I can’t be the only LGV driver out there who’s had serious thoughts about calling it a day but I’ve now taken it one stage further and hung up the gloves/totectors/hi-viz etc etc. after 21 years.
Became increasingly alarmed at the incessant drive to push down pay rates; took time out for 18 months to become a government pen-pusher but on a fixed-term contract. Returned to the fray last October to find rates even further down.
Can’t believe that the going rate now (seems to be around £9 but have seen C+E rates as low as £8) is less than I was getting 7 to 8 years ago. Add to that the ongoing problem that the agencies are usually advertising non-existent jobs simply to fill the database; several agencies trying to chase the same contracts: second and third-tier suppliers being kicked out at the drop of a hat.
Add to that the costs to drivers of gaining the CPC and what do we have? a whole load of negativity and no wish to remain in the industry.
To any new guys who have gained their licence - I wish you well; to the seasoned guys still pounding out the miles - likewise and if you notice a silver Kia being unusually considerate to you - it’s probably me!!
Will I miss tipping 50+ wonky cages with square wheels and reloading empties on a creaking tail-lift; closing the curtains in a gale and pouring rain; stranded at Felixstowe during a shut-down; lugging 1 tonne pallets with a k…d pumptruck; hauling over Woodhead with a worn out clutch-brake ERF; loading up free range eggs in pitch black at 3am in rural Lincolnshire?? Nope!!
Good on yer guys for sticking with it - me, I’ve put the tacho to permanent rest. Download that!
And I might be following you soon! I’ve given myself until June/July to be employed full time by a well known orange slightly posher supermarket chain.
I been looking for work for ages now just about had enough every job I apply for is agency work seems agencys are taking over, all I want is a job with a firm not a agency thats going to cut your wages but it seems they are the only jobs about now £8-£9hr seems the going rate and thats not always gureenteed work beginning to wonder if I should of stayed in car spraying I could get £10hr easy thinking I wasted the £1300 doing my test last year
Dosn’t seem like Hgv work is offering good rates anymore due to agencys taking all the work I feel your pain
So you got a perm placement (I assumming you have) for the government then did you, and even if you did you think thats safe? Cut backs are everywhere and if you are working for the Civil,Service your job is safe, ha, the wages are crap, flexi-time and holidays with no dough to spend because you aint earning enough.
This job has MAJOR downsides to it but some great upsides. Being stuck in an office with some over bearing PMT .itch whos your boss and wants you to run and get the coffees or file away in the corner doesnt do it for me. This is of course unless you have gone in as an “Executive” grade, and even thats a joke, I passed the test for it years ago and I couldnt manage a ■■■■ up in a you know what
Hi mate, no your not the only one, after 30yrs plus it has got to me, I have driven trucks overland to saudi Pakistan in fact more or less every where, and now at the the age of 54 im being told i need a drivers cpc to say im capable, its a joke.
It was big decision for me as i was an o/d but two weeks ago without a second thought i dropped my loaded trailer on the dock in harwich rang the company i was working for and said thats it im finished and bounced home parked the motor in the barn and thats where it has been since. Still waking at stupid o clock but old habits die hard. But like you ive hung up the keys and said ■■ it.
mattcollin:
So you got a perm placement (I assumming you have) for the government then did you, and even if you did you think thats safe? Cut backs are everywhere and if you are working for the Civil,Service your job is safe, ha, the wages are crap, flexi-time and holidays with no dough to spend because you aint earning enough.
This job has MAJOR downsides to it but some great upsides. Being stuck in an office with some over bearing PMT .itch whos your boss and wants you to run and get the coffees or file away in the corner doesnt do it for me. This is of course unless you have gone in as an “Executive” grade, and even thats a joke, I passed the test for it years ago and I couldnt manage a ■■■■ up in a you know what
I’ll keep my office on the road thanks
Hi MattColin, drivernomore 'ere. Not quite right but then it is horses for courses. Took the Civil Service post for a fixed 18 months (yes, at executive grade) due to temporary caring responsibilities - Monday to Friday days and all that. You are quite right about public sector posts - there are few, if any, and all my colleagues who had fixed term contracts are gone now - thousands of folk; once again, the working people are paying for the mistakes of the bankers and politicians.
There will be many truckers who will stick with it despite deteriorating pay structures, greater and greater influence from agencies etc. and good luck to you, but I’m not one of them. I’m off into the land of the self-employed and my office is home; at least I can’t get a SP30 there! (Although did keep the licence clean, surprisingly). Nearest I’ll get to trucking now is watching re-runs of Cannonball.
motionlotion:
Hi mate, no your not the only one, after 30yrs plus it has got to me, I have driven trucks overland to saudi Pakistan in fact more or less every where, and now at the the age of 54 im being told i need a drivers cpc to say im capable, its a joke.
It was big decision for me as i was an o/d but two weeks ago without a second thought i dropped my loaded trailer on the dock in harwich rang the company i was working for and said thats it im finished and bounced home parked the motor in the barn and thats where it has been since. Still waking at stupid o clock but old habits die hard. But like you ive hung up the keys and said [zb] it.
Now you have some spare time, you could always write a book about your experiences
I agree, after 27years as a class one slave,the last 10 with a bloke called “Pat, who has a black and white cat”, I’m looking at redundancy soon from a certain big red postal company that’s soon to be privatised.
Already decided to take redundancy and I have absolutely no intention of driving a truck for a living again.
I will be happy in an office (CPC qualified, the real one not the 35hr cash cow) or just forking around for 8hours a day, no more rolling shifts and weekend working and mixed days and nights for basic money.
The wife thinks I’ll go mad, but I must be mad already to do this job
there are down sides,but how many jobs can you do this
sun-10 hrs 15 duty- 5 hrs break
mon 14 hrs duty -6 hrs break
tues 13 hrs 45 duty- 6 hrs 30 break
wed 14 hrs duty- 7 hrs break
how many jobs can you spend half your day in the bunk fast asleep,sat in a canteen eating/chatting/going for a walk round the local shops,doing some shopping, sorting the bills,having a pint and getting paid to do it,theres obvious down sides but good points as well
n.b been told new systems are comming to stop this sitting round for hour upon hour waiting for collections ,so i may be joining you thinking the jobs had it
I’ve only had my class 1 for 9 years, and the job’s changed for the worse by the day. God knows how the old hands feel. So at the age of 30 I’ve started doing the knowledge, I shall be parking my last trailer up just in time to avoid the drivers cpc farse
The reason the rates are so dire is there are too many drivers/trucking firms and too little work. The one thing companies can screw the price down is the transport hence in this recession it’s got even worse.
A fair few firms have gone bankrupt but not enough to redress the balance. I have quoted on a few transport jobs lately and the rates being paid by the customers would mean I wouldn’t be much better off than getting a drivers job. It’s just not worth it. Diesel is only going one way and that’s significantly north of where it’s at now so companies on wafer thin profit margins will just keep going to the wall until there’s enough of a short fall of decent firms available to do the work and then we might see movement in the rates firms can secure and then in turn the rates they pay their drivers.
ady1:
there are down sides,but how many jobs can you do this
sun-10 hrs 15 duty- 5 hrs break
mon 14 hrs duty -6 hrs break
tues 13 hrs 45 duty- 6 hrs 30 break
wed 14 hrs duty- 7 hrs break
how many jobs can you spend half your day in the bunk fast asleep,sat in a canteen eating/chatting/going for a walk round the local shops,doing some shopping, sorting the bills,having a pint and getting paid to do it,theres obvious down sides but good points as well
n.b been told new systems are comming to stop this sitting round for hour upon hour waiting for collections ,so i may be joining you thinking the jobs had it
show that to a royal mail driver and theyll think thats bloody hard going…
drivernomore:
I’ve put the tacho to permanent rest. Download that!
I just want you to know if i ever do hang my keys up i will be stealing this quote and passing it off as my own
Merc0447, you’re more than welcome - there’s no copyright! Watch one of the agencies doesn’t see it though as they’ll advertise for “60xLGV drivers required due to sudden appearance of hanging up keys”.
ady1:
there are down sides,but how many jobs can you do this
sun-10 hrs 15 duty- 5 hrs break
mon 14 hrs duty -6 hrs break
tues 13 hrs 45 duty- 6 hrs 30 break
wed 14 hrs duty- 7 hrs break
how many jobs can you spend half your day in the bunk fast asleep,sat in a canteen eating/chatting/going for a walk round the local shops,doing some shopping, sorting the bills,
Not often I agree with ady but I do about this. Four shifts so far this week between 13.5 and 14.75 hours and the least amount of break has been 6 hours 10 minutes and the most 7 hours 25 minutes. Two more shifts of the same to go this week so I will have around 40 hours break on the time sheet come Saturday evening.
i’m on holiday this week, monday i had a trial day on the farm where a few of my mates work. i rang the office up in the afternoon and gave my notice (clive warcups attitude 2 weeks ago being the catalyst!!).
Cut throat rates/competition etc…