Confirmed what I already knew

[robroy]

That this job is crap.

I usually do a 4 day week with a 3 day weekend, but the other week I was asked if I fancied a full week seeing as they were busy.
The Mrs was working all week, mates were all working, drinking partner was abroad, so thought …Aye why not.
Did 2 runs down to Devon and surrounding counties and back, varied number of drops on each with a back load up Scotch in between, 6 days/5nts out…all done legal.
But everything that could go wrong did, so ended up virtually maxing out, (or near enough so), got up to about 73 ish hours I think it was?.. including a long day Saturday as I only got back as far as Yeovil on Friday night.

Anyhoo …was sat last night talking to my 2 lads, who commented I’d been away all week, and that is how it always was when they were kids so we got talking about how much a driver can make in comparison to the motor trade they are both in.
I worked my pay out roughly, and it came to about 810 or so quid top line…(not including the 5 nights out obviously btw, as I never count my subsistence/exs as actual ‘pay’ as such…in fact I look upon n/o ex as paying for my tax and n.i. and a bit of beer money , that makes me feel better about it )

(Also it incidentally dawned on me I earned relatively more 12 yrs ago doing Euro tramping )

Asked both my lads how much their pay would be in comparison doing same hours.
One was in excess of £1100 other one was in excess £1400…both flat rates excluding bonuses and sundries btw.

Ok they both have skilled jobs, one is a garage service manager, the other a spray painter, and in their trades they would not work so ■■■■ ridiculous hours, …but you get my drift.
Stupid hours, the top line figure Is ok to have, but ceases to be when you work out what you have done to earn it.

Bring on the ‘Do something else if you don’t like it’…I get that, but I am just making a point as to how things are in road transport in comparison to other trades, that probably cost the employee much less to actually go in to, so don’t give me the patronising lectures…pleeease.
More so… please dont the deluded clowns on here who usually come on and tell us they are on ‘good money’ and who automatically spew out the old ‘Nature of the job/the way it’s ALWAYS been’ chestnut, cos you’re wrong.
When I started (in the dark ages ) when drivers had backbone and fought for half decent t.s and c.s, I was doing max 12.5 hour spreadover, and on time plus a half after 40 hours.
So my point is, if those t.s and c.s had not been handed back by cabbage drivers in favour of same rate right through, and we were all on time and a half after 40 hours…on my 73 hours, it would be (once again) a half decent job to do.

So verdict from me…job is crap/should be a lot better/but never will be unfortunately…unless maybe you are lucky enough to work for a good firm who values you, Union firm an/or Own account outfit that is. …I dont qualify for any of those 3
I feel much better after that belly aching moan.

[andiehyde]

robroy:
That this job is crap.

I usually do a 4 day week with a 3 day weekend, but the other week I was asked if I fancied a full week seeing as they were busy.
The Mrs was working all week, mates were all working, drinking partner was abroad, so thought …Aye why not.
Did 2 runs down to Devon and surrounding counties and back, varied number of drops on each with a back load up Scotch in between, 6 days/5nts out…all done legal.
But everything that could go wrong did, so ended up virtually maxing out, (or near enough so), got up to about 73 ish hours I think it was?.. including a long day Saturday as I only got back as far as Yeovil on Friday night.

Anyhoo …was sat last night talking to my 2 lads, who commented I’d been away all week, and that is how it always was when they were kids so we got talking about how much a driver can make in comparison to the motor trade they are both in.
I worked my pay out roughly, and it came to about 810 or so quid top line…(not including the 5 nights out obviously btw, as I never count my subsistence/exs as actual ‘pay’ as such.
(Also it incidentally dawned on me I earned relatively more 12 yrs ago doing Euro tramping )
Asked both my lads how much their pay would be in comparison doing same hours.
One was in excess of £1100 other one was in excess £1400…both flat rates excluding bonuses and sundries btw.

Ok they both have skilled jobs, one is a garage service manager, the other a spray painter, and in their trades they would not work so [zb] ridiculous hours, …but you get my drift.
Stupid hours, the top line figure Is ok to have, but ceases to be when you work out what you have done to earn it.

Bring on the ‘Do something else if you don’t like it’…I get that, but I am just making a point as to how things are in road transport in comparison to other trades, that probably cost the employee much less to actually go in to, so don’t give me the patronising lectures…pleeease.
More so… please dont the deluded clowns come on who tell us they are on ‘good money’ and who automatically spew out the old ‘Nature of the job/the way it’s ALWAYS been’ chestnut, cos you’re wrong.
When I started (in the dark ages ) when drivers had backbone and fought for half decent t.s and c.s, I was doing max 12.5 hour spreadover, and on time plus a half after 40 hours.
So my point is, if those t.s and c.s had not been handed back by cabbage drivers in favour of same rate right through, and we were all on time and a half after 40 hours…on my 73 hours, it would be (once again) a half decent job to do.
So verdict from me…job is crap/should be a lot better/but never will be unfortunately.
I feel much better after that belly aching moan.

Sorry to bear you bad news.
Truck driving is for chumps

Dont get me wrong. After serving an engineering apprenticeship in.my teenager years, driving a heavy truck all over Europe was an absolute blast.
But the reality struck me that it, driving, is a fools paradise (If the persona “dozy” is to be believed, A man who served an apprenticeship with “Rolls-Royce” cannot get a job better than a maxed out layby with a pie and can of lilt has to be a ■■■■■■■ wind up or the person with the least amount of ambition just short of topping himself)

I loved driving trucks, the places I went, the people I met.
But I considered it to be a sort of extended holiday.
When it has the same 8-4 hours for £25/hour. I might be tempted back.

In the mean time. Take encouragement from the fact you have raised your lads the right way. They seem to have their lives on the right track.

[blue_estate]

Alright Rob Dozy [emoji6][emoji23][emoji23]

Sent while from gods know where

[robroy]

AndieHyde:

robroy:
That this job is crap.

I usually do a 4 day week with a 3 day weekend, but the other week I was asked if I fancied a full week seeing as they were busy.
The Mrs was working all week, mates were all working, drinking partner was abroad, so thought …Aye why not.
Did 2 runs down to Devon and surrounding counties and back, varied number of drops on each with a back load up Scotch in between, 6 days/5nts out…all done legal.
But everything that could go wrong did, so ended up virtually maxing out, (or near enough so), got up to about 73 ish hours I think it was?.. including a long day Saturday as I only got back as far as Yeovil on Friday night.

Anyhoo …was sat last night talking to my 2 lads, who commented I’d been away all week, and that is how it always was when they were kids so we got talking about how much a driver can make in comparison to the motor trade they are both in.
I worked my pay out roughly, and it came to about 810 or so quid top line…(not including the 5 nights out obviously btw, as I never count my subsistence/exs as actual ‘pay’ as such.
(Also it incidentally dawned on me I earned relatively more 12 yrs ago doing Euro tramping )
Asked both my lads how much their pay would be in comparison doing same hours.
One was in excess of £1100 other one was in excess £1400…both flat rates excluding bonuses and sundries btw.

Ok they both have skilled jobs, one is a garage service manager, the other a spray painter, and in their trades they would not work so [zb] ridiculous hours, …but you get my drift.
Stupid hours, the top line figure Is ok to have, but ceases to be when you work out what you have done to earn it.

Bring on the ‘Do something else if you don’t like it’…I get that, but I am just making a point as to how things are in road transport in comparison to other trades, that probably cost the employee much less to actually go in to, so don’t give me the patronising lectures…pleeease.
More so… please dont the deluded clowns come on who tell us they are on ‘good money’ and who automatically spew out the old ‘Nature of the job/the way it’s ALWAYS been’ chestnut, cos you’re wrong.
When I started (in the dark ages ) when drivers had backbone and fought for half decent t.s and c.s, I was doing max 12.5 hour spreadover, and on time plus a half after 40 hours.
So my point is, if those t.s and c.s had not been handed back by cabbage drivers in favour of same rate right through, and we were all on time and a half after 40 hours…on my 73 hours, it would be (once again) a half decent job to do.
So verdict from me…job is crap/should be a lot better/but never will be unfortunately.
I feel much better after that belly aching moan.

Sorry to bear you bad news.
Truck driving is for chumps

Dont get me wrong. After serving an engineering apprenticeship in.my teenager years, driving a heavy truck all over Europe was an absolute blast.
But the reality struck me that it, driving, is a fools paradise (If the persona “dozy” is to be believed, A man who served an apprenticeship with “Rolls-Royce” cannot get a job better than a maxed out layby with a pie and can of lilt has to be a [zb] wind up or the person with the least amount of ambition just short of topping himself)

I loved driving trucks, the places I went, the people I met.
But I considered it to be a sort of extended holiday.
When it has the same 8-4 hours for £25/hour. I might be tempted back.

In the mean time. Take encouragement from the fact you have raised your lads the right way. They seem to have their lives on the right track.

Not just dozy mate, although Blue estates convinced himself I am dozy, (and if he says it again I’ll hit him with a pot noodle and chuck a can of Lilt and my Friday night steak dinner over him ) I too took an engineering apprenticeship at GEC.

Had mates who were truckers,.and after going away with them it was all I wanted to do, (so I blame them ) but it was soooooo different then, decent money, not a ■■■■ hassled tracked and phoned rat race, and a ■■■■ good social life on nights out where you could park anywhere.

I’ve had great times and experiences here and abroad, in this job, and as I keep saying if I had to do it the way some of the clowns do, …lay bys, teararsing to last minute etc, I’d have lasted a week.
Maybe you’re right, it is only for chumps, and I should have knocked it on the head when it first started to turn to crap about…15 yrs ago?..so meet Chump number 1 …, but as long as I can keep ducking and diving, and fielding all the b/s I’ll stay in my rut, and continue to try and make it ok.
Thing is if money, hours, t.s and c.s were better and in line with Century 21, the actual work I do, muti drop tramping (ok only UK now) still suits me down to the ground tbh, so not ALL bad at least.

[wouldie]

Chump No2 here and in full agreement with robroy. Couldn’t have put better myself.

[the_old_timer]

On the plus side rr you were in 2 scenic areas south west England and Scotland

[msgyorkie]

My old man said this job became crap when we went over to EU driver regs. Some monkeys rubbed their hands at the chance to bag more hours in to increase the pay.
He saw the light and binned driving for a living when the gaffers started demanding a 15 hour work day, cos “the law says you can do it”
I made sure all my sons didn’t follow me into this dross of a job. One works in IT, one is a Windscreen fitter and other is a paint sprayer. All of them earn the same (expect son 1 in IT who earns way more) doing 40 hours as I do in 50 hours.
HGV driving is a mugs game.

[robroy]

msgyorkie:
My old man said this job became crap when we went over to EU driver regs. Some monkeys rubbed their hands at the chance to bag more hours in to increase the pay.
He saw the light and binned driving for a living when the gaffers started demanding a 15 hour work day, cos “the law says you can do it” .

Yep, your old man is exactly right.
When the present ridiculous hours came in whereby if you were on a time and a half pay structure, you WOULD be on good money, they saw that they would (in their eyes) be paying too much,.and did not like it.
So they offered drivers a pay rise on rate…, but same rate right through, clever eh?
Drivers?..not so clever, they accepted it.
They were probably naive enough to think they would continue as before to get an annual pay raise, but for the next 5 to even 10 yrs after that, they got jack ■■■■, then discovered they were worse off.

But as I said, you still get the odd cabbage today, boasting about his ‘good money’ after working a week and a half for a week’s money…same rate right through.

In my case I was an owner driver at this time so I actually welcomed the extra hours rules. …as soon as I went back to being employed on these ‘new’ rules and the money paid, it was an eye opener,.and I could not believe how drivers could be so ■■■■ thick to be conned in this way.

[switchlogic]

Blimey, another joyous optimistic TruckNet post…

[robroy]

switchlogic:
Blimey, another joyous optimistic TruckNet post…

That’s what I do best.
Glad you like it.
You’re welcome. :

[bobbya]

switchlogic:
Blimey, another joyous optimistic TruckNet post…

Couldn’t have put it better myself.

[robroy]

bobbya:

switchlogic:
Blimey, another joyous optimistic TruckNet post…

Couldn’t have put it better myself.

Just got tired of the sport of winding up sat nav reliant drivers bud.

[dickynick]

Swings and roundabouts really isn’t.

Fact is you can learn to drive an artic in 2 weeks and be fully qualified for life from that. That means it’s really an unskilled job. To learn a skill that be classed as a skilled job your looking a year at least training in something.

Yes driving a truck has it’s responsibility attached to it but it’s still not skilled as such. How long does a HGV mechanic have to train to become qualified?

Yes you have to put a lot of hours in to get a good wage but then that comes back to the whole argument that Aldi shelf stackers get paid more per hour than someone driving 44tons of metal on a public road. Yes but the Aldi shelf stacker goes to work and it’s go go go from the minute they start until the minute they finish. How much time do we have sat around doing naff all in a truck but are still getting paid?

Overall it’s probably not a bad deal for a job that is unskilled. You can take hike a good wage for something that only requires 2 weeks training.

[jakethesnake]

Definitely an awful lot of chumps driving them these days. You should have got into petrol tankers and training Rob and you could have earned more than your two lads and probably done half the hours that you have done in your working life. I enjoyed my days driving but thank goodness I had decent work and excellent wages and was able to retire well before retirement age.

[remy]

Back in the 60’s another motorway was opened (forget where) and a reporter interviewed a lorry driver about it on telly. I think the reporter was expecting the driver to jump up and down with joy but when asked what he thought about it opening the driver just said “jobs gone”. Short interview.

[maga]

I’ve just worked out what i’d get paid in my current job as a semi skilled factory drone for those hours and top line would be £1618 for the week with no shift premium which is 22% for the standard 38hours on top.

strong Unions would definitely help but too many are against them so things will never change.

[the_maoster]

You’re just depressed Roberto, if Newcastle ever win another match you’ll be back on a high again and forget all this malarkey!

There are (increasingly) some massive negatives with this job, but there are a few plus points that we tend to overlook because we don’t really think about them. You think truck driving is depressing then try call centre work with your performance micro managed to the n’th degree.

My old careers master scolded me that I’d never get paid to look out of the window! Ha, who’s laughing now?

IMO the job is what you make it, you and I have had a few nights out together Robroy where we’ve sunk a few, talked crap and fantasised that all the short skirts were looking at us so I don’t need to tell you of all people that it’s not the endurance race that some cabbages seem willing to turn it into, nowt so queer as folk mate.

[felixstoweflyer]

To clarify - good hours, good pay and respect for the job you do is available in - Sweden

[carryfast]

Felixstoweflyer:
To clarify - good hours, good pay and respect for the job you do is available in - Sweden

Nope they’d all hate it because they think LHV’s are the devils work and we need to go back to the utopia of 32 tonners and day cabs.

So much better to get that job in a factory or a garage on the spanners paying 20 ph for a job in which every hour spent watching that zb clock on that same old wall seems like 3 and might as well be.

Career Drivers with no knowledge of doing an inside job thinking that the grass is greener when many probably wouldn’t last a week.As an engineer my Dad also wanted me to follow him into that soul destroying trade ( for any born driver ) and did everything that he could to put me off of driving trucks for a living.The money has to take low priority in that comparison in not ending up with clinical depression.All the money in the world won’t fix that.

[mrginge]

Get a job you enjoy 99% of the time and the hours are easier. I posted this screenshot in another thread before, its a rough guide to where I have been in a truck in the last 2yrs, desk jockeys would struggle. I’m currently parked in the irish countryside