I’m hoping to get some real honest feedback so don’t worry about offending me if needs be!
I’ve been working in finance all my working life and my heart just isn’t it and hasn’t been for many years. Ever since being small I’ve wanted to drive trucks / lorries and now I think it’s time to make the leap and do the training. I already drive a van and often with a caravan too! The thing is I’m a 37yr old woman who isn’t what you’d call ‘waif like’. I’ve got some junk in my trunk as they say.
What I’m interested in is what you guys think of a woman my age getting into driving? Is there much call for woman or are they overlooked as potential drivers?
How does the medical side of things work? I don’t have any conditions that would impair my driving but I’m not exactly sporty!
Honest opinions please
Thanks x
Being a women should not hold you back, most gaffers will ask you “can you get load A to point B without trashing the truck?” If you can do that then you should be fine!
I started driving last year, aged 38. Had been working for Children’s Services with the council for the previous 11 years.
Go for it!!
If you want any further info, feel free to message me.
No problems at all, several lady drivers where i am, competent and good natured, respected by the company and fellow drivers, capable of doing the necessary muscle work involved in piping up tanks, the driving of a modern lorry is a doddle anyone can do it.
Worked with several on the car transporters, again competent at the job.
You might find the odd neanderthal who can’t deal with it, but you’ll probably end up feeling as much sympathy as the rest of us do towards such challenged ones, not a lot.
You’re worried about an unsporty physique ■■.. …have you seen what the average male lorry driver looks like, not many of us are going to replace Sir Roger Moore as Bond nor even modelling sweaters…
Nice to have a few ladies about on the job, helps us keep the language in check a bit.
Male or female, if you have trucking in your genes then go for it. Doesn’t matter how old, what ■■■ you are, always room in the industry for another trucker
I have not noticed women drivers being treated differently by male drivers or male staff at unloading depots or factories, in fact I worked with a lady driver on round trips to Gibraltar, there was a narrow gate that you had to blind side reverse an artic in to.
It took all the men and me about 20 shunts to get in burning out clutches and contending with impatient locals tooting their car horns.
The lady driver got in on one shunt, she sadly died of cancer many years ago.
I would say go for it, there are numerous choices in haulage from local to distance work on fridge trailers, food and milk tankers, European driving, timber and log transport, concert and event transport, humanitarian relief work, wide and long loads, heavy loads, pallet work on multi drop or one drop to a hub and back, bulk tipper and quarry work.
Ask any questions on here, as for the fitness for driving, to pass the medical is easy.
It does not matter about the appearance of a driver, the customer has paid for the haulage not to judge the looks of the driver, but it would be funny if we saw signs to say no drivers with mullet hair styles allowed on site due to health and safety .
For pump truck deliveries , this is machine used to unload pallets, a pallet can weigh over a ton, if it is turf, compost, man hole covers ,grain ,flour, or horse feed, some pump trucks have a gearing mechanism to assist in pulling heavy weights.
A normal pump truck takes a little practice to turn the pallet around inside the lorry then get it on the tail lift , if it rolls out of control, never try and stop it let it go.
All trucks tops have male and female showers , the Ms a or motorway service areas have improved their showers ,use flip flops to prevent foot infection.
Medical-wise, it’s not really a “fitness test”. They’re basically checking that:
You have reasonably good eyesight
You don’t have a medical condition that’s likely to cause you to lose consciousness whilst driving - in particular, strokes, heart attacks, epileptic fits and diabetic comas (also, diabetes can cause deterioration of eyesight).
You don’t have a history of mental heath problems that mean there’s a risk of you “going postal” and deliberately running people over.
I’m really looking forward to starting my training, but as I’m a part time market trader it’ll be January before I can do anything, which isn’t that long away.
As far as I am aware I don’t have any health issues but I might stand corrected!
I’m really looking forward to starting my training, but as I’m a part time market trader it’ll be January before I can do anything, which isn’t that long away.
As far as I am aware I don’t have any health issues but I might stand corrected!
Congrats Mrs Mac!!!
Be aware it can take up to 6 months to go from nothing to c+e. Might he worth getting medical, digi card and start swotting for theory asap.
I’m really looking forward to starting my training, but as I’m a part time market trader it’ll be January before I can do anything, which isn’t that long away.
As far as I am aware I don’t have any health issues but I might stand corrected!
Congrats Mrs Mac!!!
Be aware it can take up to 6 months to go from nothing to c+e. Might he worth getting medical, digi card and start swotting for theory asap.
Pretty much exactly what it took me. I’d booked my class 2 before I started my job, so they had to honour that week off. Getting another one in for my class 1 was an entirely different matter, had to get a week off where the trainers had an opening
Ok I am a woman 147 cm approx. 55 kg I am in my 50 's now have been in transport for 20 yr now started driving small vans then moved up through to driving Cat CE so don’t worry about being a woman there are plenty of us now if you can do the job then np
Depends where you are for training schools but my advice is go visit a few before paying for anything there is plenty advice on here a read of this might help
I done a residential course for my CE btw didn’t tell anyone just went off & done it used John ( Flair training LGV trainer on here ) please don’t go for the cheapest go for what suits you best if you want to do an assessment then go for it but have at least 2 before deciding who is going to get your money
