F-reds:
at the moment I know 12 weeks in advance where I’m going,
Holy [zb] Robin! That must take all the fun out of it.
Most places wouldn’t do that as some Drivers might start planning their sick days 
Now you mention it, one driver always has “last minute holidays”, dentist appointments etc when his Scotland comes around. Another likes holidays when he’s covering London (the fines he’s collected might explain that though ) whereas I appear a team player…I hate the Cardiff and Somerset runs which fall on Mondays, and we don’t do Bank Holidays meaning one of our reliefs will do those in one of our old nails on the Friday before. Thus I seem to just get on with whatever I’m given. 
join the club chap,but I know how you feel,even worse when you hit 50 [I am now 51]when I got to 50 I was really down for about 3 weeks,i dread 60
truckman020:
join the club chap,but I know how you feel,even worse when you hit 50 [I am now 51]when I got to 50 I was really down for about 3 weeks,i dread 60
Oh eck, not good.
I’m not a totally negative person. Talk of being “really down” is a tad removed from my own situation but, It’s a pity that u feel that way.
It’s just the sheer volume of traffic that makes the job unenjoyable for me. Luckily i’m on a quite isn route at the moment & once they finish the road works from the m50 to the m6 whenever that will be, should be golden. Sod London.
hiabman:
I’m 40 next. Class one driver, currently on drawbar.
Been driving for a living since the turn of the century.
It seems that due to my impending “Big Four O” I’m feeling a bit gloomy.
I’ve probably got another 30 years of early starts, long days, tricky drops, miserable/arsey/cliquey workmates and will have to endure the moronic UK driving public.
I’ve already put 22 years of graft in. I fully expect to have to be 70 by the time I can claim my state pension. A sobering thought indeed.
I cover about 2k kilometres a week.
I do 2 nights away a week.
The self satisfaction that I first got when I initially ended up a class one driver was fleeting. Now it’s 80% joyless. I do, however get the odd decent day when I’m somewhere different and the roads are open, challenging and visually appealing.
I suspect there are many others in the same boat. Just going through the motions.
If I had to hazard a guess I’d say 75% of HGV drivers do the job solely to earn a living and could take or leave it as a profession.
To the older lads reading this, those in their 60’s whom have been driving all their working lives - If I had a hat on I’d doff it towards you all.
I’ll more than likely have been on the road just as long in 2040 odd but by crikey it’s a sobering thought.
Just be grateful it’s not your own lorry .
Dan Punchard:
Just be grateful it’s not your own lorry .
I am. And it’s a fair point.
Are you an owner driver then Dan"
what’s wrong with whinging it goes with the job there’s nothing more gratifying than hearing a driver whinge unless he don’t know what he/she is on about it tale’s some of the stress out of the job 
hiabman:
Dan Punchard:
Just be grateful it’s not your own lorry .
I am. And it’s a fair point.
Are you an owner driver then Dan"
Iam ,and it’s ok ,but where will it end ,euro 50? ,Fors ,clocks,crossrail,dcpc,cpcs ,London charge ,ect ,I could go on !
Get a new job driving something else. Might be the rejuvenation you need.
Alcpone:
Get a new job driving something else. Might be the rejuvenation you need.
. Trouble is I’m on good dough. Far more important than job satisfaction (how satisfied can you be driving a bloody wagon, really?).
Thanks for the input though. Seriously.
hiabman:
Alcpone:
Get a new job driving something else. Might be the rejuvenation you need.
. Trouble is I’m on good dough. Far more important than job satisfaction (how satisfied can you be driving a bloody wagon, really?).
Thanks for the input though. Seriously.
Same here. Good money, good job security but physically hard. Could do Bidvest…Not.