I’ve been lurking on this forum for a couple months and thought now is the time to ask for some advice.
I currently work as a warehouse man for a large supermarket and I’ve always wanted to become a hgv driver. I used to deliver online shopping in vans, loved the job as I was out on my own but hated the company. I’m currently in the process of obtaining my class 1, just passed the hazard/theory/cpc tests and about to book my class 2 practical lessons.
My current employer has offered me a job as a class 1 driver on nights once im qualified. my question is, am I stupid to turn the offer down and look elsewhere as nights wouldn’t be my 1st choice or am I silly as it’s a great opportunity to gain experience. Also just to add me and the wife just had our 1st child. Thanks for any advice given.
I’ve been lurking on this forum for a couple months and thought now is the time to ask for some advice.
I currently work as a warehouse man for a large supermarket and I’ve always wanted to become a hgv driver. I used to deliver online shopping in vans, loved the job as I was out on my own but hated the company. I’m currently in the process of obtaining my class 1, just passed the hazard/theory/cpc tests and about to book my class 2 practical lessons.
My current employer has offered me a job as a class 1 driver on nights once im qualified. my question is, am I stupid to turn the offer down and look elsewhere as nights wouldn’t be my 1st choice or am I silly as it’s a great opportunity to gain experience. Also just to add me and the wife just had our 1st child. Thanks for any advice given.
Baby is going to be an issue whether you work days or nights because for some reason they refuse to have night only sleep hours
Seeing the wife time is likely to be the same either way
made up simple perhaps silly examples
sleep 9pm to 5am
work 6am to 7pm
or
work 9pm to 10am
sleep 11am to 7pm
It’s a good opportunity but whether it will suit you it’s completely a different matter,most importantly you need to be sure you can get sleep in the daytime as insufficient sleep and night driving are a lethal combination even more so than day driving as driving in the dark strains your eyes as it is never mind if your tired.
Have a good think whether as things are now with a new born in the house if you could get 6-8hrs sleep a day,if not then maybe it’s not for you.
xichrisxi:
It’s a good opportunity but whether it will suit you it’s completely a different matter,most importantly you need to be sure you can get sleep in the daytime as insufficient sleep and night driving are a lethal combination even more so than day driving as driving in the dark strains your eyes as it is never mind if your tired.
Have a good think whether as things are now with a new born in the house if you could get 6-8hrs sleep a day,if not then maybe it’s not for you.
Babies are noisy be it day or night so the same issue arises
xichrisxi:
It’s a good opportunity but whether it will suit you it’s completely a different matter,most importantly you need to be sure you can get sleep in the daytime as insufficient sleep and night driving are a lethal combination even more so than day driving as driving in the dark strains your eyes as it is never mind if your tired.
Have a good think whether as things are now with a new born in the house if you could get 6-8hrs sleep a day,if not then maybe it’s not for you.
Babies are noisy be it day or night so the same issue arises
I’m thinking that maybe doing it for a year to get the experience and hope that I could move on to days or leave and try and find a better offer. The company has very good benefits which would be ashamed to lose.
If a supermarket are going to give you a start then I’d take it, I work for a well known green supermarket and as with most of them it’s generally good pay and conditions, obviously going to be hard with a baby but maybe after 6 months with a clean record see the boss and tell you wouldn’t mind changing shifts.
Pro’s and cons, but weighing it up, I’d try it. Less traffic will help get your confidence up and a good start working for a supermarket chain and decent pay/ conditions (usually). Saying that, you will need to be the sort of person who can sleep during the day and making sure you have enough quiet which could be difficult I guess with a babby but they don’t work to a clock anyway.
It’s a good start,but did they say how long you have stay with them?,as they won’t pay then let you go elsewhere,only worry is if working nights doesn’t work with your good lady and the little one your stuck with it,a class 1 start is always good but you have to weigh up if it goes ■■■■ up class 1 starts are out there but family isn’t.
Sorry to put a damper on a start just trying to put all options on here.
Daytrunker:
It’s a good start,but did they say how long you have stay with them?,as they won’t pay then let you go elsewhere,only worry is if working nights doesn’t work with your good lady and the little one your stuck with it,a class 1 start is always good but you have to weigh up if it goes ■■■■ up class 1 starts are out there but family isn’t.
Sorry to put a damper on a start just trying to put all options on here.
Jeff.
I appreciate everyone’s advice. I’m paying for my licence out of my own pocket, even though my company say they are desperate for drivers. So I don’t have any ties if i needed to look elsewhere.
I would take the opportunity see how you can manage it ( you may actually find you like it ) I have worked night shift enjoy it the times I work give me a good work / life balance mind which does help
What you need to do is sit down & write the advantage / disadvantages to working night shift
But as they are willing to give you a start this will give you experience & as you say would be a same to leave due to the benefits you get
You wife might have to take baby out at times to let you get some sleep as has been said tired & night shift don’t go well
Hi Matt
Sorry my fault for not reading your post properly thought work was paying which makes moving easier.
First thing I would do is sit down with your good lady and see if you would manage with you at work up to 12 hours a night then asleep when you get back,as driving isn’t a definate finish time every night if little one goes to nursery and your not back to take her your good lady might have been up all night on her own then off to nursery.
That said nights can be quieter on the roads better for starting on class 1 or class 2 both as hard as each other.
Yes you would be stupid to turn down the offer. Many new passes struggle to get through the door that’s just been opened for you.
Now regarding nights…
It will be easier for you to sleep in the day while the baby is downstairs with your partner.
Yes you won’t be going bed with ya missus which does bother some people and some women can’t handle that for some reason (you’d think they’d like more room in the bed)
Best thing about nights for me is how quiet the roads are. Only time I’m stuck in traffic is at Palletforce when in a que to be unloaded. Far less stress driving at night and far less ■■■■ heads on the road.
Money is better on nights though it depends on who you work for haha.
Take the opportunity and if you don’t like it then use it has a stepping stone to something else.
If you do take it make sure you get adequate training before your sent out on your own because you’re gonna need to be confident reversing that thing into supermarkets and some of the places I’ve seen are crap for it.
Well my wife and I have just had our second child and I’m sort of in the same boat as you.
I currently work in a factory. I have done a fair bit of driving class 2 but I decided to change for better hours.
However I’m missing the open road and the money where I am isn’t great. Although the hours are do a perfect.
Personally I would take the job. I don’t mean to sound funny but the baby won’t miss you. Hell they don’t do to much in their first year of life so your not missing out on much so to speak. Maybe do it for 6 months and get some experience or even try stick at it for a year. That’s the problem, the missus. That said she will just have to understand that your doing it for the family. To put food on the table etc. The missus should understand and if she worried your just at the end of the phone (hands free for you of course) if she needed to know you was about so to speak.
If it doesn’t work out then time for change but you gotta try to get that experience. Good luck fella and well done on the baby.
Take the opportunity, at least you already know what its like to work at the current company, there is always that chance you could go elsewhere and the company itself could make you hate the job.
And congrats on the baby
When both of mine where babies ok long time ago my now x he worked night shift as it was better for us at the time nope he wasn’t driving he was a mental nurse it took a couple weeks for us all to adjust but when we did it worked out well
We had 1 car which he took to work at night I had during the day he also worked shifts so some weekend work was involved but had time during the day they went at school then he came in had breakfast with us seen kids for a bit went to bed had tea & bath time then went to work kids in bed so you won’t miss out too much
It is not the time you spend with them it is the quality of time spent with them enjoy them
