I’ve been driving Class 1 commercially now for 12 months and still enjoy it very much apart from the long boring drives on the m1 that always seem to occur… This post is directed at the old timers who have been driving for years! Has it been a good career and worth sticking by or if you could would you have chosen a different role in life when you were younger? Abit random I know but I’m only 22 and wondering if sitting behind a wheel dragging cages around until retirement is a good or bad thing… Been very good to me upto now money wise. Cheers for any replies!
Surely only you can decide that. You obviously seem happy with conditions etc so I suppose it depends on what/where you want to end up. Perhaps try something different, bit of Euro work etc…
All I can say is if you’re happy with it carry on doing it, and also if the money is good then definetly carry on. But I will say being happy in your job is the most important. 
been a trucker most of my adult life , have now taken early retirement (60).
I have to say with all the ups and downs I have enjoyed it.
I guess that there are better paid jobs out there but on the whole I have been satisfied.
Now the bad news… I couldn’t see me do it again with the present controls in the job.
There is nowhere near the freedom I had in my younger days , nowhere near the sheer fun of seeing how quick the motor will go (naughty I know, transcontinental off the clock! and I was passed by a Turbostar) with only the occaisonal police car to watch for.
Most companies now will expect you to always use the quickest, shortest route backed up by hi tech checking systems, whereas in my early days I could go where and how I liked as long as the job was done.
Yes, the trucks are far more comfortable etc but there is no real feeling of satisfaction in handling them as most of the work is done for you.
Ultimately, if you are happy , stay with it… when you’re not, move on!
I was about your age when I did my test. Stayed with it for about six years then got sick of bieng away from home and wife and young family. Started a furniture manufacturing business from home and did that for twenty years so the kids would know who their father was. As it turned out I worked that hard I hardly saw them even though I made enough to live on a farm and learn to fly helicopter and take the son motocrossing eventually.
However I went bust three years ago and am back driving. wished I,d always done it as the other mans grass is always greener and driving isnt as bad as you sometimes think. The money by most standards is good too
I have done a few jobs in my time - managerial as well as labouring. The worst was picking sprouts - back breaking work for no money and out in all weathers.
Truck driving has taken me to places I now pay to visit. On a bright sunny morning, driving through somewhere like the North Yorkshire Moors, or the Scottish Highlands, I used to think - “I get PAID for this■■?”
I still think that truck driving is the easiest job I ever did.
You will probably earn more money dragging cages around compared to Euro Work, but if you have no ties, get yersen to Ireland or on with an Oirish company
Re. the M1 being a long boring road, I agree but a a little tip which I use is to never have a sat nav switched on whilst ya running it, nothing worse than watching the miles click down on it (remember, a watched kettle never boils). and another is try to ignore your surroundings, just follow the white lines.
Used to be up and down there 5 times a week between Leeds and London.
as others have said, “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”
i passed aged 23, and have been driving now for 18 years, and wouldn’t change now, (unless the lottery came up). like any jobs, ups and downs, but on the whole suits me. tried alot of different driving jobs along the way, both uk and europe, scandinavia etc, and am now doing a job i love, for a decent wage, suits me.
if you can, circumstances permitting, i’d def give the euro work ago.
A few mixed thoughts but all positive! Good to see, rather be doin wagon driing than standing in a dole que like 97% of my mates. Does anyne know where there is any euro work at the moment? I did it for 7 months whe I started last july.