Thinking of taking a hgv licence

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
21

It’s all relative isn’t it…

I know plumbers, builders, electricians…hell, even commercial pilots who’d rather be doing something other than what they are now.

As others have said, it’s a case of finding what you like in life, and trying to make a living out of it. But don’t live to work, as you’ll never be happy, regardless what you earn or what you do.

If you’re not sure a driving job is for you, see if you can get a work placement with some of the hauliers - spend a week seeing what they do, where they go etc. I think Maritime offer this, as do a few other companies.

22

The OP needs to consider that this is an industry that can saw you off in your prime .

Get to 50 and lose your licence due to eyes , diabetes , blood pressure , seizures/blackouts in fact a whole host of illnesses due to prescribed drugs .

You can really be thrown on the dung heap , and there is nothing u can do about it .

So jobs such as plumbing , joiner , cook etc etc offer employment for rest of your life , not just your prime . they also give you far higher quality of life .

Speak to your local college because course fees to become qualified in something useful are they cost same ballpark as a lorry licence , can be studied part time and you may be able to get a 24+ learners loan

So on balance if you take the lorry route you are either too thick to do a proper job ,

Or are making a huge mistake .

23

Rowley010:
I’m not saying your opinion isn’t valid or that my tiny bit of experience is better than yours. I also don’t think I posted any body is talking crap! What I said was other posters are saying the industry is crap, not that are talking crap. Big difference!

My point is that there’s actually few jobs where the older more experienced people think the job is as good as what it used to be. In my last job before I changed career everyone was always moaning it’s not what it used to be. But I’m saying with that then and this career now, I know no different, and neither will any newbie. As newbies we come into it now and take it as it is now.

All I’m saying to the OP is it doesn’t really matter what it used to be like, all that matters is what it’s like now because that’s the job their coming into to. Personally I really like it, regardless of what it used to be like. I don’t care what it used to be like! That doesn’t help me in anyway, that is the past and I’m living in the present and carry out my day to day job in the present.

So no, no one is talking crap as you put it. Sorry for any offence for your misunderstanding of my words. Hope I’ve cleared it up there!

It’s good to hear that you work for a firm that looks after you as a newbie, and that you are happy with it, and that co.s like that are still around.
I know from personal exp that in that situation it makes your outlook, application, and opinion to the job that much better.
On the other side I have seen drivers (and not just newbies) pushed to the limit, and hassled constantly by their tm on the phone and tracker, or if agency ■■■■■■ about at the Agency’s leisure and amusement.
The point I was making to the o/p that as the latter is in the majority (being that most good jobs are taken and looked after by those that have them) that he would be more likely, unlike yourself apparently, to be on the receiving end of the crap side of the industry, and maybe on the lower part of the pay scale.

You were giving your opinion from one side, I was playing devil’s advocate from the other.(although personally, my job on the whole is how I make it, and not too bad considering)

As for ‘how things were then and now’’ it is always going to come up as a comparison when someone inexperienced is asking the opinion of those with more experience, (and more so the good to bad rather than the bad to good)
I always listened to exp drivers when I started, it helps in your daily job, and to prevent you making the same mistakes as they did, …also it can prevent you from being pushed in varying degrees from hassle to bullying (as all firms do in one form or another) if you watch how the older drivers deal with instructions from arsey staff.
I am sure the o/p did not want some false rosy pic painted, the job can be and is enjoyable from time to time, it aint all crap, but it does no harm to point out the crap to enable the guy to make a decision.
As I said he did ask :bulb:

24

robroy:

Adonis.:

tommie1shunt:
Don,t do it. If your going to buy a skill be a plumber, sparkie, window fitter, something like that. You will earn nearly as much as an HGV driver but you will work a lot less hours. And a lot less anti social hours. It is not unusual to work 15 hour days driving a truck, 12 to 13 is the norm. My dog gets more respect than an hgv driver. Do some research first, don’t rely on this forum for advice there are some cab happy sods on here.

And there are some miserable old sods who shout and scream about the industry being crap and drive away new blood at every opportunity all the while trying to belittle ‘cab happy sods’ for having good jobs that they enjoy.

Life’s too short and it isn’t all about money. I’d rather do 15 hour days all week doing what I do than a 6 hour day being a plumber. Maybe its because I work for a good company, do good work and am not a miserable old ■■■■ stuck doing something he obviously hates.

To the OP, make sure you have a few quid lying spare, it’ll cost you upwards of £2k to get to Class 1, maybe not the best time to start training if you’ve a rugrat due soon. Many people start on rigid work before progressing to artics and through my fairly limited experience of job hunting, you’ll have better opportunities for being home every night on rigids. A lot of firms have 4 on 4 off shift patterns, it will be worthwhile looking at possible employers in your area and what shifts they offer. Wouldn’t be the best to put down the cash for your Class 1 to find out there’s nothing but tramping close by!

A.

Everybody including yourself is entitled to their opinion.
The ‘miserable old sods’ who slate the job only come about by years of disillusionment, and just because their opinion happens to be different to yours (as I suspect a relatively new driver) does not mean it is fair to display belittlement towards those that have seen it all change over the years.
Are they/we supposed to say 'yeh crack on mate, it’s great job everybody loves you and treats you with respect.
I like yourself was a bit wide eyed about the job once over, and it will be interesting to hear your opinion after a few more years under your belt, (and a bit more varied including your… dreaded tramping,) as most of us miserable gits have.

(Incidentally I do find it a bit naive bordering on bizarre that you prefer 15 hours work to 6 :open_mouth: …can’t get my head around that one :neutral_face: (unless you are Holly Willougby’ s ■■■ slave or something, )and sorry but it does come across as a cab happy symptom tbh, but hey, each to his own, boat floating and all the rest of it)

To the o/p I can’t be arsed to repeat my ‘miserable old sod’ type advice :laughing: …, but if you look on the ‘Advice required’ thread you will see it, and quite constructive imo. :bulb:

i left driving for a stint in engineering, i love engineering, loved making single items at college, but maybe it was just bad timing at my time there, but we were doing big batch orders of straightforward processes on a cnc mill, once programed you open the doors, put the metal in the vice upto the stop, shut the doors, pressed go, 30 seconds later it was done, repeat 800 times, the machine would then be re-programmed and the same 800 pieces of metal would go through a different process. i stood in between the machine and my bench and each time i turned to pick up and replace each piece of metal, i couldn’t help keep noticing the clock on the wall, i tried to always turn the other way round so as not to catch the clock, but i forgot far too often! i lasted about 5 weeks before i rang an old boss, who as it happened was wondering how he was going to get a tanker load to where ever it was going the following day! 15 hours in a truck goes faster than 8 hours in that engineering job at that particular time

25

V much appreciate the various different views,thats v much what i was after.

I live in newcastle and know theres some decent hgv training facilities in gateshead.
Basically i worked in factory work for 5 years on production/cnc machinery and hated it,this was much to do with the illegal unhealthy depressing working conditions and doing work a chimp could do, and so by chance one day i walked in the jobcentre and by sheer chance of being in the right place/time a got offered a call centre/office job.
Ive been in this work for ten years now,dont get me wrong the working conditions/hours are excellent but the pay and job satifaction isnt (17k),repeating myself on the phone every three mins doesnt help,but is is a perm job.
I was thinking maybe doing class 2 and applying for multipdrop (seen tnt etc advertising a bit back),ive also been looking at the the poss driving the vehicle transporters down the line.
Regarding the problems with driving in the wind i guess theres an art in that you get used to,it sounds like the slower you drive the less chance of having problems?
Ive fortunately have the money to take the licence tomorrow if needed,but will wait for the summer to take it,if i do (or through a local firm which i will look into)
It would have to be a perm job and thats where the problem lies,as im in a perm post at the mo my lass would kick me in if it didnt work out! lol
Ive always enjoyed driving and love seeing new places,i dont mind being on my own but still would like a bit of interaction now and then.

26

William. My view is that driving trucks is not rocket science. What initially can seem daunting, quickly becomes comfortable.

My own circumstances involve growing up around trucks, and I enjoy driving. Coupled with a disruptive personality, and the misfortune to have not paid attention at school, my options at 43 years old are reasonably limited. However I have got lucky because the job fits me like a glove.

As already mentioned, the job can be relatively lonely and long hours. The pay is a highly subjective discussion because some folk service quite a lot of debt, or have CSA payments, high mortgage payments etc…

I reckon a reasonable average figure for LGV driving is around £26,000 which happens to be the average UK wage. The job can be challenging at times, frustrating for sure. But ultimately it’s just driving, and if your boss leaves you to get on with it, I reckon it’s a decent career.

Some on here ■■■■■ about the job constantly, and claim the job is rubbish.

But I will still see them on the roads tomorrow. And the following day and so on.

27

eagerbeaver:
Some on here ■■■■■ about the job constantly, and claim the job is rubbish.

But I will still see them on the roads tomorrow. And the following day and so on.

^^^^^^ Absolutely spot on. Yeah we winge about the job, it’s what lorry drivers do. I’ve got a friend who’s in his mid forties and has been a carpet fitter since leaving school. He is no longer capable of working due to arthritis in his hands and knees. Driving a lorry hasn’t done that to me. I have lots of friends outside of this industry who absolutely despise their jobs, I’ve yet to encounter a driver who despises his!

Yes, we get frustrated by traffic/numpties/ridiculous planning etc, but the job is what you make of it and how you personally deal with it mentally makes a huge difference.

Of course I’d have loved to have been a fighter pilot, football player, stunt ■■■■ in the ■■■■ industry, but I’m not. So I play the hand I’m dealt and strive daily to make the best of the job I’m in. You get out what you put in. Simples.

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28

william2016:
V much appreciate the various different views,thats v much what i was after.

I live in newcastle and know theres some decent hgv training facilities in gateshead.
Basically i worked in factory work for 5 years on production/cnc machinery and hated it,this was much to do with the illegal unhealthy depressing working conditions and doing work a chimp could do, and so by chance one day i walked in the jobcentre and by sheer chance of being in the right place/time a got offered a call centre/office job.
Ive been in this work for ten years now,dont get me wrong the working conditions/hours are excellent but the pay and job satifaction isnt (17k),repeating myself on the phone every three mins doesnt help,but is is a perm job.
I was thinking maybe doing class 2 and applying for multipdrop (seen tnt etc advertising a bit back),ive also been looking at the the poss driving the vehicle transporters down the line.
Regarding the problems with driving in the wind i guess theres an art in that you get used to,it sounds like the slower you drive the less chance of having problems?
Ive fortunately have the money to take the licence tomorrow if needed,but will wait for the summer to take it,if i do (or through a local firm which i will look into)
It would have to be a perm job and thats where the problem lies,as im in a perm post at the mo my lass would kick me in if it didnt work out! lol
Ive always enjoyed driving and love seeing new places,i dont mind being on my own but still would like a bit of interaction now and then.

Have you tried the local haulage co.s to see if they do on the job driving training, firms like Ramage at Cramlington for example, spring to mind, they are always advertising for drivers, I may be way off here, but it might be wortwhile showing up suited and booted and keen as mustard telling them you will agree to work for them for a time to pay for any training they may give you, initiative usually impresses, and you never know.
Many years ago I put about 3 or 4 lads through their courses on those terms, most of them proved themselves to be worth it. I know times are different now but who knows.
Good luck with it all, and I promise not to try and put you off again. :wink: :smiley:

29

the maoster:

eagerbeaver:
Some on here ■■■■■ about the job constantly, and claim the job is rubbish.

But I will still see them on the roads tomorrow. And the following day and so on.

^^^^^^ Absolutely spot on. Yeah we winge about the job, it’s what lorry drivers do. I’ve got a friend who’s in his mid forties and has been a carpet fitter since leaving school. He is no longer capable of working due to arthritis in his hands and knees. Driving a lorry hasn’t done that to me. I have lots of friends outside of this industry who absolutely despise their jobs, I’ve yet to encounter a driver who despises his!

Yes, we get frustrated by traffic/numpties/ridiculous planning etc, but the job is what you make of it and how you personally deal with it mentally makes a huge difference.

Of course I’d have loved to have been a fighter pilot, football player, stunt ■■■■ in the ■■■■ industry, but I’m not. So I play the hand I’m dealt and strive daily to make the best of the job I’m in. You get out what you put in. Simples.

If the jobs that good . . . why do you drive a tractor ?

30

:smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

31

be sure the other driver don’t need it,[thinking of taking a hgv licence]

32

truckman020:
be sure the other driver don’t need it,[thinking of taking a hgv licence]

Errr…Thanks for that mate, don’t call us, we’ll get back to you :laughing: :laughing:

33

The O.P. couldconsider bus and coach driving,the big advantage being that some firms train you for free. :smiley:

34

You’d be better off working in a clothes shop, to be honest.

The hourly rate of pay is very similar and it cost’s you nothing to get into that line of work.

You’ll even be treated better, by the public.

35

STROMBERG:
You’d be better off working in a clothes shop, to be honest.

The hourly rate of pay is very similar and it cost’s you nothing to get into that line of work.

You’ll even be treated better, by the public.

Have you any thing good to say ! 5 posts all negative :unamused:
P/s you’ll get treated worse in retail than you’ll ever will driving

36

Don’t feed the fool Blue!

The thing is, truck driver’s are not only the king’s of the road (I am obviously talking class 1), but they are also extremely talented ■■■■ takers in my experience.

It’s sort of admirable that these troll’s fancy their chances, but in reality it’s a no contest.

37

eagerbeaver:
Don’t feed the fool Blue!

The thing is, truck driver’s are not only the king’s of the road (I am obviously talking class 1), but they are also extremely talented ■■■■ takers in my experience.

It’s sort of admirable that these troll’s fancy their chances, but in reality it’s a no contest.

I’m trying not to ,but I’ve done retail and would pick truck driving any day over it

38

im suprised nobody has said “here take mine” when the op said he is thinking of taking a hgv licence

39

He can have my HGV licence.

40

STROMBERG:
He can have my HGV licence.

Very generous of you old chum. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.