I’m only 29 myself and have been driving for about a year - still the proverbial nipper in experience terms. I thoroughly enjoy being left to get on with the job rather than being chased around a warehouse or whatever by a foreman/manager and not trusted to use your initiative.True the hours are long but I do around 50 per week which isn’t too bad and I bet I take home more than the average office worker. I tell you what though. I bet I get a lot more job satisfaction - it gives me a buzz. Maybe that’s what we need to push to counteract the duff side (of which there’s a fair bit).
ralliesport:
No Im 22 yep 22 years old, I could drive a new truck better and safer than some driver thats been in the industry 30 years all that experience blah blah blah.You could never drive a truck better than someone with experience! Experience is learning and you will always be learning! never forget that!!
Just a thought,but do these people banging on about earning good money doing 70-80 hours a week realise that compared to your typical office/factory worker they are actually working 2 weeks in one week for said good wages.Bye the way im an owner driver so I know what its like to work long hours admittedly its for my own ends.
Welshman:
Just a thought,but do these people banging on about earning good money doing 70-80 hours a week realise that compared to your typical office/factory worker they are actually working 2 weeks in one week for said good wages.Bye the way im an owner driver so I know what its like to work long hours admittedly its for my own ends.
I earn £10.40 an hour and overtime after 8
Saturdays is £13 all hours
Sundays is £15 all hours
In my previous job as a trained TV engineer i was earning £8.72 an hour.
I have a choice where i work, and that is i can clock out after 8 hours if i wish, so 8 x 5 = 40 hours and im still earning more than my previous proffesion, or i have the option of putting alot more hours in, which i choose to do, if i go out and do a store delivery, i will come back and ask for a trunk to get my hours in.
Im not saying all jobs in the transport industry are like this, and im lucky to be where i am now after only 4 months, but as its been said on here many a time before, if people will still work for peanuts then employers will still pay peanuts. Someone will always work for £5 an hour and thats there choice but until people refuse to accept poor wages and long hours then the job will continue to be exploited.
Ive 20yrs exp. driving 7.5ton and have driven all over scotland and as far down as dover. I love driving and the freedom that goes with it, admittedly i have no tacho or multi-drop exp, but nearly all jobs are advertised saying experience essential, so how can a person get this experience if employers wont take you on ! I even went as far as enquiring about taking my class 2 but thought what was the point as its a lot of money to lay out with no guarantee of ever being able to use it.
Dreamer, you have done well to drive a 7.5 tonne vechicle with no tacho for 20 years. Thats jail time all day long if caught 
Tony…it was my own private lorry and wasnt used for hire or reward…
correct me if im wrong but i thought one wasnt needed. 
dreamer:
so how can a person get this experience if employers wont take you on.
Lie 
simon
SimonRS2K:
dreamer:
so how can a person get this experience if employers wont take you on.Lie
simon
Thats what I did 23 years ago! Of course, the downside is you tend to spend a fair while bricking it, especially if youre trying to keep stuff on a 40 ft flat with little clue!
Mal
Simon, i couldnt lie to save my life 
never get away with it. Makes one wonder tho, how many of you HAD to lie to get the job that you wanted. 
I passed my Class 2 in May and Class 1 in August, ive only come up against the “no experience” problem once, and that was with my current employer, so for the last 2 months ive been working on there site through an agency working for a contractor, i kept busy, got on with people made myself known, then decided what the heck ill apply, and i did, and the minimum of one years experience was out the window, i had a driving assesment and interview and was offered the job.
They are going to asses me monthly for the first 3 months, and offer me any training and support i need, so im more than happy and have always been upfront about how long i have been driving, at the end of the day, there IS a national shortage of drivers, and they are going to have to be a bit flexible with this no experience thing, on the no experience side of things ive been offered jobs directly for companys after interview process and have done jobs on the agency including, Live haul, Fridge work, Milk tankers, 17ft tauts, shop deliverys, supermarket and high street shops where its only fit for a horse and cart, ive also done yard shunting and various other runs, and all that for someone whos completely new to the job and has only had my licence for 4 months.
So wheres this no experience thing then??
Ralliesport.
No Im 22 yep 22 years old, I could drive a new truck better and safer >than some driver thats been in the industry 30 years all that experience
With that attitude its only a matter of time before someone asks you to accompany him to the trailer park to “show you something”. Take my advice… don’t go with him
Hi all i’m just writing to see what you think of this dilema. firstly i’m a kiwi been driving class 5 b-trains the same tonnage as c+e calss 1 or whatever. i.ve been driving those over at home for three years. i have very good refrences. but now that i am living over here in the uk i can’t change my licence over to an hgv so i have to pay a ridiculous sum of money to get it. then the clincher i’m only 24 so naff a ll companies would want to take me on even though in my full time working life of 6 years i have been a professional driver i have no points on my licence and have never had an accident. i know it’s a bit of a moan but i’d like to hear some of you thoughts.
cheers
richard
I think that anyone wanting to change career from whatever they’re doing to drive wagons is off their head and I’ll do anything I can to put them off it. When the pay and overall conditions improve vastly then I might recommend the career.
Welshman made a very valid point which I was going to air myself; your “good pay” for 65-70hrs in a week is actually not remotely “good pay” at all when compared with many office workers. For the office worker a 40hr week is the norm, so that’s at least a third less hours than what the average trucker works. The way to wake yourself up is calculate how much you’d be taking home per week if YOU only worked 40hrs per week driving your wagon. Got into three figures yet ? Imagine the shock the same people you’ve recommended wagon driving to getting when they find this out, not to mention the cost incured to obtain the appropriate licences.
One of the drivers at the place I work is handing his notice in tomorrow. He’s currently on container tramping work, £350 take home every week with £20 night out money on top; not a bad wage in comparison to other container drivers. He’s gone to work for Viamaster in Leeds, £6.30/hr up to 48hrs, then £7.75 after that. £18.50 night out money. Admittedly, the situation at our place at the moment is a bit up in the air. The gaffer’s been talking about packing in for a while and basically the guy can’t do with the job insecurity (mortgage etc). He asked me to go with him to Viamaster’s and I laughed at him. We’ve become firm friends but there’s no way I’m working 60 odd hours per week for that kind of money (and a tatty P-reg DAF85 low roof cab for tramping work to start with). Most of the big players round Leeds area pay the same kind of money. MacFarlane’s are paying £6.20 all hours but you get a brand-new Scanny 124L 420 Topline, Long’s pay structure is different; their basic per hour is a lot less - £5 something - but the o/t rate is reasonable. Bedfords at Birstall pays better but it’s harder to get in there and unless you do nights (FH12 420), you’ll get an Iveco
I do hope any potential newbies are reading this and it puts you off for life! With a bit of luck then, there might just… just… come a time when the companies pull their heads out of their rears, clear the [zb] out of their eyes and pay us the money we deserve as professional drivers (ie. £10hr days (incl Scotland & NE) to 40hrs, time 1.5 o/t etc minimum).
Meanwhile, I’ll stay where the money is and keep my foot firmly wedged in my old agency’s doors should it all go ■■■■ up.
PS. Had reason to phone Prestons of Potto earlier in the week to get in touch with one of their drivers and I happened to get talking with one of the transport office bods. You know those premium rate number wind-up calls you can forward to a colleague in your office ? - well the hourly rates at this place should have it’s own number because it has to be a wind-up.
Im not saying that experience doesnt has its place, but why is it assumed someone who has been driving for 30 years has a god given right to say they are a good driver.
In any other industry you have to be regulary assesed and reaply for your licence, how many drivers you you think could pass a driving test? Id think 1 in 10 would be good.
Most are incapable of even following simple laws (usually using the I didnt know it was 40 excuse) health & safety, how many loads shed just because drivers dont know how to secure loads, weight limits are ignored. How many lorries go round with air leaks, defective windows, brakes, tyres, a compitent driver must refuse to operate such a truck.
This is a dangerous industry for other road users and the general public. It is made worse by drivers arrogant enough to think they know best and companies not educating & requiring drivers to stick to the law.
As for being called over Qhunter quite apart from the fact they would regret it and they surely wouldnt be silly enough to do it. Id persue a criminal conviction and if he wasnt sacked Id do the company I was working for for constructive dismissal.
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ralliesport,
I’m now 27, with 4 years under my belt. A bit of basic maths will tell you that I hit both the age and experience troubles at the same time…but I’m still here.
How? Simple, I worked for every cowboy in the West to get to a point where I can pick and choose…and learnt far more than I may otherwise have done in the process, which has also added to the “pick and choose” factor…
You’ll also find that there’s a lot to be said for appearing to be as green as grass even when you’re not any more…and don’t ever underestimate the value of experience.
It’s like any other career, you have to be prepared to start off as tea-boy.
Just re-reading the topic header for a second : “attracting the young” - yes please, I won’t say no to that. An 18yr old would be nice. 
LucyR:
ralliesport,I’m now 27, with 4 years under my belt. A bit of basic maths will tell you that I hit both the age and experience troubles at the same time…but I’m still here.
How? Simple, I worked for every cowboy in the West to get to a point where I can pick and choose…and learnt far more than I may otherwise have done in the process, which has also added to the “pick and choose” factor…
You’ll also find that there’s a lot to be said for appearing to be as green as grass even when you’re not any more…and don’t ever underestimate the value of experience.
It’s like any other career, you have to be prepared to start off as tea-boy.
Yep, I’m working for the local cowboy. Not a nice thing to say but that’s it. When you can’t meet your booking in times because your waiting for a second trunk from the main warehouse with pallets what you want; then I think that you’ll understand (I’ve been at the wine) I want a fair crack of the whip at the job I do. Apart from that I like driving and I don’t do the huge houirs some of you guys and girls do.
dreamer:
Simon, i couldnt lie to save my life
the critic:
…snip…Experience is learning and you will always be learning! never forget that!!
When I was interviewed for my current job I was asked/told " why do you want this job with your CV? You are over qualified for us."
Difference was the experience was in a different field (perceived by the interviewer as better) and took no account of changing personal aspirations. He knew about both after I’d answered though, and lacking experience is less of a problem than not having a willingness to learn, every day.
Lucy R
I agree with all you say. My point is that you cant judge on age as to the ability of your driving. Ive been driving since 14. Ive driven tractors, quadtracks, fastracs, combines, pea harvesters, 180 & 360 diggers, teleporters, 8 wheeler erf. Ive operated a tractor & trailer 22tones in & around louth. Ive operated a tractor & articulated trailer on conoco in immingham, reversing it round bends most people wouldnt even atempt.
Ive had bad jobs, out in the poring cold & rain, in grain stores hotter and less air than hell.
I judge people on what they can do, I dont say im the best driver, neither do I accept that someone else is better driver than me. Experience is to be gained and to be given.