Trickydick:
I think thre biggest downside to driving hgvs is when you get old you start to go wrong then you lose your licence then you are screwed.
You don’t have to get old before you go wrong. …
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albion:
@IroneEddie, I used to read your posts when you were starting out, really pleased it’s working out for you, hope you fall on your feet with an even better gig.@nomi, I keep bleating on about the lack of control and autonomy in work. Unfortunately it isn’t just in trucking, most jobs (unless you are an ‘ideas’ person) are becoming more controlled and limited. It’s the most depressing aspect of modern business.
Thanks.
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kcrussell25:
hook:
Don’t bother it’s a dead end job you will regret it, get your qualifications and get a proper job that will easily pay a mortgage without working stupid hours.
My son is at sixth form then going uni and said he would never become a driver thank god.Don’t count your chickens yet. There are loads of people stacking shelves in supermarkets with a levels and/or degrees who couldn’t get a job after. Many saying they wish they hadn’t bothered. A bit like some drivers…
I did 6th form. Took me that long to realise uni wasn’t for me. Do have several IT technician certifications under my belt. Still sooner drive a lorry. Horses for courses and all that.
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Franglais:
Trickydick:
I think thre biggest downside to driving hgvs is when you get old you start to go wrong then you lose your licence then you are screwed.You don’t have to get old before you go wrong. …
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I was really just generalising, in 30 odd years have seen many drivers lose their licence for one reason or another.
Now doing what I do some guys have lost their hgv icence either temporarily or permanently and they can still do the job just not drive the trucks.
IronEddie:
kcrussell25:
hook:
Don’t bother it’s a dead end job you will regret it, get your qualifications and get a proper job that will easily pay a mortgage without working stupid hours.
My son is at sixth form then going uni and said he would never become a driver thank god.Don’t count your chickens yet. There are loads of people stacking shelves in supermarkets with a levels and/or degrees who couldn’t get a job after. Many saying they wish they hadn’t bothered. A bit like some drivers…
I did 6th form. Took me that long to realise uni wasn’t for me. Do have several IT technician certifications under my belt. Still sooner drive a lorry. Horses for courses and all that.
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I left school in 99 just as tony blair was starting that everyone should go to university. Did a year of college but didn’t work out and my weekend job became my career like that. I also am happier driving. The number of people I interviewed across the years saying that they were told to go by school else wouldn’t get a job was stupid. Was just left with the debt. That however is how we end up with relatively unskilled jobs wanting degrees, because everyone has one now
I think so, got my license when I was 21 (Now 30) did a few years bouncing between lot’s of different types of driving jobs doing max 65-70hr weeks etc before finding my current job (Posted on here). My average week hours since July last year when I started is 39.5hr and im on salary + expenses probably getting on for 15k+ more a year then my first HGV job and I get to travel UK/Ireland/Euro. I spend plenty of time away in hotels etc so even though I do less then 40hr a week work I have been away from home for more then 2 weeks sometimes.
I am more then happy with my current set up and on plenty more £££ then my mates working in call centres, electrical factors etc doing the same thing everyday.
The people who do best in this industry realise you need to make it a lifestyle choice in respect of working funny hours and being away from home when needed, I feel the day shift must make it back to base for tomorrows reload work to stressful. Having at least some interest in trucks help, not necessary wanting to polish fuel tanks etc but just keeping things clean and together.
kcrussell25:
IronEddie:
kcrussell25:
hook:
Don’t bother it’s a dead end job you will regret it, get your qualifications and get a proper job that will easily pay a mortgage without working stupid hours.
My son is at sixth form then going uni and said he would never become a driver thank god.Don’t count your chickens yet. There are loads of people stacking shelves in supermarkets with a levels and/or degrees who couldn’t get a job after. Many saying they wish they hadn’t bothered. A bit like some drivers…
I did 6th form. Took me that long to realise uni wasn’t for me. Do have several IT technician certifications under my belt. Still sooner drive a lorry. Horses for courses and all that.
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I left school in 99 just as tony blair was starting that everyone should go to university. Did a year of college but didn’t work out and my weekend job became my career like that. I also am happier driving. The number of people I interviewed across the years saying that they were told to go by school else wouldn’t get a job was stupid. Was just left with the debt. That however is how we end up with relatively unskilled jobs wanting degrees, because everyone has one now
17 years since I did my first degree and the student loans company are still taking £35-40 per week out of my wages. Hey ho, only another three years till it’s paid off. 
you could always watch the multitude of youtube truckie stuff,and either watch stobrats efforts,or truckiejay and think to yourself,do i want to be that complete fanny every single working day of my life.
in respect of the stobart rubbish,then look at it with the attitude that anywhere you go,people will not be pleased to see you drive in with a camera crew in tow. the goods in will not interact with you unless it is generally with contempt similar to indifference,unhelpfulness,or something they just stood in.
nobody wants you anywhere near them,and nobody wants you to park anywhere near them.
the euro dudes have a better interesting and somewhat challenging job,and you will be treated with much more respect mostly everywhere across europe,though again,as soon as your home,you will turn round and do it again.(you also have the option of ciggies and booze to bring back and double your wages with no great effort).you can see all the info nowadays whereas years ago,you just jumped in and winged it.
the actual driving aspect of the job is still the dogs doodahs though mostly every single related aspect of it now is just complete and utter grief and hassle from start to finish.
watch all the videos and then ask,do i want to wakeup and do that 6 days a week,every single week.
Hi Chris…at the end of the day…if thats what you want to do…then i would go for it…despite the negative comments, theyre mostly from drivers who are fed up with their current job, but cant see a way out to find or so something else…thats my opinion.
I started over 50 years ago…been there, done it etc…and loved every minute…and i still do…there have been some bad times, but mostly good, i never allowed any company to bully me, and have moved firms many times, if they want it there at such and such a time…i do my best to make that booking, or catch a ferry or whatever, polite to customers, etc and treat nearly everyone with respect…if theyre nice to me…i am to them…but there are some idiots in the offices now, no planning ideas, and that gets my goat at times…but treat as they treat me…If you wanna follow in dads footsteps…go for it…you wont get rich, but you can live comfortable…However…seeing as you do have a choice…a trainee train driver starts at around £45 grand…and once trained and with some overtime, you can earn above £60 grand…and minimal fuss loading and unloading. 
good luck fella…btw, if every newbie took notice of what they`ve been told, especially on here, there really would be a huge shortage of drivers…as no one would join this industry…just a thought.
truckyboy:
Hi Chris…at the end of the day…if thats what you want to do…then i would go for it…despite the negative comments, theyre mostly from drivers who are fed up with their current job, but cant see a way out to find or so something else…thats my opinion.
I started over 50 years ago…been there, done it etc…and loved every minute…and i still do…there have been some bad times, but mostly good, i never allowed any company to bully me, and have moved firms many times, if they want it there at such and such a time…i do my best to make that booking, or catch a ferry or whatever, polite to customers, etc and treat nearly everyone with respect…if theyre nice to me…i am to them…but there are some idiots in the offices now, no planning ideas, and that gets my goat at times…but treat as they treat me…If you wanna follow in dads footsteps…go for it…you wont get rich, but you can live comfortable…However…seeing as you do have a choice…a trainee train driver starts at around £45 grand…and once trained and with some overtime, you can earn above £60 grand…and minimal fuss loading and unloading.
Told ya before, no they don’t…try £20k+ for the first 12 months or so. 
sorry mate…lower pay than trucking eh !! but wait till he does his training…then your talking eh !!..and can take the train home for private use…
Don’t let all the naysayers put you off.
I’m 22 and always wanted to drive trucks, I love it! Being out on the road is great, it’s easy, relaxing, I find it stress free. Make sure you get in a company that pays by the hour. 12+ hour days are nowhere near as bad as they sound, I’ve worked 8 hour days in retail and manufacturing and it was terrible. Always tired, grubby, sweaty etc,in a truck the time flies by.
Because me and OP are young guns, we don’t know what it was back in ‘the old days’ with no night heater, clunky crash manuals, analogue tachos. The norm for us is nice interiors, smooth autos and modern trucks driven by electronics. Waaaay better.
I’ve never had a bad employer, all my superiors have been very respectful and kind. I’ve witnessed a lot of older drivers who whinge and moan out their ■■■, say ‘no’ to everything, never take any O/T and wonder why their superior doesn’t give them any respect.
Right now I have my Cat C but only drive 7.5t in my job. Mon-Fri distance day work 1-3 drops a day, average 55hrs a week and paid £10/hr base with 1.5x after 40hrs. I’d definitely recommend doing it!
HOP 2 IT:
Don’t let all the naysayers put you off.I’m 22 and always wanted to drive trucks, I love it! Being out on the road is great,in a truck the time flies by.
Yes, and your life also flies by. It will not be that fun when you hit your late 20’s, when the weeks will fly past and you will realize your not doing/haven’t done much
HOP 2 IT:
Don’t let all the naysayers put you off.Because me and OP are young guns, we don’t know what it was back in ‘the old days’ with no night heater, clunky crash manuals, analogue tachos. The norm for us is nice interiors, smooth autos and modern trucks driven by electronics. Waaaay better.
Modern day lorry driving doesn’t require much brainpower 
There is nothing to be fond of. Having a sat nav does not require you to critically think how to get to places. Risk assessments for deliveries (supermarket work) makes you a biological robot, which has to follow certain steps. Availability of mobile mechanics does not force you to even know any mechanical stuff about the lorry. And by mechanical stuff I don’t mean shaking the spray suspension with a smart face or checking that the lights work, a ten year old can do that.
HOP 2 IT:
Don’t let all the naysayers put you off.I’m 22 and always wanted to drive trucks, I love it! Being out on the road is great, it’s easy, relaxing, I find it stress free. Make sure you get in a company that pays by the hour. 12+ hour days are nowhere near as bad as they sound, I’ve worked 8 hour days in retail and manufacturing and it was terrible. Always tired, grubby, sweaty etc,in a truck the time flies by.
Because me and OP are young guns, we don’t know what it was back in ‘the old days’ with no night heater, clunky crash manuals, analogue tachos. The norm for us is nice interiors, smooth autos and modern trucks driven by electronics. Waaaay better.
I’ve never had a bad employer, all my superiors have been very respectful and kind. I’ve witnessed a lot of older drivers who whinge and moan out their ■■■, say ‘no’ to everything, never take any O/T and wonder why their superior doesn’t give them any respect.
Right now I have my Cat C but only drive 7.5t in my job. Mon-Fri distance day work 1-3 drops a day, average 55hrs a week and paid £10/hr base with 1.5x after 40hrs. I’d definitely recommend doing it!
Thing is though bud, us ‘‘naysayers’’ also used to love it at 22. 
No offence mate, but being only a year in to the job does not make you an authority on it.
On the other hand fair play for enjoying it, but bear in mind you are fortunate enough to have better t.s &c.s than most with your 40+ time x 1.5…
So look after it as your next job will more than likely be not as good.
Don’t try to teach your granny to ■■■■ eggs laddie…off you go and google that now!
HOP 2 IT:
Don’t let all the naysayers put you off.I’m 22 and always wanted to drive trucks, I love it! Being out on the road is great, it’s easy, relaxing, I find it stress free. Make sure you get in a company that pays by the hour. 12+ hour days are nowhere near as bad as they sound, I’ve worked 8 hour days in retail and manufacturing and it was terrible. Always tired, grubby, sweaty etc,in a truck the time flies by.
Because me and OP are young guns, we don’t know what it was back in ‘the old days’ with no night heater, clunky crash manuals, analogue tachos. The norm for us is nice interiors, smooth autos and modern trucks driven by electronics. Waaaay better.
I’ve never had a bad employer, all my superiors have been very respectful and kind. I’ve witnessed a lot of older drivers who whinge and moan out their ■■■, say ‘no’ to everything, never take any O/T and wonder why their superior doesn’t give them any respect.
Right now I have my Cat C but only drive 7.5t in my job. Mon-Fri distance day work 1-3 drops a day, average 55hrs a week and paid £10/hr base with 1.5x after 40hrs. I’d definitely recommend doing it!
If there’s any jobs going at your place,P.M. me mate
I will be retiring shortly and would just say that it costs up front about £4,000. to sit the exam and there is no guarantee of a pass. No pass no job. Lots of firms still wont employ a new driver they say its the insurance issue. You could lose your licence and job if you are breath tested after a family celebration . Adult onset diabetes could put you out of a job. A pedestrian or cyclist could do something really stupid and you are prosecuted for causing death by dangerous driving. I quite like my work but am mainly on rural roads.
From my point of view, I work in a supermarket warehouse on minimum wage. Being on the receiving end for 10+ years I always wanted to try the other side. Most drivers I talked to were supportive, some like this thread say don’t bother. But I still chose to train and passed everything, I am still in my warehouse job waiting for an internal transfer but in the meantime I am doing agency every week along side and I’m definitely happier out on the road.
Money wise, there are better paid jobs, there always will be but going from minimum wage to £11 p/h (agency) and up to £12 p/h when I move, that is a huge jump for me so I am happy with that.
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A lot of the “don’t do it!” brigade on here seem to be approaching the job as if it’s a lifetime thing. There is no rule to say that once you pick a job, you have to stick with it until you retire/die. Once you’ve had enough, make a new plan and get out.
Advising someone to be a sparkie/plumber/brickie etc “for the wages and home every night”, as seems to be the common thing for older drivers to advise younger ones to do, misses the point. What if they don’t want to be an electrician? So they can do a slightly better paid job that they hate, until they retire or die? I guess it makes sense when you look at it like that, but it doesn’t make sense in the first place - because they’ve still got to do a job they hate. If it’s such a good plan, why don’t they stop driving and start doing that?
Nothing is ever going to be perfect, there is no utopia. However, we’ve got a lot of control over our lives, if we take it - but there is a hell of a lot of things set up to make us fear changing our lot.
slowlane:
A lot of the “don’t do it!” brigade, on here seem to be approaching the job as if it’s a lifetime thing. There is no rule to say that once you pick a job, you have to stick with it until you retire/die. Once you’ve had enough, make a new plan and get out.Advising someone to be a sparkie/plumber/brickie etc “for the wages and home every night”, as seems to be the common thing for older drivers to advise younger ones to do, misses the point. What if they don’t want to be an electrician? So they can do a slightly better paid job that they hate, until they retire or die? I guess it makes sense when you look at it like that, but it doesn’t make sense in the first place - because they’ve still got to do a job they hate. If it’s such a good plan, why don’t they stop driving and start doing that?
A lot of the ‘‘Don’t do it brigade’’ as you call them, HAVE actually done it for a lifetime.
The ‘‘adventure’’ of the job (for want of a better word) is just not in it anymore, with 80% of jobs in this game.
This is mainly because of many drivers evolving from grown men to yesmen, and mainly because of the rat race it has become where they are virtually brainwashed into thinking they have to work max hours with minimum rest (in terms of actually believing that hours limits are targets) trackers, drivers allowing their bosses and planners to push them on the end of a phone line, trampers driving to the last minute of their time and being forced to park in some unsuitable lay by on the side of a busy trunk road. Then there are the timed deliveries, and all the up their own arse ‘‘Logistic companies’’ ran by those who in reality know sweet ■■■■ all about the job,.and don’t know a Volvo from a ■■■■■.
All the freedom (and fun) has been virtually eradicated over the years.
I don’t ‘hate it’ by any stretch, but only because I have not succumbed to most of the ■■■■■■■■ in it today, or at least I have dealt with it all to my own benefit, and only because of my experience in the first place.
So tbf it still works for me, but it is definitely not the job it once was on both sides of the coin, good points and bad points.
I was as keen as hell at 21 to be a driver when all the crap I have listed was not the Norm,… and mostly to get away from the trade I trained for as I found it boring…as you have just said.
If I was a lad of 21 today with 4k or whatever tf it is now 
to spare, my attitude and enthusiasm towards getting into this job would be minimal,.and I aint going to say to some young naive guy…"Yeh, it’s wonderful, fill yer boots’’ if I think the contrary.