robroy:
20+ answers from experienced drivers (including me) to a post where another experienced driver is jacking in, hopefully for something better, and not one of those posts asking why, and/or telling him he is making a bad move or a mistake.
That speaks for it’s self, and illustrates a sad indictment to the modern truck driving job as it is today, do you not agree?
Yes agreed, the man’s found a way out that works for him and bloody good luck to him.
It isn’t the job as such, we still go out and make deliveries in our lorries, but everything has changed around us, its not us thats changed at all we’re still the generally happy go lucky hairy arsed sods we always were (though the fine ladies who drive lorries probably don’t have hairy arse syndrome) but we’ve been driven to despair.
If it was even twenty years ago i suspect, but certainly for the ten or twenty years before that we’d have reservations for Conor’s move when the job was generally better, but now?, nah sod it mate get out while you have the chance.
Ive said, and repeat, good luck to Conor. If you arent happy then go for the change.
Like RobRoy and Juddian, I think, Im none too pleased with the way the road haulage industry in general is headed. From your posts it seems we, and a few others have found a niche that suits us. For myself, reading the threads from the newbies coming on here, I wouldnt fancy being a new starter in this industry. Is that a sign of my advancing years, or a sign of the times?? Am I merely another old moaning git, or a person who does know that the job can be done (successfully and safely) another way?
I dont know, but how are other industries fairing? Transport cant be the only place where the few “turning the wheels” are supporting the many support staff? With Mark Carney talking this week about technology taking more jobs, and Google, Tesla and others making strides towards self driving vehicles how bright is the future for newbie drivers?
As it goes I still (mostly) like my job. When I look at the alternatives I cant see much better, and thats not a sigh of despair, just a recognition that life isnt perfect, but it sure aint that bad either.
I dont know, but how are other industries fairing? Transport cant be the only place where the few “turning the wheels” are supporting the many support staff? With Mark Carney talking this week about technology taking more jobs, and Google, Tesla and others making strides towards self driving vehicles how bright is the future for newbie drivers?
If anyone can invent a robot that can push a 500kg roll cage with a wonky wheel up a slope,then I’ll worry…but it won’t be in my lifetime
When I was going to pack driving in3 years ago I luckily found a job still driving that gave me my life back.
Still do 50 odd hours a week but I’m home nearly every night and if I do the occasional weekend it doesn’t seem like a bind as I ain’t been away all week.
My last job nearly sent me round the twist,you have to think about your life not the money.
To echo what everyone else has said, best wishes in your new job Conor, hope you will keep posting from time to time.
Enjoy life, you only get one go at it.
Carryfast:
You’d think with the supposed ‘driver shortage’ that drivers would at least have no problem in telling the muppets running the industry that they are day shift drivers ‘or’ night shift drivers not both and to shove the 15 hour shifts.
I’m going to take a lay down, I agree completely!
And only when we are being enticed away for better treatment could we say there is a driver shortage, and that as yet isn’t happening…
these 30- 40 hrs hr jobs in alternative industry’s arnt always the bed of roses there made out to be , I worked in various engineering factories and you won’t be able too stop for a coffee / paper when you like , if you stop for a chat with a mate the foreman will be out of his office like a shot asking what’s the hold up , and you’ll be clocking on / off , if you’re 5 mins late you’ll be docked 15 mins , if your stood at the clock 5 mins early theyl want too know why , if you don’t produce the required quantities theyl want too know why etc etc .
My girls a nurse , 37 hrs apx , more money but I know which job I’d choose , hers can be rewarding , but it’s also bloody hard work and stressful at times .
Good luck too Conor , but I’ll reserve judgement before I think he’s made the right move
N.b its a lot of years since I worked in engineering factories ( I was maching parts for dump trucks , graders , rollers for aveling barford etc ) so that shows how long ago it was , so maybe things have changed
As a former “limper” I was able to get shift start times in a 4am - 9am window (usually regular 5-6 am starts), so non of this doubling back on myself days/nights. In fact if anyone even asked me to work nights I’d say that I’m like Cinderella and I was convinced that if I was in a carriage at midnight it would turn into a pumpkin
I went for a change of career last year, I joined the local police force in their call centre. I had done office roles before so had relevant experience. I think the lorry driving counted in my favour during the interview as I had lots of life skills, and I was uber prepared for all the tests, and the interview. In the end it didn’t work out as my training was not the best, a miserable experience, coupled with the feeling I had that they are prepared to lose the stragglers (and I was struggling - I am a reflector whereas they need more pragmatists!).
I have looked into being a disabled persons enabler, and also looked at car driving instructor (didn’t stack up). The toughest thing is having decided that you don’t like lorry driving any more, you have to stick at it to make a living until something else turns up. At least I have a trade to fall back on, but by god I can’t wait to see the back of it. It’s never too late to change, but knowing what you want to do is the hard bit I think.
A change is as good as a rest so they say, best of luck in your new career but for me 10 years out the saddle was my limit and the year I spent working for a well known tinterweb company was bloomin torture, 9 to 5 office life dont tickle my pickle.
Hourses for courses, its what works now that counts for that good work life balance.
Youl always be king of the limpers in my eyes though mucka
Biggest surprise to me was getting offered the job in the interview. Its for an electronics engineer building the big video based slot machines for casinos and cruise ships - the type where they’ll be linked to others around the world in that casino’s chain with regional and world jackpot types so its not really work of the type you’re thinking dozy mostly because its specialised low volume. Its also a small family firm environment too, I think they said there is something like 25 employees.
Worst that happens is it turns to crap and come April I end up back limping.
dle1uk:
its funny how things turn around a couple of years back connor had a dig at me for working for a guy who was 2 minutes from my house, i was on lower pay but the job and certainly the conditions of job suited me
Quite surprised if I did especially when I did exactly that taking a job at Reed Boardalls when they used to run out of Sara Lee.
Again Good Luck, we are what we are from our experiences, you cannot fail you can only learn another career may be not for you and come back to driving, on the flip side it may be the best thing you’ve ever done. It’s a win win!
Good luck and respect with having a go at another career, there’s more to life than stressing over a job you hate. Sometimes I sit and think about what I would do for work outside of driving but there’s nothing that really floats my boat, luckily I have found a job that’s easy and a pays enough to give me a good life.
Biggest surprise to me was getting offered the job in the interview. Its for an electronics engineer building the big video based slot machines
Blimey be careful it could even be worse than what dozy was so accurately describing.I see visions of Chinese/Korean type sweatshop job in that description in which you could be doing 80 hours worth of soldering circuit boards in 40.
While if you’re out of driving for more than two years does that affect the issue of the often two years checkable previous experience requirement in adverts.
Franglais:
Like RobRoy and Juddian, I think, Im none too pleased with the way the road haulage industry in general is headed. From your posts it seems we, and a few others have found a niche that suits us. For myself, reading the threads from the newbies coming on here, I wouldnt fancy being a new starter in this industry. Is that a sign of my advancing years, or a sign of the times?? Am I merely another old moaning git, or a person who does know that the job can be done (successfully and safely) another way?
Jeeez, I would absolutely hate being a newbie today…no ■■■■ way Pedro.
Most modern head up their own arse firms firms today just want yes man type robots who don’t (or can’t) think for themselves, who thrive on being spoon fed.
I aint saying all new lads are like that, but these firms seem to have no probs getting them, judging by many posts on here and from what I see myself.
At least for people like me it aint too bad, I even LOOK like a seasoned trucker, and if the ■■■■ is attempted to be taken out of me (although to be fair it isn’t) I’d just tell them to go and ■■■■ themselves, but if you are a fresh faced keen wide eyed newbie young lad, you just have to ■■■■ it up…end of.
Nah, I would not last 5 mins as a newbie, it was sooooo different when I started.
Another experienced driver leaving because of the conditions, I left 3 years ago for the same reasons and hope to never have to go back. How many others are there out there?
mac12:
Another experienced driver leaving because of the conditions, I left 3 years ago for the same reasons and hope to never have to go back. How many others are there out there?
Me. I’m this close to jacking it in, I’m gonna have a look round in the new year,
Me too, although as I have only just less than 3 years to do anyway I guess I’ll soldier on a bit longer.
Think I’ll miss it especially in the spring and summers, and I’ve been at it since 1976 when I was 21.
