I’m not, I drive anything & everything. I don’t like regular work & just kind of ended up with both an HGV & a PSV.
530power:
my dad has drove trucks ever since ive been born, at the age of 2 all ive been interested in is trucks. even before i started secondery school i knew i was gonna drive a truck. when i was about 12 my dad started on his own, so that was it i was on top of the world. i passed my driving test within a month of 17 i was bought a transit hitop van which i drove all over the uk. i worked that till i was 21, i was put through my class2 i passed that and 2 later i went in for my class1. i failed first time i was gutted but within a week i done it again and passed. so then my dad gave me a job, there u go he said 480 super space daf , so i drove that for 4 months and then my dad bought me a 144 530 topline left hand drive i drove that i england for six months. it was a dream come true at first it was hard driving on the wrong side but i was ok within a week , we moved to spain and took the scania with us which me and my dad double man spain-uk now i love every minute of it, its got the lot side pipes kelsa bars top middle bottom every minute i drive it i can’t wipe the smile off my face, i drive down the road and people stop and stare at this truck with over 60 side lights on it. its the nuts and i love it.
Jeeez, talk about born into it!!! Way to Go 530 
Used to travel with mi dad all over Europe during school hols. Learnt to drive a F88 whilst waiting to clear in aosta '80. That was when you had to drop into the valley and climb mont blanc from the bottom. You could go over mont cenis that road was just like the one on italian job where the bus goes over the edge used to crap mi pants.
Got my license as soon as I was old enough. The job’s what you make it. I’ve found over the years there are too many people in this industry that moan but do not have the gumption to do anything about it.
Uk driving is a bit …ed up right now.
There’s always been low wages but drivers used to make money with ‘fiddles’ perks of the job etc but all that as gone, when drivers became transport managers and gave away all the secrets, now you’ve got big brother style control.
If you do european driving with the right attitude - that your getting to see sights that people pay hundreds or thousands to see, sat in cab with your choice of music etc the job is enjoyable not for everybody though. I Knew a guy had a pushbike strapped to the top of his cab, went sight seeing around the towns on it, even went to see his clearing agent on it, in Barcelona!
Those were the days!
Does anybody remeber garone bar just somwhere between aosta and milan had some great times there.
One occasion a little brummie (drove an erf for tanker firm jones of aldridge) got drunk managed to ‘pick pocket’ the security guards gun and shot an hole in the ceiling!
Loose nut behind the wheel?
i was a merchant seaman for 25yrs(still got me certs and books) and it seemed a natural thing to do, its a very similar life tbh,away from home ,own boss(within reason) and crap money , but i enjoy it imenceley…
I first got thre bug at 14 years old…i used to go out on a daily basis with a friends brother who used to do local work…at 16 i was a drivers mate…yeah i had to do all the dirty work…but the driver used to let me drive along private roads where we had more than one delivery…and i swore that i wanted to be one of those…so i passed my test at 17…got a job as a van driver first…then the local laundry…cos they had bigger lorries…ford 4t..then went into general haulage with hiltons transport.we only had a small depot. and i got a job ship to shore..with timber...i got my first load on..threw the rope over..pulled it as tight as i could//and set off down this country lane...only got about a mile and came to this right hand bend...yeah you guessed...the load ended up in the canal...went back for another load..but the checker had a word..wheres your load he said...in the canal i replied...didnt you rope it on he said..yeah..course i did...how many dollies..(mind went to young ladies) what dya mean i said..its what you have to do when roping..and thats where i learned to rope..funny how you never forget...first artic..as usual drivers standing around talking in the office..this side of the counter..(drivers were not allowed into the office in those days)..one said to the other can you drive artics…reply was yes…the question went round 5 drivers…and then to me…yes of course i can…(we are such liars at times ) well unbeknown to me the office staff were listening…and 3 days later a driver never turned up…and the office said…chalky you can drive artics cant you..i couldnt say no...so off i went in a maggi deutz..croydon high st..reverse in..and round a bend..after causing a 3 mile traffic jam..and 2 hours later i was in..after being shown the ropes by a professional..on his day off...and that was it..i was hooked...then all over the uk..then europe..asia..middle east..and the rest..as they say is history..but im still here 40 years later…if its in ya blood…its in ya…
have a nice day
i have decided to be a trucker because i hate havin some silly manager or some officious pratt lookin over me to tell me what i already know. i ran my own business for five years and loved the money, but with 2 newborn on their way i packed it in to be at home more. when i packed that up i went back to working with meat(no jokes please 
) in supermarkets. i realised quickly why i left supermarkets in the first place. too many jumped up little hitlers alot younger than you trying to tell you how to do the job which you already knew how to do.
so when i left my job in jan, i had a few weeks to myself and thought about what i was good at and what i enjoyed.
now i am really into pc’s and the internet and can build websites, but that would mean being stuck in an office with the same sort of people i had worked with in supermarkets.
ahh driving i enjoy driving and i feel i aint that bad a driver, so i went for me class 2, and got class 1 re-test at end of the month. but two days before my class 2 test i found this place, with the way you guys are on here you all just confirmed i had made the right choice about becoming a lorry driver. i dont think i have met anyone on here i dont like!!! but put me in a supermarket and i could probably find 10 people within five minutes i wouldnt get on with!!!
so there you go thats why i have begun life as a trucker and i am so bloody glad i made the right choice!!!
robB39:
Does anybody remeber garone bar just somwhere between aosta and milan had some great times there.
One occasion a little brummie (drove an erf for tanker firm jones of aldridge) got drunk managed to ‘pick pocket’ the security guards gun and shot an hole in the ceiling!
That’ll be Mama’s at Carisio, still there and still busy and now even open on a Monday. Once spent an entire Easter weekend there from the Thursday evening until the Tuesday morninga nd in those days she used to close on a Monday but on Easter monday she left the toilets and showers open and the showers switched on so the 30 or so drivers who were there that day could use them. There are dozens of stories about that securtiy guard and his gun. 
For me it is in the family. My grandfather used to drive steam trucks, then I used to go with my uncle on school holidays. He drove an F7 then a FL7 6 wheeler tipper. Best summers ever. Got my class 1 at 21, and never looked backed. Just started working as a transport manager but am seriously thinking of going back on the road. that white line fever is starting to hurt!!!
Welcome smcaul and thanks for the reply.
Get back on the road !
Why be stuck in an office with the boss breathing down your neck, when you can be stuck in a lay - bye having a kip!!
Cheers,
Niall.
Thanks Niall, I think i might have to, driving a desk is seriously frying my brain!!!
Niall:
O.K. Everyone,when did you know you were destined to be a trucker?
No, this is is not a poll or a questionnaire,but a simple question.
When I realised I wasn’t going to make it as a ■■■■ star or a millionaire. 
Biggest ambition was to be a millionaire ■■■■ star
Just a quick question K W,
WHEN did you realise you were not going to make it in your chosen job of millionaire or ■■■■ star ?
Cheers,
Niall .
( p.s. - be careful how you reply !!! )
Coffeeholic:
robB39:
Does anybody remeber garone bar just somwhere between aosta and milan had some great times there.
One occasion a little brummie (drove an erf for tanker firm jones of aldridge) got drunk managed to ‘pick pocket’ the security guards gun and shot an hole in the ceiling!That’ll be Mama’s at Carisio, still there and still busy and now even open on a Monday. Once spent an entire Easter weekend there from the Thursday evening until the Tuesday morninga nd in those days she used to close on a Monday but on Easter monday she left the toilets and showers open and the showers switched on so the 30 or so drivers who were there that day could use them. There are dozens of stories about that securtiy guard and his gun.
Yeh that’s the place just to talking in the pub yesterday to some retired old timers and they were wonderin’ if it was still there.
Niall:
Just a quick question K W,WHEN did you realise you were not going to make it in your chosen job of millionaire or ■■■■ star ?
When my dad refused to up my pocket money.He said “Ask me again when you’re 8 years old” 
because im a muppet and love working for mop n bucket wages
no really since i was small by ive been interested in trucks and would by the magazines all the time an knew it was something i wanted to do so when i went in the carears adviser and told her what i wanted to do she couldnt help so i started on a forklift truck when i left shcool went through vans and 7.5 tonners then went straight to my class 1 there have some very bad times but the good times more than make up for it
also i beleave this is not a just a job but a way of life as it affects your time away from work as well
sad git aint i
as someone said before i started driving tractors at 13, and my boss had an old g’redg fl10 with a bulk tipper and used to go out with him or his dad as often as i could and i loved it 
started work on a farm up in the fens draging a 40ft flat on a dolly behind my tractor and thought i may as well go do it properly so went agy and got my class 2 did that for a while and got fed up with my boss giving irrigular work so went to the airport as a cargo handler playing wtih all kinds of airport kit.
got threatend with being laid off so went back to the agy and landed a full time job with hewden hire centers driving a drop side ■■■■■■, they messed me around so got a job with a bulk tipper operator and he put me through my class 1
the rest as they say is history.
what lady t has not said is that her double manning partner was an ex-traffic cop so that just goes to prove what a coffie grinder (think nescafe advert) he was 
chris