Tramping vs days vs nights

[slowlane]

eagerbeaver:
Some interesting replies so far…

I am basically bone idle and struggle to get my arse out of bed. 6am starts at my new job with an occasional 5am start which nearly shuts my body down

Money (obviously ) seems to be a key player so far in this thread, but location is popping up too. Seems like night work is far more popular than I thought Who knew?

Nights makes sense regarding money & traffic. You lads who are doing 5/3 then 5/2 or 4/4 shifts etc, did most of you choose this pattern or was that how the job came? Also, do your other halves accommodate their jobs around yours, or do you end up with 3 days in the middle of the week on your own, and what do you go and do (fishing/doing the house up etc) ?

I had the choice of M-F, 4/4 or 5/2-5/3 and chose the latter to get more time off as well as fancying working some weekends without spending longer at work. I started out on M-F and found that I felt like I was always working, 4/4 doesn’t appeal because of the sharing aspect and whilst my truck goes out without me on this shift, I’ve settled on an oppo who doesn’t smoke, doesn’t leave the drivers seat and always leaves her tank and strap lockers full. I’d prefer the truck to be mine, but I feel like I’ve got a good compromise situation.

Not having kids makes that side of things easy, and my partner and I seem to figure out how to make the odd schedule work for us. I quite like being home in the week to cook for her when she gets home, and since she does 38hrs a week for a decent chunk more than I earn, she gets home early anyway!

I’m so bone idle, my spirit animal surely is a cat, so most of my time off is spent fairly horizontal!

The biggest downside of this shift pattern is that I occasionally miss get togethers with friends, but for big ones I’ll take time off.

Once I’ve built up more experience, I’m going to turn my hand to Euro work - as that’s really what I got into driving to do. I also need to have a crack at Canada and USA before I hang up the keys. Between the two of us, we will figure out how to make our life together work with it - she’s got her own dreams and must dos too. It could well turn out that I end up driving in the States for 18 months while she backpacks around the world, or something completely different!

[eagerbeaver]

slowlane:

eagerbeaver:
Some interesting replies so far…

I am basically bone idle and struggle to get my arse out of bed. 6am starts at my new job with an occasional 5am start which nearly shuts my body down

Money (obviously ) seems to be a key player so far in this thread, but location is popping up too. Seems like night work is far more popular than I thought Who knew?

Nights makes sense regarding money & traffic. You lads who are doing 5/3 then 5/2 or 4/4 shifts etc, did most of you choose this pattern or was that how the job came? Also, do your other halves accommodate their jobs around yours, or do you end up with 3 days in the middle of the week on your own, and what do you go and do (fishing/doing the house up etc) ?

I had the choice of M-F, 4/4 or 5/2-5/3 and chose the latter to get more time off as well as fancying working some weekends without spending longer at work. I started out on M-F and found that I felt like I was always working, 4/4 doesn’t appeal because of the sharing aspect and whilst my truck goes out without me on this shift, I’ve settled on an oppo who doesn’t smoke, doesn’t leave the drivers seat and always leaves her tank and strap lockers full. I’d prefer the truck to be mine, but I feel like I’ve got a good compromise situation.

Not having kids makes that side of things easy, and my partner and I seem to figure out how to make the odd schedule work for us. I quite like being home in the week to cook for her when she gets home, and since she does 38hrs a week for a decent chunk more than I earn, she gets home early anyway!

I’m so bone idle, my spirit animal surely is a cat, so most of my time off is spent fairly horizontal!

The biggest downside of this shift pattern is that I occasionally miss get togethers with friends, but for big ones I’ll take time off.

Once I’ve built up more experience, I’m going to turn my hand to Euro work - as that’s really what I got into driving to do. I also need to have a crack at Canada and USA before I hang up the keys. Between the two of us, we will figure out how to make our life together work with it - she’s got her own dreams and must dos too. It could well turn out that I end up driving in the States for 18 months while she backpacks around the world, or something completely different!

Thanks for that Slowlane

I just automatically assume that people have kids because I have them Interesting though mate, I admire you for being passionate about the job though.

[the_maoster]

nightline:
Looks like it’s all about the 20 quid for a days work that they are all interested in trampers
I suppose a 100 quid a week can make a huge difference to someone’s lifestyle I just don’t get it how someone could let themselves be treated like dirt for 20 quid and at the same time mind all the gear for that.
It must have been a hard life with whatever they were doing before that

You just luuuurve posts like this don’t you? . If nothing else it allows you to trot out your old and tired “■■■■ stained lay by, tin box, unpaid security guard” shizzle. I’m reminded of the fat guys in overstretched footy tops shouting obscenities at real football players about how the game should be played…

FYI I get £26 per night, I don’t use 2 gallons of petrol commuting, I’m in truth doing more hours than I’d be happy doing on day runs therefore increasing my earnings and my holiday pay average (for some bizarre reason) includes my expenses. So £20 per day? I think not.

[andrewg]

toonsy:

raymundo:

AndrewG:

raymundo:
I do every job I’m offered because expensive ex wives and bad financial decisions state that I must …

I have three of those expensive ex wife thingies. All long since paid off though. I do have another high maintenance one, shes worth it though…now wheres that ’ oh ffs pass the bucket’ smiley…

My present wife is 27 years younger than me and when we met and got together I thought it was my large thick ■■■■ or thick wallet that kept us together but after 21 years she is still here and I no longer have a thick wallet or a thick ■■■■, so is this love or now just a habit ■■?

Comfort and familiarity

I think that has a part to play along with trust. I used to be a roamer, now its just window shopping

[eagerbeaver]

Thanks for the replies all.

I find it quite fascinating how we all end up doing different roles and shifts on different wagons, and I am struggling to ascertain what ballpark percentage of drivers actually ENJOY their jobs.

Some seem to ’ fall ’ into lorry driving because they have the relevant licence(s), whereas others actively choose to be wagon drivers. It’s also interesting to hear that some drivers have had enough of chasing the money, and have decided that more home time is the way.

One thing that does strike me though (apart from Mrs B on a regular basis ), is that weekend work doesn’t score too well on the desirability scale

[andrewg]

the maoster:

nightline:
Looks like it’s all about the 20 quid for a days work that they are all interested in trampers
I suppose a 100 quid a week can make a huge difference to someone’s lifestyle I just don’t get it how someone could let themselves be treated like dirt for 20 quid and at the same time mind all the gear for that.
It must have been a hard life with whatever they were doing before that

You just luuuurve posts like this don’t you? . If nothing else it allows you to trot out your old and tired “■■■■ stained lay by, tin box, unpaid security guard” shizzle. I’m reminded of the fat guys in overstretched footy tops shouting obscenities at real football players about how the game should be played…

FYI I get £26 per night, I don’t use 2 gallons of petrol commuting, I’m in truth doing more hours than I’d be happy doing on day runs therefore increasing my earnings and my holiday pay average (for some bizarre reason) includes my expenses. So £20 per day? I think not.

^
This
Commuting to my yard 45mins each way plus 10eur in petrol would equate to an extra 7 and a half hrs and 50eur of fuel p/w. Its not the extra time i’d object to its the fuel bill. 83,350 eur last year in diesel would knock that up to 83,400eur…not on…5 nights out i’d rather do…

[harry_monk]

eagerbeaver:
Thanks for the replies all.

I find it quite fascinating how we all end up doing different roles and shifts on different wagons, and I am struggling to ascertain what ballpark percentage of drivers actually ENJOY their jobs.

Some seem to ’ fall ’ into lorry driving because they have the relevant licence(s), whereas others actively choose to be wagon drivers. It’s also interesting to hear that some drivers have had enough of chasing the money, and have decided that more home time is the way.

One thing that does strike me though (apart from Mrs B on a regular basis ), is that weekend work doesn’t score too well on the desirability scale

I used to love the job, driving all over Europe. It’s sad that Euro work has all but disappeared now. These days I just do the job as a means to an end, and I only work 6 months a year so I can tolerate it, I just count down the days until I can pack up for the Summer and go away cruising on my boat. My agency always struggle to cover weekend work, but these days Saturday and Sunday are no different to any other day of the week so I normally do a weekend shift whenever I can.

At £11.50 an hour basic I earn as much if not more for a 12 hour shift as I used to for a 15 hour shift followed by a night out. Go figure.

[raymundo]

Living the dream Harry, I envy you …

[trucken]

Mon to Fri tramping for me. Still enjoy the job. wouldn’t want to go back to day work going to the same 2 or 3 places every day. I feel hard done by if I go to the same county more than once in a week! Park up at night then go out and see the local area in the summer.

[david_h]

eagerbeaver:

David H:
Here’s one opinion on the subject…

transportoperator.co.uk/2016/12/ … d-species/

Just read this article David, thanks for the link. Makes interesting reading.

2% of the LGV driving community were born in 1990. A somewhat useless fact really, I would prefer to know for example ’ What % of drivers are under 30 ’ ?

Thanks for your encouraging comments. I’ll try and keep it short by saying the information contained in the posts is good discussion material among forum members but it’s unlikely to reveal anything that’s not known already. For my money the really interesting data lies with (mainly young) individuals who left the industry shortly after passing their test(s), due to poor or non-existent driver retention policies. You may well argue that this answer is already known too, but I’m yet to see anything official except the default long hours, low wages and poor conditions. If this statistic is true then we’re all sunk because these three canons just about sum up the job whether you work days, nights or go tramping lol!

[kjw21]

nightline:
Looks like it’s all about the 20 quid for a days work that they are all interested in trampers
I suppose a 100 quid a week can make a huge difference to someone’s lifestyle I just don’t get it how someone could let themselves be treated like dirt for 20 quid and at the same time mind all the gear for that.
It must have been a hard life with whatever they were doing before that

That’s a bit of a sweeping generalisation. No doubt true for some but certainly not all. I know this because I have worked for both but having grown a spine and having learnt by my mistake I don’t and wont work like that.

If being out overnight isn’t your thing - then fair play to you. You know what you are happy doing. I am (and others seem to be too) happy also. It’s just mine involves a job that involves being away for certain nights.

As for trampers being treated worse? In my experience not necessarily so.

Trampers offer a firm flexibility. In many cases that’s rewarded in other ways that aren’t financial - Job security (keep the flexible driver or the day man who must be back), variety of work, and yes in my case I’d just rather drive longer distances because basically I do this job because I like driving.

I realise I’m lucky in some respects - I’m treated well and paid well above the average (before nights out before you say) for the area in which I live. I do some odd early starts but that doesn’t really bother me. Maybe it should but it just doesn’t.

Basically in a nutshell - do what makes you happy and pays the bills. Your job might not suit me and visa versa.

[winseer]

I reckon Tramping Nights when you are pulling up around 4-5am for your nightly - is the best of all.

You’re paid the premium for nights.
You get to drive about when it’s quiet
You get to sleep in the layby all day long, whilst others are not using them to overnight themselves.
You get to sit out the rat race drive that is daytime runabout.

[robroy]

Told you before many times Beav… you day men are just playing at being Truckers.
Pretty much agree with what Maoster has already said, always just took for granted nights away are part and parcel of the job…end of.
Done it a long time now (since when it was good )
I tried a short period of day work but got bored ■■■■ less with it.

Night out money could be better, parking facilities could deffo be better, but I try and maintain a reasonable social life in the job on nights out, to compensate for the long hours.
Not talking getting ■■■■■■ either before the purists start , but also not talking sitting in the cab every night in a lay by like I’m on an endurance test impersonating a ■■■■ hermit.
I just laugh at the ‘‘sleeping in a tin box’’ comments by the usual crew,(my tin box is adequately equipped with home comforts btw) but I and many others just do not see it that way.

[captain_caveman_76]

eagerbeaver:
Thanks for the replies all.

I find it quite fascinating how we all end up doing different roles and shifts on different wagons, and I am struggling to ascertain what ballpark percentage of drivers actually ENJOY their jobs.

Some seem to ’ fall ’ into lorry driving because they have the relevant licence(s), whereas others actively choose to be wagon drivers. It’s also interesting to hear that some drivers have had enough of chasing the money, and have decided that more home time is the way.

One thing that does strike me though (apart from Mrs B on a regular basis ), is that weekend work doesn’t score too well on the desirability scale

For the record, I love my job. It’s the only real driving job I’ve had since passing my test in 2014, so there may well be better out there. Since I’m not in it for the money, I’m not going to jump ship for better pay, but I’ve always fancied being a proper trucker and going tramping!

Oh, forgot to say, I’d always wanted to drive lorries. After speaking to a couple of mates who were drivers, I got a proper picture of what was involved and took the jump. Wish I’d done it years ago.

[uktramp]

Always been tramping, days do not suit me, I don’t take well to nights either. Tried day work but couldn’t see the point of doing 12 to15 hr days, getting home late then getting up early to start all over again. Tramping is much easier, generally better money, I could not see myself been bothered with days or nights, tramping just suits me and my circumstances. I get better quality time at home rather than 7 days a week with the short hours before going to bed. The best shifts are what suits you, rather than for the money.

[adonis]

I do Europe, surprisingly enough that involves tramping. Sometimes as little as 12 days, sometimes 3 weeks, I love what I do and get paid very well for it. I could never match my wage doing day/shift work. Its not all about the wage though, 2 commutes a day sounds less enjoyable than setting fire to my ears.

I can’t see any positives to day/shift work and reading on here about what guys who do that work get up to makes me glad I don’t do it.

I’ve been away from home with more jobs than this one and it’s natural to me.

A.

[lancsdriver70]

It all depends on what suits you…and your own personal circumstances (marital status, family/single life, kids, hobbies etc).

Despite being 47yrs, I’ve only been driving for 4yrs, and only a Class 1 for 6 months now…so I’m relatively new to this. I’d previously
worked 8.30am - 5.00pm in a middle-of-the-road office job for 21 years, before being made redundant, and having to look for a new
career.

A lot of things in this industry have opened my eyes and surprised me, not least the unsociable hours that most drivers work, and the way that many Firms treat their drivers like naughty schoolkids…I was never treated so badly, or with such a lack of respect when
I worked in my office job!

I probably worked for around 20 Firms as an agency driver on the rigids for over 3 years before passing my Class 1 in May of this year.
All of my Class 2 agency gigs were dayshifts…starting anytime between 3.00am - 6.00am, and finishing anytime between 1.00pm (if
you were lucky) and 6.00pm.

I hated the early starts, and getting up at 2.00am or 3.00am for a 3.00am or 4.00am start is, to me, a horrible experience.
I would much rather work a nightshift, than have to go to bed at 7.30pm or 8.00pm to have to get up again at say 2.30am for a 3.30am start!!

Not to mention all of the moaning that I used to get from my wife, and sons about me “always waking them up in the middle of the night” …and “stopping them from getting a proper sleep”.

I’m now in my first permanent Class 1 job, working nights for a large retailer. I start at either 11.00pm or midnight, and usually finish
somewhere between 10.00am - 1.00pm. I enjoy working those hours, as traffic is very quiet going to work at that time, and there’s
never really any congestion travelling home at around lunchtime. The house is empty when I get home, allowing me to get a good sleep before the others get home from work/school. I get a couple of hours to catch up with my wife/sons in the evening, and go to the gym 9.00pm -10.00pm (when it’s quiet)…before heading off to work at around 10.30pm…just before the rest of the family
go to bed.

I work 4 nights on, 2 nights off, 4 nights on, 4 nights off on a rolling fortnightly rota. Suits me as I get 6 nights off every fortnight,
instead of the 4 nights off every fortnight that all the Mon-Fri nightmen get. One week I get thur/fri nights off, the next week I get
wed/thur/fri and sat nights off. Also means that I can go to the footy every Saturday afternoon

I’m not chasing money like many others are. I’m fortunate that my wife works full-time (earns around the same as me), 20 year old middle son works full-time and pays us £300 per month “board” and my youngest son is a teenager who is old enough to be left in
the house on his own for a few hours here and there if the rest of us are at work.

My eldest son who is 24 yrs, left home 3 yrs ago and he earns more than any of the rest of us, running his own plastering business!

Not working too many hours, and getting plenty of free time to be with family/friends and/or pursue hobbies/interests is far
more important to me than money.

Also, to me, working nights is far better than working so called dayshifts…where you have to start at 3.00am or 4.00am! …to
me, starting at 3.00am or 4.00am is not really a dayshift …as you have to get out of bed in the middle of the night, at say 2.00am
or 3.00am …IMHO if you have to get up at those times…you may as well work nights!

As for tramping, I’ve never done it, although I have had a handful of “unscheduled nights/days out” after reaching 15 hrs duty time.
I found parking up for 9 hours at a MSA or Truckstop a terrible experience, found it impossible to sleep for more than a couple of hours, obviously with it being an “unscheduled night out”, I had no pillow, duvet, change of clothes, toiletries or home comforts
…and hated every minute of it.

Those who do the tramping have my full respect, …though I will never know how you guys do it!

[lancsdriver70]

Sorry about the multiple posts…computer froze!!

[lancsdriver70]

[lancsdriver70]

Personally I’d much rather do a job that suits me and my lifestyle…than take a job that I hate, doesn’t suit me…but pays £50

• £100 a week more. The extra £50-£100 a week just isn’t worth the stress, inconvenience and misery IMHO.