My negativity wasn’t all about my personal situation, it was more a generalist view of the industry as a whole.
My point was/ is that post pandemic, people have found easier ways to earn money rather than slaving away for 60 hours a week on a truck.
I believe those happiest in this job didn’t start in it for the money, and those who might have been tempted into the game because they saw £££ signs going round in their eyes like a cartoon character are likely to be disappointed at the job itself once the honeymoon period of going tatas in big wagons is over, because it isn’t like any other job its more like a way of life.
I and many others started on this game because either (my case) they wanted to be a lorry driver from an early age or they got into the game because of family ties in the industry.
The funny thing about all the moaning here, and what we hear every day wherever we work, is that i don’t see huge swathes of people leaving the industry, what they do (i did too) is have a number of different jobs until they either find the niche sector they are happy in or until they drop onto a dead mans shoes outfit realise they’ve found something good and make the most of it, hopefully both your niche and a dms job.
I’ve had crap jobs like everyone and stayed only long enough till either i found something better, or if it was specialised work till i was confident and skilled enough to approach or be recommended for one of the dead mans jobs that were otherwised closed doors.
The job can be very good, find a sector or employer offering good terms that allows you to get on with your work once you’ve proved trustworthy and allows you to take a pride in your work, but if you take no interest and don’t look after the good job and equipment etc don’t be surprised if it comes to an end or they invite you to leave.
If all you are doing is clocking on, have no interest in bettering yourself find the work/traffic etc a constant drudge and can’t wait to be going home again, then realistically this isn’t the ideal job.
I take on board what some say bout how things have changed, yes there are things i hate about change i suppose everyone has things they like and dislike, but its a broad industry with types of work to suit everyone.
op stated ‘‘My point was/ is that post pandemic, people have found easier ways to earn money rather than slaving away for 60 hours a week on a truck’’
hmm, that easy money post fake pandemic has all the signs of coming to a crashing end, anyone in a secure job presently in a sector history tells you is reasonably depression proof, i’d advise to stay put.
RogerOut:
My negativity wasn’t all about my personal situation, it was more a generalist view of the industry as a whole.
My point was/ is that post pandemic, people have found easier ways to earn money rather than slaving away for 60 hours a week on a truck.
Much depends on how you view it. Juddian sums the business up very well above.
I spent 16 years delivering animal to farms. I know a lot of drivers would run a mile from that sort of thing, but personally I found that the good days more than made up for the bad ones. So long as you did your work you didn’t get hassled, pay and conditions were decent and I got to drive around the countryside, sometimes going to areas you’d pay good money to visit on a coach trip. When it stopped being fun about a year ago (company went very corporate) I moved on to a smallish family owned general haulier where I get treated with respect, paid well and my efforts are appreciated by the boss. So if you don’t like the job you’re doing now, move.
And slavery? Unless you’re in the bottom-feeding sector of the pallet delivery game, sitting on your ■■■■ driving a modern lorry isn’t exactly physical graft.
Get a job with a good company.
Keep your nose clean, i.e be a good driver and dont moan all the time.
Ive worked in IT (not bad but i was windows 98 era so well out of date), Own catering business (great while it lasted 15 years ago doing business catering, if it had been during covid would have been wiped out!!), Banking (boring).
Truck driving is the easiest way ive found in 35 years of working, to earn quite a decent salary, far beyond middle management people, and I get to watch netflix for 2 hours a day, and I do the same collection, run to hub and back every day…cant ask for much more, bar maybe being a footballer lol. I get to listen to tunes whilst driving, and watch films/boxsets on my break.
My mrs works in NHS and she boggles at the fact I get paid to watch netflix!! And i earn 2x her wage. (for 12 hours more a week, watching films 
)
There are tons and tons of crap jobs in haulage… There are loads of good ones too!!
Thanks guys for some useful advice. I take away the fact it’s best to find a decent company, or find a sector that suits me…
Oh and to answer your first 4 points
Zero stops by vosa in 10 years of driving.
Zero stops by traffic cops.
Zero traffic accidents.
Had jobs in past with moving cages and pump trucking stuff…no big deal. Current job I do bugger all bar driving and checking door is shut.
Just on a side issue, I used to do M62 corridor leeds to manc and beyond, and M61, M6, used to see loads of VOSA parked up in laybys…my current job I do M1 M69 only, never seen a VOSA car yet…
RogerOut:
Most some useful replies. But think of it like this- if this industry is so great, why aren’t people queuing up to do it?…
Please enlighten me…because I seem to recall there’s been a labour shortage even before that vote we had in 2016…
There’s a steady stream of new passes in the newbies section - some career change, some young - who seem to be happily making their way into the industry.
I was, when driving artics, rigid’s or buses always getting there, when I got there. Some try to chase you, but just don’t let them. All the old crap about others do it shouldn’t bother you. As for having to do a bit of handball, just get on with it. Try 8,000 or more bricks on and off. The bottom line here is that if you can’t handle the job, find something else. Hope you don’t find this too unsympa[zb]thetic.
[Language edit. L. ]
RogerOut:
Bus driving is generally not well paid- outside of London you’re looking at probably 11ph for 39 hours. Average pay probably £23 k per year.
Consider the responsibility that you have- up to 90 passengers, people falling over , claiming they got hurt, trying to sue the bus company.
Retail jobs pay similar money now.
Is there a bus that has carrying capacity of 90 passengers in one go 
RogerOut:
Bus driving is generally not well paid- outside of London you’re looking at probably 11ph for 39 hours. Average pay probably £23 k per year.
Consider the responsibility that you have- up to 90 passengers, people falling over , claiming they got hurt, trying to sue the bus company.
Retail jobs pay similar money now.
Is there a bus that has carrying capacity of 90 passengers in one go
lolipop:
RogerOut:
Bus driving is generally not well paid- outside of London you’re looking at probably 11ph for 39 hours. Average pay probably £23 k per year.
Consider the responsibility that you have- up to 90 passengers, people falling over , claiming they got hurt, trying to sue the bus company.
Retail jobs pay similar money now.Is there a bus that has carrying capacity of 90 passengers in one go
I think he must have worked for this lot. 
Edit…Double post. 
lolipop:
RogerOut:
Bus driving is generally not well paid- outside of London you’re looking at probably 11ph for 39 hours. Average pay probably £23 k per year.
Consider the responsibility that you have- up to 90 passengers, people falling over , claiming they got hurt, trying to sue the bus company.
Retail jobs pay similar money now.Is there a bus that has carrying capacity of 90 passengers in one go
Yes. 100 seats, and up to 129 passengers. UK spec.
alexander-dennis.com/produc … iro400xlb/
I suppose that the bendy buses would carry ninety passengers. Some single deck buses carry seventy passengers, they are mainly used on school work.
Juddian:
I believe those happiest in this job didn’t start in it for the money, and those who might have been tempted into the game because they saw £££ signs going round in their eyes like a cartoon character are likely to be disappointed at the job itself once the honeymoon period of going tatas in big wagons is over, because it isn’t like any other job its more like a way of life.I and many others started on this game because either (my case) they wanted to be a lorry driver from an early age or they got into the game because of family ties in the industry.
The funny thing about all the moaning here, and what we hear every day wherever we work, is that i don’t see huge swathes of people leaving the industry, what they do (i did too) is have a number of different jobs until they either find the niche sector they are happy in or until they drop onto a dead mans shoes outfit realise they’ve found something good and make the most of it, hopefully both your niche and a dms job.
I’ve had crap jobs like everyone and stayed only long enough till either i found something better, or if it was specialised work till i was confident and skilled enough to approach or be recommended for one of the dead mans jobs that were otherwised closed doors.The job can be very good, find a sector or employer offering good terms that allows you to get on with your work once you’ve proved trustworthy and allows you to take a pride in your work, but if you take no interest and don’t look after the good job and equipment etc don’t be surprised if it comes to an end or they invite you to leave.
If all you are doing is clocking on, have no interest in bettering yourself find the work/traffic etc a constant drudge and can’t wait to be going home again, then realistically this isn’t the ideal job.I take on board what some say bout how things have changed, yes there are things i hate about change i suppose everyone has things they like and dislike, but its a broad industry with types of work to suit everyone.
op stated ‘‘My point was/ is that post pandemic, people have found easier ways to earn money rather than slaving away for 60 hours a week on a truck’’
hmm, that easy money post fake pandemic has all the signs of coming to a crashing end, anyone in a secure job presently in a sector history tells you is reasonably depression proof, i’d advise to stay put.
+1 spot on as usual.
3 out of my last 4 jobs in 15 years or so have been own account, 3 of those 4 have be of a specialist variety. I don’t have the negative view of the industry many have.
But as written above, I came into after growing up with my dad, grandad and uncle in trucks, I wanted to do it as opposed it’s just a way to earn money, I feel sorry for people doing a job they don’t enjoy.
And as for the guy pulling £200 for 3 pizza shifts, I’m guessing that’s his top line, so knock off the fuel he’s used in his own car he’s got to provide, with the correct insurance, the wear on it, the depreciation with the extra miles, no holiday pay which is over 12%, he’s maybe not paying the tax, bit you can’t use that in your comparison and it’s not without risk of being caught. No point comparing apples and oranges, bit he’s not on as good a deal as he thinks he is
RogerOut:
Most some useful replies. But think of it like this- if this industry is so great, why aren’t people queuing up to do it?…
Please enlighten me…because I seem to recall there’s been a labour shortage even before that vote we had in 2016…
Who has been saying there’s a shortage? They’ve been constantly saying it before I started driving over 20 years ago too by the way, hauliers, trade bodies the represent hauliers and training schools mostly. Hauliers want more drivers to keep the wages low and training schools want more customers, so just a little bit of an agenda!
There had been wage stagnation in the industry since 2007 when floodgates where opened to ee drivers, only in the last year or 2 there actually been a bit of a shortage but nothing like as some of the crazy numbers reported and as a consequence the wages are playing catch up.
How often haven’t you been able to buy or get hold of something purely due to a lack of transport issue in the last 20 + years or even since 2016 that you’d been hearing? As that is what a genuine shortage means, as opposed firm’s having to increase wages to attract enough drivers, which is what they mean by a shortage.
If the industry isn’t great for you then leave, me telling you why it’s great for me won’t help, other than if you for some reason want to stay in it or are trapped, then look to specialise and or for own account work
lolipop:
RogerOut:
Bus driving is generally not well paid- outside of London you’re looking at probably 11ph for 39 hours. Average pay probably £23 k per year.
Consider the responsibility that you have- up to 90 passengers, people falling over , claiming they got hurt, trying to sue the bus company.
Retail jobs pay similar money now.Is there a bus that has carrying capacity of 90 passengers in one go
Double decker with people stood up in the bottom deck, maybe !
alamcculloch:
I suppose that the bendy buses would carry ninety passengers. Some single deck buses carry seventy passengers, they are mainly used on school work.
Bendy buses had a capacity of 149 (100 were standing)
there’s a bus depot local to me - they must use the vans to go to bus stops to do driver transfers? Any time I see these vans you’d think it was on the Nurburgring 
(may be exceptions but seen it enough to notice)
I dunno if they’re pushed so hard to think they need to drive like that or if it’s pent up boredom from driving a bus slowly on the same route…
RogerOut:
Most some useful replies. But think of it like this- if this industry is so great, why aren’t people queuing up to do it?…
They actually are and DVSA are unable to meet the demand for LGV driving tests.