I’m on the fence about whether to go through a career change right now after a change in circumstances. One of my worries would be what the reality of the job market for drivers is like post xmas - especially for drivers with only a couple of months experience. I fully understand its impossible to predict, but what are your experiences of this for those of you who have done just this? I guess I am worried that come January, an employer would choose the driver with more experience every time. Has there been any noticeable change with the number of drivers hanging up the boots as of yet with the looming CPC change?
mac12:
stay where you are unless you want to work two weeks hours each week for one weeks money
Not strictly true, yes there are companies and jobs out there where they will work you to max hours and will probably include 4 or 5 nights away from home a week for peanuts.
However on the other hand there is plenty of work and jobs where you can work a sensible amount of hours, be it through an employer direct or an agency where you can work a sensible amount of hours (45-50) and earn a decent/very good income without nights out. If you use a bit of initiative and common sense to get what you want it is easily achievable. Too many people put up with crap conditions and pay and then spend all their time moaning the fact without doing something about it.
If I had taken everything I had read on these forums as fact 3 years ago I never would have taken my Class 2 & 1 licences back to back. My advice to the OP would be do it and find out for yourself rather than taking what you read on the internet as fact.
Oh and by the way I should add I came from a retail management background and working as a class 1 driver was the best thing I’ve done, wish I’d done it sooner. I earn considerably more as a driver now than I did in retail without any of the hassle, now I go into work do my hours/job and go home and that’s it until the next time I go to work. Unlike retail where I had to work every weekend, hours to “suit the business” as and when was needed, no time off at standard family holidays like Christmas, Easter, peak summer etc. Plus when you are on a salary in retail and you actually sit and work your hourly rate out it is very scary the figure that stares back at you for the amount of hours you actually put in. Compare that to now where I hardly work any weekends, no nights out, I get paid for EVERY hour I’m at work and generally do about 50 a week (obviously including time spent on break on tacho) to bring me in line with the 48 hours average.
It really is a no brainer to me so don’t listen to all the doom mongers and find out for yourself.
Some of the above is true you can earn good money if in the right job but as a new driver you will struggle to get one of them. Companies such as brakes will give you a start but do you really want to be carrying food into little stores all day being a labourer with a licence for £6 50 an hour . Remember driving trucks is one of the few jobs where you can legally work 84 hours in a week when going home every night have 24 hours off then do it all again the next week, or if staying out be at work for 144 hours for maybe £500 work that hourly rate out. Other jobs are bad but how many want you to work a 15 hour day have 9 hours off which includes traveling home then be back to do it all again.
hi guys, thanks for the replies. I can take points from both posts so they are both helpful to me. Would be keen to hear from others too to get a wider spectrum of opinions.
Hi elninio
I am in the same position as yourself but also really need to get out of what I am doing which is getting those out of work into work…not easy and getting harder
I would too like to hear from those who were newbies just before xmas, how the job market was for drivers after xmas.
I have spoken to lots of people about it and they have all said they reckon this year will be a different beast because of CPC, the economic recovery and not enough drivers. One of the things I think has happened as result of recession is that haulage fir,s were on their knees and lots of drivrs moved on. now things are better they are having to do cpc and not bothering…also retirements etc…I am personally going to risk it before xmas…try and get as much experience as poss and go from there.
Quite dangerous having mortgage etc but have some savings as buffer…the only thing is how long after xmas will it be until it picks up…if there is a lull…noone can tell the future…however…I will be keeping an eye on RHA website and others after 9th sept and job boards for drivers as it’s only then we will start to get a picture of the shortages.