I’ve just joined this forum as I’m interested in becoming a HGV driver. I’m 28 years old with a fiancé and two young kids. I live in Newcastle upon Tyne and currently work as a lab technician earning £26000 a year. I am not enjoying my job much at all and want to try something completely different. I love driving and have looked into becoming a taxi driver but based on the feedback that I’ve had I won’t be doing that! I am now keen on the idea of driving a truck for a living. Yesterday I saw a job advertisement for an apprentice LGV driver for a local company called Fergusons who are offering:
“Our Apprenticeship Programme, which runs in conjunction with Tyneside Training Services, comprehensively trains you as a you as a “Category C” (Rigid) LGV Driver. As part of your development programme you will also receive experience in several other transport and logistics company work activities, which will be fully supported by appropriate classroom based teaching.”
I would prefer to drive an artic and get a job where I spend 2+ nights away a week. My question is whether or not this is a good route into this industry ? The apprenticeship will last two years and pays £260 a week which is not great in comparison to what I earn now but I would be gaining experience in an industry which looking through job posts offers quite competitive wages and plenty of opportunity with a good future jobs market. I hear a lot about new drivers who fund their own course and get their license not being able to get a job as most employers want 2 years experience for insurance purposes. If I get my cat C through this company and then go on to get my C+E will my experience driving cat C count towards two years experience for insurance purposes and give me a good chance of getting a job driving an artic or does it have to be 2+ years driving at C+E ? Also does anybody know anything about this company Fergusons based in Washington, Tyne and Wear ? How long do most companies who offer these opportunities tie you down by contract to work for them ?
Any advice from seasoned drivers or newbies alike will be much appreciated.
You are earning £26k a year currently - doing how many hours if you don’t mind me asking?
You might be unpleasantly surprised how many hours a Newcastle based driver might have to work to get to £26k.
I personally think these apprenticeships are just a way of this company getting 2 years cheap labour. Fund the course yourself - really 3k can’t be that hard to find, and if you are clean, hard working, and have the right attitude, you wont have a problem finding employment.
It’s all experience, of course, and much of what you learn working in a rigid will be useful when you gravitate up to bendies. However, I think the ‘2 year trap’ is based on experience in the category of work you’ll be doing, so rigid experience counts little for bendy insurance restrictions.
It’ll cost you £1500 - £2000 to fund yourself up to Class 2 with CPC, and if you grind it out with the agencies you’ll be looking at more than £260 a week I reckon. That ‘apprenticeship’ sounds like cheap labour to me.
Don’t go into HGV driving for money, your motivation really needs to come from within. Do it because you want to, not because it sounds like a way to make a living. Lorry drivers work long hours, so be prepared to miss your family a lot. If you listen to the feedback from many lorry drivers you probably won’t want to do that either. I find it is better to ignore other people’s opinions and form your own. Each of us is different.
I work 40 hours a week. The money’s good but the work is painstaking. I can’t picture myself doing it until retirement. I don’t have the money up front but I could take out a loan to go through the training. I’m just worried it’ll be money down the pan if I can’t find an employer that’ll take me on with no experience. Although I have read that the majority of drivers at the moment are nearing retirement age so maybe companies will have no choice but to employ newly qualified drivers soon. What are your thoughts on this ? I haven’t had time to have an in depth read of this forum just yet but will do.
I don’t want to put you off - I’m the first one to say that you have to enjoy what your doing, otherwise you will be miserable.
Don’t be fooled by the reports of ageing driver workforce, and thinking there will be haulage companies falling over themselves to offer you a job. But there are plenty of jobs to be had for people who have the 3 qualities I highlighted, even as a new pass. Whether they are well paid, or have a reasonable number of hours is debatable.
If you were to get a job tramping, you could be regularly doing 6 days on 1 off, 5 days on 2 off, and sleeping in the motor all week. Is that desirable to you? That’s not to say there aren’t jobs available with different shift patterns and less nights out, but the patten I describe is the norm for a lot of guys who tramp.
I should add, I really enjoy my job it’s great, but I just think someone who already has what most on here would consider a fairly well paid, with reasonable hours, shouldn’t necessarily be blinded by all the flashy motors and industry press reports. Sadly I’m in a totally different part of the country so I cant give you an accurate account of wages locally to you, as they vary wildly throughout the country.
Driving is not a job it is a life style you may love driving but when you can only do a max of 56 ( I am limited to 53 mph ) I am away most of the week I earn approx what you do ( I live in Newcastle area )
Fergies have been around a long time they are based in Washington some of the motor are decent TTS are also a decent training company probably best in North East IMO
As said you might want to save up & pay for yourself although you may not get a job straight away you can but you will have to look hard
Some will pay less than what you are on ( £70 per day unto 15 hr ) some do pay a bit more there are some companies that will take new drivers on up here
If serious take out your rear view mirror & drive everywhere at 53 on motorways ( ok so we don’t have any unless you call central which is limited to 50 mph ) 50 on single carriageways see how you get on
Thank you all for the replies. I have already decided not to go for it as I do also see it myself as cheap labour for two years. I probably would if I was younger and had no responsibilities or didn’t have the job I have. I think under those circumstances it could have been a good opportunity to get a foot in the door. I’m still unsure about putting myself through my license but will spend some more time thinking about it and researching it. I’ll have a good look through this forum as it looks good and can supply honest answers from people doing the job which is why I joined. I’ve already read some stuff I don’t like the sound of but that’s in every industry. I’ve also been watching some YouTube vids that truckers have posted and enjoy them. I could definitely see myself doing it but I do also have a family to think of and can never know 100% if I’m gonna like something before I’ve actually tried it for myself.
This industry is not for everyone so yep think careful you have a young family you will need the support & understanding of your better half if you do as be prepared to miss some things it is not easy but then it is not a hard job / way of life but I am much older with no responsibilities so can go away all week
Couple weeks ago I should have been home but due to bad planing I never made it so an extra night out for me np but could you do it ( ok I do have a good boss as he asked it I wanted to run in & go home he would take over for next run but I said no was fine was nice to be asked though not all like that )
animal:
This industry is not for everyone so yep think careful you have a young family you will need the support & understanding of your better half if you do as be prepared to miss some things it is not easy but then it is not a hard job / way of life but I am much older with no responsibilities so can go away all week
Couple weeks ago I should have been home but due to bad planing I never made it so an extra night out for me np but could you do it ( ok I do have a good boss as he asked it I wanted to run in & go home he would take over for next run but I said no was fine was nice to be asked though not all like that )
I’m seeing what you mention here as one of the biggest negatives for me so far. At the moment I’m able to plan things on certain days & times. I was chatting with a driver a while back who was getting loaded with waste to take to a landfill from my workplace and he was itching to get away because him going home that night depended on the place being open when he got there. It was a Friday. These situations would make life a lot harder for me and my family. I’m completely torn about it to be honest. On the one hand I think I’d enjoy a lot about the job. There’s something about travelling along on motorways, visiting different sites and sleeping in the cab etc that’s appealing to me and then there’s the hardships I’d have to accept that come with it. I think my other half would support me because she’s pure gold but Im sure we’d both find it hard.
What about other cons of the job ? Do you get much hassle and pressure from the office ? Do they make you feel harassed ? Do the places you visit usually make you wait like my place or is it common to get seen to in good time ? Are there showering facilities at truck stops ? I see a lot of trucks parked in lay bys, that must be noisy to sleep right next to a motorway ?
I know things differ from role to role I’m just trying to get s broad idea of what this job is really like. Please add anything little or big that you think will be of use to help someone understand the realities of this job.
40hours £26k a year, pass your class1 and I’ll swap jobs with you.
Pros of the job for me are
Meeting new people, Truckers, staff at drops etc etc (bet a MD from a scottish firm the otherday driving, becuase his driver was of sick)
Getting pretty big discounts at places I drop/pick up from
Being my own boss(as long as the job gets down)
Take breaks when you want
Cons of the Job (reasons why I got into Air freight)
Traffic
People that can’t drive
Stupid people in RDCs
(depending on the firm) being bothered every 5 mins for an update
TruckerJM:
Do you get much hassle and pressure from the office ? Do they make you feel harassed ?
Depends on the firm larger ones will have GPS and can see how your getting on, but the planner is always thinking things will run smoothly. They just can’t seem to understand that if you get in a queue at a drop behind an artic and your dropping a single skid why your so far behind.
But then with the last few firms I worked with, left me to it. No problems saying that tho these firms have been really small <15 staff
TruckerJM:
Do the places you visit usually make you wait like my place or is it common to get seen to in good time ?
Depends on the place. Search the forums for good tipping and bad tipping threads there have been many
TruckerJM:
Are there showering facilities at truck stops ?
Yes, but I wouldn’t advise using them unless you know the clean schedule of the services
I’m in similar boat to you my friend, however I already have the licenses and am not currently working. I’m used to being away and having you’re weekend or day off taken from you at the last minute as I was in the army 4 years ago. I didnt have a baby nor the partner I have now though so it will be more an adjustment for them. As said before, I have the full support from the Mrs, she’s legend to be fair, but it’s going to be a big change as a family.
I suppose the difference is I haven’t quite taken the leap just yet as I’m still doing my CPC but I have decided on it. As a newcomer to the industry with a young family It might be worth me reporting my findings in a month or two if you are still undecided?
Driving trucks is something that will test your patience. The actual driving of the vehicle, and seeing new places can be really enjoyable. However, the amount of knobs on the roads is unreal, and slip roads and junctions just become brake covering exercises. You hang around places sometimes for hours on ends. Pricks wearing security badges whilst earning minimum wage often delight in ’ stamping their authority upon you '.
You are seen as a nuisance on the road to folk, and work lots of long hours. I do enjoy the driving aspect, but pretty much dislike the rest of the job.
However I didn’t listen at school, and would struggle to earn £25-£30k working in a factory for example. If I had my time again, I would get good grades at school and get a really decent paying career. And if I had a passion for driving trucks, I would either buy one to drive and restore/show or simply get the licences and do a Sat now and again on the agency just for the pleasure of it rather than the financial gain.
I never get any hassle form the office & the less my boss hear from me the better as if he does there is normally a problem I just tend to text him
I do have some places we go to often so know the staff depends what time I get there tbh & how many other in front to tip before me have been in less than 15 min but has been know to be 2 hr so depends no 2 days are the same you just never know sometimes these hold up can make a difference where you park or get home
Some bosses won’t pay for parking unless authorised by them as it can be unto £30 per night also depends on the lay-by you are sleeping in this don’t bother me as I have a fridge unit which can be on not to bad when sleeping in but not next to
The advantage is as soon as I leave the yard I am my own boss of which route I take as long as get to drop on time unless of course there are road closed accidents etc
There is 1 place I load at keep you waiting for ages you pull out of there gate park up not long before your 15 hr shift is finished don’t worry they know they do this so does my boss all is fine they blame other company as they are waiting conformation
The different place you see I get paid to see the UK ok I do work a lot of nights but some advantages to it
There are showers at most truck stops & MSA that you can use but be careful
I never park in a truck stop or MSA if can help it unless for my 45 min break boss like me to drive no more than 4.15 at a time although if need to stop before then do but I do now have a good boss has taken a while to get what I want with work /boss/cab pay etc
I’m of the opinion that the job is too intense to do if you don’t like it, especially tramping. Being away from home for four nights a week would sent you insane if you didn’t want to do it. I wouldn’t reccommend tramping if you have a fiancée and kids, spending four nights away from home per week like I do can get to you, and it will certainly get to your loved ones. I split-up with my partner of two years just before I went tramping, and I know for a fact that our relationship would have been impossible with myself spending so much time away from home. If I were you, I’d fund my own training, and test the water with some day work, so you’re home every night. Do it for a while, so the honeymoon period wears-off, and you start to see the job like it is. Then you can assess your situation, speak with your loved ones, and consider doing nights-out.
The job has it’s pros and cons, all down to your own personal opinion, of course. A big pro for myself, is that I’m young, single, and I don’t really have anything to go home to, so being on the road all week suits me down to the bone. I can earn some really good money, compared to other people my age, who tend to be slugging it out in call centres or warehouses for minimum wage. But that’s my situation, only you can give it a try and see for yourself!
( ok I do have a good boss as he asked it I wanted to run in & go home he would take over for next run but I said no was fine was nice to be asked though not all like that )