I am new to this forum and I have enjoyed reading it over the last month or so, what I have come accross is that the general feeling is that being a HGV driver is a poorly paid profession.
I am currently in my last week of my 2 week notice period at a company where I was employed as a Warehouse & Transport Manager, my salary was just shy of 25k per year and my net pay each month was £1600 which works out as £370 take home per week. The job involved working a minimum 50 hours and more often than not I’d be doing 60.
It was the same when I worked in sales, earned around 23-24k per year but worked 50-60 hours per week. Constantly having to lick bum in order to hit targets etc.
My new job will earn me between £350 & £450 per week depending on how many nights out and whether I do a Sat/Sunday and in my opinion it will be less stressful and more enjoyable than being a manager or a sales rep.
My point is that in most jobs you have to put the hours in to get the money but I don’t hear many sales reps or managers/supervisors stating they get paid poorly when they consider the hours they have to put in.
Probably because managers and sales reps get a good bonus.
bald bloke:
Probably because managers and sales reps get a good bonus.
Bit of a simplistic view if you ask me, not every sales rep or manager get good bonuses. In fact the majority of sales based roles will have a basic of around 18k per year maybe 20k then the rest would be made up in bonuses but the graft will have to be done to earn those bonuses.
In my experience with regards management, I didn’t get any bonuses. Maybe thats not the norm I’m not sure but the hours put in for both professions were comparable with any driving job I have ever done. The 1 big difference would only be the being away from home aspect.
RACHACE:
bald bloke:
Probably because managers and sales reps get a good bonus.
Bit of a simplistic view if you ask me, not every sales rep or manager get good bonuses. In fact the majority of sales based roles will have a basic of around 18k per year maybe 20k then the rest would be made up in bonuses but the graft will have to be done to earn those bonuses.
In my experience with regards management, I didn’t get any bonuses. Maybe thats not the norm I’m not sure but the hours put in for both professions were comparable with any driving job I have ever done. The 1 big difference would only be the being away from home aspect.
That is what a lot of people cannot take, so what price would you put on that? If a rep or similar is away from home they stay in hotels that are fully expensed with proper cooked meals and get better recompensed than 20 - 25 quid night out money.
Driving now is very stressful and in my opinion is much more stressful than any managers role - yes I have done both including employ drivers.
When you hear us talking of low wages it is generally because the same or more money was being earned 10 or even 15 years ago, the wages have been eroded away over the years and do not reflect the fact that you have to jump through hoops to get a licence and pay almost a fortune for doing so as very very few companies are willing to train new drivers, in addition you are in charge of a piece of kit that even without a load could be valued at two or three hundred thousand pound.
Good luck in your new job 
RACHACE:
I am new to this forum and I have enjoyed reading it over the last month or so, what I have come accross is that the general feeling is that being a HGV driver is a poorly paid profession.
I am currently in my last week of my 2 week notice period at a company where I was employed as a Warehouse & Transport Manager, my salary was just shy of 25k per year and my net pay each month was £1600 which works out as £370 take home per week. The job involved working a minimum 50 hours and more often than not I’d be doing 60.
It was the same when I worked in sales, earned around 23-24k per year but worked 50-60 hours per week. Constantly having to lick bum in order to hit targets etc.
My new job will earn me between £350 & £450 per week depending on how many nights out and whether I do a Sat/Sunday and in my opinion it will be less stressful and more enjoyable than being a manager or a sales rep.
My point is that in most jobs you have to put the hours in to get the money but I don’t hear many sales reps or managers/supervisors stating they get paid poorly when they consider the hours they have to put in.
im working on the theory you are now a truck driver?, if so how much money do you spend during your nights out or how much do you spend stocking up on Pot Noodles for the week ahead?, now take that out of your pay.
if your not a driver… sorry 
Reaper KH:
RACHACE:
I am new to this forum and I have enjoyed reading it over the last month or so, what I have come accross is that the general feeling is that being a HGV driver is a poorly paid profession.
I am currently in my last week of my 2 week notice period at a company where I was employed as a Warehouse & Transport Manager, my salary was just shy of 25k per year and my net pay each month was £1600 which works out as £370 take home per week. The job involved working a minimum 50 hours and more often than not I’d be doing 60.
It was the same when I worked in sales, earned around 23-24k per year but worked 50-60 hours per week. Constantly having to lick bum in order to hit targets etc.
My new job will earn me between £350 & £450 per week depending on how many nights out and whether I do a Sat/Sunday and in my opinion it will be less stressful and more enjoyable than being a manager or a sales rep.
My point is that in most jobs you have to put the hours in to get the money but I don’t hear many sales reps or managers/supervisors stating they get paid poorly when they consider the hours they have to put in.
im working on the theory you are now a truck driver?, if so how much money do you spend during your nights out or how much do you spend stocking up on Pot Noodles for the week ahead?, now take that out of your pay.
if your not a driver… sorry
I will be back driving as of next week.
I’m not understanding your point though as whether I was a driver, Manager or sales rep, I’d still have to take out of my weekly wage my money for food.
Or is that a perk I have clearly missed out on while in both those professions?
RACHACE:
Reaper KH:
RACHACE:
I am new to this forum and I have enjoyed reading it over the last month or so, what I have come accross is that the general feeling is that being a HGV driver is a poorly paid profession.
I am currently in my last week of my 2 week notice period at a company where I was employed as a Warehouse & Transport Manager, my salary was just shy of 25k per year and my net pay each month was £1600 which works out as £370 take home per week. The job involved working a minimum 50 hours and more often than not I’d be doing 60.
It was the same when I worked in sales, earned around 23-24k per year but worked 50-60 hours per week. Constantly having to lick bum in order to hit targets etc.
My new job will earn me between £350 & £450 per week depending on how many nights out and whether I do a Sat/Sunday and in my opinion it will be less stressful and more enjoyable than being a manager or a sales rep.
My point is that in most jobs you have to put the hours in to get the money but I don’t hear many sales reps or managers/supervisors stating they get paid poorly when they consider the hours they have to put in.
im working on the theory you are now a truck driver?, if so how much money do you spend during your nights out or how much do you spend stocking up on Pot Noodles for the week ahead?, now take that out of your pay.
if your not a driver… sorry
I will be back driving as of next week.
I’m not understanding your point though as whether I was a driver, Manager or sales rep, I’d still have to take out of my weekly wage my money for food.
Or is that a perk I have clearly missed out on while in both those professions?
I think he was on about how much it costs to live for a week when buying 3 meals a day plus drinks etc.
To me it all depends on if you can live comfortably on whatever you earn. I think I get a decent wage for what I do, 5 night trucks a week to the same depot and return. I used to earn more working in drainage but got fed up of it. I don’t consider the job is anymore stressful now than it used to be, but then again it’s nights, less traffic and most office staff in bed. Let’s face it, it’s not the most difficult job in the world is it? We don’t get into it with the idea of becoming millionaires, at least I didn’t, I do it because I enjoy it.
I don’t recall the pay being any better 10-15 years ago but then again I was working for ASDA.