Since I was young all I wanted to do was drive trucks but as I got older I was advised not to bother as it was all long hours, crap pay, etc so for the past 8 years I have been driving a desk everyday (office monkey as my beloved drivers refer to me) but the itch to drive is still there. Is it worth swapping the desk for a steering wheel or am I better staying where I am and getting my driving fix on the odd ocassions.
Rich
is it worth it? i don’t think theres an answer to that. i drive and i love it and i can’t imagine doing office or factory job. the question should be, do i enjoy my desk job? if not change it.
Hi, Squiddy here.
Many people moan about VOSA, speed limitations, long waiting times to tip, having to do physical work, low wages, long hours, transport managers, fog lights, old men in dodgy hats driving at 55.9 mph on the motorway and speeding up when you try to overtake, WTD, younger drivers, older drivers, foreign drivers … but they all secretly love it otherwise they wouldn’t do it. The UK’s favourite pastime is moaning.
If you want to truck for a living, do it! I’ve just turned down a job that was the same money, but with company car and working 9-5 instead of midnight to 9AM and having to cycle to work. Why? Cos when it came down to it I chose what I enjoy doing!
Mind you I was lucky enough to land on my feet. Company paided for hgv and gave me a nice trunker run. Not sure if I would be so enthusiastic if I was doing multidrop or working for an agency 
Big Rich:
Since I was young all I wanted to do was drive trucks but as I got older I was advised not to bother as it was all long hours, crap pay, etc so for the past 8 years I have been driving a desk everyday (office monkey as my beloved drivers refer to me) but the itch to drive is still there. Is it worth swapping the desk for a steering wheel or am I better staying where I am and getting my driving fix on the odd ocassions.Rich
No, stay where you are.
I cant stand people that try and put of other people off doing a job they want, just because they dont like doing it doesn’t mean you wont.
Saaamon:
I cant stand people that try and put of other people off doing a job they want, just because they dont like doing it doesn’t mean you wont.
Is that comment directed at me?
Big Rich:
Since I was young all I wanted to do was drive trucks but as I got older I was advised not to bother as it was all long hours, crap pay, etc so for the past 8 years I have been driving a desk everyday (office monkey as my beloved drivers refer to me) but the itch to drive is still there. Is it worth swapping the desk for a steering wheel or am I better staying where I am and getting my driving fix on the odd ocassions.Rich
i can only speak for our place and i see more comming off road and ending up in office in some capacity,no idea what they get paid in office but it seems alot more regular hours i.e 7 a.m-7 p.m x 4,its still longish hours but they do know at least when they start and finish ,unlike drivers.
but can they crash out for 5/6/7 hrs per day,watch the t.v, 
.
couldnt you just do a few shifts driving to see if it appeals or not before taking the plunge
Rob K:
Saaamon:
I cant stand people that try and put of other people off doing a job they want, just because they dont like doing it doesn’t mean you wont.Is that comment directed at me?
I think it was Rob but to be fair you didn’t flesh out your original observation at all. Like you I am out of the game now and think it has been going downhill for years. But then there were plenty of old hands ready to say the same to me when my instructor and myself pulled up for a cuppa and a bacon sarnie in the L-plated Ford Cargo in some lay-by in 1986.
I have had enough enjoyment out of the job to say it was all worth while.
Should the OP drive a truck? Yes, if he wants to!
dont let others put you off, like every job you have good and bads days but if it is something you have always wanted to do then why not have a go.
dave:
dont let others put you off, like every job you have good and bads days but if it is something you have always wanted to do then why not have a go.
If Big Rich gives it a go and it doesn’t work out, he can go back to what he is doing now and all he will lose is the cost of the tuition fees etc. In a year’s time he will have written off the money.
If he doesn’t do it, he will spend the rest of his life wishing he had. He will never pat his pocket and say “Here’s the money I saved by not taking my HGV test!”.
Harry Monk:
Rob K:
Saaamon:
I cant stand people that try and put of other people off doing a job they want, just because they dont like doing it doesn’t mean you wont.Is that comment directed at me?
I think it was Rob but to be fair you didn’t flesh out your original observation at all. Like you I am out of the game now and think it has been going downhill for years. But then there were plenty of old hands ready to say the same to me when my instructor and myself pulled up for a cuppa and a bacon sarnie in the L-plated Ford Cargo in some lay-by in 1986.
I have had enough enjoyment out of the job to say it was all worth while.
Should the OP drive a truck? Yes, if he wants to!
To be fair x2 I did consider elaborating but then I would simply be playing the same record I seem to play here every other week when this question comes up. In summary: the industry is saturated with far too many drivers already with plenty of experienced ones on the dole because there is little work about. Then there’s the age old problem of no-one taking on newbies because of their age/experience/insurance/whatever other ficticious excuse they want to use today, and when you add those together along with the £2500 to get all your required tickets, then all the renewal fees every 5 years, it doesn’t take a genius to see that for the average person* it’s simply not worth it.
well thats down to you,you will get the marmite effect,love or hate it.
only one way to find out is to do it.
ive just come back after 2.5 yrs away
so far so good,but then i went back to old firm,as they say better the devil you know?
ask me again in 6 months time
is it worth it?
well thats down to you and what sort of work/life set up you’ve got now and the main factor money!
there are some good jobs out there but also a lot of crap ones
how do you value your time/weekends?
just a few things to expect, after being on the go and treated like crap for 13/15 hrs expect 11/9 hrs off where the most basic of needs often are crap and expensive ie shower/toilet/food, and then you can do as you wish with the rest of daily rest period,…no you cant remember your miles away from home parked on a ind estate/msa/lay by in a tin box being a security guard for another persons truck and goods for which you will be paid between £20/25 so at best £2.77 per hour!
some drivers do like there job and are well paid but a lot have to cos they cant do owt else
so expect to have shorter w/ends,longer hrs,no more money,more hasstle,and to be more worn out in the free time you do have!
but after all that i still do the job for about 6 months of the year as an o/d
moose o/d
Of course it’s worth it. If you’ve dreamed of doing it since you were a child why listen to anybody else. Do it. Do you really want to be looking back in 30 or 40 years time with a big ‘what if?’ hanging over your life? This job I’m doing now is my childhood dream yet I wouldn’t be here if I’d listened to others. I wouldn’t even be a driver. Do your own thing, do what you want to do, it’s your life and your decision.
course its worth it i was stuck in a factory job.did some 7.5t driver work at weekend for the firm that delivered the finish product we made.he offered to lend me the money to do my lessons and test failed first time went back 2 weeks later and passed.day after i went into work i was made redundant was told i could seethe end of the month out or leave straight away i left asap.went told him what happened was told to call him the next day to see what he could do for me.that following afternoon i was driving for him and never looked back since.
now i own my own house and get to go to thailand for my hols every year.if i was still in the factory id be still living with my mum and dad or renting some place crappy with no holidays to thailand at all.
just do it and get out there no matter what any one says its ur life change it and do what u dream of
Go for it. I previously had a different career before driving. I don’t regret changing one bit. I just wish i had done it sooner
Thers only one way you will find out if its for you or not and thats to give it a go mate,so go for it otherwise its like afew have said already you dont want to look back in a few years time wondering why you didnt give it a go.
Good luck with it ,what ever you decide to do.
I didn’t need to ask anybody when I started out.When I realised it was what I wanted to do I did it. If you have to ask it suggests you’re not wholehearted about it. Can you afford to do it if you find out it’s not your cup of tea?
You could have a look in the “New & Wannabe” forum to see what is going on for the new driver
It is really up to you you could pay appox 3k only to find you dont like it or cant get a job as know one will employ a new driver but if you dont do it then you will always say what “if”
is it worth it ?
any driver will give you a different answer ,
the bottom line is you’re the only one who can answer your question, until you try it you’ll never know
but if you dont try it i’t going to niggle you for years to come