for the past month or so ive been wondering why i still do this job and the only thing i can come up with is it more money than working in a factory .the guy i work for bought me a t reg eurostar said he would put wheeltrims on it spotlights repaint the chassis so i could take it to shows.well ive cleaned the cab out and thats it .i did start to polish the fuel tank but only did a quarter of it before i got bored with it i then phoned my mate and told him to cancel the trims and lights and if he sprayed the chassis,make sure you do the tank as i cant be bothered to polish it.if i see a smart well polished motor i no longer think ooh thats nice id like that instead i think nice motor glad it aint mine imagine trying to keep it clean.dont get me wrong my truck is spotless inside cuz thats the bit i live in and it gets washed once a week but thats it.
We all go through phases when we lose a bit of interest in the job I think. I’ve been thinking about a career change for a couple of weeks now and feeling a bit fed up with the whole thing, maybe it’ll pass and maybe it won’t but only time will tell and I have something sort of lined up if it doesn’t pass.
Just becasue you have had a priority shift, i.e. keep the inside clean and the outside washed but cut back on the bling, doesn’t mean you have lost it completely.
I have had a couple of spells away from the wheel during my 18-year stint.
The first time, I had a couple of years as one of Maggie`s three million, the second time was around six years ago, from the time my Emma fell pregnant, until my twins were about 18 months old. I drove a minicab, on nights, and saw the whole of their first year-and-a-half of life- their first steps, their first words, etc.
Although we suffered financially, my decision to come of of heavies for that time was one of the best I have ever taken.
However, after a couple of years away, I was missing the long-haul, and the money that goes with it, and so here I am again.
Sometimes I get fed up with the job- mostly when I am parked up in the evening and I feel that I should be at home- but really, I can`t think of anything else I could do, which would pay enough money to live on.
I will be glad when the WTD comes in though, and I go onto a 4 day week.
Vince
AH! I diagnose classic case of mid life crisis, I prescribe an open top sports car and a 21 year old girlfriend. 
I’ve tried spells away from driving trucks, even spent 2 years at college getting an HND, (which was a great experience even if I don’t use the qualification), but after a few month away I miss the trucking. Not wanting to spend hours cleaning and tarting up a truck doesn’t seem a big problem, at least you still have the pride to keep it presentable. 
However having a break from driving is easier said than done when you need the money, even if you do have to work silly hours to get it.
muckles:
AH! I diagnose classic case of mid life crisis, I prescribe an open top sports car and a 21 year old girlfriend.
Sounds fine by me. When do they get here? 
Vince
Coffeeholic:
We all go through phases when we lose a bit of interest in the job I think. I’ve been thinking about a career change for a couple of weeks now and feeling a bit fed up with the whole thing, maybe it’ll pass and maybe it won’t but only time will tell and I have something sort of lined up if it doesn’t pass.
when your ready to jack i`ll buy your unit and contract
jon
jon boy 100:
when your ready to jack i`ll buy your unit and contract
jon
The unit is leased and what is this contract thing of which you speak?
its taken me 2 years driving trucks to get into the job,had no interest in wagons at all.now i have come round to being a wagon driver instead of a coach driver
as neil says we all get cheesed off sometimes but maybe next week will be better 
jon
Coffeeholic:
jon boy 100:
when your ready to jack i`ll buy your unit and contract
jonThe unit is leased and what is this contract thing of which you speak?
or should it read contacts
jon
I lost that truckin’ feeling about 10 years ago and decided it was time to go back to school and get my engineering degree. I occasionally drove trucks during that time, but mostly worked whatever part-time job I could while attending university, with occasional semesters where I worked full-time in construction. Finally, 2 years ago, I got my ME degree (and license, too), but found the economy to be depressed, so back to full-time trucking I went.
Now, after most of a year working on the office side, I’m starting to miss driving again. I haven’t been behind the wheel since late october.
as has been said already carl, we all go through it mate. the times ive been stuck out late on a friday night and the mrs wanted to go out, or when ive been turned round at dover/ashford/transmarck for the third week running. you think to yourself what am i doing this crappy job for? and then you see a beautiful sunrise, or a clear night sky, or you go to load somewhere and see all the staff in there dreary routine jobs, watching the clock machine waiting to go home, wishing there lives away. the feeling will pass, honestly i know.
Don’t think this is just a truck or driving thing. Whatever job you do, you’ll get that cheesed off occasionally. If it doesn’t pass or you’re not happy with your lot, then its time for a life change decision. I used to work in London for an insurance company — now I own & drive a truck and I feel pretty content with my lot. If I get pee’d off with it, I’ll do something else. Do any job “just for the money” and you’ll end up on prozac!
thanks for the replys guys i like the idea of an open top sports car and the 21 year old girlfriend (better not let the wife read this).ive been interested in trucks since i was 5 year old and i was 30 in january so i suppose 25 years without losing interest aint bad oh well keep
Well guys ive got over 40 years under my belt and i still love the trucks, of course you have to take the rough with the smooth, and it all depends on your attitude..sure any job can get boring, whether it be trucking..an office..a factory..or even stacking shelves in tescos…but you just have to get on with it…i have got bored at times and moved companies for the change…tilts to fridges.tanks to flats…and thats what kept me from going insane…we all love to be home at night…and at weekends…but as soon as we are there we want to get back into it again…cant wait for the monday blues…the only thing that got me was traffic jams…and i hate them…so where possible i get loaded and head away from the m25 and not have to face it first thing in the morning…but the job is fantastic…travel to so many countries and get paid for it…weekends by the sea…on the beach…and get paid at the same time…what better job gives you all this…only trucking…so if you leave it…you will be back.or reminisce for the rest of your life…and all truckers are a great bunch…its just the bosses we have to contend with …and i`m off next weekend for my long haul to bulgaria…thing is i gotta pay for this one…so any donations will be gratefully received
have a nice weekend
The only thing I can say Carl is, go with the flow mate, and dont worry! Im crap at keeping a motor tip top, I like to see them, but it aint for me. But now and then I even get the urge and wash it! I mean, christ I even fitted wheel trims to this one admittedley they came cheap, but thought about jacking all day friday cus I aint got a cruise control on it. I might get that seddon back, its a ■■■■■■ compared to the eurostar, but has a cruise, and I LOVE them!
I have never had any real interest in Trucks! 
Sure I like to look at them in shows and old pictures but as for driving them my only interest is the pay packet @ the end of the week!
I have said before a couldn’t give a hoots what the truck is like that I am driving as long as it gets me to where I am going and brings me back again! but when you think about it truck driving is about one of the very few jobs that you can decide to work 1 day a week or 6 days! agencies are a wonderful thing!!
I love trucks TC, I dont know if I could even do the job if I felt the same as you do, Im just idle, thats why mine are gerally sheds! I love everything about them come to that, maybe im really just some weird as ■■■■ old anarak!
I love the smell of diesel, warm rubber, (no I’m not into ■■■■■■■) oil , just love trucks. I’ve been around trucks since I can remember . Don’t know much else.
I remember my first trip with my dad 1969 in an old ERF. Sat on the docks and cried my eyes out . The crane loading the truck scared me w-hitless. Well not quite I think I just peed my pants.
Scammel routeman, AEC, Sed atki’s, Volvo F88 been in 'em all.
I used to T cut and polish my dads truck on the weekends for a fiver that was in the seventies - a lot o’ money!!! great pocket money!
Been to France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium. I’m now forty years old in September been driving 18yrs and still love the trucks and trucking.
Yes you get times when you wonder why you are doing the job.
I’ve tried other jobs but the wonderlust does not go away, believe me.
Left jobs, even got the sack from Eddie Stobarts ‘cos I wouldn’t tow the ‘Eddie line’. Now that cont-agoius (yes its in there somewhere) is enough to put anybody off truckin’. My dad warned me about him that was back in 1991, but did I listen??! weeell…
When my daughter was born,- needed to stay nearer home didn’t want to miss my kids growing up. Worked on various local jobs started with the local council on a bin lorry. (zb) me, now thats depressing especially when the last trip you did was to Andorra!!
Didn’t stay there long went to work for Asda lasted there for 5yrs then… Like I said, I’ve even packed in driving altogether, but here I am my kids grown up well my sons 18 and daughter 13. The wonderlust is back doing agency work at the mo’ and must admit it’s S’ (S’=sad ).
Staying on agency work 'till after the summer hol’s then I think I’m back ‘over the water’.
When I get a new truck it’s jet wash, T cut and polish inside and out, potpourri and air freshners, joysticks, (erm… I mean those little mosquito repellant spiral things…honest!) brought up that way you see.
Stick with it mate you might just need a change of scenery,… know what I mean.
Unless you’ve a honours degree there’s no better Job.
You can’t drive a number two pencil very far !!!
This post is to the memory of Joe Kay.
robB39:
Didn’t stay there long went to work for Asda lasted there for 5yrs then…
when did you leave 
jon
1995 - early 2000
Did the home and leisure job out of Whitwood (Highway’s warehouse).
Then it all went pear shaped, shipped over to RDC stuck it a while then packed it in couldn’t find a shift to suit. M T the jock got the brunt, I’d been out on the P and was due to start 05.00, rang in at 01.00 to tell them I wouldn’t be in,…in fact you can take the job and…
Didn’t turn a wheel for about six months after that… but here I am still truckin crazy.