Go into transport management, easy,
Never felt trapped at all. I have dipped in and out of truck driving over the years, had my own building business for about 10 years that became a Ball ache so whent back to truck driving.
The only thing stopping you from doing something else is YOU !!!
There is loads of stuff you can do with out much cash to start up with, window cleaning, Gardening, cleaning Gutters, mobile fitter (most truckies are mech minded), or just go back to collage and do a PGC in Teaching.
Don,t be negative look at the things you can do, not what you cant…
I,ve just started doing some personnel Rugby coaching to 4 guys on Sunday Morning just seeing how it goes before I go Global…lol You never know whats around the corner…
Deepinvet:
Never felt trapped at all. I have dipped in and out of truck driving over the years, had my own building business for about 10 years that became a Ball ache so whent back to truck driving.
**The only thing stopping you from doing something else is YOU !!!**There is loads of stuff you can do with out much cash to start up with, window cleaning, Gardening, cleaning Gutters, mobile fitter (most truckies are mech minded), or just go back to collage and do a PGC in Teaching.
Don,t be negative look at the things you can do, not what you cant…
I,ve just started doing some personnel Rugby coaching to 4 guys on Sunday Morning just seeing how it goes before I go Global…lol You never know whats around the corner…
Exactly right. I knew a driver called Tom who borrowed a heck of a lot of money and trained to get his pilots licence. Last I heard he was flying freight out of East Midlands Airport.
Ilona
I have had many jobs within the industry, and the only time I felt trapped was in the management part of my carear, have had a few not so good jobs,but the thought of doing 9/5 same thing every day would kill me off quicker than leaving the job
Stuck in a rut might be a better explanation than trapped tbh…
Reading a lot of the replies it seems a lot are unhappy with hours or working away all week.
I do neither now , however it does mean I work nights. But to be honest it’s easy. Typically it will be a 9PM start and It’s very rare I will still be at work past 7am-7:30.
Only a few times I have gobe into 12 hours , I might not like it , but because it’s so rare to hit thouse hours I don’t moan about it either.
The pay is flat rate at 3 figures a shift OT is a sixth shift if you want it.My hours are always under 48 , probably even out at around 43-44 
so it’s not ball breaking work.
Sometimes it can be hit and miss and everyday ends up being a ■■■■ day but thats all depends on what attitude you approach it with.Thats also down to how long I have had to wait around whilst some other ■■■■■■■ isn’t doing there job properly. But you get that everywhere you go, the stories my missus comes home with from her office makes this look really easy
Ok so at this time there isn’t many jobs out there to start changing what you are doing, but when there is then change it, being unhappy and stressed at work is no good for you, it sits on your shoulders weighing you down and everyone gets a piece. Not good.
To be honest,i think every job ive done ive felt a bit trapped 
…you live to your earnings and worry that if you leave you wont be able to cope,but after 18 years of printing doing every shift pattern going im happy that i had the balls to give driving a go,the money was fantastic on the print but the work was physically hard,now i do plenty of hours but i still enjoy it and it gives us a bloody good lifestyle…each to their own 
I can honestly say ive had the best years of being in this industry ( along with all the others of my age, transport is not what it used to be. The hours are long, you have missed the kids growing up ( really ), but it was my choice cos i wanted to travel, and i did, and got paid for it. I also had a very understanding wife who was brought up to believe that its a mans duty to earn the crust regardless of what cost. In this industry i have always said that its not a 9 - 5, and when you get back to the yard thinking your finished, after telling the wife ill be home soon you are then sent back out again with an urgent delivery, only to find out that they wont tip the load till the morning.
One of the problems is, a driver gets set in his ways, and is almost independant, plus when you have spent a lot of time learning this industry, you cant be bothered to re-train all over again, and are therefore set in your ways. Of course we all look back at the good times we have had, but on reflection, if we could change what we did for a living would we ?. I would have liked to have been a tradesman, electrician, plasterer, plumber or tiler maybe ! my wife recently asked me why i never choose one of those professions, as most of my family are in the building trade as those i have just written down.
The industry today has changed, but with my wifes help i have always managed to have 2 holidays abroad, i now own a property abroad plus one in the uk, i have raised 5 girls, we have 2 cars, £40,000 in the bank, no outstanding credit cards, and i am still in the industry, albeit on a part time basis. My wife is on £40,000 a year now having just received a pay rise of £5,000, my pensions total £330 a week, and i earn for 3 days £350, so thanks to this industry i have what i have, and i feel very fortunate to have gained so much, and to have made a lot of friends, and enemies along the way, you only get out what you put in, it depends on your mindset, your outlook, and support you get from your family, but i have been on the lower end of debt, with everyone knocking on the door, snatching things away from me, kids crying when the tv got taken away etc, but you can overcome them, i did, you can too.
Hi Wild Goose,
I concur with M4rky, been in and out of big jobs with tons of responsibility and lots of ■■■■■■■■ just covering there’s. I am not that type of individual, and have been an owner driver. but it dont make economic sense.
Its a strange job , you are your own boss, make your own decisions etc, see nice places etc.
Unfortunitely away from family and home and friends if any left to us at all. The red tape is getting thicker every day and the money is gettin smaller for all the responsibility.
Better than working in a factory though, or a sweet shop, supermarket, dealing with ■■■■■■■■■ eh or on the buses. Dont get too down , enjoy it while you can
joedwyer1:
oh come on. where else can you get paid to sit on your arse and listen to the radio. this is not work!
100% agree! 
This job is too easy! And reasonably well paid!
I think people should actually look at just what is available out there. I am an ex financial adviser and mortgage adviser, electrical technician etc.
There is no work in financial services/mortgages etc. Electrical? Construction is dropping again and builders are again laying off. I usually work in manufacturing or aircraft industries doing wiring etc. Sometimes for ‘communication’ companies. I trade normally through my own limted company.
I am having to fall back on my C+E (taken 1980) now as there really is very little around workwise in any of my qualified areas. People ‘retraining’ to go in to these industries only increase the problems.
At this time you are best to stay where you are as at least you have a wage. It hurts a lot more to not have an income.
Shortage of electricians? Plumbers etc? Media hype again. Just remember the ‘IT’ professionals required of a few years ago!! There is no shortage and from what I have seen there never has been. Media hype gives all these fancy new constructions but lets look at this new Power Station to be built my way (South West). French power company, French build, French labour force as France is building the exact same construction in some other country. So, pre qualified for experience and know all the problems…
Update qualifications…yes. However, all these training companies exist not to fill a demand but to fill their own pockets. So those thinking of ‘retraining’…look before you leap and most certainly be careful of wasting money. I qualified as Electrical Technician 1978 (20), financial services 2001 and now I am 53. Lots of skills and experience…but nothing out there.
Look before you leap…the grass is certainly NOT greener…!
Growing up I always wanted to drive trucks. Got my first opportunity at the age of 18 driving a 7.5 tonner & loved every minute of it . Got some experience driving ‘round the yard in artics, reversing etc…So on my 21st birthday I took my class 1 test, and past…I felt like the ‘King of the road’ 
. Went through a succession of jobs driving all over Europe & the UK. Always content with what I was doing until a few months before my 40th birthday. I’d driven to every country I’d ever wanted to go to, Driven some top of the range trucks, but thought to myself ’ Is this It?? Do I still want to do this for the next 25 years?? My answer was ‘No’
So on the 19th of July 2007 (19/07/2007),I parked the truck up for the last time. I’d got a job in a factory, training for the position of ’ Process Operator’ for a multi-national company. This was a completely new experience for me. Work 8 hours a day !! Starting & going home the same time every day !! Good wages !!
4 years later & I’m still working in the same factory, although I do miss truck driving & check out ’ Trucknetuk’ almost everyday,I’m not quite ready to jump back into the driving seat just yet. You see, I miss the truck,but not the job…
Geoffo…
Boys don’t feel trapped ,i had been driving for 12 years mainly around europe (which i enjoyed) but the firm i worked for started wanting more and more out of you the more you gave the more they wanted , then 9years ago i spotted a job advert in a daily newspaper for train drivers , i applied with 2000 other people and 30 of us was taken on,it’s a great job paid loads of money for only working 35hrs a week!!! lots of holidays and best of all a great pension all i can say is , YOUR NEVER TO OLD TO CHANGE CAREERS.
^ agreed , you can still do a few jobs and drive and not go down the road.Or quit driving , mind you I couldn’t do what Geoffo has done and go into warehouse or factory work - stuff that , that is being trapped imo. But each to their own.
I had a break ages ago and came off the road but carried on driving a truck - airside at east midlands airport.
Spent a yr doing that and went back on the road doing nights.
I seriously couldn’t do days now, I would quit driving if I was doing days, the roads are too bad , everyones attitude to you on the road stinks and the hours are ridiculous.
I,m probably going to start exploring the options to go back airside in the future and try and get on aircraft refuelling.Stress the word try, getting on a job on that is almost like trying to find rocking horse ■■■■.
I take my hat off to Geoffo for working in a factory.
at the end of the day if you can earn more money working in a factory then why not.
We all go to work for one thing money,
even though i am train driving i still miss getting behind the wheel of a truck ,but at the end of the day i aint going to earn £980 per week for 35 hrs and be in my own bed everyday with a transport firm.
i seem to have found a good alternative, i now work for 3663 as a delivery driver, and while its fairly hard work lifting stuff all day, i start work at 6am, and very rarely work after 3pm, i do up to 20 drops a day and get very good money for it. Best thing is u get treated like a human being at delivery points as they are schools, pubs, cafes etc. so everyone is nice as your delivering their goods, always get free drinks and food etc! The company, imo are excellent to work for with good benefits, and you still keep our hand in with driving (albeit in a 14 tonner!) so although it may not be everyones cup of tea, for me its a happy medium!
Aaron
No, because I try to avoid working for anyone who operates trucks for profit, this seems to give me a decent wage and sensible hours.
What else, as another poster pointed out, earns you money sitting on your arse listening to the radio with an ever changing view and a big comfy seat* more of a hobby. Sixty plus hours and away all week would be a different story then the word trapped would have more relevance.
I came back in 2007 after a 12 year gap after taking voluntary redundancy, there have been moments of doubt, but on the whole it’s going well, there are people out there working a lot harder for a lot less.
The reason I left in 95 was the irregular and excessive hours, and the fact the job does not fit around a young family when both parents work full time, probably one (of many) reasons that the average age of drivers is so high.
*Except Scania.
AaronR:
i seem to have found a good alternative, i now work for 3663 as a delivery driver, and while its fairly hard work lifting stuff all day, i start work at 6am, and very rarely work after 3pm, i do up to 20 drops a day and get very good money for it. Best thing is u get treated like a human being at delivery points as they are schools, pubs, cafes etc. so everyone is nice as your delivering their goods, always get free drinks and food etc! The company, imo are excellent to work for with good benefits, and you still keep our hand in with driving (albeit in a 14 tonner!) so although it may not be everyones cup of tea, for me its a happy medium!Aaron
Wait… 
shirley shume mishtake, or we are not thinking of the same 3663 here■■?
Yes, I am trapped!
Over ten years ago I was working for Manpower doing the Royal Mail runs. £13.50 an hour for nights. Steady job, regular work.
Last week I was working for another agency working for DHL/Poundland. It was £11.50 an hour for nights. I worked Sunday night and when I got back on Monday morning was told they were dropping the night rate to £10.50 per hour. Or I could stay on £11.50 per hour but they would only pay 9 hours a night. Having done the job for the last year I know it’s a nine and a half hour run, and that is on a good day!
I walked out there and then.
Why do people think I’m willing to do long hours with no overtime payments, for low pay?
We are are own worst enemy. Only when we all stick together and demand decent rates of pay and conditions will we ever get it. But it will never happen, so yes I’m stuck!
If you work in a factory, you work eight hours, anything over that is overtime. So why am I expected to go out for twelve hours at a flat rate?
Answers on a postcard to…
Hi I read a few posts regarding 3663 mostly negative…I work for them and thoughly enjoy it…i have settled route, same lorry everyday a scania 18t 57 plate…but i went thru the crap at the start, you cant expect to have it easy from day 1…You can have 25 drops and if its your regular route you would finish it in 7/8 hours but if you are going blind then of course its hard…eventually it gets easier…great pay, sick pay, 25 hols, triple pay on B/hols good pension (i think i dont contribute) Its like any job, stressful at start, so i agree with arron…you make a job good…and as for trapped! never! freedom on the roads noone telling you what to do next like warehouse jobs are. One Happy 3663 worker…oh one other thing agency workers working for us get paid by the hour so what if it takes them 12 hours plus you are getting paid.
no