Hi folks - my first post here, so please be gentle
I’m in my late 40s and planning a career change (I’m an engineer working in the construction industry and carry most of the technical responsibility in our company, which I’m afraid tends to keep me awake at night wondering "did I design ■■■ correctly ?.. or is it about to collapse and kill someone ?). I’ve always enjoyed driving (tractors, landrovers etc. from the age of 7 IIRC) and summer holidays for the last 25 years or so have always involved touring Europe with a tent in the boot, or a camper van, so whilst I don’t have any direct or family experience of trucks, heading off into the unknown with just a map for company is pretty much my idea of fun…
Having said all that, I’m fortunate enough to be in a position now where the kids are almost grown up, the house is pretty much paid for and the wife and I have an inexpensive lifestyle, so I’ve no real interest in working all the hours to make a good salary - I’d rather work sensible hours, make modest money and try to enjoy life. You’ll understand my alarm then when I read stories of 15 hour days, 70 hour weeks etc being the norm in the industry (I don’t understand how a 15 hour day is even legal according to driving hours regs ■■). Is everyone doing this, or is there a role for someone like me with modest expectations ? I think if you asked what my perfect driving job would be, I’d say:
Mainly Mon-Fri, with maybe a couple of nights out during the week (total maybe 45 hrs), and maybe a week away in Europe once a month.
Is this cloud cuckoo land, or do these kinds of roles exist ?
I’m in NI, by the way.
for you my friend being in ni then working as your wanting,then your wages will be …pish.
its agency for you my lad,and 9 hour shifts in tosco or sainsburys.
if your wanting to knock around the doors for slowies mob and the like where you will be treated like a bum on a seat tipping,loading and getting diesel for 12 hours a day,then your wages will be…pish,and worse than the agency.
you would be best to try and do 4 on and 4 off on 12 hour shifts if you want that,otherwise,if your working for most of the rest,then the pic says it all,and dream on.
once your out,you wont get back for a cpl of weeks unless you land lucky with a legal legit mob and you wouldnt be likely to get fired away to euroland without a bit of previous.
the mushroom brigade ad sawyers types are usually looking,but usually looking for full cards every day.
agency plobbing is your best bet if you want no worries and no across the water.
different if you end up with montys or woodside ect or some of the few that run strictly legal,otherwise if you think of heading out for a subby,then forget what your looking for,and refer once again to the pic as by the time they let you home again your dog is likely to attack you as you go in the door.
Plenty of decent advice here for Newbie Drivers, seems like you are in a similar situation to me.
Loved driving and after taking a consolidation package from my employer I decided a total change of direction from IT Management into Class 2 then 1 driving.
Onced passed its not easy to get the job with zero experience but loads of members on this forum have walked into permanent jobs straight away so its down to your luck.
I certainly have done some crappy work but then the die harders will probably say you big softy…dont like curtains at all!!
I would get your licences first whilst in employment…it only takes a week at a time for the two and then have a dabble with agencies over some weekend work. Expect to budget around £3.5k for the whole lot and if you have a ltd company set up then you can put it down to expenses so saving some tax…watch for the Umbrella companies that some agencies try to rope you in with.
Then as you get confident hand your notice and go for it full time. Not too sure what its like in NI but there seems to be enough work here in the mainland or at least in the East Midlands anyway. Pay is varied from a poor £10 ph to up to £19 ph (if you are lucky).
There are some agencies & their clients will treat you like dirt, my first and only shift with Eddie Stofart pushed me to go over my hours (running bent) so did not go back there and I did have to travel almost 40 miles to do some shifts (not anymore I won’t) but I just accepted it as experience.
Good luck with what you decide and search through the forum for plenty of helpful and cynical advice.
When people come on here complaining how they are working 70 hours a week it is often true.
What they often neglect to mention is that a third of that time is spent in RDC canteens or in their bunk ■■■■■■■■■■■■ while they get loaded/tipped.
But truck driving is hard work so many guys fairy equate working 70 hours as a truck driver to 70 hours as a warehouse guy or a shelf stacker.
adam277:
When people come on here complaining how they are working 70 hours a week it is often true.
What they often neglect to mention is that a third of that time is spent in RDC canteens or in their bunk ■■■■■■■■■■■■ while they get loaded/tipped.
But truck driving is hard work so many guys fairy equate working 70 hours as a truck driver to 70 hours as a warehouse guy or a shelf stacker.
As above you will spend a lot of time "at work"but not necessarily “working”
I won’t get into the argument of whats harder but having only started driving last year after 20 years of filling shelves I’ll stick to driving
One of my first jobs was unloading containers by hand I remember one container having what must of been like 2000 boxes of camping stoves, floor to ceiling each weighing about 20kg. My arms were like jelly by the end of the day. (20kg may not seem like a lot but you start feeling it very quickly.)
I know some people probably do it but I think I’d collapse or seriously hurt myself if I had to tip them for 70 hours a week.
Hi Anglo I am a class 1 driver and been driving for 7 months now, potentially earning 500 plus after tax every week mostly but I am doing 55 to 60 hours every week and that’s a normal in this job, I personally would suggest to stick to your engineering job, Driving can be very stressful at times, Goodluck as to what you choose
crazyplay:
Hi Anglo I am a class 1 driver and been driving for 7 months now, potentially earning 500 plus after tax every week mostly but I am doing 55 to 60 hours every week and that’s a normal in this job, I personally would suggest to stick to your engineering job, Driving can be very stressful at times, Goodluck as to what you choose
Driving is as stressful as you let it be.
Get a job for a decent firm and if it can’t be done leave it and let them sort it. Don’t push yourself to limits on breaks and reduces the chance of going over hours.
I enjoy the taco compared to my previous job. I must have a break, must have days off.
Just elaborate on that a little for the OP and maybe pay attention to his original post where he is having sleepless nights as he may kill someone due to designs not being correct.
Driving is as stressful as you make it, but generally its not a stressful job.
Just elaborate on that a little for the OP and maybe pay attention to his original post where he is having sleepless nights as he may kill someone due to designs not being correct.
Driving is as stressful as you make it, but generally its not a stressful job.
I suspect he is given a lot of work by boss so he is rushing around like a nutter to get it done.
adam277:
One of my first jobs was unloading containers by hand I remember one container having what must of been like 2000 boxes of camping stoves, floor to ceiling each weighing about 20kg. My arms were like jelly by the end of the day. (20kg may not seem like a lot but you start feeling it very quickly.)
I know some people probably do it but I think I’d collapse or seriously hurt myself if I had to tip them for 70 hours a week.
I spent five years as a forkie, but only about 20% of it was actually forking, the rest was handballing deep sea containers and euro trailers. I could lift 60kgs crates from the floor, now I struggle with 1 bag of 10kgs tone chippings from the garden centre. Must have been fit as a butchers dog back then - knees have paid for all that jumping in and out though.
I remember once tipping a box from China and out came scuttling these huge cockroaches - I tell you Linford Christie would have been lost in the dust as I hurled myself out of that container. Aerobics and weightlifting all in one go - what could be better
Thanks for the heads-up on several things… I hadn’t really thought about the various types of shift system that might be in operation (4-on / 4off or 7-on / 7-off etc) but I must confess that a period of ‘living in the truck’ followed by a decent stretch at home does have it’s appeal.
I was speaking to an acquaintance recently who drives for what I assume (correct me if I’m wrong) is one of the more reputable local firms (tidy rigs, orange livery - you know who I mean…) and he confirms that drivers are very much in demand. Of course he is an experienced pilot, but says he’s able to more-or-less dictate what days / hours he wants to do. He also mentioned that “Mclernons can’t even get bad drivers”, but I guess that says more about the company than the state of the market…
I understand that driving can also be a stressful job, but I think I’d have enough confidence in my own abilities (and basic mathematics) to tell a transport manager when something just isn’t physically or legally possible in the prevailing conditions.
Incidentally, how is it possible for the less scrupulous to run ‘bent’ in this day and age ? I know we maybe don’t have the same plague of transport gestapo here as you have on the mainland, but all it takes is one run to the mainland in the 28-day period and you could be stopped and done for it.
Anyway, I’m going to go ahead and do my class 2 and follow on promptly with class 1 if it goes OK. I’ll then be in a position to do some casual weekends or whatever (Mclernons mad looking people to do casual weekends to GB apparently) and then see how I feel before making any rash moves.
One other query - I’m old enough to be able to give the CPC case studies + show & tell a miss and do 35 hours classroom instead (or however many hours it is). My prospective instructor strongly advised me to take this route and swerve the show & tell if at all possible, but I’m just wondering if it’s in his interest to have me in his training room for a week, rather than going and doing the case study test etc off my own bat ?
what do you think ?
you mean you have a give between doing the practical cpc training vs classroom training?
It’s up to you but I’d rather do 1 day with the practical CPC training over 5 full days of being stuck in a classroom bored out of my head.
Pretty sure you can use class 2 training towards DCPC hours as well although I may be wrong
I think your friend is right, good truck drivers with a proven record are in high demand and rarely struggle to find work.
adam277:
you mean you have a give between doing the practical cpc training vs classroom training?
It’s up to you but I’d rather do 1 day with the practical CPC training over 5 full days of being stuck in a classroom bored out of my head.
Pretty sure you can use class 2 training towards DCPC hours as well although I may be wrong
If a training school such as the forum sponsor has their practical training approved for dcpc then you can get hours towards the 35 needed - cost is a little more
It all depends where you are and how much you need to stay comfortable money wise.
In terms of jobs that may fit have a look at somewhere that does pallet network/palletline/pallex type stuff. Our guys start between 7/8am and finish by 5pm most days. Occasionally it’s later but not by much and its Monday to Friday.
Have a look on the Brett web site, they have deps over most of the country, 8 wheeler tip it up sign here and go, a bit repetitive but, pay with o/t and benefits 28 to 32 k . Cliffe woods in the south east have started new drivers on cat c recently I do know, good luck. Those figures include tonnage bonus, fuel bonus, and ot/ worked. I have just finished all training with them out on me own Monday love it, at the moment. We avg 10 hr days always home at night.
