I know how you feel. I work in an office, but I got my Cat C and CE licences through the same company, purely to help out with moving vehicles. They don’t ask me to drive as much as I’d like, and since I’ve started doing a bit of driving, I find the days go SO slow whilst in an office. An hour in a truck feels like 20 minutes in an office! The work is easy, and very laid-back, but it can be so boring, and the bureaucracy is very frustrating. The firm took me on when I left school, and gave me an opportunity to earn what at the time was a pretty good wage for a 17-year-old, but now with things costing more, I’m coming to terms that I could earn a few quid an hour more by driving a truck, something that I know is much more enjoyable. Working up the ladder is impossible, as there are too many people in a very small company, and you’ll never get higher than the director or manager, plus where I am now isn’t somewhere I want to be for the rest of my life. I wouldn’t hesitate getting a full-time driving job, but at the minute I just can’t, although in the summer I can make a proper decision. The good thing is that whilst I’m working here, I’m at least getting some experience, which will no doubt come in handy if it should come to finding a full-time job, as generally speaking, haulage companies like you to have a couple of years experience under your belt before they take you on.
I love being on the road, especially at night. I don’t know why, but that’s a weird one, I just think it’s a good atmosphere. If you enjoy driving, then why not
It could be a case of that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side though. My tradesman mates always say that they’d kill to wear a suit and work in a nice, warm office. I work in an office, but I’d much rather be out and about. Even so, it’s not a nice position to be in, where you’re dreading going to work every day, so I’d recommend that you consider making a change
It took me all over Europe, from being paid to sit on a beach for a weekend or waiting for a load home .
Seeing glaciers, mountain passes, valley gorges, big rivers, medieval castles and cities pay to see.
Abroad you can comfortably do over 500 miles a day on jam free roads and not be tired.
Mingling with the locals or see a concert or fiesta when trucks are banned on religious festivals .
Tramping for months without coming home .
Doing the laundry at pit stops .
I learnt to speak Portuguese ,Italian, Spanish and French in my work .
I’m not a HGV driver yet but I have been a driver since 17 ( driving sprinters, transits, masters etc) and done a mixture of local, long distance and local multi drop jobs and I love it! Always have no matter how crappy the job appears I’d prefer that over an office any day! the only exception was when I was leaving school and couldn’t drive I spent a few years in a commercial workshop qualifying as a fitter and hated it from 9 - 12 months in and as stated above there is nothing worse then working a job you hate which fuelled my move to transport and never regretted it just looking forward to finishing acquiring my C licence and getting to work in the HGV side of the industry now Ryan
