount of idiots).

Tommy7437:
What you are earning now and rarely doing over 40 hours i would be staying where you are. You might end up in a salary paid job which alot are and be doing overtime on a daily basis for nothing and be earning less! You will without a doubt be taking a drop in wages!

Thank Tommy. I was thinking that I’m gonna struggle to match what I currently earn. I’ve been browsing the forum for awhile an hear of people making £700 take home, but usually that’s 50+ hour weeks so probably equates to about the same if I did overtime where I work now.

It’s whether getting out on the road with abit of freedom would be better than stuck in the same place 5 days a week with the same few idiots every work place has them. An job pressures an that feeling like the people above you are constantly watching an waiting to jump on you for mistakes an problems.

Is it worth it for a career change On that aspect?

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kjw21:
What’s your family say?

What about other trades?

If I was to leave my job for another warehouse job. I’d probably be looking at a pay cut, as my current job I worked my way up to the technician role. So on leaving I’d feel I would be back to square one. In a similar role in a different production environment.

Family has said go for it. Partner is supportive of anything I choose to do, although I don’t live with her.

My unhappiness in current job has nearly had me to the point I was willing to throw it all in an go anywhere else it got that bad. But has it’s ups an downs so stuck with it.

I’ve always had that love of driving, although I understand trucking won’t be the same as that country drive through Snowdonia on the A roads [emoji41]
But is somethings I like cars, bikes, most things with an engine really haha

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Worth dipping your toe in with a bit of van driving on your days off to see if it’s your thing? It’s not quite the same but better than nothing and I’d never advise anyone to blow a couple of grand on what might not be your bag.

kjw21:
Worth dipping your toe in with a bit of van driving on your days off to see if it’s your thing? It’s not quite the same but better than nothing and I’d never advise anyone to blow a couple of grand on what might not be your bag.

Something I had considered but hearing how some van drivers are pushed to 20-30 drops a day in local areas courier drivers. That part of the industry hasn’t really caught my interest.
More the longer distance driving, less people orientated haha that has my interest. Maybe class 1 work.

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There are numerous firms that will pay all your license training and ADR , which is dangerous goods , fork lift, Hi ab , driver CPC
But with a clause of if you leave in a set date , you pay back the training or a percentage of it.
Or it is an apprentice scheme of a lower wage then out with a mentor for continuous assessment .
When you do pass your class 2 , firms want two years experience for their insurance.
Most class 2 work is multi drop down small rural lanes, awkward delivery such as surfaces like shingle drives, cracked or uneven paving slabs or drag a ton pallet of bricks, compost,turf, stone or timber with a pump truck with small wheels.

Jmarks1227:

Tommy7437:
What you are earning now and rarely doing over 40 hours i would be staying where you are. You might end up in a salary paid job which alot are and be doing overtime on a daily basis for nothing and be earning less! You will without a doubt be taking a drop in wages!

Thank Tommy. I was thinking that I’m gonna struggle to match what I currently earn. I’ve been browsing the forum for awhile an hear of people making £700 take home, but usually that’s 50+ hour weeks so probably equates to about the same if I did overtime where I work now.

It’s whether getting out on the road with abit of freedom would be better than stuck in the same place 5 days a week with the same few idiots every work place has them. An job pressures an that feeling like the people above you are constantly watching an waiting to jump on you for mistakes an problems.

Is it worth it for a career change On that aspect?

You might land a job where the transport office phone you at least 5/6 times a day ( it happens btw ) or have a job where you must phone customer if you are going to be late. Consider that scenario seriously as well before taking the plunge. Good luck whatever you do

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Think very carefully about it. You get some good jobs and some bad jobs, real cowboys who expect blood for salaried pay that can work out to less than minimum wage. When I got into driving in the late 80s we all still moaned, but the job has really gone downhill in the last few years.

If you are determined to do it, I would do as suggested and dip my toe into van driving on my days off (no tacho, no problem with hours)

I wish you all the best my friend

It is a tough one. You earn good money in a job you don’t enjoy. That said, you could earn good money driving but not really enjoy it…money isn’t everything…if you spend half your waking life in a job you dislike it’s all kind of pointless if you have the chance to change that.

For me, if you have no major money worries, like your own company and really fancy the idea of driving the you have to go for it. Life is far too short to have regrets. I’m going for it this year too. Good luck in your decision. :smiley:

mark4:
It is a tough one. You earn good money in a job you don’t enjoy. That said, you could earn good money driving but not really enjoy it…money isn’t everything…if you spend half your waking life in a job you dislike it’s all kind of pointless if you have the chance to change that.

For me, if you have no major money worries, like your own company and really fancy the idea of driving the you have to go for it. Life is far too short to have regrets. I’m going for it this year too. Good luck in your decision. :smiley:

I agree there. It is a tough decision, I’d pretty much made my mind up that I was going for it. Had a slightly pay rise so worked my wages out. An looking at job adverts on indeed to gauge pay rates for my area an jobs available I found out money wise I wouldn’t be any better off in that department but could be due to increased hours worked.

Just whether I could be happier away from my current job but also find something that would be permanent.
I’m definitely feeling like a change an something new is on the cards, I can’t see myself in my current career that much longer Not with the problems it creates when it starts to get to me too much, an was getting me down about life cause of that feeling like your stuck there with no routes out.

I’d thought several years ago doing my licenses but put it off due to money situation at the time. I’m regretting it now as I’d have years driving experience under my belt an maybe many open doors.

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Thanks everyone for your replies.

It’s definitely food for thought before taking the plunge an going for it

And good luck to everyone who has wished me luck in my decisions.

HI jmarks,
You are kinda in the same position as me, I earn about the same as you working nights 4 on 4 off, doing security. I have job security good pay good holidays and it’s a very easy job for what I get paid, I have been here 12 years now… I have a partner and a young child who are very supportive too, but I’m just not happy here and I can’t see myself being here for another 35 years! So I say go for it… I have done my theory and have to retake cpc as failed by 1 mark! Sitting that Friday… I have purchased a full package costing £2400 and I start class 2 on the 22nd… I intend to hopefully pass, straight on to class one, so some agencie work on my days off and find the right job, as I’m in a position not to rush… but if it’s always in your mind give it a go… regret the things you didn’t do, not the things you did…

avfcnat82:
HI jmarks,
You are kinda in the same position as me, I earn about the same as you working nights 4 on 4 off, doing security. I have job security good pay good holidays and it’s a very easy job for what I get paid, I have been here 12 years now… I have a partner and a young child who are very supportive too, but I’m just not happy here and I can’t see myself being here for another 35 years! So I say go for it… I have done my theory and have to retake cpc as failed by 1 mark! Sitting that Friday… I have purchased a full package costing £2400 and I start class 2 on the 22nd… I intend to hopefully pass, straight on to class one, so some agencie work on my days off and find the right job, as I’m in a position not to rush… but if it’s always in your mind give it a go… regret the things you didn’t do, not the things you did…

Good hear you’ve gone for it. An seems your well on your way having done the theory an cpc.
I’ve had theory app on my phone so I’m upto standard there. Just need my medical an sort provisional.

Does the thought of finding work and losing that security of your current job not worry you? Or possibly dipping in wage? Although class 1 seems to have slightly better wage an working conditions.

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I was the same you just constantly thinking about it, I’d go to work one day and absolutely hate it then other days I’d think it wasn’t too bad, as for job security yes of course as I have a mortgage and the same bills as everyone else, I’m hoping to do a few agency shifts whilst on my days off to gain experience, I’m also lucky the area I live there is quite a few companies… muller, aspray, dpd and yodel who do take on new passes… I’d say sort your provisional as it’s free and then do the theory… the cpc mod 2 is £23 I think so just over £100 and you can be ready to start if you want to… go for it !

Hi there a lot of good comments above.
My situation is similar to yours I’m in a good paid job and I’ve been doing it for over 17 years. I used to love the job but the boss is a ZB ZBZB and that makes the job harder.

I passed my C+E test back in November and will be job hunting soon.

And if I don’t like it I’ll find another job be happy.

Stress of work should not carry over to home personal life stress is a killer so Regardless of wage do something your happy to do having a good wage won’t help when you’re gone.

Good luck with your new career.

Thanks again for the replies
Think it’s time for me to get the ball rolling. Already have the provisional forms so just got to get myself in for medical.

Think if I ponder over it too much, I’ll be stuck in the same situation in a year’s time.

Think the words to go by are ’ do it now or regret it in the future ’

Good luck with your tests later this month.
And generally good luck with the change overs.

Hopefully all be out on the road soon, or soon enough

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I’ve put a deposit down for my training, booked a few days off at work for it too (tell a lie, I’ve requested them but it’s a tough ■■■■ situation if they say no).

I have been watching YouTube truckers for over a year now and have always wanted to get into it but never had the money until now.

In my mind although yes it’s a fair bit of money and yes I will have to deal with ■■■■ heads (drove a bus for 4.5 years so that’s fine), I will have the license to fall back on and the pressure isn’t there as much due to having a job at the moment.

Although you earn a fair bit, if you’re that unhappy move on.