Career change at 35!

[constantine]

joeyd:
Also best to remember that although there might be 10 -20 people posting on a forum that the job is crap, there are hundreds of thousands more doing the job every day without feeling the need to post about it

+1 This is an eloquent and well argued post by joeyd you’ll only find out by trying it.

I love my part of driving in plant couldn’t bear to do anything else, but others would say I’m mad and a zb job. So them two arguments there you’d not get an answer.

I enjoyed handball home delivery - 95% I reckon hate it.

I hate curtains and fridges - most say its the only work to do - I’d rather cut my testicles off than do that work again and I only done it for a few days its so dull just driving. Again others would say I’m mad.

I changed career into this at 33 (I’m 35 now) haven’t looked back and wouldn’t to my zb professional engineering surveying career. Again others said I was mad to leave.

We sat down last night as I’ve just been made redundant this week looking at new job and going to as had to take a small pay cut.

In under 2 years full time driving experience and only a year’s experience on class one.
I was doing low loaders for a £38k wage, not stupid start times or weekends and normally home every night.

So you can still find decent money and terms and conditions in the harder/dirtier jobs as others would call them…but I don’t think they are in plant anyway.

I know you might not got your Volvo 750’s or Scania V8’s or DAF super xxxxxxl cabs or whatever. But as you don’t own them or pay for them it don’t matter what your driving, all that matters is your pay, T&Cs and enjoying the job.

I’ll finish this boring post now…but if you hate your job it’ll consume you and destroy you so quit if you have a chance to something you want to do and it don’t have to be lorry driving either.

You may not realise it yet but you maybe bringing your hatred of the job home and this is making others their worried about you or unhappy with the stress you’re under. Another reason to quit.

C

[themoocher]

I started commercial driving last year at 33.

I was in the forces since I was a kid and left 2 years ago.
I’ve had my C+E for a long time and never used it.

When I first left the army I was transport coordinator in an office on 28k year stressed out my box.

My first job I got the ■■■■ ripped out me a bit doing long hours for crap money was taking home roughly 500 a week but had to put the hours in always maxed out.
I told them to stick it up there arse after 6 months.

Now my new job is a piece ■■■■.
But me and my wife have accepted the fact we need to make sacrifices in our life to have money in be happy.

you bank between 550-600 a week for 5 days work always home on a Friday.
Put that into a salary calculator its between 35-40k a year for sitting on your arse.
Some weeks I’m home during week other times I’m out for the week.
You got to be flexible and want the work to make money.

Sometimes I do 15 hours I don’t mind as I’m out most nights.
£10 hour plus £25 night out money £10 for dinner.
£185 for the shift.
Also more than likely slept or watched DVDs for at least 5 hours of that.
My time starts as soon as you open your eyes no commute time or fuel money on the car.

It ain’t all a bed of roses mate but if you want the work its there

You ain’t going earn great money working 7-5 for tesco.

The job ain’t hard at all when you get use to driving.
Don’t rush around and try not to get stressed as that’s when you mess up n cause damage.

[oldtrucker3]

Well as an old boy why had driven 7.5’s for years on and off for some good, some bad companies. I took the plunge earlier this year and decided to upgrade to “C” all this at the ripe old age of 60. Some people laughed and thought me mad others just thought me sad. But if you like driving and you think this profession is for you then you are never to old to change horses.
Yes there are good jobs bad jobs etc etc but if its something you really want to do , do your homework go into this profession with your eyes open and enjoy the challenge and changes this job offers.
just my sixpenny worth

[adamhgv]

Hi first poster here just joined the forum this post caught my eye because it reminds me of me I’m 33:worked in a warehouse all my life on garbage money (270 a week take home) so in Feb this year started my training for hgv through an agency where I could pay monthly the agency sent me to elgv Manchester top place passed everything first time except class one which took 3 attempts all in all cost me 3600 for everything paid over the odds but its done now got my first job class one starting Monday at least double my wage maximum 2 nights a week which I’m comfy with we all gotta start somewhere anyway with the original poster being from Manchester go with elgv would be my advice and good luck with it when you pass there’s a few places I could tell you about in and around Eccles Salford area if you need any advice a few which will pay for your class one aswell

[ash_001]

Some great advice from everyone there, hope many newbies read this post!

[biker10]

Hi everyone and I mean EVERYONE! Only just seen the last lot of posts from post 58 onwards! Can’t thank you all enough for the replies and so interesting how everyone came into driving. I’ve passed my medical and now provisional will be on its way next week. Theory’s going well so I’m hoping to get all the book work/tests out of the way soon. Thanks to all of you that’s offered help too if I need to pm you that’s great I’m pushing on with the revising at the minute but everytime I have had a question I have always got great advice. So glad I came here on this forum first!!

[ash_001]

Glad you are getting the advice you need, that’s what we are here for. Glad you are pushing on with the theory, do you have the case studies booked as well or are you doing periodic CPC ?

[dave_890]

ash 001:
Some great advice from everyone there, hope many newbies read this post!

Trial drive past and start 2/11/15 as I need to give all October as notice in my current role and before this we have, misfortune of a family funeral first, but its the first I approached and offered the job , hope for newbies, 28-800 per annum and Saturdays paid as extra. I know I have some heavy lifting but am happy as its all experience, you never know I might well like it and stay.
No agency required, straight to a firm as a newbie at age 53, living proof it can be done

[ash_001]

dave_890:

ash 001:
Some great advice from everyone there, hope many newbies read this post!

Trial drive past and start 2/11/15 as I need to give all October as notice in my current role and before this we have, misfortune of a family funeral first, but its the first I approached and offered the job , hope for newbies, 28-800 per annum and Saturdays paid as extra. I know I have some heavy lifting but am happy as its all experience, you never know I might well like it and stay.
No agency required, straight to a firm as a newbie at age 53, living proof it can be done

Nice one dave, where is that for? Drop me a pm if you don’t want to post on forums chat there

[dave_890]

ash 001:

dave_890:

ash 001:
Some great advice from everyone there, hope many newbies read this post!

Trial drive past and start 2/11/15 as I need to give all October as notice in my current role and before this we have, misfortune of a family funeral first, but its the first I approached and offered the job , hope for newbies, 28-800 per annum and Saturdays paid as extra. I know I have some heavy lifting but am happy as its all experience, you never know I might well like it and stay.
No agency required, straight to a firm as a newbie at age 53, living proof it can be done

Nice one dave, where is that for? Drop me a pm if you don’t want to post on forums chat there

Brake brothers not everyones choice, but all agreed for 2/11/15 they are even having a regular driver show me the round and where to park at drops not bad stuff I reckon.

[ash_001]

people say bad things about brakes, but I say give it a go see how you find it as you never know. If your not happy there then just move on easy as that. Seems like they are caring for you already before your even driving so looking good. Would be nice if you could keep me updated by pm mate as im always interested to hear how your getting on .

[biker10]

ash 001:
Glad you are getting the advice you need, that’s what we are here for. Glad you are pushing on with the theory, do you have the case studies booked as well or are you doing periodic CPC ?

sorry well behind on replies lol.
I now have my theory, hazard and cpc case studies booked for 16th October. pretty confident on theory/ hazard. Case studies is a funny one as atm I am just using the dvla good vehicle book to go off. I do have the cpc book also but this is more of a “whats going to happen on the day” book. I have a good 3 weeks left now. Im getting 90% on hazard and 94/95 on Theory so just one or two silly mistakes, usually just not reading the question fully soemtimes can be the issue. Obviously on the day I will be taking my time with it and going back over them all.

[biker10]

dave_890:

ash 001:
Some great advice from everyone there, hope many newbies read this post!

Trial drive past and start 2/11/15 as I need to give all October as notice in my current role and before this we have, misfortune of a family funeral first, but its the first I approached and offered the job , hope for newbies, 28-800 per annum and Saturdays paid as extra. I know I have some heavy lifting but am happy as its all experience, you never know I might well like it and stay.
No agency required, straight to a firm as a newbie at age 53, living proof it can be done

great confidence booster knowing it can be done. I earn around £24,300 atm but im trying to cut my outgoings as I feel I may well have to take a pay cut at some point to get started. But really good to see you have done so well!

[biker10]

dave_890:

ash 001:

dave_890:

ash 001:
Some great advice from everyone there, hope many newbies read this post!

Trial drive past and start 2/11/15 as I need to give all October as notice in my current role and before this we have, misfortune of a family funeral first, but its the first I approached and offered the job , hope for newbies, 28-800 per annum and Saturdays paid as extra. I know I have some heavy lifting but am happy as its all experience, you never know I might well like it and stay.
No agency required, straight to a firm as a newbie at age 53, living proof it can be done

Nice one dave, where is that for? Drop me a pm if you don’t want to post on forums chat there

Brake brothers not everyones choice, but all agreed for 2/11/15 they are even having a regular driver show me the round and where to park at drops not bad stuff I reckon.

I wont have passed by then but I know a few people from brakes maybe they could help one day. We use woodwards who are owned by brakes as are freshfayre too.

[biker10]

ash 001:
people say bad things about brakes, but I say give it a go see how you find it as you never know. If your not happy there then just move on easy as that. Seems like they are caring for you already before your even driving so looking good. Would be nice if you could keep me updated by pm mate as im always interested to hear how your getting on .

deffinately will keep you updated!
and everones been really helpful so much appreciated! I just want to get all the theory out of the way now so I can concentrate on the driving!!

[mufcphil]

im 33 and decided same as you time for a change. i did my class 2 with paul at hindley green very good i passed with only 8 hours. iv got my cpc mod 4 on Friday little bit nervous for it. what i will say in dont worry about your cpc mod 2 it was simple. when it said i had one and half hours to do it i thought it was going to be tough.

good luck

[biker10]

Thanks mate and good luck too. I am going with him too after I’ve heard some good things about him in the past. Can’t wait to get started now seems like forever lol

[cmh]

Trucker Ed:
I only started driving hgv at aged 40 mate so don’t let your age put you off, I love it after years of been self employed it was great to go to work and get paid for the hours you do, you’ve got plenty of firms around you just have a drive around and have a look you’ve got Trafford park at one side of the 62 and Haywood on the other, I only ever wanted to do class 1 and went straight in for that after passing class 2, had a couple of weeks wait in between so did a couple of days class 2 and hated it, all multi drop pallet network stuff it wasn’t for me so just focused on my class 1, passed that and started work straight away for my next door neighbour while waiting for my assessment and start date to come through.
Yes I was lucky to have a neighbour that could offer such a role and wow glad he did such a learning curve

I dropped a diesel scissor off the other day to DPD in Haywood industrial park, noticed Fowler and Welch with a sign advertising jobs for new starts, seems ideal for the O.P as it’s good tackle there and company who have easy work and do things by the book so a steady start into the industry. I started and ended up working for a cowboy outfit, gaffer was an odious ■■■■ and packing the job in was the best thing I’ve done in recent years.

Passes 2 years ago for my Class 2, did my class 1 2 years this Dec. Worked on curtain siders, flat beds, walking floors, Bulker tippers and now low loaders. Gone from driving a banged up MAN rigid delivering milk to a 15 plate Volvo FM delivering plant for nearly twice the money pretty muchz starting at 6.30 instead of 2am.

There’s good and bad in every industry, problem is the good news is outweighed by the loudness or the bad just like day to day life. Wish the O.P all the best of success.

[eagerbeaver]

To avoid any confusion, it’s Heywood, not Haywood.

[digit369]

Ok my friend here is my honest answer.

I started 9 months ago I work as a ltd co invoicing for my work, ok you need PLI and a accountant but I work a 60 hour week and take home £640 class 2. Take away your accountant 100£ per month and PLI it’s about 32k a year cooperation tax is now 18% and dividends are tax free I think but you need to speak to a proper accountant I just point steering wheel . Now I am doing my class 1 just after Christmas my agancy who I get on with very well has garunteed me a job at the beginning of the next season march 2016 at £17 per hour NO EXPERIENCE shortage . I have worked in retail before this and trust me trucking is a diddle compared. I don’t do nights out because I don’t like it. You have to start somewhere and graft for cheap this is the shi? Part they will physically drag you though a bush kick you and spit you out into a pond, because your new. But you need to find small haulage firms who are desperate try agricultural like plants etc as the are seasonal and recruit at the beginning of the season. It’s not a bad job a bit lonely nights out were ok but the missus did not like it as I was not home with her and the kids and caused tension and she has double ds and for £20 a night out I would rather be oiling them up . also think about 13 hour day 11 hours in cab then working in it again I HAVE PUT ON WEIGHT. The killer part is the lonely bit you have to be alert all the time which after 13 hours is exhausting but I am getting used to this now get spotify and a iPhone with headphones I have a aux lead on my head unit so my speakers get fully exercised and my singing vocals .the thing is the more these drivers bang on about cpc oh how much bull it is, well actually it separates the men from the boys and when all these happy happy people leave the industry it just paves the way for the new professional driver who wants to earn good money easily in your area £50k a year with overtime.

Agency’s pay the best,but you get the dog work that the regular on the books boy don’t want but that’s where you max out your hours because your slow and don’t really know what your doing do you lol. firms will try to take you from agency to pay less as they want to make more money, go ltd freelance don’t do umbrella these [zb] make so much from rainy days you can claim back more as ltd.
From Heathrow to dartford is £15-17 per hour and TBH it’s only going to get better as more retire and leave. The thing that really ■■■■■■ me off is ee drivers cutting the wage down and more than complacent driver excepting £8.50’a hour. You need to be tough always make your employer feel that there is a brighter light on your horizon.

1 last thing when you get in the 18toner for the first time you will need to bring some kitty litter sand as there will be a mess. I’m not looking forward to the arctic. But now I jump in the 18toner and think what was I scared of it’s easier than driving a car.
I reversed into a archway the other day and not joking a inch either side at the top.

Good luck with you choice hope this helps.