Striking it lucky (Jobs)

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
21

PaulNowak:
When I decided to drive for a living. I’d been a manager in retail for 18 years, then went into a different line of food. Got made redundant, and decided to have a go at doing what I’d wanted to do since I was about 8.

I did non-food, on vans for a few weeks, but didn’t fit in them, broke my back. They put me on 7.5s, was very similar to food service, but loads more fiddly lines, and no tail lifts, get it to the back of the motor, than deliver it on a sack truck that was so crap, it wasn’t even the one we sold to our customers.

Passed my class 2, did a bit of holiday cover, then shared a truck with a fella (we shared 2 between us) and eventually got my own outright rigid. Enjoyed the job, even when I was in London. Put mega hours and miles in. Then the goalposts started moving. I used to be the first man in Monday morning, but could be finished by 11 or 12 on a Friday, then they started using it as an overgrown 7.5, and I’d be doing stupid drops, where the motor didn’t fit, and bloody lots of them.

I’d already got my class 1, (but I’d done it just because I could, had no real itch, begging me to scratch it)

Then I ended up where I am now. Tramping, weekends, love it to bits. Takes me something like 7 minutes to get there. Work is straightforward, you’re not overstretched. All 110% legal. Good, well maintained kit.

When I look back at my last job, they were an absolute bunch of half-arsed cowboys.

I got my very first brand new truck 2 months ago, and I’ve even taken up tank polishing, my only gripe is the fact that all and sundry drive my motor on my days off.

I can quite confidently say that if I had my own 100% exclusive motor, this would be my dream job. It would take one hell of a pay offer, and my own motor to even contemplate leaving.

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Quite a few companies (particularly small ones) still offer a one driver one truck policy and it will stay parked up when that driver is off. As you mention, you’d be surprised just how much satisfaction something like that can bring to you and your job even if the money is not very good.

22

Bigpaul:
I’d say your always better trying a few different jobs after you pass.

At the end of the day how do you know what good feels like if you’ve never worked on a job you found awful for some reason? Personally I’d rather earn a little less and work for a good firm on a job and shift that suits me but everyone will have a different perspective.

I’d also spend some time reading posts on here to get a good benchmark on what’s normal and what’s taking to ‘mick’ so you know when to say good bye to a firm taking advantage of a new driver.

This and what PaulNowak says are good points as not many people will have a “job for life” anymore and you may need to look around for what really suits you as a driver or just work in general. As has been shown on the forums what one driver likes another hates

23

passed my class 2 and then 1 back to back last year. passed on the friday on the monday i was working full time with the company im at now doing class 2 pallet network stuff. hated it but it was a foot in the door. kept at it till they put me on class 1 pallets and stuck that out for a month or 2 loved the class 1 hated the pallets.

I pecked at the office till i was doing general haulage day work in class1 and now im tramping full time. company has its ups and downs but as long as work well they keep off my back. and as i dont mind doing occasional sundays i get cushy long distance jobs too with ■■■■ easy drops :slight_smile:

i had no driving work experience. only had my car licence a year and i came to the company with 3 points and a crash claim.

newbies can get a good start if you look hard enough.