watching confessions of the underground yesterday and one thing struck me,that is in theory hgv drivers like us have a pretty good job,i saw the commuters on the underground packing themselves into the carriages like cattle,and every morning they do the same thing following each other like sheep,most times they literally squeeze into these trains and the doors just about manage to shut,i think to myself I could not handle that everytime day in day out,as an hgv driver yes we have to put up with crap on the road and treated like 2nd class citizens most of the time but on the plus side most of the time you are left alone to do the job,you never know where you could be going [most of the time]you see some beautiful scenery in the uk,probably stop when you like for a quick break in a lay by,and on a nice summers day its great to be out,i do moan about the job at times [normally about money]but it could be worse,at most office workers might be lucky to go outside their workplace for about 5 min before sitting back down behind a computer screen for about 8 or 9 hours and then they have to become sheep again all following each other and squeezing into trains
I could cope with the train or even coach, what i couldn’t do is a city commute by car, some of them travel around 2 hours in hell traffic pushing and shoving, then do a days work and then do the traffic jam all over again, rinse and repeat 5 days a week, i’d last till wednesday on the first week before blowing a gasket.
Don’t mind at all coping with any traffic in the lorry at work though, thats what we get paid for.
Yes it must be hell, home every night, regular finish time, being able to arrange things for the evenings, spending time with your family, 8 hour days, having a life during the week, I’d hate it 
Big Roy:
Yes it must be hell, home every night, regular finish time, being able to arrange things for the evenings, spending time with your family, 8 hour days, having a life during the week, I’d hate it
You can do that being a trucker too if you think outside the box and refuse to work for the outfits that think long hours for poor pay is acceptable.
Main reason I drive is because I couldn’t handle the ‘rat race’
Sometimes wish I was different and could put up with sitting in an office, having cake days etc 
all my mates who have office jobs get decent money for shorter hours but I’ve tried it and there’s no way I’m going back
Left hand down!:
Big Roy:
Yes it must be hell, home every night, regular finish time, being able to arrange things for the evenings, spending time with your family, 8 hour days, having a life during the week, I’d hate itYou can do that being a trucker too if you think outside the box and refuse to work for the outfits that think long hours for poor pay is acceptable.
The key is to drive own account for a large company ie; supermarkets proper holiday pay sick pay and a shed load of other benefits and 42.5 hrs a week overtime is optional not compulsory.
Ah but to some Knights of the road supermarket work isn’t “proper” lorry driving…
Juddian:
I could cope with the train or even coach, what i couldn’t do is a city commute by car, some of them travel around 2 hours in hell traffic pushing and shoving, then do a days work and then do the traffic jam all over again, rinse and repeat 5 days a week, i’d last till wednesday on the first week before blowing a gasket.Don’t mind at all coping with any traffic in the lorry at work though, thats what we get paid for.
agreed
Big Roy:
Yes it must be hell, home every night, regular finish time, being able to arrange things for the evenings, spending time with your family, 8 hour days, having a life during the week, I’d hate it
in some cases you are right but I have heard of people leaving offices at 5pm and not getting home until 8 or 9 pm,i am not sticking up for these desk jockeys,they are on better money most times but I reckon we have the better job as regards freedom [to a certain extent]
I was in an office today, helping an engineer lug a printer in and out. Horrible place full of horrible people. At least on the road I only see people for about 30 seconds at a time.
Working in a office myself, less hours (most of the time) but… more take home pay - never seen it even as a TM, drivers have always been on duty for longer ( I won’t say worked) but have been at least £50 -£100 take home better than me, plus as many on here have said “I could not stand the constant aggro of working in a office”
my commute is now only 10-15mins, but have done the long commute before (1 hour driving each way on a good day) it is soul destroying to know and the end of the day you have an hour of fighting the traffic home
I had a wonderful day today driving around the M25 from 21A to 3 in the rain to collect a load and then back around the the 25 to the M4 and then across A401 North circular to Ally Pally to collect another load before heading back out and North on the M11
Tipping at Warrington tomorrow, hopefully the weather will improve… 
I Worked in our companies factory for quiet a few years as an engineer…regular hours with good pay but too much stress…I find driving much better, even in stressfull situations the good outweigh the bad most of the time… As long as I keep going to different places I will stick at it, I think I would get bored trunking the same route day in day out tho.
Seany:
Ah but to some Knights of the road supermarket work isn’t “proper” lorry driving…
well it isn’t…is it?
I worked in tossco for 2 years till I couldn’t stand it any longer. RULE 1…unzip your brain along with any form of hands on initiative,and leave it in the carpark,then refit as you go home. work like the lemmings they are doing as little as poss for as much as poss. all nice and legal at 52mph and no infringements…ffs…each to their own. id rather just be sitting at 100ks with my bumhole twitching…happy days.
Well, I’ve been used to flexible hours & working arrangements for the last 15 years in various jobs, so to go back to a 9-5 type scenario would blow my brain… I like to be on the move too, so trucking is good.
Every job has its good & bad points - well, rather ‘something to moan about’, that’s the nature of the beast. I’d much rather be stinking rich & not have to work, but as jobs go I can think of lots worse, and have done some of 'em 
Work to live, not live to work
dieseldog999:
Seany:
Ah but to some Knights of the road supermarket work isn’t “proper” lorry driving…well it isn’t…is it?
I worked in tossco for 2 years till I couldn’t stand it any longer. RULE 1…unzip your brain along with any form of hands on initiative,and leave it in the carpark,then refit as you go home. work like the lemmings they are doing as little as poss for as much as poss. all nice and legal at 52mph and no infringements…ffs…each to their own. id rather just be sitting at 100ks with my bumhole twitching…happy days.
Unfortunately ‘proper lorry driving’ often involves excessively long hours to make up for lousy pay. At least by getting on the books at the likes of a supermarket you know you’ll be in with a chance of a half decent work life balance. 45 hour weeks with optional overtime - how shift work should be.
I had to drive a car in rush hour the other day, my word, I don’t miss those days!
Left hand down!:
Big Roy:
Yes it must be hell, home every night, regular finish time, being able to arrange things for the evenings, spending time with your family, 8 hour days, having a life during the week, I’d hate itYou can do that being a trucker too if you think outside the box and refuse to work for the outfits that think long hours for poor pay is acceptable.
Which firms have short hours for high pay, say around the average of 35 hours per week.
mac12:
Left hand down!:
Big Roy:
Yes it must be hell, home every night, regular finish time, being able to arrange things for the evenings, spending time with your family, 8 hour days, having a life during the week, I’d hate itYou can do that being a trucker too if you think outside the box and refuse to work for the outfits that think long hours for poor pay is acceptable.
Which firms have short hours for high pay, say around the average of 35 hours per week.
Depends what you call ‘high pay’ but if you’re saying 30k and a couple more on top, at the mo…mine! Averaging about 30hrs/wk, 20:00-0100 give or take half hr either side…Sunday-Thursday ‘nights’. Boring little number, every night is déjà vous but the free time I have compensates for that