Ive worked nights before doing trunking etc.
Now i work and have been nights for a year now. 2a.m start till 7 7.30 am finah.
I stay uptill about 4pm then get my head down for the next shift.
Empty roads can even do 40 in a 30 and noone notices.
Still see daylight so it doesnt bother me.
When i did do 12 hour nights never seen daylight and me and wife were like passing ships.
Juddian:
There’s one big reason for doing nights, and thats the money, anything else that suits you is a bonus.
Who can afford to live on day rates these days?
I wonder if the next race to the bottom with firms - will be trying to palm off all us night drivers on day rates… Watch us all suddenly show a keen interest in 9-5 working - and nothing else.
I think the Japanese went through decades of that during their “lost decade(s)”?
Wages stagnated, so the savvy worker tried to make the job better knowing in advance that no matter how hard you worked, you wouldn’t get paid any extra (when full time, salaried at least), nor appreciated by the firm.
Hey Presto - Minimalism enters the economy to counterbalance the “Just-in-Time” business model - and is now here to stay. 
Been doing nights almost a year now. It was a shock to the system at first but I did adapt to it after a few weeks. I work 4 on 4 off though and find it gives you a decent amount of time to still have a social life and not screw your sleep pattern up completely. I wouldn’t entertain it for a second if I was on 5 on 2 off. I start between 3pm and 7pm and am usually do 10 hours average. Weekends are quieter, Mondays and Fridays are worst and can result in doing a 13 or 14 hour but you take the rough with the smooth. I try if possible to get an early start early finish on my last one so I can get home get in bed for a few hours and get up early enough so I’ve not lost half my first day off but like I said working 4 on 4 off takes the pressure off a bit if you have a crap shift and end up finishing late. It took a few weeks to get into a routine but I generally get in bed as soon as I finish my last shift and have about 3 hours to recharge and then force myself to get up so my 1st day isn’t wasted. It’s enough to keep me going throughout the rest of the day and am usually knackered by 10pm so have an early night and catch up on sleep, by 2nd day off I’m refreshed and have my body clock back in day mode for 2 days Last day off I stay in bed till till dinnertime and then force myself to stay up right through the night. Get In bed about 4 or 5am have a good 9 hours sleep and it gets my body clock back into night mode for 4 nights back in work. I don’t really suffer with varying sleep times. So long as I get at least 7 hours at some point during the day/night I feel fine. With regards to actual working conditions. Roads are quieter but you end up on every sodding night closure and diversion that the traffic wombles throw at you on a nightly basis and when they shut 3 or 4 different ones on a distance run it gets rather annoying, but hey ho it’s part of what you sign up for doing nights. As others have said, take plenty of food and drinks as nights takes it toll on the body. It’s even more exaggerated if you throw in Mcd’s and other crap for every meal each night as that’s all you’ll get. Taking a 45, I don’t have too much issue parking as I just take them in our yard in between runs if on locals, at destination before heading back if I can get there on longer runs. If I have to use services I never leave it till the last minute just in case I have to keep going but usually can plonk it somewhere that isn’t going to cause anyone any grief just for 45 minutes. Occasionally have to do nights out, that’s a pain in the rectal area as it’s ■■■■ near impossible trying to find somewhere to park up for 11 hours at 3am in the morning. If you’re staying out on nights it’s a good idea to plan ahead and give yourself enough time to find somewhere, be prepared that you’ll more often end up trying 2 or 3 services and have to move on if no spaces before finding somewhere. If your company have a Snap account and you know where you can get to, pre book a slot if possible it makes a huge difference between a chilled out night and a stressful one. Seen so many get infringements leaving it til 9 hours 45 driving / or 14 Hours 45 working on the tacho and think they can just pull in next services park straight up and shut the curtains for 11 hours. It doesn’t happen unless it’s weekend when it’s a bit quieter. Anywhere within a 50 mile radius of London forget it any night as it’s usually full of our foreign Friend’s with their satellite dishes there waiting it out for the next day ferry back over to the continent. You’ll soon know yourself if nights are for you, if after a few weeks you’re struggling to adapt and it’s really affecting your health don’t be afraid to admit defeat and find something more suitable. No job is worth sticking with at a detriment on your life regardless of how well paid it is . It’s not for everyone.
I did nights on and off for years and never did get used to it.
Worst thing is trying to stay awake when the boredom overtakes you, easy to stay awake when you’re busy driving in towns or on A roads but steer onto a nearly empty motorway and you’ll be dozing in a few minutes especially in the early hours around 4am
I used to take a damp cloth in a plastic bag to dampen my eyes but it will come to a point where you have to pull over, not every shift but it will happen regularly, coffee etc will help but not a magic cure. I used to sleep my 45 min break which helped.
I had all sorts of start times, and found the late afternoon starts easiest, finishing around 3 or 4 in a morning, midnight starts were awful, no trouble in the dark just the same as winter driving we do it all the time.
My body never did get used to nights, family expect you to stay awake when you get home at weekend and then by Monday night you are back in day mode. Some love it but I suppose it depends on the job you’re doing, long distance trunks would be worst for me, can’t beat getting in and out of the cab now and then to keep you alert.
landowner:
I did nights on and off for years and never did get used to it.
Worst thing is trying to stay awake when the boredom overtakes you, easy to stay awake when you’re busy driving in towns or on A roads but steer onto a nearly empty motorway and you’ll be dozing in a few minutes especially in the early hours around 4amI used to take a damp cloth in a plastic bag to dampen my eyes but it will come to a point where you have to pull over, not every shift but it will happen regularly, coffee etc will help but not a magic cure. I used to sleep my 45 min break which helped.
I had all sorts of start times, and found the late afternoon starts easiest, finishing around 3 or 4 in a morning, midnight starts were awful, no trouble in the dark just the same as winter driving we do it all the time.
My body never did get used to nights, family expect you to stay awake when you get home at weekend and then by Monday night you are back in day mode. Some love it but I suppose it depends on the job you’re doing, long distance trunks would be worst for me, can’t beat getting in and out of the cab now and then to keep you alert.
I like afternoon starts too. We have a run which starts 1pm with a couple of local collections then back to the local hub, then another local collection to take down to the main hub, sleep until 11pm then 2 hours back and go home, 12.5 hrs total. All that sunlight is good for your health in the afternoon and early evening before it gets dark. The other run we have is 8.30pm start down to the hub, 2.5 hrs sleep then back and away home for 4am. I don’t mind that either as the time passes quick and as it’s only a short shift, can manage on 5 hours sleep so am up again about noon and then got 8 hours to play with before work again 
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landowner:
I did nights on and off for years and never did get used to it.
Worst thing is trying to stay awake when the boredom overtakes you, easy to stay awake when you’re busy driving in towns or on A roads but steer onto a nearly empty motorway and you’ll be dozing in a few minutes especially in the early hours around 4amI used to take a damp cloth in a plastic bag to dampen my eyes but it will come to a point where you have to pull over, not every shift but it will happen regularly, coffee etc will help but not a magic cure. I used to sleep my 45 min break which helped.
I had all sorts of start times, and found the late afternoon starts easiest, finishing around 3 or 4 in a morning, midnight starts were awful, no trouble in the dark just the same as winter driving we do it all the time.
My body never did get used to nights, family expect you to stay awake when you get home at weekend and then by Monday night you are back in day mode. Some love it but I suppose it depends on the job you’re doing, long distance trunks would be worst for me, can’t beat getting in and out of the cab now and then to keep you alert.
“nearly empty motorway” you say ?..not nowadays mate, its like a grand prix 24/7 now we are virtually back to normal, I fill in for a few “mates” on all sorts of start times, and its quite an eye opener as to the volumes moving during the night 
Stanley Mitchell:
“nearly empty motorway” you say ?..not nowadays mate, its like a grand prix 24/7 now we are virtually back to normal, I fill in for a few “mates” on all sorts of start times, and its quite an eye opener as to the volumes moving during the night
Must have been a while since you did nights. I leave Tamworth about 1.45am and the 42 and M1 are dead except for the odd truck and occasional van/car. Quite common to have the road entirely to myself for small sections without another vehicle being in sight in front or behind, on both carriageways. Bloody bliss! It’s not like the old days where they’d be conga lines of trucks all jockeying for position unless you get unlucky and catch a small pocket of them, but it’s not often.
Southbound between 7 to 10pm is busier but not too bad down the M1 until I get to the M18 then it’s wacky races with all the pallet hub lot all the way to the 38 where it thins out a bit.
DCPCFML:
Stanley Mitchell:
“nearly empty motorway” you say ?..not nowadays mate, its like a grand prix 24/7 now we are virtually back to normal, I fill in for a few “mates” on all sorts of start times, and its quite an eye opener as to the volumes moving during the nightMust have been a while since you did nights. I leave Tamworth about 1.45am and the 42 and M1 are dead except for the odd truck and occasional van/car. Quite common to have the road entirely to myself for small sections without another vehicle being in sight in front or behind, on both carriageways. Bloody bliss! It’s not like the old days where they’d be conga lines of trucks all jockeying for position unless you get unlucky and catch a small pocket of them, but it’s not often.
Southbound between 7 to 10pm is busier but not too bad down the M1 until I get to the M18 then it’s wacky races with all the pallet hub lot all the way to the 38 where it thins out a bit.
Yeh, like Tuesday night just gone, and back at it tonight
Being on nights now for 2.5 years and it’s no easier than my first week, some say you get used to it… I haven’t at all. 10 hour shifts get to bed about 5am. Up for 11-12 can’t get anymore because of body clock. Constantly tired and feeling groggy. It’s handy if you have kids to care for after school and cost effective. I am waiting for a day job to become available when someone retires hopefully get on days. Overall it fits the bill in many ways but would I do it for 20 years plus. No way!
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New pastures
Casmk:
Being on nights now for 2.5 years and it’s no easier than my first week, some say you get used to it… I haven’t at all. 10 hour shifts get to bed about 5am. Up for 11-12 can’t get anymore because of body clock. Constantly tired and feeling groggy. It’s handy if you have kids to care for after school and cost effective. I am waiting for a day job to become available when someone retires hopefully get on days. Overall it fits the bill in many ways but would I do it for 20 years plus. No way!
It’s the 6-7 hours sleep and 10 hour shifts that’s the problem.
If your body is tired with the fact that you’ve forced yourself awake 6 hours after going to bed has nothing to do with your body clock or working nights, it’s obviously telling you that you’ve not had enough sleep.
I’d generally get up around 3-4 pm or sometimes a bit earlier when doing a short 6-7 hour shift.
Nightwork means some serious compromising on lifestyle in which your days generally have to be treated as night time including days off like weekends no ifs no buts.