Hi peeps my name is Alex and I’m from Dallas Texas, been driving the big 18 wheelers(lorries arctic) for 10 years but since moving to the UK a year a ago i haven’t been able to do what i love the most other than my wife no more which is drive the big trucks as i don’t have my LGV licence as of yet, i have enroll myself into a school or training centre call 1st class trucking based in enfield near london it cost me £2500 and i look forward to continuing my career as a truck driver in the UK, i would like to ask you guys for advice on a few things, i know is very different driving lorries here than it is across the pond, i always thought if i can drive a massive 18 wheeler over there in be able to deliver in the crowded little streets of new york city or the Bronx and Brooklyn i can definitely drive a lorry here since they are a lot smaller over here, i would like to know if they are truck stops all across the UK or if we are only limited to park at service plazas, also can someone tell me how does the pay is over here as far as driving at night or if i will only get pay for all the hrs i actually drive even though some nights i will be sleeping away from home, back in the US of A we truck drivers get paid by the mile so the more miles we drive the bigger the paycheck is but i heard here is by the hr so can i get some feedback on this, last question for now, can you the more season or advance drivers not the rookies please tell me or give me an idea of some good companies that i can have a look into maybe driving for them in the Buckinghamshire area as i live in High Wycombe, i would love to find a good company once i get my licence that will keep me out on the road no more than maybe 3-4 days and then come home to my wife and family, thank you so much for the help and info i will get from you lot…remember drive safe out there and keep on trucking whoop whoop hahaha 
PS: i already posted this on another section of this forum since i didn’t know where to do it, sorry for the inconvenience
Hi ya
This is going to a bit of a shock mate i,am 58 now and been finished driving long distance uk work for 7 years, and its just no good anymore.
BP opened maybe 8 truckstops about 18 years ago and was going to flood the uk with them guess what? they have all closed well i think so.
We used to stop on motorway service areas they are expensive to park and some company,s will not pay parking and the food is crap
I would say alot more but i feel very sorry to say so much already, on how bad trucking is in the uk. Maybe i did it when times was less restricted and i would do it all over again but only in my days. Has annyone explained how you need to take your CPC exam just to drive, not to operate. Also you have to take three driving tests to reach your class 1. (18 wheeler) There are people working in supermarket’s filling shelves earning more money than some truck drivers and not having to TRY and stay within the law, which gets more dificult by the day.
I have driven in Canada (car and rv)around Toronto, Nigara, Calgary, Bamff, Jasper etc etc and across to Vancouver 5 times and never seen que’s like we have in the UK. Sorry for being down on UK trucking but what I have said is the truth and its better you know now than when its too late ie if you getd a job with a rubbish firm
Regards.
John
trucking from1970 -2003 On general haulage the last 15 years was carrying company goods for a petroleum subsidery which was the iceing on the cake.
Now i drive at Stanlow refinery holiday cover internal only as and when it like , which is all i’d want of transport today.
thank you so much for the reply and your opinion, i guess trucking is that bad where ever you go or live, it just isn’t what it used to be years back, even in America trucking has gone down the drain in many ways, but it is still in my veins and it is what i love the most and also is the only thing i’m good at doing, i’m tired of doing ■■■■■■■■ jobs and dealing with some ■■■■ telling me what to do every 5 minutes, as bad as trucking might be it still better job than working at a supermarket, i have been there and done that, since moving to England and not having my LGV licence as of yet i had to get a job at morrisons and i hated it, it sucked big time, now i do security work and that also blows a big one, so even as we both agree that the trucking industry is bad everywhere we go i still rather drive for a living where i know is just me and the open road…cheers
PS: i know i have to take loads of tests and exams to get that licence but it will be worth it at the end 'cause i will be much happier in my life and i wont be telling my English wife that i want to go back to America because i miss driving trucks
Hi ya
I do agree with you if you are happy the day goes a lot quicker, Didn,t like the thought you might spend a pile of money and not be drifting into the sunset
more like a narrow alley, Good luck let us know how things go for you
John
YANKTRUCKERINUK:
thank you so much for the reply and your opinion, i guess trucking is that bad where ever you go or live, it just isn’t what it used to be years back, even in America trucking has gone down the drain in many ways, but it is still in my veins and it is what i love the most and also is the only thing i’m good at doing, i’m tired of doing [zb] jobs and dealing with some [zb] telling me what to do every 5 minutes, as bad as trucking might be it still better job than working at a supermarket, i have been there and done that, since moving to England and not having my LGV licence as of yet i had to get a job at morrisons and i hated it, it sucked big time, now i do security work and that also blows a big one, so even as we both agree that the trucking industry is bad everywhere we go i still rather drive for a living where i know is just me and the open road…cheers
PS: i know i have to take loads of tests and exams to get that licence but it will be worth it at the end 'cause i will be much happier in my life and i wont be telling my English wife that i want to go back to America because i miss driving trucks
Somehow just can’t believe all this.Trucking is’nt anywhere near as bad in the States.You have’nt got the politics against you over there to start with.The regs there are like they were here in the 1970’s but even better.I tried to look for a job in Canada and the States years ago but the emigration regs stopped me then as truck driving was only a job for locals I’m 50 now so it’s too late to tr now.The ironic thing is that with your experience you can’t get a British licence by swapping your US one and we can’t swap a British one for an American one even if we could emigrate there but a Hungarian or many other East Europeans can get a British licence over the counter here without passing any of our tests just because they joined the EU recently.
Hi Yanktruckerinuk, I’ve done the opposite to you and emigrated to the states although you will be considerably younger than myself and have wound up in the only state (Washington) that from january this year has passed a law that say’s you have to complete a course with a truck driving school and spend $4500 to get your CDL unless you can find a company registered with the DOL & prepared to sign a waiver certificate to say you are experienced enough to have a licence. If I lived in Oregon I could just study the information at home to pass the knowledge test and with a bit of refresher driving in a class A vehicle do the skills tests and be granted a CDL. However they are looking into changing the Washington legislation to cater for drivers with verifiable experience as it is causing a lot of problems at present, there is’nt even any recipricocity for someone with a British Columbian CDL to get a Washington licence. I have to say that I used to hate driving for any amount of time in the uk and did most of my driving in europe; as far as uk companies go in High Wycombe you could try Cavewood up on Cressex or cut across to Didcot to Asda’s (walmart to you) as I they were expanding their depot there.
Best of luck, Chazzer
chazzer:
Hi Yanktruckerinuk, I’ve done the opposite to you and emigrated to the states although you will be considerably younger than myself and have wound up in the only state (Washington) that from january this year has passed a law that say’s you have to complete a course with a truck driving school and spend $4500 to get your CDL unless you can find a company registered with the DOL & prepared to sign a waiver certificate to say you are experienced enough to have a licence. If I lived in Oregon I could just study the information at home to pass the knowledge test and with a bit of refresher driving in a class A vehicle do the skills tests and be granted a CDL. However they are looking into changing the Washington legislation to cater for drivers with verifiable experience as it is causing a lot of problems at present, there is’nt even any recipricocity for someone with a British Columbian CDL to get a Washington licence. I have to say that I used to hate driving for any amount of time in the uk and did most of my driving in europe; as far as uk companies go in High Wycombe you could try Cavewood up on Cressex or cut across to Didcot to Asda’s (walmart to you) as I they were expanding their depot there.
Best of luck, Chazzer
thank you so much for your info, i had no idea that Washington got a lot harder to get a CDL, i remember 10 years ago i was living in California when i got my CDL and had to go with a company called CRST for my training, they paid for it but i had to stay with them for a year making only peanuts per mile, after that one year i went to a few other companies and worked my way up on the pay scale, the last company i worked for in the US was Design transport out of Dallas Texas very good outfit with exellent trucks and they pay 0.38 cents per mile with an average of 3,500 miles per week, i wish you the best of luck with yours, you can try England Trucking and they will pay for your training as well but they only do reefers and carry loads of meat products, i’m so exited and can’t wait to be able to drive again the big rigs even if it is only in the UK for now as i think that way i will be getting home a lot more often than if i venture into Europe…
Carryfast:
YANKTRUCKERINUK:
thank you so much for the reply and your opinion, i guess trucking is that bad where ever you go or live, it just isn’t what it used to be years back, even in America trucking has gone down the drain in many ways, but it is still in my veins and it is what i love the most and also is the only thing i’m good at doing, i’m tired of doing [zb] jobs and dealing with some [zb] telling me what to do every 5 minutes, as bad as trucking might be it still better job than working at a supermarket, i have been there and done that, since moving to England and not having my LGV licence as of yet i had to get a job at morrisons and i hated it, it sucked big time, now i do security work and that also blows a big one, so even as we both agree that the trucking industry is bad everywhere we go i still rather drive for a living where i know is just me and the open road…cheers
PS: i know i have to take loads of tests and exams to get that licence but it will be worth it at the end 'cause i will be much happier in my life and i wont be telling my English wife that i want to go back to America because i miss driving trucks
Somehow just can’t believe all this.Trucking is’nt anywhere near as bad in the States.You have’nt got the politics against you over there to start with.The regs there are like they were here in the 1970’s but even better.I tried to look for a job in Canada and the States years ago but the emigration regs stopped me then as truck driving was only a job for locals I’m 50 now so it’s too late to tr now.The ironic thing is that with your experience you can’t get a British licence by swapping your US one and we can’t swap a British one for an American one even if we could emigrate there but a Hungarian or many other East Europeans can get a British licence over the counter here without passing any of our tests just because they joined the EU recently.
i know exactly what you mean my friend, i think it is crazy that someone with my experience can’t just swap my CDL licence over here in order to be able to drive right away and insted they are making me take some training crap to make me expend more money but what can i do there is no other way around it and i do miss and want to drive the big rigs again, so hopefully by x-mas i will be on the open roads again, as far as you been 50 years and felling too old to drive a lorry again i’m sorry but that is rubbish mate, i have seen older lads than you training for their licences in the states and changing their careers, if you want to drive lorries or big 18 wheelers age is not a matter, i say to you just go for it if that is something you always wanted to do, is never too late, and yes the money or the rules may not be the same as it is in America but trucking is trucking and it is the backbone of any country, best of luck to ya
YANKTRUCKERINUK:
Carryfast:
YANKTRUCKERINUK:
thank you so much for the reply and your opinion, i guess trucking is that bad where ever you go or live, it just isn’t what it used to be years back, even in America trucking has gone down the drain in many ways, but it is still in my veins and it is what i love the most and also is the only thing i’m good at doing, i’m tired of doing [zb] jobs and dealing with some [zb] telling me what to do every 5 minutes, as bad as trucking might be it still better job than working at a supermarket, i have been there and done that, since moving to England and not having my LGV licence as of yet i had to get a job at morrisons and i hated it, it sucked big time, now i do security work and that also blows a big one, so even as we both agree that the trucking industry is bad everywhere we go i still rather drive for a living where i know is just me and the open road…cheers
PS: i know i have to take loads of tests and exams to get that licence but it will be worth it at the end 'cause i will be much happier in my life and i wont be telling my English wife that i want to go back to America because i miss driving trucks
Somehow just can’t believe all this.Trucking is’nt anywhere near as bad in the States.You have’nt got the politics against you over there to start with.The regs there are like they were here in the 1970’s but even better.I tried to look for a job in Canada and the States years ago but the emigration regs stopped me then as truck driving was only a job for locals I’m 50 now so it’s too late to tr now.The ironic thing is that with your experience you can’t get a British licence by swapping your US one and we can’t swap a British one for an American one even if we could emigrate there but a Hungarian or many other East Europeans can get a British licence over the counter here without passing any of our tests just because they joined the EU recently.
i know exactly what you mean my friend, i think it is crazy that someone with my experience can’t just swap my CDL licence over here in order to be able to drive right away and insted they are making me take some training crap to make me expend more money but what can i do there is no other way around it and i do miss and want to drive the big rigs again, so hopefully by x-mas i will be on the open roads again, as far as you been 50 years and felling too old to drive a lorry again i’m sorry but that is rubbish mate, i have seen older lads than you training for their licences in the states and changing their careers, if you want to drive lorries or big 18 wheelers age is not a matter, i say to you just go for it if that is something you always wanted to do, is never too late, and yes the money or the rules may not be the same as it is in America but trucking is trucking and it is the backbone of any country, best of luck to ya
I did’nt say I’m too old to drive again (I’ve been a driver of artics and even bigger stuff than artics we call them drawbars/wagon and drags( you call them trains?) but retired early with a serious back issue in 99) but the process of emigrating and training to drive over there is too much too late now I reckon.So I’m planning to maybe get back to the job as an owner driver where I can choose the work and runs which I want to do and in my preference that’s international work on a part time basis of around two 2,000 mile or so runs per month.
that sounds good and wish ya the best of luck with buying your own rig, it is more money to be made as an owner operator and like said you set the hrs and the days you want to work, can’t beat that
Hi Have you got a update on how thing are going. I was thinking how about some light haulage. I know its not the big stuff but i do know people who do things like Italy with a double bed (crazy) and they make a living.I know its a matter of making good contacts.Have you done any British training yet??.
I’ve got very close friends coming from Canada to work. The chap has nothing but he’s a builder (with wood)he’s hopeing to do a little, Fitting kitchens.
John