Done 3 nights night trunking and on it all next week and I thought I wouldn’t enjoy it but I am pleasantly surprised that I am actually enjoying it 
■■■■ easy run TBH just run down to the pallet network hub in Minworth with the decker tip then reload then back up to Barnsley in time for our rigids to deliver around Doncaster.
It’s a real eye opener watching the forkies shoot around like the Red Arrows all over the shop down at the hub it’s non stop, I wouldn’t like to guess how many pallets they load a night down there.
The only trouble I find you regular night trunkers have to contend with are the road/motorway closures for roadworks, It’s been ok for me as there are roadworks form junction 28 all the way up to the M1/M18 split but it’s not closed. I cant belive the amount of car drivers I have seen coming up to the sections where 3 lanes become 1 still in lane 3 then taking evasive action at the last second so they don’t end up in the roadworks 
Them big yellow signs showing 2 lanes closed every 200 yards, 800 yards from the start are a big giveaway are they not? 
Also was stuck behind a car doing between 30-35 mph for about 3 mile through the roadworks just because they didn’t know where the exit slip road started because the cones were out, they must move the exit another 200 yards up the road
Them lads that work the motorways at night get my upmost respect putting their lives in other peoples hands sometimes working a ■■■ papers width away from the flow of traffic. Anyway I cant wait to get back to the tramping but this night trunking has been a nice change and it’s nice to be back behind the wheel
Why do car drivers wait until the last five metres of lane three shut then barge in.
They never filter in to lane two and like you said there is plenty of warnings in advance.
Sometimes i will straddle lane two and three to block the numpties that can not be patient.
Staff on nights seem more pleasant than day staff.
There is a nice smell at night.The sun coming up is not bad.
Lol Red Arrows that’s a good one it’s like controlled chaos 
last minute drivers Suicide Jockeys
and some of the Cone throwers are unpredictable in that they will just walk out round the cone in the live lane 
mind it keeps you on your toes 
Shut roads helps your knowledge of alternative routes that others wont ever know …
yep you cant beat nights been doing them for donkey’s along with the odd job on days but always wonder back to nights…
Good to see your enjoying it fella.
Shhhhh! Night trunking is one of the best kept secrets of the driving world! It’s the easiest job going, other than the road closures. I wouldn’t do anything else now, after five years of night work.
I thought I would give you night trunkers a laugh I have done night trunk on many occasions over the 50years I done on the road finished 18months ago at 70 years of age anyway about ten years ago I did some work for a guy doing night trunk from TNT dee side to the hub at Atherstone super job anyway one night he asked me to do a job for his brother from Deeside to the Scottish Borders and return set off no problem up M6 come of at Carlisle jct 44 after about 3miles road closed follow detour I kept going no end of detour signs nothing it was snowing ,it got narrower pitch black could not turn round no signs any way I ended up going through a national park I was sobbing at this point came to a narrow bridge I thought should clear this bang took a trailer wing off climbed out in bitter cold and snowy night chucked wing into the back of trailer the vehicle just about kept going in the snow after an hour or so I seen the sign for Hawick and got in swapped trailer had an hour break and feeling sick to the stomach about getting back but main road was open all the way back to M6 when I got back I was told the day driver had same trouble and was 2hrs late getting back thanks for telling me guv it was the worst trip ever in all my years driving god knows which way I went I checked map it just says national park I don’t know how I missed the rejoin main road signs if they were indeed there even the sheep were laughing
Always seems better at night cause usually the ‘managers’ that cause the chaos are at home in bed!
Yup night trunking is ■■■■ easy, night workers seem to have a more just get on with the job attitude and there’s generally less ■■■■-heads on the roads. Most important thing is to make sure you get your Zzzzs.
The night roadwork guys deserve serious respect though I do think some of their grannies were shagged by a lemming always slow down give them as much room as I can.
I did night trunking for 2 years,leeds to park royal 3 nights then leeds to bellshill 2 nights and I loved it,I had no stress I had time to do things at home but I was only young and thought I was missing out so I packed it in to go tramping with a fancy motor .
I suppose I regretted it ever since…
Would give it another go though if anything happened to my present job…
Is that XDP Steve? I’ve done a bit for them, never seen a decker stripped so quick. By the time you’ve opened both curtains it’s time to pull the 1st shut!
cracker-bar:
Is that XDP Steve? I’ve done a bit for them, never seen a decker stripped so quick. By the time you’ve opened both curtains it’s time to pull the 1st shut!
No mate it’s TPN.
I actually prefer doing store deliveries through the night, when I used to do trunking, by the time I got down to Carlisle i was losing the will to live… I also alway have the wee night light on in the cab, as I think it helps keep me awake 
Prefer driving at night, jobs alot less stressful. It helps when the motorway is lit up of course. My only problem is the first night, fighting the bodyclock, after that my sleeping pattern adjusts and I enjoy the quiet motorways, and RDCs. Security staff seem to be more approachable as well !
Just got to eliminate a neighbours terrier that yaps around 8am 
I have a blind and blackout curtains, makes sleeping alot easier. MIght have a few bows prior to bed, after a quick look at recorded programmes /e-mails etc.
Less traffic delays, equals less boring traffic jams and stress. I don’t get paid any more though for night work, but there you go, pros and cons.
Sometimes service stopping areas can be full, so park on a pump, never get any problems with the staff. Use the loo and ask them if its ok to take a 45, job done.
In my entire driving career I’ve done the grand collective total of 2 weeks on days. I don’t understand why anybody would work days. Nights is way more relaxed.
ezydriver:
In my entire driving career I’ve done the grand collective total of 2 weeks on days. I don’t understand why anybody would work days. Nights is way more relaxed.
Nights are where it’s at. I wouldn’t go near a lorry during the hours of daylight now.I find nearly everything about working nights better than days: the time I get to spend at home, the lack of traffic, the fact that the cab phone doesn’t ring every five minutes and the fact that I know exactly what I’m doing and where I’m going every single shift. Even the night time road closures don’t bother me too much any more.
As someone who’s also done over 20 years on nights, I’ll mention some of the “arguments” in favour of “doing the day shift instead”:-
(1) “You get to socialise midweek in the evenings.” if you’ve not fallen asleep in the armchair in front of the telly by 8pm…
(2) “You’re an early riser only if you have to be.” Don’t ever kid yourself you have to be anything.
(3) “You get to commute in daylight.” unless it’s november-early march!
(4) “The day seems to pass quicker, because I’m busy all day.” stressed out all day more like.
(5) “The money is not much less than what trampers get, and I could never do that.” Trampers get a lot less than what nights get as well…
(6) “I can’t sleep during the day, and would end up driving tired on nights” Move to a quieter street - It’s worth it for the well-being alone!
(7) “I’m fully posted on what’s going on at the firm, because the day staff include the management who are not there on nights” Fully informed? - Ignorance is bliss on nights.
(8) “If I went onto nights, everyone would hate me” Only because you took the only job left, and others covet it…
(9) “I’m not motivated by money.” Wot you working at all for then?
Winseer:
As someone who’s also done over 20 years on nights, I’ll mention some of the “arguments” in favour of “doing the day shift instead”:-(1) “You get to socialise midweek in the evenings.” if you’ve not fallen asleep in the armchair in front of the telly by 8pm…
(2) “You’re an early riser only if you have to be.” Don’t ever kid yourself you have to be anything.
(3) “You get to commute in daylight.” unless it’s november-early march!
(4) “The day seems to pass quicker, because I’m busy all day.” stressed out all day more like.
(5) “The money is not much less than what trampers get, and I could never do that.” Trampers get a lot less than what nights get as well…
(6) “I can’t sleep during the day, and would end up driving tired on nights” Move to a quieter street - It’s worth it for the well-being alone!
(7) “I’m fully posted on what’s going on at the firm, because the day staff include the management who are not there on nights” Fully informed? - Ignorance is bliss on nights.
(8) “If I went onto nights, everyone would hate me” Only because you took the only job left, and others covet it…
(9) “I’m not motivated by money.” Wot you working at all for then?
Done nights and backshift on the buses for years was great, done nightshift trucking, was excellent. Now I’m in a job where I do deliveries through the day, not as bad as I thought… best thing for me at the moment is driving around with the sun shining, ipod plugged in, sun glasses on, taking it easy as if I’am on the night shift. 
Wait until it’s your first night back and you haven’t had anything like enough sleep for a multitude of reasons…check out the falling asleep thread!
And don’t forget the fog!
I started out on night road planing and I loves it. Moves jobs onto a block lorry on days didn’t enjoy starting work at 4am. Went back on planing loved the work but couldn’t stand one mush on the firm and jacked to go on fridges on days didn’t enjoy that at all.
Now I’ve gone back on artic tippers on nights - perfect
I normally do a Yorkshire to Midlands trunk of frozen at night. 3pm to 3am. But on the weekend I often get thrown onto other contracts where they can be fitted in as one of the sites are closed. The change can be nice and enjoyable but getting used to this daylight stuff can be awkward…
I’ve been night trunking for 10 years - love it. All the pros have been mentioned above - easy work, less stress, fewer idiots (still plenty though - why can’t the UK understand zip merging? - it’s not rocket science).
Road closures can be a pain but doing a regular route you get to know most of the alternatives. Road works do my head in - 50 mph limit with 3 narrow lanes (M5) and car drivers who do 47 in lane 2 and will not pull over 
I effectively get 3 days off at the weekend - up about 10 on Sat then off until about 6 on Monday. I find and hour or so snooze Monday afternoon sets the body clock up nicely for the rest of the week
NIGHT TIME IS THE RIGHT TIME!!