I’ve been in the same industry for 19 years and now because of a number of issues it may well be coming to an end. Having no qualifications since school has put me in a position where I fear I won’t be able to get a job that’s above minimum wage so I need to do a course of some kind. This isn’t a flippant choice as I’ve always fancied being a truck driver but reading a lot of posts on here over the last week it sounds like every trucker hates their job (nearly every) so is it just general moaning that all us men do, or is it really that bad??
It’s a job I could see myself doing and enjoy doing but until you’ve done it, who knows.
Also, anyone heard of red rose training in Manchester and would they recommend?
Lot depends on what firm you end up with, some are good places, some treat you like rubbish. And there’s a big variety of jobs, multi drop, trunking, UK tramping, Euro, containers, so it’s a case of working out what suits you best.
I’ve got drivers that wouldn’t do anything else, so not all of them moan!
Don’t take too much notice of what you hear or read about truck driving for a living, everyone has a differing opinion. Mine is mostly positive as it works for me. Its like any job where you get good and bad days. I have had some pretty high stress jobs that made me hate going to work every day or certainly most days. I have also had some interesting and enjoyable jobs during my career, but I always seem to return to driving, not the greatest money in the world and is certainly long hours but I enjoy it. I go to work stress free and it isn’t what I consider as work. I look on it as a lifestyle job, it suits some and others would not take to it. Give it a go if you have always fancied it. What have you got to lose? You will only end up in a job you don’t like that you can change if it gets you down. I wouldn’t like class 2 work if I am honest but it would do you to try it out before investing in a class 1 licence first. It isn’t all doom and gloom as some would have you believe. I enjoy the job as I like the solitude side to it and it allows me more freedom than I have ever had in my other roles.
If you want to retrain for a job that pays good money and has plenty of work , cheaper or around the same investment of a class 1 licence, you wont go far wrong as a refrigeration engineer. Take an F gas course and a few other courses on air conditioning and your a minimum of £30k per year anyway to kick off with. Depends on what you want to do, I can certainly give you some pointers on starting out in refrigeration.
UKtramp:
If you want to retrain for a job that pays good money and has plenty of work , cheaper or around the same investment of a class 1 licence, you wont go far wrong as a refrigeration engineer. Take an F gas course and a few other courses on air conditioning and your* a minimum of £30k per year anyway to kick off with. Depends on what you want to do, I can certainly give you some pointers on starting out in refrigeration.
UKtramp:
If you want to retrain for a job that pays good money and has plenty of work , cheaper or around the same investment of a class 1 licence, you wont go far wrong as a refrigeration engineer. Take an F gas course and a few other courses on air conditioning and your* a minimum of £30k per year anyway to kick off with. Depends on what you want to do, I can certainly give you some pointers on starting out in refrigeration.
Tsk Tsk. …
Just laying traps donkey, I know how you hate the spelling of your’e.
UKtramp:
If you want to retrain for a job that pays good money and has plenty of work , cheaper or around the same investment of a class 1 licence, you wont go far wrong as a refrigeration engineer. Take an F gas course and a few other courses on air conditioning and your* a minimum of £30k per year anyway to kick off with. Depends on what you want to do, I can certainly give you some pointers on starting out in refrigeration.
Tsk Tsk. …
Just laying traps donkey, I know how you hate the spelling of your’e.
If your previous job involved using your brain then initially you will like truck driving but it will soon become a chore, it’s the kind of job where you can remove your brain on your start day and pick it up when you finish, there is little to no mental stimulation once you get accustomed to the size and where to position the vehicle.
All in all if you want to exist in a job while waiting to die then trucking is the job for you.
As you can tell I’m not into it, I was a sparky with my own business, got an injury, couldn’t work, lost my business and needed something to get money in, luckily for me after 2.5 years I’ve been given the all clear on my injury and am actively seeking a job that requires some brain work again.
I love it - I came from an entirely different career too having had the inclination to drive trucks as a teenager. I started off with agency work, which was a bit of a shock to the system, long hours, multi-drop, hand-balling heavy stuff, low pay, but I learned a massive amount very quickly, and I met some real characters. They thought I was nuts too though. I worked for one firm that had an 18 ton Daf just for the agency boys. It was a health hazard; half eaten sandwiches behind the seats, grease on the steering wheel - it was like sitting in a skip so after day two, I spent 3 hours and valeted it myself after work. They couldn’t believe it, but after that I was really made to feel like one of the boys and they refused to accept another driver from the agency until I chose to move on to other stuff. My point being is that you will probably get out of it what your put into it.
I’m lucky enough to be doing European work now, better pay, one drop or collection a day or every couple of days if it’s a long haul. It’s still a big adventure to me and although the novelty will probably wear off at some point, for now, it’s great fun - Emsworth Shell services excepted.
Hycus:
If your previous job involved using your brain then initially you will like truck driving but it will soon become a chore, it’s the kind of job where you can remove your brain on your start day and pick it up when you finish, there is little to no mental stimulation once you get accustomed to the size and where to position the vehicle.
All in all if you want to exist in a job while waiting to die then trucking is the job for you.
As you can tell I’m not into it, I was a sparky with my own business, got an injury, couldn’t work, lost my business and needed something to get money in, luckily for me after 2.5 years I’ve been given the all clear on my injury and am actively seeking a job that requires some brain work again.
There are some driving jobs that are more involving than others Id say. Some enjoy routine regular runs, some dont.
You seem to be in a driving job that is boring and not for you, OK, but that doesn`t mean ALL driving jobs are like that.
We had a bloke at my old yard was a plumber in his 50’s and always wanted to be a truck driver. He loved it. We got taken over, most of us left, he’s still there living the dream as he had nothing to compare it to. So fill yer boots!
UKtramp:
If you want to retrain for a job that pays good money and has plenty of work , cheaper or around the same investment of a class 1 licence, you wont go far wrong as a refrigeration engineer. Take an F gas course and a few other courses on air conditioning and your a minimum of £30k per year anyway to kick off with. Depends on what you want to do, I can certainly give you some pointers on starting out in refrigeration.
For the love of God if anyone goes down that route don’t work for ■■■■■■■ cold control.
I dare say in your current job that there are those who love it and those who hate it. Lorry drivers are exactly the same. I’ve always wanted to drive lorries (or trains) so three years ago I self financed the training and haven’t looked back.
I love getting good paid to listen to the radio!!
I’ve been in the same industry for 19 years and now because of a number of issues it may well be coming to an end. Having no qualifications since school has put me in a position where I fear I won’t be able to get a job that’s above minimum wage so I need to do a course of some kind. This isn’t a flippant choice as I’ve always fancied being a truck driver but reading a lot of posts on here over the last week it sounds like every trucker hates their job (nearly every) so is it just general moaning that all us men do, or is it really that bad??
It’s a job I could see myself doing and enjoy doing but until you’ve done it, who knows.
Also, anyone heard of red rose training in Manchester and would they recommend?
Cheers. CM
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Two years ago I jacked in a professional career to move out to the sticks and train to drive lorries. I’d always looked at drivers and thought “they look like they’ve got a decent job. No ■■■■ constantly whining at them or telling them what to do.”
The first year or so is hard going. There is a hell of a lot to learn if you’re going in from a cold start. For the first six months every day was a fresh humiliation as I was working in a pretty old school yard where most of the guys there didn’t even consider someone might not know how work a curtain, sheet a load on a flat trailer or reverse on to a weighbridge without a shunt. I felt really small a lot of the time. But if you stick at it you’ll get there and your confidence will grow and you will eventually get to enjoy the job.
Don’t be afraid, once qualified and of some competency, to change employer as many times as it takes to find a job you like. There’s lots out there. Initially, may need to sacrifice sciatica inducing hard labour to avoid arsey bosses talking to you like shtie or vice versa. There are plenty of decent jobs about but loads of shtie ones.
There will be lots of people who will speak to you in a rude or unpleasant manner and there will be sod all you can do about it. You’ll have to just rise above it until you become more confident and better equipped to stand up for yourself.
One thing I would advise is to do your training in Northern Ireland. This sounds extreme but you will save a fortune. On the basis of a five day course even accounting for return travel to Belfast and four nights in a B&B you will still be about £500 better off than if you do the training in the U.K. mainland. Seriously, they charge half the price over there and when I went it was extremely relaxed and professional.
Most of the aspects that attracted me to the job years ago have either gone completely, or changed beyond recognition.
The freedom of being your own boss, and getting away for a week on your own (‘’ Ring me at end of week when you’re empty’')
Being left alone to make your own decisions and initiative, has been changed to being constantly on call by cab phones, and being watched by trackers, …or in the severest terms ■■■■ cameras.
Parking in the nearest town centre truck parks has been changed to ‘‘Which ind est do I park at’’… or worse which totally unsuitable ■■■■ lay by am I being forced into parking in tonight by my tacho.
The camararderie of drivers mucking in together helping to fold sheets etc, empathising on the road with each other.
Meeting up for a night out, has all but gone apart from a select few who try and get some social life out of the job…No I don’t mean going out to get rat arsed either.
On the whole many driver’s attitudes today are an I’m alright Jack so ■■■■ you scenario.
I could prattle on for ages but I’ll spare you as I’m even sounding like Uncle Albert to myself
So… if I was facing the choice of starting off today, the attraction would simply not be there at all, but you just make your own decision mate, there are much worse jobs out there.
