so hi there… been reading up on the newbie topics and got a bit tired of reading all about how hard it is to make a good living form driving and that 500pw is an overstatement…
Now I’d like to hear from guys who made it… found a wicked employer who pays well… something to encourage people…
just brag about how good it is to be a driver! there must be a few drivers out there who love their job? please share your stories 
Thanks.
I had a good working life out of trucking, I enjoyed it, sure, there were good days and some (very) bad days, BUT, I worked for some good gaffers,earned decent money, brought a family up, bought a house, no debt, and a new Jaguar in the garage, enjoying my retirement and always a tenner in my pocket. I’ve no complaints.
After saying that I think that trucking has changed dramatically in the last 10/15 years, and not for the better. I don’t think I would get the same job satisfaction now.
grumpy old man:
I had a good working life out of trucking, I enjoyed it, sure, there were good days and some (very) bad days, BUT, I worked for some good gaffers,earned decent money, brought a family up, bought a house, no debt, and a new Jaguar in the garage, enjoying my retirement and always a tenner in my pocket. I’ve no complaints.
After saying that I think that trucking has changed dramatically in the last 10/15 years, and not for the better. I don’t think I would get the same job satisfaction now.
I fully agree with you there,i started in 69 and ret injured in 2001 drove a variety of trucks good and bad,same goes for gaffers.Brought up on roping/sheeting hard graft but happy days,progressed as we all did as tackle got better but as you say i wouldant like to do the job today too many r/rs wtd,dcpc,medical charges,licence charges,digital tacho,s,not for me im afraid.
regards dave.
P.S.And not forgetting H@S.
Hi All. I started working on road haulage for BRS as a trailerboy/drivers mate in 1955 when i left school. Like a lot of you drivers out there from starting to finnishing at the age of 68 i enjoyed every minute of it. Like everbody i worked for some good and bad gaffers,and had to work hard. But looking back over the years now i enjoyed going to work. I am now 71 and happily retired,i don’t miss the job because like somebody said there are too many regulations now. so all the very best to all you drivers who are still working (stay safe) and to all who are retired enjoy it. Regards (Alan). 
thanks for sharing everyone… sounds like no one likes the regulations hehe… I like the first reply and the new jag in the garage… something I’ll look forward to hehe… I believe when you say that many thing have changed in the past decade or more but it can’t be that difficult to find a good job (I hope) right? like the guys who haul containers from docks… I used to unload those… 40foot filled to the brim with polythene bags… while the driver was watching dvd on his portable player… I’d love to do that 
The Jaguar, yes, might seem unconnected but for you young lads, take out a private pension plan.
All my working life I wanted a Jaguar, never able to afford one, then when I retired, a SMALL PP I’d had for a lot of years came up good, it gave me a decent lump sum and a monthly annuity, so I thought it’s now or never for the Jaguar and I bough a new one, S type, twin turbo, V6 diesel. As much performance as I can manage and 35 mpg. That’ll do for me. Get yerselves a PP plan.
I can hear you are a man of reason Grumpy Old Man… I’m working on that now… Diversification between stock mutual funds and REIT’s for the long term, bonds for the mid and forex for the short term… you’re right the earlier you start saving the better… and the less you have to put away thanks to interest rolling over… I imagine even that can be difficult for young people today… I used to save, save, save… and then somehow manage to spend all that money… now I’d rather lock it away in securities…