Why I've just passed my Class 2

Morning guys, I fancy doing a little thread here to give you all an insight into why I decided to do my class 2 (and I’ll be doing my Class 1 shortly)

This morning is my first day back at work since monday, got paid for christmas day and boxing day but the rest I’ve HAD to use holidays due to their being no work, could obviously not use holidays but would get next to no pay.

I’m a coach driver by the way.

So this morning I’ve started at 8am, into a little 14 seater minibus, drove round numerous little villages doing the ‘church run’ to pick 2 people up…now I’m currently say twiddling my thumbs outside the church until 10 when they come out.

Once their done I then return back to the depot, de-ice the second coach of the day, a big 53 seater, pick up 2 miles down the road, at 2 pubs. Drive about 4 miles to the local dog racing track and drop them off. Come back, get in the 14 seater again and pick some family up across numerous places, all within 1.5miles of the yard, I’m then taking them about 6 miles up the A1 to a restaurant where I’ll most probably sit outside shivering my bits off until their finished, I’ll then drop them off, be lucky if I get a thanks, come back clean/wash/fuel up then 14 seater, get back on the 53 seater and go pick the animals up from the dog racing track, take them 4 miles back down the road, which doesn’t sound alot but a tenner says they’ll trash the coach, again I’ll be lucky to get a thanks, then back to the depot to wash/clean/fuelup the big coach…all this for £7.50 per hour.

Now I know I should be grateful for a job, and mine is ‘average’ pay in the coaching industry but how can people earn alot more driving round a trailer full of cardboard? When I have 53 lives in my hand? It’s a strange one.

So to anyone who wants to drive for a living, If your umming and arring about wether to do PSV or LGV, hopefully the choice is clear after reading this.

It might sound fantastic being parked up most of the day doing nothing, but you can only do it for so long, I’m a 25 year old lad and I need to be doing something all day.

All I need now is for DVLA to hurry up and send my license and CPC card back, then I can hand my notice in.

Rant over hope you all had a good christmas :smiley:

I understand totally; I started my career as a coach driver well over 40 years ago and I have many memories similar to what you’ve got. But I also have many more happy memories of brilliant times with parties all over the UK and Europe.

Strangely, you’ll find there’s plenty to moan about with trucks. Instead of sitting outside a church, you’ll be sat at an RDC or a dock. It’s just as cold when it comes to de-icing a truck windscreen as well!

And, although you haven’t got 50 + potential drunks on board, you can have a hard time with a fridge trailer when the fridge breaks down at 4.45 on Christmas Eve and you’re 100 miles from home. (that happened to me 1984). Great joy getting home at nearly midnight having started at 5.30 in the morning.

There’s horror stories in both jobs; whatever you do look for the positives in whatever you’re doing.

All the best, Pete :laughing: :laughing:

Peter Smythe:
I understand totally; I started my career as a coach driver well over 40 years ago and I have many memories similar to what you’ve got. But I also have many more happy memories of brilliant times with parties all over the UK and Europe.

Strangely, you’ll find there’s plenty to moan about with trucks. Instead of sitting outside a church, you’ll be sat at an RDC or a dock. It’s just as cold when it comes to de-icing a truck windscreen as well!

And, although you haven’t got 50 + potential drunks on board, you can have a hard time with a fridge trailer when the fridge breaks down at 4.45 on Christmas Eve and you’re 100 miles from home. (that happened to me 1984). Great joy getting home at nearly midnight having started at 5.30 in the morning.

There’s horror stories in both jobs; whatever you do look for the positives in whatever you’re doing.

All the best, Pete :laughing: :laughing:

Couldn’t agree more, I’ve had several fantastic UK and European trips, but their not regular, I get where your coming from with regards to the horror stories, but I’m fed up of doing 60 hours a week just to pay the bills, hopefully when I get onto class 2/1 in the future I can do 60 hours and get a pay packet to reflect that.

And cleaning, pfft spend most of my time cleaning up after various PAX lol sometimes wonder if I’m a driver or a cleaner

I got my PCV license before my HGVs and did service routes. NEVER AGAIN! Stop/start/stop/start and dealing with the (zb) public.