Morning. Following a conversation about drivers and the way they behave the other day I wondered how many drivers still did the job because they enjoy it.
Many times I have heard drivers say that they hate what they do but because it’s all they know they just keep doing it. Why bother?
Anyway, I’m not trying to offend anyone. I’m just curious. Please enter the poll with tongue in cheek as it was written 
I’m still into the job 100%. Sad but true. 
Love the job, prefer Class 2 tramping (can’t get one) and I prefer my own company, trucking can be a ‘lonely’ job, not for me.
Generally i enjoy the job but wont do it for long, 2-3years and i’ll be off.
im just doing my class 2 and its all i ever wanted to do or be the drummer for status quo. So i have had to choose lorry driving as the 2nd one will be a bit out of my range lol.
Lorry driving is a way of life you either love it or you dont
Because I am a lazy bugger and it was the easiest job for the most money at the time.
Because years ago it was ‘something to fall back on’ if other jobs failed, still use it as a stop-gap but wouldn’t want to do it full time as I have more to my life now.
Its good as a stop gap and to fall back on and I am working for a few different companies so the driving is varied. could I do it Mon to fri same runs 52 weeks a year - I don’t think so.
I’d grown up wanting to be a truckdriver,but decided In early 2007 that I didn’t want to drive trucks until I retired.
So I changed my way of thinking & started working for a company that has nothing to do with transport.
I now earn considerably more than I’ve ever earned before driving trucks.
It’s never too late to change & ‘Yes’ you can teach an old dog new tricks…
BTW I do miss the driving…
Back in the 70’s on my way to school to Penzance, we went through Newlyn and on the quay there was (some of the older drivers will remember them) Suttons immaculate yellow Foden 8 leggers & WH Stevensons & Sons, Dennis Oats & Sons, fridges loading fish for London markets. I had always wanted to drive from those days anyway went in the Merchant Navy at 16 till 20 then went fishing out of Plymouth & just after my 21st, as we unloaded scallops onto a truck after a trip out I asked the driver to come onboard for a cuppa, we got chatting about driving for an hour or two.
I quit my job fishing that day after he left, went home, sold my car within a couple of days to pay for my HGV training & test which I got within 2 weeks. That was 1983 & been driving since, BTW, never did get to drive one of them Sutton’s Fodens.
By “07” got ■■■■■■ off with everything about driving in the UK, so moved to Canada, lived in the truck for 3 1/2 yrs all over Nth America, now shunting in a yard for 2 yrs.
Sorry for essay.
We had a wagon to shift our cattle/sheep/straw/hay so did my class 1 decades ago, divorce a couple of years ago meant everything went 
, needed an income so resurected my entitlement while I sorted my life out. I’m signed up with an agency who I can’t fault (I know takes a bit of believing), and the work I do (mostly night trunking for Fedex) isn’t bad, the pay is reasonable for the work but I’ll be glad to hang up the keys, hopefully next year.
seemed like a good idea at the time, and “it’ll do till something better turns up”
15 years ago now and i’m now thinging about doing CE test 
Nate:
seemed like a good idea at the time, and “it’ll do till something better turns up”
As above, but 6 years. Not thinking about CE as I prefer the work I get on the rigids.
option 2 for me.
Been driving Class 1 for 16 yrs and I still really enjoy it…not all the time,getting out of bed at 1am on a cold Saturday morning to go and do a 15hr day up to Newcastle I sometimes wonder if I’ve done the right thing,but when the wages go in the bank on a Friday and I know I’ve got money in my pocket I’m a happy man
Both A and B depending how the day is going.
At the same time I’ve made a good living for someone who left school with no qualifications and am just about to embark on a new adventure driving round the states in a big shiny truck wouldn’t have got that stacking shelves in tescos
kr79:
Both A and B depending how the day is going.
At the same time I’ve made a good living for someone who left school with no qualifications and am just about to embark on a new adventure driving round the states in a big shiny truck wouldn’t have got that stacking shelves in tescos
i’d agree. some of the stuff i’ve been able to see and do whilst on the job have been pretty unique, that you wouldn’t get elsewhere.
like you say though, there are the bad days, but on the whole, i wouldn’t change much.
good luck in the states btw.
Started in removals at 17 and graduated from there, I am now nearing 60 and still enjoy the job, although camaraderie amongst drivers is not what it used to be.
Think i may aswell stick it out till im 65 then will have been driving trucks (big an small) 48 years.
Met some great folk and had some interesting jobs and moments.
Would i do it again…NO …not in todays climate,attitude from public and other drivers. 
Failed to make it through the old routine… school —> uni/college… Unlike all the rest of my mates who’re now earning over twice what I get with less than a fraction of the stress.
I’d quit in a heartbeat if I had a skill that allowed me to do something else.
I’d always thought about having a go, and one day decided I needed a career change quickly for a stop gap for a year or two and the licence would always be handy. 8 years later and I’m still doing it, although if something else came up I’d move on.