truckyboy:
ROBROY…now i have a brilliant idea you may be interested in, you see, being in the know, i know of a mail train that runs through buckinghamshire, and i have a mate who knows about train signals, i`ll tell ya later about my plan, dont want too many people to know about it…nudge nudge…wink wink.
I know how to drive a train… done hours on Microsoft Train Simulator 
I’m in if ya need me
nick2008:
truckyboy:
ROBROY…now i have a brilliant idea you may be interested in, you see, being in the know, i know of a mail train that runs through buckinghamshire, and i have a mate who knows about train signals, i`ll tell ya later about my plan, dont want too many people to know about it…nudge nudge…wink wink.I know how to drive a train… done hours on Microsoft Train Simulator
I know the local area (if you need a guide) wink wink !
It’s usually the same people moaning about the same old [zb].
I love driving lorries. I’m not suited to daytime or nightime trunking, I don’t do agency work, and i certainly don’t work for hourly pay. When things go wrong (and they often do) i deal with it. The boss has phoned me in the past to check i’m not dead. I don’t phone in several times a day asking him to deal with something i can deal with myself.
I started off at 11 years of age as a Saturday boy in the local bakery, and now at the age of 49, I’ve had enough.
As has been said, gaffers and office bods that knew the job inside out, have been replaced by college whizzkids with the, ‘But the computer says it can be done’ mentality, who forget, I can do their job, but without a licence they can’t do mine. Small family companies have been replaced also by big organisations that wouldn’t know who you were, even if you had 30 years service in with them, a general public that hates us, but wants everything that we bring like yesterday, digicards, trackers, cameras, trucks that have taken away the real driving from the driver, (But are in reality nice and comfortable.) now your just a steering wheel attendant. I could go on.
Like most, I have been there, seen it, and had the t-shirt. I’ve done just about everything that the job could throw at me, and sometimes more, but the industry is totally foobarred, and is a far cry from when I started all those years ago.
To put it in the phrase of Private Frazer from Dads Army, ‘We’re doomed.’
The industry that I grew up with and loved all those years ago, is changing, and not for the better, and the sooner I can get out and do something that will give me a social life now the kids have grown up, the better.
Ken.
Firstly … It’s a sign of inflation when ‘A penny for your thoughts’ becomes 10p for them 
The one and only reason I stay in this job is because it’s a money trap, no way I could get a job in this country and earn the amount of money I make in a different line of work. My company pay’s far more than other US companies and as a driver/supervisor I get a bit more than the other drivers. I would love a desk job or even sales work, but I tried car sales and as such sales in the UK are commision only it’s very risky to try, did it once and lost out big time.
Now back to the start ! … 10p is about 17 cents at todays exchange rate, I will expect a cheque in the mail
The ones who moan about the job are most likely to be those who’ve never had to get up on a Monday morning for another 40 hour week plus overtime working inside in a factory etc in which every grinding monotonous hour seems to be like at least two.
truckyboy:
ROBROY…now i have a brilliant idea you may be interested in, you see, being in the know, i know of a mail train that runs through buckinghamshire, and i have a mate who knows about train signals, i`ll tell ya later about my plan, dont want too many people to know about it…nudge nudge…wink wink.
Hey yeh I’m in, I’ll bring a mate, he’s got some Army surplus uniforms, ok he’s a bit too eager with a cosh, but I’ll have a word…, and I know of a farm nearby where we can hide out until the heat is off.
It sounds like a goer, what could go wrong ! 
robroy:
truckyboy:
ROBROY…now i have a brilliant idea you may be interested in, you see, being in the know, i know of a mail train that runs through buckinghamshire, and i have a mate who knows about train signals, i`ll tell ya later about my plan, dont want too many people to know about it…nudge nudge…wink wink.Hey yeh I’m in, I’ll bring a mate, he’s got some Army surplus uniforms, ok he’s a bit too eager with a cosh, but I’ll have a word…, and I know of a farm nearby where we can hide out until the heat is off.
It sounds like a goer, what could go wrong !
I can lay my hands on some ex military vehicles and some yellow paint. That any good to you?
Carryfast:
The ones who moan about the job are most likely to be those who’ve never had to get up on a Monday morning for another 40 hour week plus overtime working inside in a factory etc in which every grinding monotonous hour seems to be like at least two.
Been there done that, wore the T-Shirt, threw it away and swore I’d never wear it again. And I won’t. Gimme 12 hours in a truck over 8 in a factory any day. I’m an avid clock watcher. In factories anyway.
I was contacted about a factory job offering £50k a few weeks ago but I know I’d hate it and it wouldn’t be enough. I worked for an Aerospace company doing 3x12s over the weekend for £40k and it still drove me insane. You can’t sell your sanity.
I must be one of the few who is actually happy with their job. I can do as little or as many hours as I like. Subject to a minimum basic week obviously. Did 55 hours last week, took home £512. And 17 of those hours were on break.
Happy days 
Quinny:
I started off at 11 years of age as a Saturday boy in the local bakery, and now at the age of 49, I’ve had enough.As has been said, gaffers and office bods that knew the job inside out, have been replaced by college whizzkids with the, ‘But the computer says it can be done’ mentality, who forget, I can do their job, but without a licence they can’t do mine. Small family companies have been replaced also by big organisations that wouldn’t know who you were, even if you had 30 years service in with them, a general public that hates us, but wants everything that we bring like yesterday, digicards, trackers, cameras, trucks that have taken away the real driving from the driver, (But are in reality nice and comfortable.) now your just a steering wheel attendant. I could go on.
Like most, I have been there, seen it, and had the t-shirt. I’ve done just about everything that the job could throw at me, and sometimes more, but the industry is totally foobarred, and is a far cry from when I started all those years ago.
To put it in the phrase of Private Frazer from Dads Army, ‘We’re doomed.’
The industry that I grew up with and loved all those years ago, is changing, and not for the better, and the sooner I can get out and do something that will give me a social life now the kids have grown up, the better.
Ken.
so so true i am pleased someone put it down better than i could!
but aged 48 i jacked it in after 27yrs driving and came to rural Canada and to be honest it was like taken20yrs off and back to the early 80s .wi unlimited trucks ,logbooks and a bit o lea way from the authorities (well not the yanks) and even though H&S is steaming full speed ahead, in my opinion brought in by euro immigrants to the multi nationals…things are much better over in the frozen north, hell i dont even need a logbook if i run local ish 
jimmy
I got talked into this job a few months ago.
I past the old class 3 in the army in the late 80’s the then girlfriend (now ex wife) talked me into coming home so I got a job on the buses in 87 did driving there for 17 years and really did love the first 8 or 9 years then it got silly with rules mainly from the office, the same thing as wagons, graduates knowing more about life than those in the industry (I understand its turned around a bit now in that company) I was in the office for the same company for another 6 or 7 years and I liked it but it was so boring, I was made redundant in 2010 I could have gone back driving but it was not an option for me to drive buses again so took a very generous payout.
Did a few jobs and 18 months ago started as a labourer in a warehouse looking after hundreds of forklift trucks, the boss knew I had a dormant class 2 and was nagging me for about 8 months to get my over the hill (45 ) medical. I did and miraculously a 26t beaver tail appeared in the yard, the cynical would say he had this planned
A wage rise, lots more hours and a learning curve steeper than an MP’s wage rise and I was away and loving every minute of it.
Though I have been seconded back to the warehouse the last week or so as its a bleedin disaster area since I left and needed sorting, but busy times a week into January I will get the wagon out of storage
But yes the rules are restrictively tight but I knew what I was getting into and accept it, would I go full CE, still undecided, may sometime in the new year take a lesson and see if its for me, I would be tempted by Tramping but I do like the variety of customers and locations I deliver/pick up trucks to now.
Short and tall I knew the score and said yes
Thats gotta be worth a quid
My pre decimal two bobs worth to answer the original question would be:
I guess it’s down to the difference between lorry drivers and those who drive lorries for a living. The job never has been, never will be, comparable to an office or factory based job.
There are no regular hours.
You can never plan a social live.
The hours are long and the pay can be poor (but not always)
As a driver you will never see the full picture.
Transport planners, mechanics and drivers all need to work together, get used to it, without one the other two cannot operate.
and finally, with apologies to our armed forces; If you can’t take a joke you shouldn’t have joined.
Well I enjoy my job, mainly I empty ■■■ out of peoples septic tanks, I drive no more than 45 miles at anyone time, sometimes my jobs are only a mile or 2 away, I have to wash my truck off every night, every morning I’m proud as punch to drive my clean truck down the road.
Occasssionally I go drive for an agency an odd Saturday night, It gives me the opportunity to drive class 1 keeps my hand in and also get to try all these stupid gearbox’s.
I’ve had my class 1 27 years I’ve done a bit of all sorts, steel, grain, scrap, milk tanker, ■■■ tanker, aggregate.
Trying to think hard has there been a job I hated = probably not.
As for TM’s when they ring I pull over at the first available point and call them back explaining that I was driving but pulled over as soon as possible, funny when they ask how I’m getting on I reply saying well I’d be 5 minutes further down the road had you not called, I usually give them an exact grid reference off my gps, little things make me laugh.
I own my own truck now so it’s a bit different, hopefully in 2014 I will employ a driver, If he or she moans & groans I will suggest they go find a different job.
Answer a question for me please, as and when we need a driver they will only need to work 8am - 5/6pm Mon-Fri
What hourly rate would keep a driver happy & keep him/her in their job for evermore.
Given the nature of the work I think you’d only get “proper” drivers applying as the steering wheel attendants wouldn’t hack it. I’m assuming rural roads, dirtyish work etc
I’ve never done septic tanks but I have done bulk slurry and spread all kinds of muck from cow to human.
Don’t take this wrong. You know what the jobs worth and you know what there is to pay a driver so my advice would be pay more rather than skimping to save a few quid and you’ll more than likely be rewarded by a safe pair of hands and you’ll end up without the damage.
I’ve had one accident since passing my test and consider myself a safe pair if hands and I’d sooner do the type of work you’re on than RDC lorry in gear brain in neutral ■■■■■■
Tipper Tom:
Given the nature of the work I think you’d only get “proper” drivers applying as the steering wheel attendants wouldn’t hack it. I’m assuming rural roads, dirtyish work etcI’ve never done septic tanks but I have done bulk slurry and spread all kinds of muck from cow to human.
Don’t take this wrong. You know what the jobs worth and you know what there is to pay a driver so my advice would be pay more rather than skimping to save a few quid and you’ll more than likely be rewarded by a safe pair of hands and you’ll end up without the damage.
I’ve had one accident since passing my test and consider myself a safe pair if hands and I’d sooner do the type of work you’re on than RDC lorry in gear brain in neutral [zb].
It’s not dirty, if you get dirty your doing it wrong, I’ve had one accident at 0 mph complete write off, I was reading the paper.
If your on with RDC I’m guessing your too far north for us. we were thinking £450 a week 45 hrs ish extra if they get called out, which is pretty rare.
The only nights out are Fridays after work.
Another company down the road pays £7.50 an hour mainly contracted to the water company so 60 - 70 hours a week
no tacho’s they are on log book
I’m not on RDC I’m on fridges out of Sparkford in Somerset.
I wasn’t offering my services 
I was simply offering an answer to your question.
10 quid an hour sounds decent enough if your comparison is accurate
wildfire:
while enjoying a nice break and vegetating on the sofa over Christmas and reading through the posts on here, I was wondering why some of you guys actually get up in the morning and go to work driving trucks/van or what ever.
All I read is the wages are not good enough, we are expected to work to long, my boss doesn’t understand me ect ect ect.now I have been in this game for 20 yrs and yes the wages could/should be better, but I knew what I was getting into when I started but I love the job for all its down sides, its the only job I enjoy getting up for and I have done quite a few through the years, from laying tarmac to driving plant and working the spanners(fully qualified 5 yrs apprenticeship)
so why do the guys that moan do it? is it that they came into this game thinking that they were going to get rich!! is it that they haven’t got the confidence or self belief that they can look for some thing else, or just stuck there and not able to see any light at the end of their ever lengthening tunnel, just a thought!!!
go on then what are your thought then■■? should be interesting
Why do we moan,well we’re not stupid,if enough of us moan too the right people eventually they take notiice( it’s not good when you’ve a very un- happy work force), so they then decide to move the root of the problem sideways.
Were quite a intelligent( devious) bunch us drivers ,we’ve had years at this game and know how to get our way bit of moaning,by enough,gets noticed
Hopefully whoever takes his job,will have learnt a lesson here,take on a workforce and you’ll loose play by our rules and you’ll be fine 
martinviking:
nick2008:
truckyboy:
ROBROY…now i have a brilliant idea you may be interested in, you see, being in the know, i know of a mail train that runs through buckinghamshire, and i have a mate who knows about train signals, i`ll tell ya later about my plan, dont want too many people to know about it…nudge nudge…wink wink.I know how to drive a train… done hours on Microsoft Train Simulator
I know the local area (if you need a guide) wink wink !
I can get you cheap flights to Brazil.
I’ve been getting back into it after 10 years away and boy did I miss it.
Maybe its the moments of solitude and freedom of the open road that do it or just maybe I love driving a big truck (probably compensating for something).
Now I’m back driving I’m missing night outs as well.
Wages are always important but theres something about getting the load from A to B with the minimum of fuss that gives its own satisfaction.
The other day (well boxing day but don’t jump on me for working it) I had a pallet leaning badly and the forkies refused to take it off till it was put right so pulled off the bay, grabbed an empty pallet and split it down, no bother no fuss and worked off a few Christmas day calories as well.
The goods in staff who asked me do it was very nervous about the request, but a simple ‘no probs’ and a ‘thank you’ from them afterwards was enough. Oh and the extra 30 minutes pay helped as well.
Job satisfaction complete - no drama , no arguments and relaxed cruise home after.
10p for my thoughts? It should be more than that. This industry’s really gone downhill. Etc. etc.