Franco:
So would a 4 day week be common in HGV land and what are the maximum number of hours you’re allowed to drive per week??
The maximum you’re allowed to drive in a given week is 56 hours, but there’s also a maximum over a 2 week period of 90 hours so on average you can drive 45 hours a week. It’s common to work 60+ hours though as with a lot of jobs you spend lots of time loading/unloading/waiting so you can easily get to 60 hours working without getting to 45 hours driving.
Paul
Hiya Franco,
You don’t mention your age which might be a factor in finding driving work.You say you are looking for a gas fitters apprenticeship so if this means you are in the 16-21 age range you will be severely handicapped in finding driving work.The jobcentre can’t line you up with work you can’t travel to that’s not helping anyone.You are in Central London and you CAN’T GET A JOB? The only reason I can come up with is again maybe your age are you young and therefore inexperienced at applying for jobs/getting interviews? Trying to help here mate believe it or not but how old are you and what’s your work history up to now?
Gurner:
Franco:
Are there shifts that start in the evening and finish in the eary hours instead. E.g 7PM til 3AM or something along those lines??Dont expect to be doing much less than 12 hour shifts in most driving jobs.
I never work more than 9 myself.
tartanraider:
Hiya Franco,
You don’t mention your age which might be a factor in finding driving work.You say you are looking for a gas fitters apprenticeship so if this means you are in the 16-21 age range you will be severely handicapped in finding driving work.The jobcentre can’t line you up with work you can’t travel to that’s not helping anyone.You are in Central London and you CAN’T GET A JOB? The only reason I can come up with is again maybe your age are you young and therefore inexperienced at applying for jobs/getting interviews? Trying to help here mate believe it or not but how old are you and what’s your work history up to now?
Hi there Tartan. sorry for the delay. I haven’t been on the forum for a few days. I left an office job in December 2003 after 4 years and prior to that I done a part time driving job and over a year of retail work. I’ve been looking for mostly office jobs. I didn’t say I can’t get a job, if I want to flip burgers in MacDonalds I suppose that’s always available.
I’m 26. I actually found a plumber / Gas Fitter who is willing to teach me, but with no pay. It’s early days yet, but I’m willing to do around 20 hours a week with him for no pay as long as I learn. How’s that for the people earlier who said I’m lazy? Working for nothing. I bet they wouldn’t do it.
Anyway I still need to see if it’s for me, but if not I think truck driving will be plan B. I’m not sure about the 12 hour shifts though. Andyroo’s 9 sounds more like it. Maybe 40 odd hours a week would be more like it.
Franco:
Well thanks for replying although you seem to be assuming a lot with little evidence ot back it up. I’ve applied for plenty of jobs and haven’t got them, that’s different to not wanting a job. If you think i’m doing so little maybe I can get you to do my job searching, filling in application forms and writing and phoning employers looking for work or appreticeships. Since I supposedly don’t want a job it’ll be a breeze for you to do that.On your first point someone said earlier that a class 1 or 2 licence would be a good thing to have to fall back on. I didn’t say I don’t want to do am HGV driving job I said it’s not my first choice. I’d rather learn a trade, but that’s seeming to be hard to do.
On your 3rd point I live in Central London and the training school and job will be outside of London. Do you walk 25 plus miles to work and back everyday. If you do then good, if you don’t then stop talking nonsense.
I would jump at a plumbing or gas fitting job in a second, but so would a lot of other people and that’s where the fun starts.
Lastly, what attitude?? I’ve come on here looking for good advice which I’ve got and am grateful for. However, your post was useless. Get out of the right side of bed tomorrow.
Whoa there Franco.
Lets have a look at the evidence that you have provided.
Franco:
The situation is this, I’ve been on the dole for so long it’s embarrasing and I’m not having any luck applying for jobs
You think that might be a clue to the attitude comment? Do you think a potential employer wouldn’t ask why?
Franco:
The jobcentre are offering me a free LGV training course and If I do that I will be contractually bound to do a job for about 2 months after that with 4am or 5am starts.
Most of the people on here paid for their licenses themselves. At todays rates that in the region of £2000. If you need to buy a vehicle to get to the training site you still get to use that vehicle at other times. Come to think of it if your in London then you could get a monthly season ticket for the bus and tube for less than the cost of a vehicle. Have you thought to ask about help with your traveling expenses?
Franco:
Would anyone recommend such a course just to have under my belt even if I have intentions of learning a trade and doing different work in the long run??
As a taxpayer who will be paying for that course NO I wouldn’t recommend it. If on the other hand you see an opportunity to get yourself out of your current predicament then YES I would.
As to the attitude - Change it mate because no-one owes you a living. You have to earn it. If you get on the road you can expect to get plenty of bovine excrement and it never gets pleasent to swallow.
Not intended to offend or massage your ego. Just telling it as I see it.
Franco:
Anyway I still need to see if it’s for me, but if not I think truck driving will be plan B. I’m not sure about the 12 hour shifts though. Andyroo’s 9 sounds more like it. Maybe 40 odd hours a week would be more like it.
I think your looking for the easy lazy life mate,Maybe some gullible company might pay you £500 a week for 5 hours sitting on your arse at home.but I work mostly 12 -15 hour days with mostly 7-8 of those driving 5 days for about £400 take home,and I always wanted to be a trucker from a little lad,although its a lot different to the childhood fantasy vision of a trucker.so I would think again about a career in trucking,get yourself a paper round its only probably 1-2 hours a day moneys not that good though and you might get cold and wet somedays and then theres the expense of a pushbike,and you might get bitten by a dog,the early starts,oh well maybe thats not for you either 
I hate to agree with too many people in one evening 
But 
TC, used to be called The Critic…
And I think he has hit the nail right on the head here. To be a truck driver you have to want to do it. You should be excited about getting up at 4am and you will find a way of getting to work an hour before to check your truck and sort the cab out.
In the meantime you will spend your own money making the truck comfy and will buy things to make your own life easier.
If you don’t do this then you will never be a truck driver… You will have a class one licence paid for by the government because you cannot get a job anywhere else.
Harsh? maybe but it is the truth 