Hi everyone ,
I’m currently a class 2 drover earning £22500 and I’m thinking of leaving my job.
I’ve seen that £30k-£35k seems to be average for class 2 and £40k - £50k is the average for class 1
I’m thinking of doing my class 1 but just wanted to make sure it’s actually worth doing.
Any advise and insight would be much appreciated.
Even if the money wasn’t any more the type of work is much better and makes it worthwhile doing just for that.
If I was on £22,500 I wouldn’t need to think too long about it. 
As Conor says Class 1 work is a lot less of a ballache.
Probably a good time to make the transition, you will at least get a job out of it now which would have been difficult to land in the past. Youre problem now is actually getting the lessons and test
Is there class1 work that doesnt involve leaving home on a monday morning and not getting home on the friday evening?
Im more than happy to do the odd night out but days away from home would be a deal breaker.
Rich T:
Is there class1 work that doesnt involve leaving home on a monday morning and not getting home on the friday evening?
Im more than happy to do the odd night out but days away from home would be a deal breaker.
Yes, plenty. I did nights out for 30 years but decided to stop doing them about five years ago and since then I’ve done two, purely as a favour to a firm I was on for through the agency because they treated me decently, but I could have said “No” if I’d wanted to.
In the job I did last Winter (I only work 6 months a year) I used to start at 06:00, and generally finish around 16:00, sometimes an hour or two later, sometimes an hour or two earlier. You’ve just got to look for that type of job from the outset.
Harry Monk:
Rich T:
Is there class1 work that doesnt involve leaving home on a monday morning and not getting home on the friday evening?
Im more than happy to do the odd night out but days away from home would be a deal breaker.Yes, plenty. I did nights out for 30 years but decided to stop doing them about five years ago and since then I’ve done two, purely as a favour to a firm I was on for through the agency because they treated me decently, but I could have said “No” if I’d wanted to.
In the job I did last Winter (I only work 6 months a year) I used to start at 06:00, and generally finish around 16:00, sometimes an hour or two later, sometimes an hour or two earlier. You’ve just got to look for that type of job from the outset.
Thanks, thats good to know.
Im in no major rush to go class1 but do want to do it eventually.
I’ll wait untill the current back log has settled down 1st.
Thanks again.
Rich
Rich T:
Im in no major rush to go class1 but do want to do it eventually.
I’ll wait untill the current back log has settled down 1st.
Most ridiculous thing I have heard!!! 
Yorkshire Tramper:
Rich T:
Im in no major rush to go class1 but do want to do it eventually.
I’ll wait untill the current back log has settled down 1st.Most ridiculous thing I have heard!!!
yep i would say get it done asap
Ready for the silly season kicking off leading upto Xmas
who knows what the agencies are going be paying to get arses on seats
Yorkshire Tramper:
Rich T:
Im in no major rush to go class1 but do want to do it eventually.
I’ll wait untill the current back log has settled down 1st.Most ridiculous thing I have heard!!!
Why?
Im happy where i am for now.
Decent pay, decent boss and decent hours.
Just want to advance to class1 in my own time.
Rich T:
Why?
Im happy where i am for now.
Decent pay, decent boss and decent hours.
Just want to advance to class1 in my own time.
So why bother asking for advice if you already know what you’re doing and happy? A bit silly to say that you will wait until the backlog dies down. Who would do that when you have seen the type of wages on offer at the moment…Then wait until you are not in demand.
Yorkshire Tramper:
Rich T:
Why?
Im happy where i am for now.
Decent pay, decent boss and decent hours.
Just want to advance to class1 in my own time.So why bother asking for advice if you already know what you’re doing and happy? A bit silly to say that you will wait until the backlog dies down. Who would do that when you have seen the type of wages on offer at the moment…Then wait until you are not in demand.
I am happy with what im doing.
But interested in advancing to class1. My issue was/is spending half my life sleeping in a truck.
Im thinking long term and not about the great gold rush of winter 2021.
Dont concern yourself with my finances.
Im doing fine thanks.
Rich T:
I am happy with what im doing.
But interested in advancing to class1. My issue was/is spending half my life sleeping in a truck.
Im thinking long term and not about the great gold rush of winter 2021.Dont concern yourself with my finances.
Im doing fine thanks.
No problem buddy, got to be honest, not really that interested in you’re finances. Just find it odd asking for advice on becoming a class 1 driver and then saying you’re in no rush. But anyway regardless,some tips for you, You do not have to sleep half of you’re life in a truck, you can do day work or shunting work or trunking. Scope is quite vast without having to tramp if you don’t want to do that.
jcole2696:
Hi everyone ,I’m currently a class 2 drover earning £22500 and I’m thinking of leaving my job.
I’ve seen that £30k-£35k seems to be average for class 2 and £40k - £50k is the average for class 1
I’m thinking of doing my class 1 but just wanted to make sure it’s actually worth doing.
Any advise and insight would be much appreciated.
You’re obviously not in Scotland then. No driver shortage up here, because “£40k - £50k” average for class 1 is complete fantasy up here. I just read on another thread that class 1 drivers at Mitchells in Grangemouth are on £9.65 per hour. I know that A.D. Logistics in Linwood are paying £9.90 per hour for class 1. W.H. Malcolm next door are paying slightly more but not much. I applied for a class 1 job today, £10.50 per hour but have since decided it’s not for me. I would take your average figures with a massive pinch of salt. How many hours are people working for that sort of money? Does it include night out money? Does it include unachievable bonuses?
A quick play with the calculator tells me that if you work 60 hours per week, every week for 52 weeks of the year, at £15 per hour, you will get about £45k…