Yes, but only when they reach the top levels of their game, circa ten or more years of successful career progression usually, bit like drivers in that respect.
You can always move within a company if you want out of driving, in that respect own account work gives more opportunities obviously.
In driving work you get better terms and conditions by going out and looking for it, you won’t find directions to the best work on the net because those in plum jobs guard them jealously for a variety of reasons, and up to a point you have to earn your spurs, plum jobs often get filled by recommendation and those there are only (if they have an ounce of sense) going to recommend trusted proven people over many years not many months.
You learn the job, and if you can do the job well (and not all can nor can be bothered to learn) you’ll get yourself a checkable good work history and a reputation for being worth employing, then when opportunities present themselves you make the move, even then you sometimes have to take a gamble and hope it works out right.
One thing is sure, a lot of hard work and disappointment will find you before you crack the good work, and it might be many years unless that is you happen to have a ticket to one of the plum jobs by relationship or similar.
Some never get a big break.
Some deserve it and never get it.
Some get it who don’t deserve it (the ever winging crew) and don’t realise that they have one of the best jobs in the country…they will in time when bollox the job up and DHWincanskiL takes over then reality smacks em up the arse.
If you can read maps properly and plan drops/collections in a logical and time-doable sequence, you may already have the neccessaries to get the drop on your office “superiors”! The number of so-called planners who i have encountered in my own short time as a driver who are not even car drivers is astonishing. Cyclists arranging artic runs - the mind frequently boggles.
[quote=“■■■■■■■” Cyclists arranging artic runs - the mind frequently boggles. [/quote]
The buggers are bringing us down from the inside now?! Classic Trojan horse. Keep your eyes peeled all.
Every time iv tried for “progression” it’s just been thrown out so I stoped bothering.
My last job the biggest T.osser got the job of driver trainer,to me now the people who deserve the chance very rarely get it.
No ladder to climb at my current job,I’m a driver and always will be but I’m happy here it’s just that in previous jobs I would of liked the chance to move up.
Being an HGV driver is comparable to being a Traffic Warden for 2 reasons.
Everyone hates them.
2 . Neither have much opportunity to progress up a ‘career ladder’ within their given sectors.
The number of drivers these days who go onto becoming Traffic dispatchers and planners, to then go on and become Transport Managers are very few and far between. In fact, many of those I’ve known in my time, have never even driven an HGV in their life!
Many people regard HGV drivers as being as thick as 2 short planks. To be fair, many are indeed that. I know they’re are some exceptions, however.
Some of the big companies pay transport managers £100k . but they effectively are computer operators and salesmen
Small company transport managers (15 + units ) are easy to come by but typically £20k to £25k . you will need trans man cpc ( simple 4 day course ) because you will be named on operators licence .
This means every stooopud thing a driver does is your fault in eyes of law . expect to spend entire life continually explaining simplest aspects of drivers hours over and over again to some of the most stooopud people on the planet , only to see them make the same mistakes again and again .
These days its just easier and better paid to be a driver , and let ginger haired uni types take the pain and hassle
Yes TM’s get paid more but they are also in the firing line when it comes to keeping track of driver hours etc as well as a smooth running of the fleet. We as drivers may not agree with what they say etc but they do an important job.
