Do it. I spent years in a job I hated and always fancied trucking. I took the plunge almost 3 years ago. First year was a big learning curve and did some ■■■■ jobs in that year but I’m well settled in now and very happy at work. Don’t feel stressed at all as I once did. I was the same as you and took a pay cut to do it, but would never go back to that ■■■■ again.
If I was you I’d would stick it in your current job and maybe try to find a way to enjoy it more. A job is what you make of it.
That being said if your dead set on leaving just think to yourself if this is what you want to do like really really want to do.
When you pass your tests chances are you are going to be doing multi drop in a class 2 and under a lot of pressure from management for 25k possibly. You may jump into a great class 1 job but chances are you wont.
Maybe do some night classes in a subject your interested in and go from there?
Your looking at dropping 4 grand on this training which would make a huge dent in training up to be anything else.
I’d be thinking if I could do any job within reason what would it be and follow it.
Don’t want to put you off but just make sure this is a career which you would like to do not just a way a getting paid for doing a job that is less monotonous.
May well be worth do have a crack at van multi drop for a parcel firm on your time off as it is essentially what you will probably start out doing just in a smaller vehicle.
What ■■■■■■ me off most about my current job is that I never have time to do what I want or I come back to ■■■■■■ to want to do anything and I only do 50 hours a week. Most truckers do a lot more; finding a 40 hour trucking job that pays well can be hard.
If you don’t ever want to do over 40 hours, then no - because the chance of finding a job like that is slim. If it’s just a case that you are happy to do over 40, it’s just the job you are in currently that you don’t want to do overtime, then go for it.
The way I look at training costs is that you can go to uni and pay 27 k for a fairly useless degree and come out and earn the average wage of 26k (60% of grads don’t earn enough to pay back tuition fees), or you can spend say 3k for a month or two and come out with something that should see you earning around 30- 35 in two years. Yes you will probably have to work some rubbish jobs at first and it depends where you are in the country as to how poor/good the hourly pay is.
I’ve taken on new passes, doing double man work (for security not hours) mix of uk and euro work,and they earn 41-2k, so it is possible to get a decent job but in fairness, doing the rubbish will be more likely.
As an employer, it’s not only having a license. Experience does count, but it’s no good coming to me with twenty years driving experience, wearing tracky bottoms, a bad attitude and the social skills of a piece of wood. I’d rather take on a newbie and keep my eye on him/her for a few weeks/months if they turn up looking smart, smiley and willing.
Good luck whatever you decide.
My opinion may come across slightly different but I enjoy trucking been lucky in a way to land jobs that suited me at the time, now enjoying tramping.
First thing I look for when anyone wants to drive trucks is that the primary reason is well they want to drive trucks. Forget money for now chances are you’ll be earning less to start with unless your luckyish.
So go for it, seize the day, better to have tried and failed, the grass just may be greener, a bird in the bush is worth 2 by the hand etc…
Support from family members is great as first hand they will see your unhappy and nudge you to do something you want to do.
Oh and massive kudos for pulling off the have a partner but don’t have to live with them gig.
But remember your license is precious and very easy to lose.
Bit over simplifying things but in my 20 odd years trucking I look back and say there’s been lots more good days than bad.
Its a toughie but dont commit financial suicide or wreck home life.
50 hours plus is the norm, plus factor in the travel to the depot. Ok there are some good paid jobs but you may have to travel to the depot which may be further away than you are travelling now. Say an hours commute there to a decent payer and one back on top of a 12 hour day… the sums add up. You will sleep and work.
Im in same predicament - £11.50 p/hr current job for a 37.5 hr week. Plus to land the ideal class 1 job may have to do a bit of temping to build up experience the decent companies want.
Whatever you decide, think hard… then think again just to double sure. Speak over with partner, family etc and go with your heart,
Good luck!!
I would say go for it!!
After working my way out of call centres and into a cosy (yet mind numbing) role of office based vehicle assessor I have learnt its better to be doing a job your happy with.
I have been planning the move to driving for the past year now and next week I finally have my training, the thought of finally leaving an office and all the BS hierarchy behind is exciting,
Do what makes you happy, a lot of doors will open once your fully trained.
My advice would be to try it if you really want to but don’t burn your bridges at current place.
12-15 hrs, 5 sometimes 6 days a week would make you view your current 8 hour days somewhat different.
Thanks again for replys and varying veiws.
It seeming that most people think that trucking is certainly the way forward an viewed the same as many jobs starting out. That you have to do deal with some ■■■■ to begin with then work your way up.
I’ve done this before in many other jobs, and had some really poor jobs doing really rubbish stuff for really poor wages.
I’m definitely not bothered about having to work over the 40 hours, atm it’s more I’ve been stuck in the exact same place sometimes hardly moved from a 5 metre squared area that I can’t wait to get away. When I had abit more newness towards the job I had no problems working 12 hour days through the week and work the weekend to.
I’m definitely thinking this is the way forward and many of you share the same views apart from the odd ones that admit the grass isn’t always greener compared to the easy hours of 8 per day.
I don’t mind having to do the longer days albeit with abit more here there an everywhere different sites scenery of the open road. Or either doing some of the lower jobs to build the experience and my way up. It does seem that after those initial years you really can be in the driving seat of your own career rather than dictated to of what you have to do, or what management think you can an can’t do.
I think it’s usual for someone thinking of changing career to have some initial doubts or worry. But the good think about trucking with trucknet you have a Huge wide community you can share an get veiws from rights across the board new-experienced-been in the game longer than I’ve been alive ( 30 years ) which is great
Thanks everyone for your reply an veiws.
And the kudos of pulling off not currently living with my partner. She’ll soon get her way, just about managing to hold It off for now 
Give me her number, I’ll put her right, the bliss of living on your own rather than forever running after some bloke, nah she’s much better off single 
As I said we take on newbies, but out of the current staff of 24, not one did we advertise for. It’s all word of mouth, so get to know the drivers that seem content with their job and be nice to everyone…you never know, they might offer you a job.
albion:
Give me her number, I’ll put her right, the bliss of living on your own rather than forever running after some bloke, nah she’s much better off singleAs I said we take on newbies, but out of the current staff of 24, not one did we advertise for. It’s all word of mouth, so get to know the drivers that seem content with their job and be nice to everyone…you never know, they might offer you a job.
Wish it worked that way. She never has to run around after me when I stay. It’s more the opposite way round. I am a dab hand in the kitchen though
I’ve been lucky to already get intouch with two drivers one who works agency an has said he could pass me onto the right people to get into work. An the other had who has advised for work at his company to follow my license up with ADR course an his company are always crying out for drivers. Both Liverpool based companies from what I gather.
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Jmarks1227:
albion:
Give me her number, I’ll put her right, the bliss of living on your own rather than forever running after some bloke, nah she’s much better off singleAs I said we take on newbies, but out of the current staff of 24, not one did we advertise for. It’s all word of mouth, so get to know the drivers that seem content with their job and be nice to everyone…you never know, they might offer you a job.
Wish it worked that way. She never has to run around after me when I stay. It’s more the opposite way round. I am a dab hand in the kitchen though
I’ve been lucky to already get intouch with two drivers one who works agency an has said he could pass me onto the right people to get into work. An the other had who has advised for work at his company to follow my license up with ADR course an his company are always crying out for drivers. Both Liverpool based companies from what I gather.
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In fairness Mr Albion was a good cook, whereas I pretend kitchens don’t exist!
Your comment that there are two firms always crying out for drivers, rings alarm bells for me. Fair enough if you can get a start with them, we all start somewhere and take what we can get. But I’d want to know why they are crying out for drivers, do they pay badly, treat you like rubbish? Good firms retain staff, that’s the basic of deciding if it’s a good firm to work for. Around 80% of my lads stay, I’ve got a few worked over 20 years, a good few in the 15-18 years bracket.
as DD says,you’ve got to WANT to drive trucks,to enjoy this job (in the main).if you do,just give it a go.my son-in-law has come on board at our place,for the last 2 winters,as a Class 1 newbie,and loves it. OP… time to stop dithering…life’s too short!
We’re heading into a downturn, you have some years of service, if you have the gut feeling your company can ride this downturn out too, don’t be in a tearing rush to quit a stable decently paying job.
By all means get your licences, and then dabble a bit on your days off (you’ll have the hours) on agency or a bit of casual lorrying work.
The job isn’t for everyone, you won’t know if its for you till you try it, if you’ve wasted £3k it will be bad enough if you don’t like it and a disaster if you’ve packed in a job where you had your feet well under the table, the coming downturn may prove to be the mother of all recessions.
Don’t burn any bridges till you are sure its for you.
You never know if you don’t do it. I’m 27, worked making furniture for 8 years before I started driving c1. The business was well plenty of work but wanted a change. I worked monday to Thursday and did 37 hours a week hourly paid. I now work sunday to Wednesday get paid day rate. My average week is 39 hours that’s based off a 4 week month.
I’m taking just over £100 a week extra hone after tax.
So within 30 weeks I will have got my money bak for passing my test.
I’ve been on the road now since August and I won’t ever look back.
Good luck in your choices. Remember, life is too short to be messing around [emoji106]
Jmarks1227:
albion:
Give me her number, I’ll put her right, the bliss of living on your own rather than forever running after some bloke, nah she’s much better off singleAs I said we take on newbies, but out of the current staff of 24, not one did we advertise for. It’s all word of mouth, so get to know the drivers that seem content with their job and be nice to everyone…you never know, they might offer you a job.
Wish it worked that way. She never has to run around after me when I stay. It’s more the opposite way round. I am a dab hand in the kitchen though
I’ve been lucky to already get intouch with two drivers one who works agency an has said he could pass me onto the right people to get into work. An the other had who has advised for work at his company to follow my license up with ADR course an his company are always crying out for drivers. Both Liverpool based companies from what I gather.
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You’re ticking some boxes there with Mrs Albion I’d say…the new Mr Albion? 