Hi guys, I’ve just registered myself on the site as I am after some advise and inside information. Im 21 years old and when I left school I got an engineering apprenticeship which now means im a qualified CNC machine operator…but after 5 years studying and doing this job I still don’t think its for me. Since a young age I have always had a fascination with lorrys and I had a HGV driving experience for my birthday this year…which I must say I felt right at home behind the wheel even if it was for an hour!!
I love driving, im very much into my cars as well fixing, driving, racing them etc and feel this could be the way forward. With that in mind I have managed to get myself an interview with Eddie Stobart to get onto there driver training scheme…the interview is a couple of weeks away but I don’t know anyone who actually has driven a lorry for a living.
Which is now why I need your guys help and input, how do you guys find life on the road? Do you enjoy it? some say lorry driving is not for a family man, well not yet but in the future its something that’s going to happen so how do you find it affect family/home life?
Any help would be fantastic and a great help as it is a big change for me so anything you may think would help for me know that please inform me!
Thanks in advance guys
Cheers Jordan
Welcome Jordan. Newbie also. I can’t tell you much except that anyone with a young family would probably want to avoid ‘tramping’ and that every truck driver I know loves it 
If you have a family then its day work for you. I’ll be brutal, I’m 23. I have a degree to my name but I drive lorries. It has its ups and downs. I get to travel all over the country which is great but you also get all the zb that comes with it. If you have a cool head though then you will be fine. Traffic? Not a problem! Jumped up Hitler wannabe at the gatehouse? No worries. Idiots on the road? All in a days work. However, if you stick at it you will find that one job that clicks and everything will fall into place. Some drivers like the challenge of driving in London, others like (like me) just like trundling up and down the motorways all day.
For me, its great. I’m my own boss, I sort out delivery slots with the customers, the office just lets me get on with it. The longer you are in a job, the more you will get to know people. It won’t be long before I’m on first name terms with some of the customers that I deliver to.
Hi guys thank you for the quick replies! It’s not quite a family yet but hopefully wont be to long, I don’t plan on doing much tramping maybe to start with but possibly if I can get the odd bit to bump up the money I might.
All sounds good to me so far, how long have you been driving lorries for Radar19? As far as driving cars and vans go ill drive anywhere have driven in London many times but I know lorries are a different league! haha
I am an Essex Boy and don’t live far from Tilbury port, Coryton Oil refinery or if it does kick off Southend Airport should Eddie Stobart decide to put a depot this way!
Do you find your under pressure with regards to making drop offs or it is like any other day where they have there good and bad days?
Jordan27:
Hi guys thank you for the quick replies! It’s not quite a family yet but hopefully wont be to long, I don’t plan on doing much tramping maybe to start with but possibly if I can get the odd bit to bump up the money I might.
All sounds good to me so far, how long have you been driving lorries for Radar19? As far as driving cars and vans go ill drive anywhere have driven in London many times but I know lorries are a different league! haha
I am an Essex Boy and don’t live far from Tilbury port, Coryton Oil refinery or if it does kick off Southend Airport should Eddie Stobart decide to put a depot this way!
Do you find your under pressure with regards to making drop offs or it is like any other day where they have there good and bad days?
Been driving trucks since August of this year! Passed with Peter Smythe! As for the pressure, it really depends on what sort of job you are in. Some are really pushy and want their stuff yesterday, others are quite happy to wait for it. I’m of the notion “it will get there, when it gets there”. I’m not rushed around but I will make allowances for customers. For example I will call the customer sometimes hours in advice to tell them I may not be able to make their drop that day or before they close leaving the decision about what to do with it up to them. I’ve had days where I’m still delivering at 9pm at night but people will remember that you went above and byond the call of duty. Some days are better than others as is it with everything in life but if you can not let the zb get to you then you should do fine as a truck driver. Its postal workers that you see rushing around.
Tomorrow, I have two days to make 10 drops starting in Suffolk moving to Brighton and then the country to Seven Oaks area with more closer to Lincoln as I get home.
Welcome to sevenoaks Radar. Mind the bridge if you’re near the A224/A25 junction. Just about everyone’s had a go at getting wedged under it