Well, I had only been driving artics for a little over 18 months, when I got offered a job driving a desk. Which was more money, and about 30 hours a week less, with more perks, and I still get to drive and see customers occasionally (albeit in a 4x4).
The only trouble is, I started driving this desk a littl eover 3 weeks ago, and am missin g being on the road like mad.
Is this normal ?
Will I ever get over it ?
Or should I give in and go back to doing what felt natural ?
More importantly, why did driving feel so natural, even though you have no life because of the hours you are expected to do, and are genereally treated like something that people have stood in ■■?
Not sure about normal, but it’s par for the course!
Will I ever get over it ?
Unlikely. Electro-convulsive therapy has been known to cure mild cases…
Or should I give in and go back to doing what felt natural ?
Might as well…it’s only putting off the inevitable otherwise.
More importantly, why did driving feel so natural, even though you have no life because of the hours you are expected to do, and are genereally treated like something that people have stood in ■■?
Because you drove for just long enough for your blood to turn to diesel. Fatal, that.
I’ve been driving a desk more or less continuously since September last year.Same money,and likewise for 6th shift working,less and regular hours,more contact with the customer,(Don’t know if that’s a good thing!!!) and knowing I’ll be home every night.
Do I miss being on the road?
When it’s fine,warm and sunny,yes.
When it’s persistently raining,windy and cold,no.
I gave up the wheel at the age of forty thinking if I left it any longer no-one would take me seriously as a managerial applicant and that later I would regret that.
I stuck the desk for 11 years, don’t know how I did it, before succumbing and returning behind the wheel.
6 years further on I felt it was out of my system and opted for an easier life. Like it too. That’s not to say that I wouldn’t take 1 week in four if it was offered. Maybe with the WTD the call will come .
I’ll still keep taking the medical every 2 years until they tell me it won’t work anymore.
I have had 3 short periods off the road in another position. The best was running a fleet of road tankers on spot hire, its like a big jigsaw puzzle and the satisfaction at the end of the day or week when the running sheet is full, and the trucks are in the right place for the next puzzle.
I worked away from transport for a while in a garage as parts sales manager, but there is even less money in car retail then there is in road transport.
I also had a spell in an office and spending time on the road in a car visiting customers who were having delivery problems with tankers & drivers. some of these companies should not be allowed to be in business. I used to be always on the side of the driver when they wanted ridiculous deliveries or if they had stupid health and safety rules.
I had to give up trucking last month,as I found out that another child was about to grace our household,I am absolutely gutted ,words cannot describe the sadness I felt when I drove my beloved M.A.N tga back in the yard for the last time After 7 months tramping on containers.
Never before had I left a job which I absolutely loved,to go back to crappy steelwork,driving mainly upto the ■■■■ hole they call London everyday,■■■■ ing my hands and back up and breathing in dust and welding fumes all day.
My missus unfortunately failed to consult me about all this,and said that she did’t want me to give up trucking as I actually stayed in a good mood when I got home on a friday night most of the week-end.
I enjoyed it so much that If I had an early tip Monday I used to go to Southampton on a Sunday night and kip in my wagon(how sad is that)
I have a 2 year old as it is so I said to her that I would have to be at home to help her out,she said NO she’ll cope all right,she’d rather cope with 2 kids than 3 kids one of them with a grudge(meaning me)
Anyway spoke to Mother she said give it up she wont be able to cope Blah,Blah Blah
So I got the arse,Handed my notice in and have regretted it ever since,baby not due til October (could’ve had a few more months on the road)But anyway cut a rather long story short,I cant wait to get back to it.The only thing im enjoying at the moment is spending time with my little one which North Surrey Haulage (sean) said to me was,"dont miss out on your kids growing up"so im a bit torn with what to do,
I want to be happy in my job and be happy at home and the only way I can think of achieving this is to get back trucking,hopefully in a year
How does everybody else cope with missing their kids grow up,or is it just a case of balancing it all out the best way possible■■?
bikemonkey:
I had to give up trucking last month,as I found out that another child was about to grace our household…
Can you not try to find some day work…with no nights out?
Not a lot of driving jobs down this way,plus I cant earn enough money on days,that’s why I was working outta Southampton(over an hour away from home)4 nights out a week.Earning a little over £400 a week take home.
Unfortunately im good at steelwork/welding and earn over £100 a day,taking home a bit less than I was trucking but with mortgege and bills,missus has’nt worked for over 2 years,so cant afford to go on days and a big part of the trucking thing for me was tramping all week in my wagon all over the country.
i hung up my keys last week for the forseable future( the reason for this is posted in the family forum as i didnt think the pdf was the right place to put it )so the withdrawl symtoms havnt kicked in yet
.
Or is that just our transport office 
