So I’m relatively new to this industry. Been on the road a decade this year. Anyway, every now and then I speak to another driver who has been around a hell of a long time and inevitably the conversation always turns to how the job was years ago.
So grey haired stalwarts of trucknet, how much better was it in the “old day” of trucking? Did you really earn as much if not more 20 years ago than you do now? Was the job and the working conditions as good as i’m being told? Or is it all rose tinted spectacles?
I’m same as you about 10 years driving.
Wish I was about in the so.called good old days.
As be no trackers no mobile phones.
Just told what to do and left alone to do it.
And have to think for yourself
The good old days are now. In the old days the motors were cold primitive unreliable heaps of dung, a bit like their drivers. Things are so much better now. The old ■■■■■ just want their younger bodies back. Nostalgia isnt what it was nowadays.
I’ve been in trucking for 31 years and I not sure when the good old days was…60’s 70’s very under powered trucks and if you tramping you be sleeping in dirty café and sharing a room hoping you don’t catch anything or across your seats in a day cab.
80’s 90’s was when tachograph rules went out of control. you think you do long hours now, them days most firms ran bent, big or small firms were at it. Even the likes of Stobarts got done. 10hrs driving oh better pull the fuse then crack on, ive got a load to deliver. Nightly Rest? 4hrs that do, 9hrs are for wimps who want to sleep in a layby for 9hrs? The Trucks were getting better apart from the night heaters (if they work) did feel like they going to kill you, it was best to leave a window slightly open. Companies in my area tend to pay 20% of what the truck earns which on paper sounds good but it all went wrong if you had no back load.
I do think in 2006 when digi tachos were brought out + higher fines it brought better terms and conditions because operators had to start obeying the law, which stopped you working silly hours. Trucks are lovely to drive now (any fool can drive one) but for me microlise, trackers, camera’s spoil the job. I wont mention H/S rules.
I had the most fun through the ninety’s, maybe it was that I was in my 20’s single and do what I liked. But now in my fifties I like comfort of the modern trucks and less hours. As for the money its hard to tell because in 2000 I moved from Norfolk which is poor wages to the east midlands and away from general haulage to shop deliveries. Decent living and easy jobs I have had. I work on agency mainly for the same company but I do the odd bit of general every now and again. I have had a good standard of living and treated pretty well so for me its best now and not in the old days.
edd1974:
I’m same as you about 10 years driving.
Wish I was about in the so.called good old days.
As be no trackers no mobile phones.
Just told what to do and left alone to do it.
And have to think for yourself
All well and good. But just remember. We had to find a bloody phone box to get reload details. And for things like breakdowns. Was a pain in the arse compared to today.
Gardner 180 anyone - I worked for a haulier in around '78 that ran a fleet of these on artic tipper work - seasonal salt and grain - wasn’t unknown for them to completely stall on hills and we had to get a local haulier to give a tow.
As a colleague commented “when I’m empty people think I’m loaded and when I’m laden people think I’ve broken down”
apart from the fact that anything built in britain is scrap compared to elsewhere ( hence the demise of all the british manufacturers nowadays),then so long as you had the option of a volvo f88/89,scania 140/1/2/3/,a daf,or transconti,then it was the best of both worlds.
no phones,limiters,not a lot of handball with the invention of pallets and curtainsiders,no mobiles,and mostly drivers who saw the job as a trade,and not the snowflake hiviz kebabmeat in a seat attendants of todays offerings.
factories worked 8-5 hence plenty of nightlife available if you wished to partake in it.
yes,there was plenty of running bent to suit yourself,but no phones,and for the most,you had to use some initiative and a degree of skill.
fast forward to today,and the plus point is good build quality in the truck,and a satnav which is a great help when lost at the last portion of your journey.
apart from that,its now a crap,boring,over regulated existance of an occupation,filled with attendants being told what to do with no degree if initiative.
i only do odd trips now as a hooligan to keep my eye in for a vastly increased trip rate when someones stuck,and only if its a tour of ireland or a hop across into euroland where a few case of plonk puts another £500 on top.
apart from that,its not a job id recommend to anyone with a degree of self respect nowadays.
I miss roping and sheeting(NOT) yeah it looks nice but not fun in the rain or snow or when its windy. One minute you be hanging on the side of the trailer, next flat on your face on the floor with the sheet on top of you. Oh how I miss those days
No mobile phone, no hassle till something goes wrong in the middle of nowhere, yes drivers were more friendly and helped but they far more cons than pluses back in the day. I put my rose tinted glasses on and remember the good times but boy there was some crap.
Wages are like now,if you live in a rural areas money bad but near distribution areas you should earn a decent living.
Put it this way I was earning a £1000+ in the mid ninetys running legal And only 5 days max sometimes 4 and a half you’ll struggle to get that now maxing your hours
No such thing as the good old days it’s all a load of ■■■■■■■■.
Can guarantee in 15 years the ones who have started trucking in the last 5 years will be telling all the newbies the job was better when we started in 2015.
Human nature is to dislike change especially with truck drivers it seems. We get set in our ways.
Come on. We’re trucks really better to drive when you had to change gear for 10 hours yourself? With no air con? No night heater? No fridge or microwave? Was it better before holiday pay became law? Before companies had to give average holiday pay? Was it really better without the likes of google maps and street view to check out delivery points before you get there? Good old times? Load of ■■■■.
robthedog:
Put it this way I was earning a £1000+ in the mid ninetys running legal And only 5 days max sometimes 4 and a half you’ll struggle to get that now maxing your hours
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
sure dozy makes around that every week plobbing for stobart im led to believe,though its not really wages,its just pocket money supposedly ■■
DickyNick:
No such thing as the good old days it’s all a load of ■■■■■■■■.
Can guarantee in 15 years the ones who have started trucking in the last 5 years will be telling all the newbies the job was better when we started in 2015.
Human nature is to dislike change especially with truck drivers it seems. We get set in our ways.
Come on. We’re trucks really better to drive when you had to change gear for 10 hours yourself? With no air con? No night heater? No fridge or microwave? Was it better before holiday pay became law? Before companies had to give average holiday pay? Was it really better without the likes of google maps and street view to check out delivery points before you get there? Good old times? Load of [zb].
robthedog:
Put it this way I was earning a £1000+ in the mid ninetys running legal And only 5 days max sometimes 4 and a half you’ll struggle to get that now maxing your hours
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
sure dozy makes around that every week plobbing for stobart im led to believe,though its not really wages,its just pocket money supposedly ■■
And I had me steak dinner every Friday, you can’t get that on stobartski
robthedog:
Put it this way I was earning a £1000+ in the mid ninetys running legal And only 5 days max sometimes 4 and a half you’ll struggle to get that now maxing your hours
I’m not calling you a liar as i’m sure jobs like that existed back then, just like they do today. However £1000 in 1990 equals £2287 in todays money!
you can’t seriously expect lorry drivers to be paid that, come on now.
robthedog:
Put it this way I was earning a £1000+ in the mid ninetys running legal And only 5 days max sometimes 4 and a half you’ll struggle to get that now maxing your hours
I’m not calling you a liar as i’m sure jobs like that existed back then, just like they do today. However £1000 in 1990 equals £2287 in todays money!
you can’t seriously expect lorry drivers to be paid that, come on now.
Think there’s slight bs going on here, mid ninety’s your average truck turnover was £1500-£2000 a week so £1000 wages?
robthedog:
Put it this way I was earning a £1000+ in the mid ninetys running legal And only 5 days max sometimes 4 and a half you’ll struggle to get that now maxing your hours
I’m not calling you a liar as i’m sure jobs like that existed back then, just like they do today. However £1000 in 1990 equals £2287 in todays money!
you can’t seriously expect lorry drivers to be paid that, come on now.
Think there’s slight bs going on here, mid ninety’s your average truck turnover was £1500-£2000 a week so £1000 wages?
Think what you like, I’ve nothing to prove and no need to BS that was the norm in our sector (FACT)
robthedog:
Put it this way I was earning a £1000+ in the mid ninetys running legal And only 5 days max sometimes 4 and a half you’ll struggle to get that now maxing your hours
In your dreams
On less you were on trip money and fiddling the fuel and tolls not a hope or bringing contraband in
As for running legal it never happened in the 90s
You seem to forget even today there is not a truck driver earning that money and never was unless you do as above and it would be a lot more if you could get away with today
As for your 4 days it was unheard of unless you were on trip money
Well, for my old penny’s worth, the only time I can say I earned good money in the 1980’s was on trip money. So, by doing two trips to Hamburg at a rate of £250 a trip = £500 gross with night out money on top at £8 per night… I did it a few times and it nearly killed me!
The best money I have earned was on an Artwork movement company in the early 2000’s, but that was short lived, so it works out the really best money I have earned was in the last three years before retirement last May.
But we older drivers do look back on those pre sleeper cab,pre night heater, pre mobile phone,pre tracker, pre Health &Safety bullpoo with some affection because we all thought those days were the best the same as a newer driver thinks these days are better. Microwaves, satnavs and mobile apps and automated gearboxes were not about then, so we didnt miss them… its all relative really.
robthedog:
Put it this way I was earning a £1000+ in the mid ninetys running legal And only 5 days max sometimes 4 and a half you’ll struggle to get that now maxing your hours
I’m not calling you a liar as i’m sure jobs like that existed back then, just like they do today. However £1000 in 1990 equals £2287 in todays money!
you can’t seriously expect lorry drivers to be paid that, come on now.
Think there’s slight bs going on here, mid ninety’s your average truck turnover was £1500-£2000 a week so £1000 wages?
Think what you like, I’ve nothing to prove and no need to BS that was the norm in our sector (FACT)
Well robtheknob I didn’t realise you so highly skilled that you paid more than doctors
