Well Bob Crow died yesterday, I am not a union man nowadays but he worked hard for the train drivers.
According to the papers he increased there pay from 27K in 2002 to 52k now.
We could do with someone like him in Truck drivers unions!
Wait for the back lash! 
You can easily earn 52K year driving trucksā¦ You just have to figure out how to drive two two trucks at the same timeā¦ 
This subject constantly amazes me. How many thousands of trucks are on the road? If we all took deliberate action we could bring this country to its knees in under 24 hours. But instead we put up with sub standard rest areas, discrimination when buying fuel, vilification from the car driving public who do not understand how a truck is driven, terrible man management, questionable introduction of ever more legislation, the strictest policing of any motorist, unpaid overtime, unpaid shift work and I could go on.
I am 50 years old and am making driving trucks my profession now because I get paid to do something I enjoy, but really guys, why on earth do you put up with this crap? As I am a newbie I will start the ball rolling for you by taking a leading fuel provider to the European Court of Human Rights for discrimination. But guys, you need to take it from thereā¦
daf1691:
Wait for the back lash!
Absolutely, there will be plenty of Sun readers queueing up to tell you that you donāt deserve a decent wage and should be grateful for the chance to tug your forelock to your masters.
Just like on the other thread.
BlondNBlond:
This subject constantly amazes me. How many thousands of trucks are on the road? If we all took deliberate action we could bring this country to its knees in under 24 hours. But instead we put up with sub standard rest areas, discrimination when buying fuel, vilification from the car driving public who do not understand how a truck is driven, terrible man management, questionable introduction of ever more legislation, the strictest policing of any motorist, unpaid overtime, unpaid shift work and I could go on.I am 50 years old and am making driving trucks my profession now because I get paid to do something I enjoy, but really guys, why on earth do you put up with this crap? As I am a newbie I will start the ball rolling for you by taking a leading fuel provider to the European Court of Human Rights for discrimination. But guys, you need to take it from thereā¦
WHAT!!!
The Sarge:
BlondNBlond:
This subject constantly amazes me. How many thousands of trucks are on the road? If we all took deliberate action we could bring this country to its knees in under 24 hours. But instead we put up with sub standard rest areas, discrimination when buying fuel, vilification from the car driving public who do not understand how a truck is driven, terrible man management, questionable introduction of ever more legislation, the strictest policing of any motorist, unpaid overtime, unpaid shift work and I could go on.I am 50 years old and am making driving trucks my profession now because I get paid to do something I enjoy, but really guys, why on earth do you put up with this crap? As I am a newbie I will start the ball rolling for you by taking a leading fuel provider to the European Court of Human Rights for discrimination. But guys, you need to take it from thereā¦
WHAT!!!
It wasnt Bob Crow who got the raise in pay for train drivers it was the Union membership that stuck together.
He negotiated knowing that his unions members were 100% solid.
Now look at road transport.Oh dear what a shame never mind.
When you got some pillock who will take a pay cut to drive a nice āshiny shinyā what the hell do you expect.
Of course when comparing truck drivers to train drivers is the oft overlooked fact that you could get your HGV license in a week, as many of us did, or as little as ten days now taking the two stage route. A train driver isnāt given his permits within such a short timescale.
Then you have the logistical side. A PSV carries around 70 people max, a fully laden intercity train has hundreds on board. A HGV driver is typically carrying under 30 tonnes, a fully laden freight train is carrying hundreds of tonnes.
Are truck drivers hard done to? As anyone who has dipped their toes into any other profession over the last ten years will tell you, everyone is out to shaft you nowadays and make money from you by introducing required tickets (like DCPC). Try getting on a site without a CSCS card, or obtaining a lowly security guards job without a SIA license.
LIBERTY_GUY:
Of course when comparing truck drivers to train drivers is the oft overlooked fact that you could get your HGV license in a week, as many of us did, or as little as ten days now taking the two stage route. A train driver isnāt given his permits within such a short timescale.Then you have the logistical side. A PSV carries around 70 people max, a fully laden intercity train has hundreds on board. A HGV driver is typically carrying under 30 tonnes, a fully laden freight train is carrying hundreds of tonnes.
Are truck drivers hard done to? As anyone who has dipped their toes into any other profession over the last ten years will tell you, everyone is out to shaft you nowadays and make money from you by introducing required tickets (like DCPC). Try getting on a site without a CSCS card, or obtaining a lowly security guards job without a SIA license.
Yes very true! But - his train will be computer driven within ten years.
fredthered:
LIBERTY_GUY:
Of course when comparing truck drivers to train drivers is the oft overlooked fact that you could get your HGV license in a week, as many of us did, or as little as ten days now taking the two stage route. A train driver isnāt given his permits within such a short timescale.Then you have the logistical side. A PSV carries around 70 people max, a fully laden intercity train has hundreds on board. A HGV driver is typically carrying under 30 tonnes, a fully laden freight train is carrying hundreds of tonnes.
Are truck drivers hard done to? As anyone who has dipped their toes into any other profession over the last ten years will tell you, everyone is out to shaft you nowadays and make money from you by introducing required tickets (like DCPC). Try getting on a site without a CSCS card, or obtaining a lowly security guards job without a SIA license.
Yes very true! But - his train will be computer driven within ten years.
Already is pretty much! As will trucks be in the not too distant futureā¦
I made that leap from truck driver to train driver,
Do I regret it ?
Heāll no!!
We get treated like a human being , Iām in my own bed every day, I only work a 35hr wk anything over that is overtime and it is your choice
My basic is Ā£56278 pa
We are paid every 4wks meaning we get paid 13months a year , we get 8wks a year paid leave & final salary pension ,
Thanks to the union we have just got a 4% pay rise this year from April .
gazza1970:
I made that leap from truck driver to train driver,
Do I regret it ?
Heāll no!!
We get treated like a human being , Iām in my own bed every day, I only work a 35hr wk anything over that is overtime and it is your choice
My basic is Ā£56278 pa
We are paid every 4wks meaning we get paid 13months a year , we get 8wks a year paid leave & final salary pension ,
Thanks to the union we have just got a 4% pay rise this year from April .
Fair play Gazza.
Am I jealous ? ermā¦let me think about itā¦
Any jobs going ?
Nah, the career to have nowadays is a doctor. Earn 100k year, make people wait days for an appointment in the hope they get better in the meantime, then have the cheek to try to fleece vocational drivers out of Ā£100 for a ten minute medical, when they already pay your wages through their taxes. 
Best of all, if you really screw up, the GMC will close ranks around you and protect you - however serious your errorā¦ 
.
Wish I had a pound for everyone that has asked me Ramon123 ,
I found my job 10yrs ago ,it was advertised in a daily newspaper ,
I applied with I think half of Britain and was lucky enough to land one of the 30 jobs that was going ,
gazza1970:
I made that leap from truck driver to train driver,
Do I regret it ?
Heāll no!!
We get treated like a human being , Iām in my own bed every day, I only work a 35hr wk anything over that is overtime and it is your choice
My basic is Ā£56278 pa
We are paid every 4wks meaning we get paid 13months a year , we get 8wks a year paid leave & final salary pension ,
Thanks to the union we have just got a 4% pay rise this year from April .
So how do you go about being a train driver and how much does relevent license costā ā ?
I was lucky as the firm I work for did a direct recruitment off the street 10 years ago (normally they take drivers from other companyās ), I started off as a shunter in a depot with the guarantee of starting my driver training within 2 years ,
as for cost ,Iāve never heard of a firm charging you for the licence or training .
All I can say is look at your local railway or rail freight company online and take any job going just to get your foot in the door ,
once your in you will find there is always jobs advertised internally.
Money isnāt everything. I love my job and I get to see the world. If you donāt like it then ā ā ā ā off!
Money may not be everything but it sure makes things better, and anyone who would work for maybe Ā£6.50 per hour for 84 hours per week against Ā£30 per hour for 35 hours because they enjoy the job really should not be allowed out.
3 reasons way truck driving will never be well paid ā¦
1.itās not rocket science to drive a truck !
2.Truck drivers are two a penny !
3.Truck drivers wont stick together !
I loved truck driving , got to see plenty of places around Europe but it was the arse hole drivers I worked with that did it for me ,
after 3-4 wks away when it was your turn to go home for the wk end you would finish up heading back south for another couple of wks ,
there was always excuses from the other drivers ,
The usual crap need to go home because the budgies losing its feathers, relative has died , need to get to the dentist