Hi all,As above why did you decide to become a Truck driver?
Mine is that I have always liked trucks from when I was a wee nipper and it was between this or being a mechanic.
I could not find anyone willing to take me on for mechanics so I just fell into supermarket work.
I admit I am not the smartest person in the world but I have an eagerness to do things and so them well.
I got myself into debt so I had to continue in my current job. Its been paid off for a while and now seemed like the right time to do something about it.
I passed my Class C test earlier this month.
The best part about passing was when my dad came upto me hugged me and said that he was so proud of me. That in my eyes made it all worthwhile.
I am doing this for nobody else but me.
Sorry for this if you find it boring but I felt the need to write this down I hope that you understand.
Also please let me know what made you decide to take this as a career?
Pure desperation. I have left IT in 2003 and my degree is worth sweet FA now. I failed in my business and found myself on the scrap heap at 57, could not even get a job stacking shelves at Tesco so now I am a lorry driver.
alder:
Pure desperation. I have left IT in 2003 and my degree is worth sweet FA now. I failed in my business and found myself on the scrap heap at 57, could not even get a job stacking shelves at Tesco so now I am a lorry driver.
Same, my degree isn’t worth jack. I was stuck in a coffee shop working fulltime hours for part time money but it kept me working and not sponging off the state. I was playing a PC game with a bunch of friends I met online, one of them is a container driver and he basiclly straight up told me to get my lorry licence so I did and the rest is history!
i thought it would be easier than digging up roads for the council,more interesting than bagging tarmac in the quarry,and less soul destroying than working in a warehouse…some of my previous jobs.
Dunno tbh,I’ve had quite a few “careers”…left school on a mechanics apprenticeship got bored of earning £40 a week,did a bit of warehouse work for quadruple the money I was getting on apprenticeship,left there to train to be a plasterer with a bloke who in the end I wanted to kill because he seemed to think my whole life should revolve around him and his business,oh and his VERY unhealthy obsession with Kylie Minougue got too much,so left that went to work in warehouse again then one day decided ■■■■ it I’ll drive a lorry so did my tests which brings me to the present day.
Been doing it 10 years now,will I stay doing it long term…who knows,if I get bored and something else catches my eye I’ll be jacking it that’s not saying I don’t enjoy what I do now…well most days but I’m always open to change.
At 19 I was training coach drivers. Changed employers and worked for a HGV/PSV school as a PSV instructor. Age 21 was informed that I was doing my HGV so I could be better utilised. Didn’t want to do it but was easily persuaded by the mention of a P45. Aged 21 and 6 weeks, qualified as HGV instructor.
After a couple of years, I went driving as I felt uncomfortable training folks to do something I could barely do myself. Then back to training and, over the last 40+ years I’ve had a mix of driving coaches, trucks and operating fleets of both. Bought the school in 1985 and, apart from voluntary driving to Romania 1990 - 1994 I’ve stuck to training ever since.
Occasionally still drive just to prove I can still hack it!!
Always wanted to drive lorries since going out with Dad, but thought I’d do it every other weekend etc NOT full time.
Supposedly according to family I was in a cab from my 2nd day on Earth as I’d only sleep in a moving vehicle. Dad did dairy tanker night shifts I’d sleep on bunk while he worked and Mum could sleep at home
Did my uni degreee and chartership in engineering surveying did over a decade in that and done big projects like Olympics etc went onto Crossrail zb shifts so quit.
Got help from drivers on here who are still chatting to me today and got into plant and low loaders as my full time work all I’ve ever known. Done other trailers odd days whilst working in plant but not experienced in them tankers, curtains, bulkers and flats.
Just been made redundant…would I change my career again?
No way I love this job, best paid I’ve ever had until last week too. The job is so different everyday that’s what keeps me coming back. If I’m interested, I’m committed, selfish I know
All I’d say to newbies is find the type of work you enjoy as soon as you can, makes the work so much easier.
The driving is all the same really and not that different no matter what you got on the back…
Get good contacts and find the best employer locally and that don’t have to be the best payer just the best T&Cs for you personally! Then stay loyal to them and professional to yourself.
Always been around trucks so it was the natural progression.
Never had any interest in school and was more interested in grafting and making money.
Got fed up working away on trawlers so got a job in a warehouse because it was more regular income to save for my HGV.
Passed my Class 1 at 20 and will hopefully find out about a start this afternoon. Working away all week, at least I won’t be surrounded by water this time…
Grandad was a lorry driver
Dad was a lorry driver
Went in my dads lorry in my nappy 2 years old
Grew up watching films like convoy and smokey and the bandit, diesel in the blood they say
Everything else i got bored of.
So far it’s been good
Plus i get free pizza every day lol
I’ve always liked trucks but wanted to go into construction as I love working with wood and making things. That plan got destroyed when I was diagnosed with arthritis when I was 17, I’d already had it 4 years by then and my lower back was fused already.
I HATE office work so I’ve desperately stayed clear of the dreded cubicles. My head just can work on a computer for more than 3 hours. Brain just turns off.
Done other work on NMW but ended up having to leave due to my health. Went into light haulage driving a 3.5t pick up. Found I could manage full time hours for the first time in my life so decided to become a proper trucker.
Best thing I’ve ever done. I love being on the road, im getting paid more than I ever have before. I’ve been unemployed for months before without even one interview, not for want of trying. Never had a day without work yet since my licences came back. One month on agency and I have a job offer with a company I like and that’s local to me. Plus all the handballing is glass so my backs happy as no one can moan your not lifting enuf as they want it to stay in one piece
I always wanted to be a driver. My maternal grandfather was a driver in the army and did heavy haulage after WW2. His saying was “when we get our own wagons son…”
Dad was a driver up to two year’s ago before retirement. He always detered me and my brother from driving. Dad worked for his uncle who I remember as saying “which on of my Fodens do you want to drive?”
Went into office work at 16. Redundant at 21 so went on the milk until something came up. Stayed for ten years, gaining cat c on the way for shop delivery routes.
Divorce appeared so it was time to put HGV to full use, progressed to c+e and tramping.
I always wanted to be a driver. My maternal grandfather was a driver in the army and did heavy haulage after WW2. His saying was “when we get our own wagons son…”
Dad was a driver up to two year’s ago before retirement. He always detered me and my brother from driving. Dad worked for his uncle who I remember as saying “which on of my Fodens do you want to drive?”
Went into office work at 16. Redundant at 21 so went on the milk until something came up. Stayed for ten years, gaining cat c on the way for shop delivery routes.
Divorce appeared so it was time to put HGV to full use, progressed to c+e and tramping.
Used to do hard grafting in Asda. But saw how relaxed the drivers were when the came in on more money than I was on!!! Basically upto that point in life I thought the harder the graft the more the money…oh how wrong was I. I’ve even worked for asda rdc skem and delivered to my local asda!
eagerbeaver:
I do it because I didn’t listen at school.
I also use that excuse for being thick!
But for me it’s that the job ends the second i lock and walk away from the truck. I worked in IT for one of the biggest companies, and got fed up with feeling that I could always be working, as a computer was always at hand. So I love the fact that work only starts again when i rock up to say hello to my truck again!
Plus the job is easy and relatively low stress compared to dealing with blank looking company men managers who don’t have a clue how to do, or what is involved in your job. This results in a rather repetitive justification request for adequate time to actually do your job. So I found that driving a HGV, was a better option than splitting someones head in half with a computer keyboard!
but I love my new job 
So I found that driving a HGV, was a better option than splitting someones head in half with a computer keyboard! 