Hi everyone , I’m currently driving a class 2 soon to do my c +e license as I’m looking to make a bit more than I do currently. At the moment I make around 30-32k a year with some overtime included driving a 18tonne and I’m looking to try to make 40-45k a year. Do you think this is realistic driving fuel tankers or would you recommend another type of driving job?
Hope this made sense!
Thanks guys
The glory days of tanker driving are over. New starters go on new contacts with pay much below what the old boys are on. I think Hoyer pay £15.50 now but I know a driver on nearly £19 for them. Brutal shift patterns too. They call the Esso contract the marriage wrecker.
Try supermarket work instead.
Thanks for your reply. I have heard that it isn’t as good as it use to be. Do you know if supermarkets pay more than 15.50 per hour then?
I’ve heard some pay £14 - 15 / hour but will depend on hours, whether its weekend, where in the country you are and of course if you’re talking PAYE or “self employed agency”.
Biggest problem with fuel is it was contracted off to people like Hoyer who seem to think shifts like early mornings start, then afternoon start, then nightshift, then back to mornings is safe.
Think there are easier ways to make money, like gas tankers. Less messy, you don’t have to get into stupid positions within petrol stations and if it blows up you won’t know about it… that bit is kindof important. 
Those earning £40/45k+ are usually earning every penny, either by working long hours, or odd shifts, or mucky, or skilled work, or hard work, or a combination of all of the above.
I wouldn’t work for Hoyer on the fuel having seen on these very forum pages the reality of their shift patterns, cruel doesn’t do it justice.
Specialising is usually where the money is, but it can take time and it often means starting on a scabby outfit to learn the ropes before you will be considered by the better companies, the best jobs have always been and always will be dead mans shoes, so don’t expect to be clocking up £45k 6 months after passing your artic ticket, took me around 13 years or might have been slightly longer before i got my break onto the better paying work, and that was pure luck right time right place, i’m still waiting for the TM at Conoco Kingsbury to ring me with a start date, he told me he’d give me a start in 1981 when payphones were still 2p and 10p.
What is going to happen to the economy is anyone’s guess, also anyone’s guess whether Boris’s present Mrs’s green new deal will see the running down of petrol and Diesel as fuels from 2030, when apparently the whole of the transport of the country can be run on wind, or in their case, hot air.
Food is guaranteed to be required whatever happens, but if you specialise in foodstuffs try to make it something essential that won’t been outlawed at the whim of Boris next beau.
It’ll take you several years to recoup the cost of the training for the upgrade of your license and ADR training. If you want niche work get a job delivering coffins, all own account work and with the current pandemic I suspect there will be plenty of overtime
I doubt you’ll top 40k on Supermarkets even with a couple of overtimes a month, you should clear 35k though…however I don’t work for supermarkets so have no solid evidence for that!
I’m presuming your young and cash hungry, but after 6 months of trying to achieve 40k I think you’ll realise there’s little point in earning that kinda money if you’ve no time to spend it!
'm still waiting for the TM at Conoco Kingsbury to ring me with a start date, he told me he’d give me a start in 1981 when payphones were still 2p and 10p. quote juddian…
juddian, i’ve just called a mate who is on jet at kingsbury to see if he can have a word with said tm, apparently he passed away in 1994 so i think any chance of a start is over, give it up man… 
Thanks for your reply’s! Taking it all on board! Do any of you know what niches in haulage are more profitable than just general haulage?
jcole2696:
Thanks for your reply’s! Taking it all on board! Do any of you know what niches in haulage are more profitable than just general haulage?
Human trafficking / drug running / fake hijackings when you have 26 pallets of iPhones…
Plenty of options to choose from
With the announcement that new petrol /diesel cars are banned from 2030 . I’d of thought tanker drivers will become a dying breed…as more and more people go electric and less petrol stations to refuel
jcole2696:
Thanks for your reply’s! Taking it all on board! Do any of you know what niches in haulage are more profitable than just general haulage?
Do the stuff no one else wants to do!
In my driving career I’ve done supermarket night shifts. I’ve done bin lorries. I’ve done gully sucker driving (and operating). And now I do a night trunk for a firm who want you to stay above legal and have perfect microlise scores. Just accept it and play the game. I’ve even done crane work - very muddy and not always easy. But I enjoyed the challenge.
If it’s dirty, difficult, or technically hard to get into you can earn a decent crust. If you want to drive days between RDC"s you will only earn bottom dollar.
It’s easy to do the crap when you are younger with no kids like me. But work like a fool doing long hours, buy a house and sit back. Once you have paid enough of the mortgage off to not worry then go for the easier stuff.
Most importantly - be the best you can be. Take care, be someone who cares. Do your best. People do see that. I get thanked after every shift - and that to me is worth something. They know I don’t take the micheal and will do what I can, and I’m appreciated for it.
Aren’t car transporters mention to be the big payers?
Hard work though.
I’ve heard car transporters can make higher than average money. How do they go about getting work and long term contracts is the question!
A certain parcel company that I work for, you can do easily 40k a year, some guys are on 50k because of their hours. And half the working day is spent lying on your bunk.
Zero handball. Hardest part of the job is deciding what food to have at the hub!
jcole2696:
I’ve heard car transporters can make higher than average money.
Juddian is your man for those, but I’m pretty sure he’ll give you the full rundown. Put me off for life even thinking about them and have great sympathy every time I see one of their drivers.
From whats been said, there used to be quite good money on those, but again its gone race to the bottom.
Pretty sure I read one of the smaller ones had lost a contract last year and almost went bankrupt (name is 3 letters but I cant remember it).
Currently there must be a lot of them on furlow as car garages are constantly being told to close, so you can’t transport what people can’t buy. Not sure if that will recover too quick.
Its always tempting to try for the really top money, but like most industries you really only get that with lots of experience or jobs requiring qualifications that few have. General ADR for example does not count these days… unfortunately.
m.a.n rules:
'm still waiting for the TM at Conoco Kingsbury to ring me with a start date, he told me he’d give me a start in 1981 when payphones were still 2p and 10p. quote juddian…juddian, i’ve just called a mate who is on jet at kingsbury to see if he can have a word with said tm, apparently he passed away in 1994 so i think any chance of a start is over, give it up man…
How dare he kick the bucket before getting me in.
Harrumph, some people have no consideration
Juddian:
m.a.n rules:
'm still waiting for the TM at Conoco Kingsbury to ring me with a start date, he told me he’d give me a start in 1981 when payphones were still 2p and 10p. quote juddian…juddian, i’ve just called a mate who is on jet at kingsbury to see if he can have a word with said tm, apparently he passed away in 1994 so i think any chance of a start is over, give it up man…
How dare he kick the bucket before getting me in.
Harrumph, some people have no consideration
sorry mate, but i do have a contact on hoyer’s if you want a intro… 
m.a.n rules:
Juddian:
m.a.n rules:
'm still waiting for the TM at Conoco Kingsbury to ring me with a start date, he told me he’d give me a start in 1981 when payphones were still 2p and 10p. quote juddian…juddian, i’ve just called a mate who is on jet at kingsbury to see if he can have a word with said tm, apparently he passed away in 1994 so i think any chance of a start is over, give it up man…
How dare he kick the bucket before getting me in.
Harrumph, some people have no considerationsorry mate, but i do have a contact on hoyer’s if you want a intro…
Ye Gods, i have to put up with endless mickey taking at work, beginning to wonder if we work at the same place 
oh and you know exactly where to put your Hoyer suggestion 
wrapped inside a pineapple.
