50k is the new 40

[henrys_cat]

DCPCFML:

beefy4605:
MONEY MONEY MONEY
why do so many only look at the top line ?

Because drivers who have their head screwed on right and aren’t just doing it to “live the dream”, they go to work to live, not the other way round. If I can earn more money in a shorter period of time to allow me more free time to do the stuff I want to do in my lifetime then that’s what I’ll do. Earning £500 a week sleeping in a tin box all week in some ■■■■-ridden layby Living The Dream is not my idea of a life. Clearly it is for a lot of drivers as that’s what they do while their missus is getting cucked by their neighbour/best mate.

But how many drivers will actually do that and not milk it for the hours at the bigger rate■■? Answer, the vast majority will and still be moaning at the 60-70 hours/week that they’re doing.

What I’d like is a job where I earn what I do now for a 40 hour week not a 60 hour week, but that isn’t an option as I want full time not agency and none around here are offering that i.e £700/week take home for 40 hours.

You may class some of what beefy put at irrelevant, but is it really? Do you really want to work for a spy in the cab firm for the little extra? I like where I am, we have decent kit, a owner and staff that respect us and leave us to get the job done, start and end times left up to us just given the work for the day and left to get it done, paid a decent wage for the area, parking paid if we choose to use it (personally prefer the places I’ve used for years). Some have left recently, tempted by the bigger wages elsewhere, but found its not as good as they thought. Have done the same in the past but am now at a stage where I look at the bigger picture not just the wage, I can happily live on what I earn and have a pretty good work life balance now. Been there chasing the money and ended up making myself ill over it, not going there again.

[dcpcfml]

Henrys cat:

DCPCFML:

beefy4605:
MONEY MONEY MONEY
why do so many only look at the top line ?

Because drivers who have their head screwed on right and aren’t just doing it to “live the dream”, they go to work to live, not the other way round. If I can earn more money in a shorter period of time to allow me more free time to do the stuff I want to do in my lifetime then that’s what I’ll do. Earning £500 a week sleeping in a tin box all week in some ■■■■-ridden layby Living The Dream is not my idea of a life. Clearly it is for a lot of drivers as that’s what they do while their missus is getting cucked by their neighbour/best mate.

But how many drivers will actually do that and not milk it for the hours at the bigger rate■■? Answer, the vast majority will and still be moaning at the 60-70 hours/week that they’re doing.

What I’d like is a job where I earn what I do now for a 40 hour week not a 60 hour week, but that isn’t an option as I want full time not agency and none around here are offering that i.e £700/week take home for 40 hours.

You may class some of what beefy put at irrelevant, but is it really? Do you really want to work for a spy in the cab firm for the little extra? I like where I am, we have decent kit, a owner and staff that respect us and leave us to get the job done, start and end times left up to us just given the work for the day and left to get it done, paid a decent wage for the area, parking paid if we choose to use it (personally prefer the places I’ve used for years). Some have left recently, tempted by the bigger wages elsewhere, but found its not as good as they thought. Have done the same in the past but am now at a stage where I look at the bigger picture not just the wage, I can happily live on what I earn and have a pretty good work life balance now. Been there chasing the money and ended up making myself ill over it, not going there again.

There’s plenty of good-paying work out there but the trampers have been conditioned into believing that 70 hours a week living like a tramp in a tin box is the norm so their arse falls out the moment they try something that isn’t tramping, even when they can earn nearly double in half the time.

The truth of the matter is that for the 1 or 2 who regularly like to complain on here about the hours they do and how it should be less hours for the same or better money, there’s another 10 who are happy doing 70 hours for £500 in the bank so long as they have their ““own”” truck as they are Living The Dream.

The argument over it being full-time perm is just a faux security blanket. The company could go under, be taken over or they find some way to get rid of you if they want you out. It’s just an illusion. In the current climate it makes no sense to even work full-time perm when you could be doing 3 shifts per day on agency. I know plenty of drivers with sizeable monthly outgoings who have made a career out of solely doing agency driving and none of them have ever had a problem sourcing work even in the quiet periods. If you’re a decent driver, good ‘can-do’ attitude and talk to the transport office staff right, your phone will never stop ringing with work as the bar is set so low due to the other 90% of agency drivers all being useless.

Even round here I know loads of trampers on for Viamaster, Longs, Gregorys, Turners on £9.50 to about £11/hr working 70 hours a week for their £500 when they could be doing Royal Mail, XPO, DHL for £18-22/hr. They are always the ones complaining about the job is [zb]ed, too many hours, crap money, no facilities . The place I drive for in Wakefield has just put the money up again as drivers were on about leaving for better money and it was already decent before. Now it’s £140 per shift and regularly done in 7 hours if it’s just a run to Ashby. Always finished within 8 hours. The hardest part is putting a padlock on the trailer door.
Earning in 35 hours what trampers are doing 70 hours for, but it falls on deaf ears and they keep bleating on about “too many hours, crap money, no facilities”.

[beefy4605]

Henrys cat:

DCPCFML:

beefy4605:
MONEY MONEY MONEY
why do so many only look at the top line ?

Because drivers who have their head screwed on right and aren’t just doing it to “live the dream”, they go to work to live, not the other way round. If I can earn more money in a shorter period of time to allow me more free time to do the stuff I want to do in my lifetime then that’s what I’ll do. Earning £500 a week sleeping in a tin box all week in some ■■■■-ridden layby Living The Dream is not my idea of a life. Clearly it is for a lot of drivers as that’s what they do while their missus is getting cucked by their neighbour/best mate.

But how many drivers will actually do that and not milk it for the hours at the bigger rate■■? Answer, the vast majority will and still be moaning at the 60-70 hours/week that they’re doing.

What I’d like is a job where I earn what I do now for a 40 hour week not a 60 hour week, but that isn’t an option as I want full time not agency and none around here are offering that i.e £700/week take home for 40 hours.

You may class some of what beefy put at irrelevant, but is it really? Do you really want to work for a spy in the cab firm for the little extra? I like where I am, we have decent kit, a owner and staff that respect us and leave us to get the job done, start and end times left up to us just given the work for the day and left to get it done, paid a decent wage for the area, parking paid if we choose to use it (personally prefer the places I’ve used for years). Some have left recently, tempted by the bigger wages elsewhere, but found its not as good as they thought. Have done the same in the past but am now at a stage where I look at the bigger picture not just the wage, I can happily live on what I earn and have a pretty good work life balance now. Been there chasing the money and ended up making myself ill over it, not going there again.

At least somebody gets what I’m trying to say - sounds like you work in the same sort of place I do .

[dcpcfml]

If you’re prepared to work for peanuts because doing a bit of graft is too hard for you, don’t come bleating about poor pay. The money is out there. Either go get it and be prepared to get a light sweat on/boots muddy, or stay where you are and STFU whining.

[henrys_cat]

DCPCFML:
If you’re prepared to work for peanuts because doing a bit of graft is too hard for you, don’t come bleating about poor pay. The money is out there. Either go get it and be prepared to get a light sweat on/boots muddy, or stay where you are and STFU whining.

Neither of us have bleated about poor pay, much the opposite in fact, I’m happy with my pay and very happy with where I work. Over the years I’ve worked in most sectors and for most sized companies small to large, so do have a fair idea of what’s out there. Agency doesn’t suit me in the same way as tramping doesn’t suit yourself, and most current permanent jobs want the long hours. As for a light sweat and mud on my boots, get that most days and its a ■■■■ site more than mud some days.

My goat is that there’s a lot more to the supposed driver shortage than just the pay, yet that’s all we bloody hear. To make the job more attractive the whole industry needs to change not just the pay rate, but the total shift and weekly hours for a start.

[beefy4605]

DCPCFML:
If you’re prepared to work for peanuts because doing a bit of graft is too hard for you, don’t come bleating about poor pay. The money is out there. Either go get it and be prepared to get a light sweat on/boots muddy, or stay where you are and STFU whining.

I have a good job , the works easy and the money is good . You’d hate it because every now and again you have to think for yourself . Well above average pay and conditions for whats on offer for the area and I have an excellent standard of living and disposable income .
Are you seriuosly telling me that using the example in my first post you would jump ship for another £30 a week knowing youd be doing a lot more hours for it ?

[beefy4605]

Flat trailers - no shortage of hard work here mate if you are able .
can add pics of the tankers , curtains and fridges if you want .

[dcpcfml]

beefy4605:

DCPCFML:
If you’re prepared to work for peanuts because doing a bit of graft is too hard for you, don’t come bleating about poor pay. The money is out there. Either go get it and be prepared to get a light sweat on/boots muddy, or stay where you are and STFU whining.

I have a good job , the works easy and the money is good . You’d hate it because every now and again you have to think for yourself . Well above average pay and conditions for whats on offer for the area and I have an excellent standard of living and disposable income .
Are you seriuosly telling me that using the example in my first post you would jump ship for another £30 a week knowing youd be doing a lot more hours for it ?

We’re not talking about the hours, we’re talking about the rates. If the rate is the same then the hours don’t matter as you’re no better off, you’re just working longer. If the hours remain the same but the pay increases, or the pay stays the same but the hours reduce, then yes, I would be looking to work for them after weighing up other factors.

[wheelsofcardiff]

Driving jobs are a personal choice.Life is not only about money all the time.Tramping and day jobs are a preference .I like a job where i can get on with it without anyone telling me how to do my job.Where i work i rarely see the office people.I only see them when i am going on holiday.As for those other jobs i dont want a job were i race the clock.Look at the pallet drivers they drive like the pallet has to be there yesterday.Look at Maritime drivers limited to 52 mph they trundle along with no hassle.

[beefy4605]

DCPCFML:

beefy4605:

DCPCFML:
If you’re prepared to work for peanuts because doing a bit of graft is too hard for you, don’t come bleating about poor pay. The money is out there. Either go get it and be prepared to get a light sweat on/boots muddy, or stay where you are and STFU whining.

I have a good job , the works easy and the money is good . You’d hate it because every now and again you have to think for yourself . Well above average pay and conditions for whats on offer for the area and I have an excellent standard of living and disposable income .
Are you seriuosly telling me that using the example in my first post you would jump ship for another £30 a week knowing youd be doing a lot more hours for it ?

We’re not talking about the hours, we’re talking about the rates. If the rate is the same then the hours don’t matter as you’re no better off, you’re just working longer. If the hours remain the same but the pay increases, or the pay stays the same but the hours reduce, then yes, I would be looking to work for them after weighing up other factors.

the rates are as good as whats available in the area -this is what I’m trying to tell you - guys are leaving to work more hours at a poorer rate so they have more in their pocket at the end of the week - a quick and easy way to a burn out .

[rjan]

Conor:

ETS:
…

You’re imagining things. £40k is over 30% more than the national average wage. In my town the only people getting paid £40k who don’t own the business or are partners in it are managers of the bigger businesses/public sector and car salesmen and lorry drivers. And whilst yes we may do a lot more hours remember this is a job where the entry level is almost at zero, effectively if you’ve a pulse and can manage to pass a driving test you can go earn £40k even if you can’t add 2+2.

I shouldn’t think driving has the status of being a managing director, or even a car salesman.

A real barrier to entry is the absurd working hours. There must be a willingness to give up normal life completely and live almost exclusively on the road for these sorts of earnings. And to boot, you will sleep when the employer tells you, not on any sort of pattern or when your body tells you.

And what really keeps the pay up at ankle height rather than rock bottom, is not the difficulty of learning or operating the job in principle, but doing it consistently and responsibly under the overall conditions.

[ets]

Rjan:
A real barrier to entry is the absurd working hours. There must be a willingness to give up normal life completely and live almost exclusively on the road for these sorts of earnings. And to boot, you will sleep when the employer tells you, not on any sort of pattern or when your body tells you.

And what really keeps the pay up at ankle height rather than rock bottom, is not the difficulty of learning or operating the job in principle, but doing it consistently and responsibly under the overall conditions.

This - so much this! I can’t imagine myself at 18-20 or any 18-20 years old thinking ‘‘What do I want to do with my life? I know - I want to drive trucks for 60 hours a week because it pays 20-30% more than any starting position in an office, yey!’’