Hi would anybody tell me if there’s any chance of climbing the career ladder in this industry?
Been driving now 5 years as a lorry driver and just wondering if anybody has progressed beyond driving
Well do you mean working in the office or moving the biggest/heaviest ■■■■ going?
There is a ladder I’m driving trucks up to 65t in a few years up to 85t and so on it all depends what you want some become trainers some go in the office and some people stay drivers
The clue is in the job definition ‘driver’.If someone doesn’t want a ‘career’ as a ‘driver’ they are obviously in the wrong job. 
Seen many make the jump from driving, some have made it big time and good luck to them, some have come unstuck, some tread water and seem happy enough, many have ended up back behind the wheel.
If you want to jump, no reason why not, but expect it to take many years before you get back up to drivers pay levels, if it happens at all.
Some of us are content with our lot, we can’t all be chiefs.
Crane-boy:
would anybody tell me if there’s any chance of climbing the career ladder in this industry?
Of course there is, depends if you’re willing to drop your trousers & how much bum hole you’re prepared to lick:wink:
It depends on what you see as a ladder, as in, when you end your career in transport where do you want to be? Some are happy getting a better vehicle, some want to be the TM of a large company responsible for many men & vehicles, and some want to be driving bigger loads. I would say you should work out what you want to do, where you want to do it & work towards it.
I thought the ladder was
Start to work to the bottom, when you get there, start digging
career progression
Driving: gain more qualifications and experience, ADR Hiab, livestock, plant, instructor. Become senior/key driver
Commercial: Office based route planner, transport manager. Become director
Entrepreneurial: Get a client, buy a wagon. Become established business
Co-operative: Conglomerate existing one-man-band owner drivers into a group. Become tycoon
Climbed the career ladder in a different industry, cant see this one begin any different, start at the bottom, work ya nuts off for others to get the glory and promotions.
Should you be lucky enough to get a leg up from driving into the office, just watch ya back coz theres always someone with a knife ready to stab you in the back or try an prove your not worthy
Its nice when you get to the top but no one’s safe when you get there, as I always said how am I suppose to fly surrounded by turkeys…plus its a long drop down the slippery pole when things go wrong.
Being a lorry driver is not a prestige profession. No one cares about a driver on the road or in the depot. Just like a robot - do what you have to do and go home or sleep in the cab. Will not last in this industry long time.
And just remember those you sh1 t on on yer way up - they’ll be looking for you on the way down. If you look like making it watch out for the back stabbers!
Other than that, good luck! 
guy I remember was a lorry driver,kept doing two hours extra during the week in the office,and kissing the bosses derrier,when he became a transport supervisor he totally changed from a fairly decent bloke to an axxxxxe,not asking but telling,he was the kind of bloke you want to educate shall we say outside off the company premises,he works/worked for a well known pallet distribution company in Greenford middx
ive got a good ladder on the back of my mixer…
Drivings what you make of it, like others have said there’s loads of different paths,.I’m currently hoping to get better and better jobs as my experience increases.
I started driving arctics by default really the warehouse I worked in was closing and I was offered a driving position if I passed my test, having spent years out in the truck with my dad I jumped at the oppertunity. I spent six great years at that company enjoying it but I wanted off shift work so I started a new driving job at Hales waste.
Having stayed with them for three years I applied to be a trainer and then the foreman position went with that but I still enjoyed the driving side, i was asked to help out in the office as part of my foreman role and I just got asked more often as my knowledge of the job made it easier for the bosses and the drivers so I was offered a promotion and I decided to take it as my wife wanted more time with me?
After about a two years I was put in charge of the office which became a stressful existence but I decided to move and I thought about going back on the road until I saw an account manager job for the same company advertised so I applied and I started three weeks past now.
Do I miss driving? Yes I do I had some great times chugging along in an old FL7 unit pulling dog food but I am home at a reasonable time and I rarely start before 8am and with the driver DCPC it makes me wonder where the industry is going but I will keep up my licence and who knows where the road will take me.
I will never forget what driving has given me and my family but for now I’m happy tapping away at my keyboard, the way I look at it is if you don’t try it you can’t knock it so don’t be afraid to try something else.
hey Richard R…did you drive for Asfordby Haulage on the dog food? seen one of their old ‘F’ reg Volvo’s on the road this week.
since passing my Class1 in '79,iv’e progressed up the career ladder from 32tonners,to 38tonners,now up to 44tonners 
Yes Carryfast, I started out driving from their Peterborough depot(woodston warehousing) those blinking FL7 just keep going. Mine was E447HBC then I graduated up to a Scania 113m in Pedigree Chum colours I think I polised it to death.
I took a Driver Engineer job driving a 7.5 gvw after 25 years driving artics etc, it turned out the best job I’d ever had as after 5 years I was asked to take over the parts dept, and it didn’t stop there, I ended up as Technical Support manager, and was in the process of being promoted again when the company’s managing director decided to wind the firm up due to a consequential loss action against the firm was filed for £3 million, I was head hunted by a firm to take over their operation, but left after 18 months.
so to answer your question yes, go for it,
if you don’t you won’t know what you can do, I know that I could do any anything I want to do, unfortunately I’m to old now as in my 70s, keep your licence up as I still work as and when I want, the firm I work for let me do 8hr shifts on Trunk
I was once told that in joining the Police Force you started at the bottom and worked your way down. Just a thought.
Our transport manager gets paid less than we do,so I guess we start at the top with the option of moving down 