If you want set ish sensible hours driving hgvs only jobs realy offer it are dustcarts skips or tippers on muckaway or aggregates.
Any genrral haulage and containers will be pretty much max hours and nights out. Supermarkets etc will tend to be shifts and involve weekend work.
OVLOV JAY:
Think you’re best off leaving the industry pal. No offence, but you need a thick skin and a can do attitude if you want to be a good driver. Nothing’s personal, that’s just haulage. You show me a boss who sees drivers hours as a guideline and not a deadline, and I’ll show you a liar
^^ This 
DWYNE:
I have had to rethink my career path. Started on class 2 last Wednesday. Started at 0645 and finished at 14.45. Then started at 02.30 and finished at 17.00. Started at 03.00 finished at 15.30. Then started at 06.30 and finished at 06.30.I did not want more than 10 hrs per day and i was led to believe that this was possible. I am told that the hours are due to the xmas period. Alas i had to quit the job as it was too much for the family. They are also expecting night outs… Not what i wanted but i agreed to one per week. They now want at least 2 per week.
I never know my start times until late evening and never know where i am going. All in all a nightmare so noobs beware. There is lots of work to be had but all long hours
It’s a good job your not a owner operator then.
You’re wrong… It’s 10 hrs + all breaks and POA. So if he’s had 4.5hrs of breaks and POA then he’s legal 
Not a shift pattern I’d want to do though tbh.
[/quote]
This is my point. I dont have a problem with the job just the hours. 16 hour single man shifts is well out of order regardless what you truck net experts have to say. I got 2 interviews tomorrow both with hours better suited to me. this has been a learning curve if nothing else and glad it has happened early on.
I personally think i was running bent. Wont happen again.
I don’t think it’s all doom n glom and long hours it all depends on what area of haulage you get into whilist some are happy on boxes or genral haulage maxing there hours out others arnt just as the forementioned wouldn’t be happy driving a skip lorry or dust cart doing 10 hours a day and going home to the wife n kids
My advice is get on an agency tel them the hours n days u want to work n take it from there however some times on the odd occasion you might have to put up with doing a job for them that might not quite suit the hours you want to work it keeps you in the good books with them if your seen to be helping them out when there stuck
As mentioned biffa s not a bad one to get on
The good thing about driving is there is so much variaty to chose from
You sound better suited to a job where you clock in and clock out, like in a factory. It seems you want to walk through the door at 8:59 and walk out at 16:59.
Good luck with your interviews but there is no way you will be driving back through the gate at the same time every night, no matter what they say.
When reading posts from new drivers saying how truck driving is there dream job what do they think the job is. This poster has found out about the hours worked the hard way, do new drivers just think that they will be doing long distance in a big posh truck. Why do young people spend £3000 to drive a dustcart or be a labourer carrying things into shops or houses which must be what most driving jobs are.
If you want fixed hours, go into the traffic office side of things.
Then you can ensure the drivers under your care don’t work longer than they want to either.
DWYNE:
ok so i gets on the internet and called an agency who are offering 40 hour weeks. 10 hours 4 days per week mon to friday so i applied and have had a phone call already and things look nice again. Lets wait and see what happens.Its £9ph not £7.25 and operates the east midlands instead of nation wide. This is what i am after.
AAARRRGH.
You will never ever in a million bloody years find a good lorry driving job on the internet.
You get out there research your area and knock on the right doors, the ones who don’t ever advertise and have possibly been there since horse and cart days.
There is enough work of all types for all tastes needs and wants, you have to short list and go get it.
The golden rule is…jobs worth having are never advertised, go knock on doors.
DWYNE:
ok so i gets on the internet and called an agency who are offering 40 hour weeks. 10 hours 4 days per week mon to friday so i applied and have had a phone call already and things look nice again. Lets wait and see what happens.Its £9ph not £7.25 and operates the east midlands instead of nation wide. This is what i am after.
Hahahaha!
If the job above exists in HGV driving I’d bet no one on here has found one like it!
The job driving a truck that involves consistent fixed hours and agencies does not exist. The very fact an agency has told you something immediately makes it nigh on a certainty it’s utter ■■■■■■■■ because that’s the language they speak.
You’ll learn matey, as we all do… 
The jobs not for everyone, like other ops have said there’s a lot of variety in driving, but if you want regular same start - finish times you’ve came to the wrong job, the beauty with driving is how different one day is to next
DWYNE:
waynedl:
You’re wrong… It’s 10 hrs + all breaks and POA. So if he’s had 4.5hrs of breaks and POA then he’s legalNot a shift pattern I’d want to do though tbh.
This is my point. I dont have a problem with the job just the hours. 16 hour single man shifts is well out of order regardless what you truck net experts have to say. I got 2 interviews tomorrow both with hours better suited to me. this has been a learning curve if nothing else and glad it has happened early on.
I personally think i was running bent. Wont happen again.
Where’s the 16hr shift come into it? I see a 14.5hr shift which is a long shift after starting at 2.30am but, as I said, as long as at least 4.5hrs of that is rest or POA then it’s legal
And folk wonder why the industry is going down the pan, I do actually wonder wtf goes through people’s minds as they lap up these 35k pa driver shortage adverts when they decide to join the club and then moan.
DWYNE:
Then started at 06.30 and finished at 06.30.
24 hour shifts eh. Irish firm is it ?
No was probably told as soon as he walked in. …Sorry your not needed today
In my experience their has never ever been a shortage of drivers only a shortage of driver’s willing to put up with c**p
Job with Wisemens?
A rude awakening if their ever was, as others have said builders merchants,skips, dustcarts E.T.C.
I feel sorry for those who believe we all drive dreadful Swedish lorries for 39 hours a week whilst chewing on a Yorkie bar and arm wrestling with Sly Stallone.
Don’t give up just yet you can still live the dream with a supermarket of your choice.*
- depending on where you live.
i got my this job after taking a risk and phoning an agency.
mainly as my partner wanted to see me more.(was on coaches )
was told at interview we got a job for you 5 day week long term contract.
that was in 2006. did 12 months and was offered full time. took it never looked back.
if you in to an agency you need to realise you need to show you want to work. if my main contract didn’t need me i took any job offered. truck or bus.
show your willing and you get steady work… which night lead to a job offer of your dreams
bertiebus:
a job offer of your dreams
Steady on 