I have resurrected an old thread to see if any new members have an input on the subject as it is 3 years old ( well nearly 4 years old 
) and no one mentioned the founders of Astran whom I think were both in the medical profession
.
cheers Johnnie 
Nearly all the drivers I have met who had primary occupations (bankers, policemen, teachers, business managers etc) were on long-haul work. They, like me, needed the adventure of long-haul trucking. Now that there is almost no long-haul trucking for Brits, I can’t see that kind of diversity persisting. Robert 
sammyopisite:
I have resurrected an old thread to see if any new members have an input on the subject as it is 3 years old ( well nearly 4 years old
Did you see this recent thread?
I am one of those university educated truck drivers…I m now an oap and drive a bus but have done many years as a tanker driver in Calgary alberta my home since leaving the uk in the 1970 s. I came from a lorry background my dad worked for the whitwick granite company in Leicestershire and I rode with him lots as a kid. I was on the M1 the 4th day it was open in 1959…so I had quite extensive experience of the industry.I think that people from non trucking backgrounds from other professions have a strange view of the job. Over here in alberta in the 1970s a class one drivers licence was very easy to come by. About a 20 minute drive and back around a curb that you could get a a 747 round was about it , my training cost me about $200 in the early 1980s so it was an easy industry to get into. The problem was getting experience a sort of a catch 22 situation People attracted to the industry see a picture of a big shiny pete blasting across the prairies or snaking their way through the rocky mountains. They are not aware of the daily hardships that long haul truckers have to endure. Short haul has no appeal to them whatsoever . I did both (long and short) in Calgary believe me doing multiple fuel deliveries in town when its minus 30 c is no fun…neither is chaining up in the mountains in similar conditions. Many of these people with education and professional backgrounds are seven day wonders once reality sets in they are off to their next adventure and they have another achievement on their C.V
Chris Webb:
sammyopisite:
I would be very surprised if there is ever so many different backgrounds from which drivers come from as over the years I have met drivers who have been teachers,doctors,dentists,solicitors,engineers and other professions who had been to university especially when I was running over the water from the late 60s to the mid 80s and now with all the health and safety,working conditions, pay, CPCs, sat navs and digi cards etc. the freedom,camaraderie and lifestyle as changed so much it is no longer an adventure as it was then and with people flying every where those far away places are not so far now and with motorways every where you do not get to drive through the towns and villages and see places properly so I cannot see how the industry today will be able to appeal to anyone one with qualifications who are able to earn a far better wage without all the hassle which todays drivers have to endure.cheers Johnnie
P S I even know a guy from the Isle of Man
I was an apprentice glassmaker at Pilkingtons St Helens but I packed it in as it was too much pane.
Went driving instead and still as daft.
You packed it in Chris because your boss saw right through you!!!
Héraultais:
sammyopisite:
I have resurrected an old thread to see if any new members have an input on the subject as it is 3 years old ( well nearly 4 years oldDid you see this recent thread?
Careers before truck driving - THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE) - Trucknet UK
Hi thank you for the link as I don’t use that forum very often I had missed it.
My European trips were from 67 to mid 80s and due to the nature of the work I did a lot was on the freight only ferries which usually had accommodation for up to 12 drivers and you often shared the crew dining facilities but you did tend talk to the other drivers more with it being a small group. I was surprised at the number of drivers who had been to university but as Robert said they did tend to do long haul either European or further afield probably more for the adventure of traveling ( and being paid to do it ) than doing domestic haulage .
The job as changed a lot over the years as my first trip was Tilbury to Antwerp and a steward would take your case to your cabin, all the cabins were wood paneled and seemed rather posh ( to me anyway ) and this was the same on the Preston to Belfast ferry but they were not very big and this was quite new at the time.
I did trips nearly every year and one port I never sailed from was Dover as we used most of the east coast ports and Southampton,Portsmouth and Weymouth ( this was for the channel Ilse’s ) on the south coast.
When I was on tankers we would take chemicals out and could bring food products back after cleaning tank out which as all stopped now as tanks only do designated work nowadays and non hazardous loads were allowed on passenger ferries whereas hazardous loads had to be on freight only ferries and often on the top deck open to the elements.
It was where I came across some very interesting people from different walks of life and who were exploring Europe and beyond through choice but you were able to earn a comparable wage to someone from a profession at that time and I am sure that is not the case now.
cheers Johnnie
I would be very surprised if there is ever so many different backgrounds from which drivers come from as over the years I have met drivers who have been teachers,doctors,dentists,solicitors,engineers and other professions who had been to university especially when I was running over the water from the late 60s to the mid 80s and now with all the health and safety,working conditions, pay, CPCs, sat navs and digi cards etc. the freedom,camaraderie and lifestyle as changed so much it is no longer an adventure as it was then and with people flying every where those far away places are not so far now and with motorways every where you do not get to drive through the towns and villages and see places properly so I cannot see how the industry today will be able to appeal to anyone one with qualifications who are able to earn a far better wage without all the hassle which todays drivers have to endure.
cheers Johnnie
P S I even know a guy from the Isle of Man
sammyopisite:
I would be very surprised if there is ever so many different backgrounds from which drivers come from as over the years I have met drivers who have been teachers,doctors,dentists,solicitors,engineers and other professions who had been to university especially when I was running over the water from the late 60s to the mid 80s and now with all the health and safety,working conditions, pay, CPCs, sat navs and digi cards etc. the freedom,camaraderie and lifestyle as changed so much it is no longer an adventure as it was then and with people flying every where those far away places are not so far now and with motorways every where you do not get to drive through the towns and villages and see places properly so I cannot see how the industry today will be able to appeal to anyone one with qualifications who are able to earn a far better wage without all the hassle which todays drivers have to endure.cheers Johnnie
P S I even know a guy from the Isle of Man
The trouble is Johnnie,a lot of professional people with degree’s and qualifications in other fields cannot get a job.So maybe there will be some that end up driving lorries,not by choice,but because there isn’t anything else that they can get.
The cpc’s and all the ■■■■■■■■will be a piece of cake to a lot of them.The simple task of driving a lorry might challenge them.
Cheers Dave.
sammyopisite:
I would be very surprised if there is ever so many different backgrounds from which drivers come from as over the years I have met drivers who have been teachers,doctors,dentists,solicitors,engineers and other professions who had been to university especially when I was running over the water from the late 60s to the mid 80s and now with all the health and safety,working conditions, pay, CPCs, sat navs and digi cards etc. the freedom,camaraderie and lifestyle as changed so much it is no longer an adventure as it was then and with people flying every where those far away places are not so far now and with motorways every where you do not get to drive through the towns and villages and see places properly so I cannot see how the industry today will be able to appeal to anyone one with qualifications who are able to earn a far better wage without all the hassle which todays drivers have to endure.cheers Johnnie
P S I even know a guy from the Isle of Man
I was an apprentice glassmaker at Pilkingtons St Helens but I packed it in as it was too much pane.
Went driving instead and still as daft. 
Chris Webb:
I was an apprentice glassmaker at Pilkingtons St Helens but I packed it in as it was too much pane.
Went driving instead and still as daft.
You should of stuck with that apprenticeship Chris, you could of had a smashing job by now .
I met a guy a couple of times who was training to be a Veterinary Surgeon and he used to drive in the long summer holidays that they had to get some extra cash and to see new places.
mushroomman:
Chris Webb:
I was an apprentice glassmaker at Pilkingtons St Helens but I packed it in as it was too much pane.
Went driving instead and still as daft.You should of stuck with that apprenticeship Chris, you could of had a smashing job by now
I met a guy a couple of times who was training to be a Veterinary Surgeon and he used to drive in the long summer holidays that they had to get some extra cash and to see new places.
both jobs get one brown arm so not very different-alan
thinking back i think its very true about different backgrounds driving trucks,at one small firm i was at in early 80s ,me farm/forestry …, a milkman…a university grad,science i think… landed gentry…a.mechanic…a.ex army major.
where else would we have worked together
james
I knew a bloke who worked in a sausage factory, since he got his class one he has been stuffed many times. 
I’m not sure which way round I’d be on this subject…
I wanted to be a driver when i left school, but I was too young. So i went off cutting grass.
I did spend a few years behind the wheel, most recently for a few weeks about 5 years ago, but I now manage people who cut grass, so does that make me a truck driver or a grass cutter?
Or a truck driving grass cutter?