Well, I’ve gone and done it!! Started 2 weeks ago back on the bendy’s after 6 years away from commercial driving and 12 years from tramping. And I’m enjoying it just like I did before, although now have a decent built in fridge and inverter for microwave and kettle (newer trucks have microwave, bigger fridge, and coffee maker as standard)
After around 30 application forms and similar phone calls, resulting in 2 interviews I got myself a job on a walking floor firm. Decent money, well spec’d decent motors (even the Iveco I’ve got is growing on me), a boss who tells it like it is from the start, only downside to some is its mostly recycling stuff and can be a bit dirty and smelly but no land fill work. Works given the night before and you just get on with it, then text in when done to see if theres any thing else/if you can load the next days first one. Not had one call all week to see where I am, even a slow shovel driver meaning I couldn’t make the tip point before they close wasn’t a problem.
Parking is paid for too, although I prefer my own quiet spots as I’m a bit antisocial (main reason I came back to tramping).
Suppose the reason for this is 2 fold, 1 for me to look back on in 12 months and see if I still feel the same lol. And 2, after several conversations with current and ex drivers of the firm, to tell people to go with you’re gut feeling because if I’d listened to some of them I’d never have gone for the interview, yet speaking to the boss on the phone I got the opposite feeling. Each job is different for different people.