If my situation was i had a truck and trailer, all the relevant licences and 6 months experience, would i make money, im a go getter. a good example is when i qualified as a engineer i was on min wage, i told my employer i wanted engineers rate they said no, so i searched for a year and went to work for another company and got more money but then went back to my first employer recieved £2 more than the engineers rate and now classes as 1 of 2 top engineers if i got enthusiasm i should get work, but i know it will cost a bomb to start up but when i
m running would i make a fair bit?
I will get slated by all the owner drivers on here fot this, but to be fair, if you have a mortgage, a wife and your steady job, you might be better off sticking to it for now.
lift boy:
ye which one is she? does she like trucks i wonder. Na its just i have this moment in my life were i have to paths. If i go driving trucks i wouldnt want to work for a company for to long as were i live the drivers have seriously poor money. One massive well known employer pays min wage. I think its disguisting. At work now i have to get in my van drive for say 2 hours to a job, on the way recieve about 3 breakdown which gives me more pressure, i run from one end of the country to the other and average 12-13 hour shifts 5-7 days a week, and by the way when i get home the phone rings with another call-out. I`d rather know i got 3 nights out and were i am and arrange my own work. What do maritime, pentalver or freightliner pay?
Welcome to the world of transport mate.
Wheel Nut:
I will get slated by all the owner drivers on here fot this, but to be fair, if you have a mortgage, a wife and your steady job, you might be better off sticking to it for now.
at the moment I agree with Wheel Nut
Enthusiasm isn’t the issue. All O/D’s are enthusiastic and up for it, a lot of it boils down to luck, dropping on the right job at the right time. It’s a risky business, I know what you want to hear is “go for it, you’ll make a mint” but we can’t say that because there are so many variables, some O/D’s succeed and become hauliers with a fleet and some fail miserably, go bankrupt and loose everything. As has been said previously, containers aren’t really going to enable you to earn a lot of money but if you are that up for it then have a crack, you may be able to use it as a start till you can find something better but the bottom line is we are in recession and new faces are going to be at the bottom of the list for work behind all the blokes that have been doing it for years.
Also don’t think that the start is the hardest and then it always gets easier, the business has it’s up and downs and is cyclical, very rare you get steady work for years and years (this is the sentence that stops you buying a new topline when you think you’ve been doing well). Are there no food places near you, i.e. creameries, abatoires that sort of thing for regular outbound, fridge loads out and back might be a better bet. Load out at £2.20 odd per mile then even if you get nothing back, better than £1.10 all miles containers.
You have nothing to loose by getting your HGV licences and CPC, ok it’s going to cost a couple of grand if you end up not using them but it’s always worth having another skill to fall back on, then you can make a decision and the economy may have picked up by then.
cheers guys for the advice, i knew the best way to find out was to ask people in the game, my dad only runs a small gas tanker so has`nt done much with long hauls. But what he said to me was the best option was to stick to working as a lift engineer as I trained for 3 years got my relevant qualifications and can jump ship to either lift companies. I can always climb a ladder as an engineer, i.e engineer, chief engineer, inspector, manager, area manager and so on. I think diddy on and have a blast on some stella at cardiff with the missus. keep it safe guys, cheers.
Hey guys, just a quick one after ive had another crap day, i love driving but hate it when i get to the job i have to use my brain. Im still toying with the idea of becoming a o d, I will probably leave it a year though. Is this a good plan? Get my licence, drive on the weekends for the local boys, save and get experience and then get my own tractor and go on my own? What would you guys recommend an old tractor if bought outright, i.e an old 143 scania and progress with work or a finance deal with maritime trucks. I understand that it
s a huge difference but just wondering. It`s just i became 21 last week and have waiting since i was a kid so i could be old enough to truck.
You’re putting the cart before the horse, if you’re that up for it, get your licence first and see how you go, there’s no rush! Not to rain on your parade but you might not pass your class one or CPC! The impatience of youth.
Bear in mind tramping, away from your loved ones all week is a lifestyle that doesn’t suit everyone. Double shifting is not that easy to come across.