eddie snax:
But i voted i love trucks & job, i’m not one of those who is jumping into the latest topline or globetrotter, no the money has got ot be there aswell,
yepp eddie, its a combination, however, if i was a lottery winner, id run a motor about for fun now & then, no way could i ever stop doing it forever, this last 15 months of illness has been ■■■■■■■ murder, and ive yet to get my hgv back!
sometimes the latest and greatest motors are not the most satisfying either, ive drove both topliner, and globe, but prefferred my sedd ack over the both of them, that ■■■■■■■ had a lot to do with it!
i can confirm mike that container transport is the most boon idle job known to man!
hard work was in a 6&2 gang on the hod, or down the pit on supplies to a head, we had to carry everything over 100yds, no railway lines after the turn to the face! maybe breakdown tyre fitting on trucks and jcb’s in winter, that was a mauler an all! all in all i have to agree with simon, drivings an easy job, thats why ive stuck it so long!
Can you imagine working in a factory and your meal break finishes and you think agh [zb] it and climb on the table and go to kip for an hour, can you imagine your factory bosses face he’d have a fit
Where as this job i have been asleep on lymm that long some days i have had to pay to get out
Then just rolled back in the yard rubbed my eyes and “[zb]ing grueler of a day that boss”
Anybody that thinks this job is hard is definately doing it wrong
damned right si, rule 1, know how to park up, any fool can cut the job up and make a rod for their own backs!
i did 6 months as the driver at a factory, ■■■■ that for game of soldiers! a buzzer tells you when to start, when to stop, theyre like ■■■■■■■ robots! needless to say i didnt fit in even slightly, the first breakfast break i took was 45 mins, they took 15 LOL!
It’s 3 years to the day since I officially retired. I say, officially, because the soandsos squeezed an extra couple of days out of me before I put my foot down, or rather, up .
But I still miss it, and would love to do the odd week now and again, because it is definitely the lifestyle that got me hooked.
Yes, I like a nice motor, big money, friendly boss, perks, but nothing compares to the freedom of the road on tramping.
Obviously not every job fitted this bill, but I answered according to the best that I have had.
And no. Not one of nature’s hardest lots. Even when handballing 20 tons of asphalt blocks stuck to each other and the floor in the middle of a frozen winter, or roping and sheeting with a 40 foot square 15 feet in the air in a howling gale blowing horizontal sleet, it is preferable than sitting in a nice warm office looking at the same wall, day in, day out.
i was working in a factory picking bloody dog food, when i got asked to do a 7.5 ton run.after that day i decided i ain’t [zb] loadig trucks anymore i want to drive them.
so off i went on the slippery slope to becoming a hgv driver, i do it for the job (money helps though), and your right its the easiest job in the world and iv’e handballed 8 ton of pet foods down cellers and upstairs, but your you’re own boss and if some goes back it goes back
Jonboy…I always though ‘The Home of Pedigree’ was about the beer not the “Chum”.
I can relate to your story though…When I ditched my A levels I got my first job working in a Plumbers Merchant, after about a week there I worked out that the lorry drivers had the best job…so I decided that was what I was gonna be.
Took me from that job at 17 til I was 23 to get there, via some van driving (for plumbers merchants again mainly).
My job now isn’t too different…just timber instead of plumbing stuff.
As regards sleeping on the job…that’s my only regret right now…I’ve got real cushy job with no pressure but it’s only a day cab…I just can’t get comfy for a kip.
I voted for “Love trucks and the job”. I’d had a hankering to drive wagons for years but a combination of low pay, no savings and married with 2 youngs kids put paid to that. It was only when I was made redundant from a factory job after 6 years that I used my redundancy pay to get my class1. Best thing I ever did What other job could give you such a diverse change of scenery from your “office/factory” window. Plus the job that I have now is the easiest and cleanest that I’ve ever had, there are obviously the occassional crap moments but every job has that, but the compensations far far out-weigh the downsides.
Spardo:
And no. Not one of nature’s hardest lots. Even when handballing 20 tons of asphalt blocks stuck to each other and the floor in the middle of a frozen winter, or roping and sheeting with a 40 foot square 15 feet in the air in a howling gale blowing horizontal sleet,
Salut, David.
you can mark me down for the above dave, except the handball was bricks for me and tiles, never dione blocks handball. oh the joys of a load 8 feet off the floorborads in a high wind!
but you have got to admit, that stuffs pretty raer now aint it, and the jobs mostly a piece of ■■■■ these days!
penfold:
What other job could give you such a diverse change of scenery from your “office/factory” window. Plus the job that I have now is the easiest and cleanest that I’ve ever had, there are obviously the occassional crap moments but every job has that, but the compensations far far out-weigh the downsides.
yepp the variety of scenery and all the things you might see when youre getting about can be great, thats why i hate trunking, especially night trunking.
Andyroo:
As regards sleeping on the job…that’s my only regret right now…I’ve got real cushy job with no pressure but it’s only a day cab…I just can’t get comfy for a kip.
andy, have you tried a couple of seat cushions off a old setee, they can do great things!
I was 11 when I came into this industry,and now at 41,I can say I’ve been in it man and boy.
However,the reason I still do it,is because I was stupid enough not to get a trade behind me,something which I now regret.
But in saying that,there are still times when I enjoy the job,but I don’t love it like I used to.Times to enjoy it are when it’s a nice sunny,warm day,and you know your not cooked up in an office,but when it’s persistently raining,or snowing and cold,that’s the time I don’t like it.
And,like probably everyone that is on this site,I’m sick to death of being treated like a second class citizen by joe public.When will they realise that without us,they can’t function,and when are we going to get proper facilities?
There are many positives and negatives to the job,and I think that the negatives have it,in my opinion,but without a trade,there’s not a lot else I can do.
Mike-C:
Jesus! I dread to think what other jobs you’ve done if driving a truck is easy.
jammymutt:
I also find it one of the easiest jobs i have ever had and i personally cant understand anyone saying its a hard job!!..
You have selectivley quoted my response. I did say it was demanding in various ways.
jammymutt:
I drive lorries solely bacause of the Yorkie advert in the late 70,s the guy influenced me a lot and i also had a friend of the family who used to visit us in his truck from England he was a bit of an idol in my past,
Well i can wholeheartedly agree with you there, English truckers are someone to look up to. Think of them as a standard to equall!!
jammymutt:
i have lately been getting a bit bored with the job as i am finding it a bit mundane to be honest and brain numbingly unchallenging.
Again i have to agree with you,some repetitive “shunting” or “regular run” type jobs are exactly that, very mundane. I think you might be better off to find something that pays better money and challenges you a bit? Just an idea!
jammymutt:
Finding something else with money as good is the hard part.
Well knock me down with a feather! I’m sure getting something better with better pay won’t be much of a problem to a person with your active brain power!
Mike-C:
Jesus! I dread to think what other jobs you’ve done if driving a truck is easy
You just have to find the right job then pace yourself and if it gets done it gets done if not theres always tomorrow
Oh and beleive me gefco think they are in control somedays they will put 17 - 18 drops on me so of i go do my 10 then bring the rest back they only pay 10 hours pay so they only get 8 hours work
simon
That is my work ethic too! I just need to work on getting them round to my way of thinking regarding start times !!!
knew i could depend on you for the star answer! 
OK,the Money coould be better 