Well from being a young age all I ever wanted too do was drive artic lorries. My grandad who worked for kidds transport in Lancaster inspired me too do so. I loved the idea of the freedom and going all over and this made me want too be a HGV driver.
How ever I had a few goals which I wanted too gain before doing so. I wanted too gain mechanical experience I wanted too know how everything worked and I thought that I wasn’t learning anything from school so decided too leave and work in a scrap yard. It was an amazing bit of experience. I also wanted to be in the army so I joined at the age of 17 at which I wanted too complete my 22 years service but due too the government wanting too cut costs they merged my battalion with two others. I did another operational tour with these but realising how much everything sunk I decided too leave.
I then left the army and became a drivers mate through an agency for harkers transport and all that was in my sights was too gain my childhood dream. Due too having no experience or the usual 25 year old ■■■ no one would touch me. But I got a phone call from a bus company and I took the offer.
Anyways after two years of driving ■■■ buses I was given the opportunity too drive HGV’s with the company I’m with still after 15 months of employment I must say I love it and I’m happy where I am. But the thing what really winds me up the most is… It does notated where you go in this country you always get some duffer moaning about how ■■■ the wages are! How ■■■ the hours are! And how ■■■ the job is!!!. In all honesty I love this job too bits. So why are people doing something they hate as a living?.
I have a mate who works for the same company as me the same age as me but all he does is moan it does nothing but wind me up knowing that someone out there would cut their toes off to have the opportunity too afford too gain licenses or even me deemed medically fit too do so.
This is put in the newbie section because I won’t class myself a driving god until I’ve had atleast 50 years experience.
Also sorry if it looks like I’m moaning I just want too know why would people do something they are not happy in.
I quiet agree, why would anyone want to do something they don’t enjoy.
I’m a fully qualified computer/network technician, with 15 years experience in the industry, but I don’t enjoy it anymore. In fact it was making me ill, I was fortunate enough to be made redundant for part of my contract which gave me the opportunity to try out other things while still earning a relatively good wage from my remaining contracts. So I thought I love driving why not do that. So I started doing multidrop work in 3t van. Absolutely love it, loved it so much that when my remaining contracts ended in March, I started doing it full time, even though the hourly rate is 1/3rd of what I am used to earning. I’d rather do something that pays low by I enjoy over something that pays well and will make me ill.
It was doing the multidrop in a van that prompted me to get my Class 2 licence, which is booked for the 1st July. Hopefully followed soon after by doing my Class 1.
Maybe they cannot find anything else to do that’s why they stay driving. I worked for a company for 22 years not driving but got finished so did my class 1 within two weeks I got a job for a small firm driving a chemical tanker, I was given my work on a Friday for the following week and left to get on with it 4 nights out per week best job I have ever had. Then after 8 years the company lost the contract so the boss retired. For the last 5 years I have worked for two big firms and 3 agencies but the job has gone downhill so much everything you do you are being tracked then have to explain to some kid why you have sat in traffic on a motorway so late for your drop when it’s them who have given you a job that cannot be done then when you get to where you are going you are treated like a prisoner made to sit for hours waiting to get unloaded or you sit at home waiting for an agency to ring with the promised job but they never do. Then you have got pay for the hours worked drivers work 2 weeks hours each week for 1 weeks money why nobody else works that way.
Maybe that’s why drivers moan I no that’s why I do but one day I hope to find something else to do, only thing is I think when you tell people that you are a driver it puts you at a disadvantage at interviews.
I think there a drivers who love to drive they’ve caught the bug or drivers that are in the job to pay the mortgage and don’t really care what they do to pay it, theese are generally the ones who hate it. All I ever wanted to do was be a school teacher I done well at school and college but always made money even through school and wanted a year or two out off education to earn some money before Uni. I fell into the job by luck, small family run firm I knew put me through my test and I caught the bug, there are aspects off the job that does my head in, the long hours, the stress off it but I’ve turned into a lorry geek I love sitting behind the wheel I enjoy meeting people I’m paid well and although I’m sometimes treated like ■■■■■ I’m also very well looked after by my employer I think working for a small firm is great, I’m 26 now and although some days I wanna throw the keys and go and become a teacher I just don’t think I can do it. Still I may be reposting tomorrow depending on how my day goes
Once upon a time you could drive class 1 whilst the missus worked part-time, if that, and buy your own house. I would be very surprised if you’re able to manage this now.
Driving is all I’ve ever wanted to do. My grandad was a car transporter driver traveling all around Europe. I got good enough A levels to go to uni but it doesn’t interest me me in the slightest. I’m not on the best wage at all but it’s much better than my friends at uni, some of them are turning 21 with no work experience what so ever with 3 years still to go
