it’s not a driving job !!
I really don’t know if HGV driving will allow me to leave 
I love my career despite all the bollox that goes with it and think I’m going to stay on the tankers . AAAAARRGGG , doing my head in trying to be pragmatic and all sensible like
Anyone else had had make the same choice ?
PS … to those of you on my Facebook , please don’t mention this on there as it’s monitored ( mmm, another con ) by my employers .
What’s it doing?
I jacked in trucks over a year ago, I really thought I’d miss it, but I haven’t yet, but I work in farming and spend most of my time driving something though.
It’s not easy. When I did it way back in the 70s it coincided with a move out of London.
I think the worst part was having bosses around all the time - especially the ones with an inflated idea of their own importance (you should call me sir?? FFS) On the upside, Plod and VOSA were of academic interest only.
I also took a considerable income hit with the loss of overtime and expenses etc, but I kept my head down and eventually rose to the dizzy heights of Transport and Warehouse Manager - even did my international CPC.
I enjoyed being in charge and was fortunate that my then boss left me to get on with it.
If you do change they I suggest that you sign up with an agency for the occasional Saturday job, just to keep your hand in. That licence is a useful plan ‘B’ if all else fails.
Luckily I’ve been tapped up by someone who has worked with me before . He has climbed a career ladder since and hasn’t forgotten me . I have a choice of shift work running a warehouse team or an office based role , getting involved in a lot of different parts of the business . All very challenging but Im really struggling with the thought of coming off the road , esp if it means working with a certain amount of idiots .
At least there’s only one idiot in my cab !
i jacked in truck driving 9 years ago and got a job as a train driver,
but I haven’t missed it yet, the strange thing for me was being home every night and only working a 35hr week,
the thing to remember is you can always go back driving if it don’t work out in your new job.
Wherever you work there’ll be a fair share of idiots.
I made a similar choice about 10 years ago, I’d worked for the same firm for 15 years as a driver and I was asked to apply for a suervisors job. I was reluctant at first, the money was about the same but the hours were a lot better but I made the change. To be honest I’m not sure I could go back, I’d be bored to death.
I do the odd day on an agency’s books now and then and I enjoy it when I do but in the back of my mind I know I couldn’t do it full time again.
If I was you I’d make the change. It’s not always a one way option. If it doesn’t work out your licence will still be valid.
Good luck with whatever you choose.
gazza1970:
i jacked in truck driving 9 years ago and got a job as a train driver,
but I haven’t missed it yet, the strange thing for me was being home every night and only working a 35hr week,
the thing to remember is you can always go back driving if it don’t work out in your new job.
What do you really get for working a 35 hour week?
Press comments about “upwards of £50k” are as common as ads for “£35k HGV drivers - there’s a national shortage don’t ya know!”
I’ve considered getting a job on the victoria-ramsgate/dover routes.
I gave up full time driving over 12 years ago - I did do a little part-time for a mate but haven’t driven a lorry for 10 years now…
Do I miss it?
Yep, every day 
Was it a good decision to stop?
Yep, definitely…the job isn’t the same any more, the craic isn’t there any more and all my mates who still drive, tell me how crap it is now… ( This isn’t just MMTM, I can see how bad it is for myself, they just fill some of the blanks…)
I’ve still got the licence, keep up with my medicals and just have to decide whether to do the dcpc… I am a firm believer in ‘Never say never’…
The problem is that it’s not just a job, it’s a way of life. You will never get rid of the diesel in your veins and you will always miss it but, certainly in my case, reality kicks in and the rose-coloured specs fall off, and you may be thankful that you took the chance to escape…
Whatever you decide, good luck to you. There IS life beyond the tacho… 
shade:
PS … to those of you on my Facebook , please don’t mention this on there as it’s monitored ( mmm, another con ) by my employers .
As above,hows your facebook ‘monitored’ by employers?If there on as a ‘friend’ lol,just to check up on you,get tae fkf wi them,or set the privacy so others can’t see,shurely shum mishtake■■?
lynchy:
As above,hows your facebook ‘monitored’ by employers?If there on as a ‘friend’ lol,just to check up on you,get tae fkf wi them,or set the privacy so others can’t see,shurely shum mishtake■■?
Maybe it’s part of employment contract that you must be friends with your manager on Facebook
Mate if the money was right i would be outta my truck like a rocket
Winseer
i was lucky in finding my job as there was a advert for the company i work for in a daily newspaper , at the time they was looking for train driver assists to be made up to driver (all you did was couple and uncouple trains) it was the only way of getting a foot in the door ,
i took the gamble and it paid off .
the press is right about the money. basic is well in to the £50k
my top line for this month was £6k that includes o/t
I decided to take up an offer of Warehouse and Transport Manager around 18 months ago, I am now looking to get back on the road.
Every case will be different but in my experience I had more respect as a driver than I do as a Manager, from both those under my supervision and those that supervise me.
If I can land a driving job that pays circa 23k per year I’m off.