It’s been over a year since I drove an artic, and in truth I personally don’t miss any of it. My son is almost 6 now and I am happy to say it has been great watching him grow up, I missed the early years nothing I can do about that now.
Be it the working hours required, working conditions, disruption to family life, foreign drivers, stress of our roads, and the fact the pay is sometimes insulting, it seems to me more and more of our professional drivers are on the look out for something else.
For whatever reason how many of you would consider hanging up your keys for good.
Tomorrow, If the situation allowed.
Driving now for over27 years
Started after leaving the army, because it did have the comradeship, when we used to use dig’s and have a chat and drink at night. And some respect.
Now Well times have changed.
I am still a trucker at heart, but have been lucky to have tried other things, but always come back to trucking.
Why I do not know.
Not me, I don’t work full time or for just one company, normally I just do a few days a week which is enough to pay the bills & keep me busy, but I would miss the variety & life if I ever had to give up.
The weeks where I do work long hours & all week it’s from a choice I have made to do so, so no complaints from me about long hours.
I have been driving for about 2 1/2 years now and would hang up my keys yesterday if I could find a job for the same money, be it in a factory or whatever.
I am lucky in that I am a local shunter and do get home every night and get paid the same as the trampers less the night out money.
I enjoyed the job for the first year but no longer look forward to going to work.
Have had 3 different jobs since I started and the one I have now is the best in terms of hours and pay but I do have to drive an old dog.
Its just a job for me and not a way of life and as soon as some thing better turns up I will hang up those keys.
I did exactly that two years ago. September 4th 2002 to be precise. I thought I’d miss it too much to stay away and I also thought I’d miss the craic too. I haven’t driven one since and although I won’t let the licence go I have no real wish to either.
My wife laughs at me now when I’m wandering around the house. “You don’t know what to do with yourself do you” is how she teases me. I’m getting better at utilising my spare time but the truth is after 20yrs of chase, chase, chase and 60-70hrs a week the concept of spare time was alien to me.
It would be a very black day indeed if I went back to it. It takes up far more of your life than any job should be allowed to do.
I love trucking…but would find it difficult to give it up completely…however…if i couldnt do international work then i would definitely consider something else…but dont know what…something to do with music i guess…but the hustle and bustle of uk work…traffic jams…blocked motorways…lack of respect for us in the uk all adds to the frustration…and i dont blame anyone for wanting a change…the game is getting harder…more and more regulations…trying very hard to keep your licence free of endorsements…the list is endless…but what i have missed over the years is being there for my children…i`ve missed the best part of their lives…growing up…and i havnt been there for them when i was needed…acting a bit like a single parent is what truck driving is all about…as my wife once said…or i should say all 3 of them…your only a lodger…your home is your bloody truck…cant deny that…
Having just got the two years under my belt, I’m still a nipper in experience terms, but I still enjoy the job, having said that, the work I do is reasonabley easy, with no nights out and generally office hours. I absolutley detest nights out and would hate to have a full week away.
I’ve said elswhere, I’ve tried office work and it just doesn’t suit me. I can’t see myself being chased around a factory, as the freedom I have in this job is immense and I value that immensly. Just let me get on with it. So no, no time soon would I go back into the office.
As an aside, it’d be interesting to see how many of the longer serving guys and girls still love the job. Personally, I don’t know weather I’d feel the same after another 18 years, but for now, it’s great .
mayby if we all hung our key’s up then the people that get to use the end product ( ie the goods we deliver) would suddenly realise that the truck driver is more important than they 1st thought.and it would make our job alot better knowing that we have the respect of the general public.
but yes i would rap this job in an instance if the right job came around with the same or better pay and no i wouldn’t miss it.
I have never regretted getting my class 1, In fact I would say it was the best thing I have ever done. I have spent some time off the road in the last 6 years, 2 and a half years as a contract manager then 18mnts back in a wagon then 8mnts of hell as a transport manager then got a good job in Logistics sales, that would have meant at least 50% of my time being in hotels all over Europe, unfortunatly I lost that job due to a health problem. Am now looking at getting back to work within the next month or so and am throughly looking forward to getting back on the road. I have already got a couple of agencies calling me regulary to see when I am going to be avliable, I really cant wait, as I look out of the window now the sun is shining and it reminds me of how good the job can be on a nice warm summers day with the view changing by the minute, what other job can offer you that■■?
I am sure after a few months back on the road my view will change, It wil be a 3am on a wet morning and I will be cursing the very day I passed my test, but for now I am happy not to be “Hanging up my keys”
Up until a few weeks ago I loved the job but it no longer floats my boat. Trouble is I have done it for so long I’m not sure what else I can do. I’m not qualified to do anything else, in fact I have no qualifications worth speaking about. After this week is over I don’t know what direction my life will take, which if nothing else makes life interesting and even a little scary.
I’m not happy about ‘hanging up my keys’ but every week it gets more difficult to drag my arse to work and get through the week and results in me venting my frustration and general mood on people who don’t deserve it.
Right I’m going off to work in a bit so I can be happy being miserable by myself and not effecting others.
coffeeholic,hereis a suggestion for a job, manager of a TRUCKSTOP
BEFORE YOU SAY oh no. think about it you will be earning a wage
also you will satisfiy your need to be involved with the trucking ,
your management and handleing of a truckstop will be a far better
service than some else because of the knowledge that you have on this subject. i rest my case
neil,could you not sell the truck and then get a job as a driver that way your still getting a wage but it takes away the pressure of being an owner driver and having to make end’s meet.
Thing is Jim I am not under any pressure being an OD and I am not struggling to make ends meet. I can’t sell the truck as I don’t think Volvo’s leasing department would take to kindly to that. Having been my own boss since 1989 it is going to be a bit difficult working for someone, whatever industry it is in.
Pete, Good suggestion but I was involved in the catering trade from 1978 to 1984 and I have no intention of going back into it.
I am sure Neil will have an abundance of offers, being the type of guy he is, I am also sure the hard bit for Neil is not getting a job, but adapting to life in the fast lane.
I know some people on this web site cant see it, but they is a hell of a lot more to life than driving trucks.
I always work on the principal that things happen for a reason, If you have a work etthic then you will never be out of a job (unless you dont want a job that is). As they say, a change is as good as rest.
Well times have changed.
I do not know.
.
