If you got offered a job earning the same money for 40 hours, whether that be shelf stacking or sweeping the streets, as you get for 55+ hours driving per week would you take it? Do you put up with the hours because you love the job?
Prob not
YES!! why would I continue to do and put up with all this crap that has developed over the years, if I could work 40 hours for the same money… it’s a job, and I stopped looking at it through rosy glasses years ago… no brainer. If you feel different you aint done it long enough.
robroy:
YES!! why would I continue to do and put up with all this crap that has developed over the years, if I could work 40 hours for the same money… it’s a job, and I stopped looking at it through rosy glasses years ago… no brainer. If you feel different you aint done it long enough.
Well said couldnt agree more.
Probably yes, in fact more of a definate yes as to the way things are going.
Health wise I could do with a job that causes me to be a bit more active Stress wise, I find myself getting even more peed off with the standard of other peoples driving, and having to make allowances for their ‘style of driving’… many fellow truck drivers incuded I’m afraid to say.
Getting to long in the tooth to be putting up with so many changes to how we work, drivers CPC, Health & Safety ect. I have managed not to kill myself or anyone else by prudent use of common sense and a healthy dose of sound judgement.
Not had any major accidents, the worst being the removal of a gatepost by the back end of a trailer some 22 years ago, not been nicked or prosecuted for any insecure or dangerous loads, traffic offences or such, so I have had a good run really
So would I pass it all up to be in a fixed place of work,probably yes but the thought of being stuck with the same people day in day out would worry me. If I could work on me own, I would be happy .
I have. Do miss the driving but not this week now there’s a decree “you must answer phones”. Blokes being given a going over because they dare say they haven’t got time. My main stress is the bagging plant calling for materials/ dumping old stock/cleaning their bays etc when they can see I’m busy; I can son deal with this by either A- Ignoring them or B- Telling them to F Off as I’m too busy.
It would really depend on the job.
I know we have pda’s, trackers, mobile phones etc but it’s still not the same as having a boss over your shoulder.
I hate jobs where I go back to the yard several times per day, I want to go home everytime I’m back in the yard.
RDC waiting rooms however make me wonder why I ever gave up on my original job of being a Network Engineer because I didn’t like being inside lol
I most certainly would…
The only reason i’ve ever done the job is to earn good money, never for the love of it.
Never fails to astound me just how some companies who pay really badly manage to keep their, often very good, drivers for so many years.
Good thing we’re all different eh.
I’d struggle to work inside again, people get on me wick with their ignorance and bad manners, bad enough the neanderthals/zombies that we have to deal with as part of our life at delivery points, imagine having to be with them 40 hours a week, might get infected and suddenly find yourself become a grunting ill mannered oaf too, no thanks.
No way, I still love it, sillyOclock, not a problem, being an early bird does make it easier though 
I know people who have chosen the easier alternative, are they happy…not in the least, same ■■■■ different job, at least our job has an ever changing view, just imagine being stuck in a sad hole supermarket, dealing with awkward customers all day 
At least when you get out of a sad hole D.C., you can get on with your life, unlike the poor sods stuck inside 
Probably, but it would depend on the job, I was a maintainace engineer before becoming a wagon driver, I earn’t good money but found it so boring
hiya,
At least when you get out of a sad hole D.C., you can get on with your life, unlike the poor sods stuck inside
[/quote]
Yes but are you enroute to another sad hole DC where it will be
exactly the same again next day and the day after, I “escaped”
being an HGV driver with only a couple of years working life left I
took up driving an Astra van a different location several times each
day, and the bonus over double the driving wages did I miss the
sometimes wet, cold, foggy early starts, no way and my one and
only regret was I didn’t find the job sooner, and taking up a job
as an HGV driver nowadays and with what I read on here no way.
thanks harry, long retired.
harry_gill:
hiya,At least when you get out of a sad hole D.C., you can get on with your life, unlike the poor sods stuck inside
Yes but are you enroute to another sad hole DC where it will be
exactly the same again next day and the day after, I “escaped”
being an HGV driver with only a couple of years working life left I
took up driving an Astra van a different location several times each
day, and the bonus over double the driving wages did I miss the
sometimes wet, cold, foggy early starts, no way and my one and
only regret was I didn’t find the job sooner, and taking up a job
as an HGV driver nowadays and with what I read on here no way.
thanks harry, long retired.
[/quote]
Each to their own Harry, I know a few “service engineers” who drive in their spare time, as they find their job boring, but, better money/conditions dictate their “full time” situation.
Im happy with the money / conditions / crap / ect., and, TBF, most of these sad hole D.C.s seem to be getting their acts together [from where im at, anyway], so, its onwards+upwards 
robroy:
YES!! why would I continue to do and put up with all this crap that has developed over the years, if I could work 40 hours for the same money… it’s a job, and I stopped looking at it through rosy glasses years ago… no brainer. If you feel different you aint done it long enough.
+1
probably not.
we don’t really work long hours, we drive a bit, then have a break, then sit for hours waiting to tip/load, then drive a bit.
it would depend on the job offered. sweeping up or shelf stacking, no chance.
going out pricing work, meeting people. that sort of thing would suit me.
Twoninety88:
I find myself getting even more peed off with the standard of other peoples driving, and having to make allowances for their ‘style of driving’… many fellow truck drivers incuded I’m afraid to say.
.
Got to agree with that. Judging by your username I’m assuming you’ve done the job as long as me, driving standards today compared with then, among a large amount of our fellow "drivers " not all, are disgraceful, if we can no longer get along with each other on the road among all the rest of the BS,then bring on the shelf stacking
I packed it all in some time ago, 1999 to be precise to work in an office. Completely move away from haulage in 2007. There is life after it but to find a job with equal pay is not easy so it’s not all rosy on the other side. Perseverance is the key and anything over 37 hours a week is a long week now. Still wouldn’t give up my licence though. Just in case!
I would quit for a lot of the reasons above but my job for the last 2yrs has dropped down to 38-40hrs though I still get 55hrs pay, so while it stays like that it works for me !
Guess its kind of best of both worlds like that. 
robroy:
YES!! why would I continue to do and put up with all this crap that has developed over the years, if I could work 40 hours for the same money… it’s a job, and I stopped looking at it through rosy glasses years ago… no brainer. If you feel different you aint done it long enough.
+1 in a heartbeat
Juddian:
I’d struggle to work inside again, people get on me wick with their ignorance and bad manners, bad enough the neanderthals/zombies that we have to deal with as part of our life at delivery points, imagine having to be with them 40 hours a week, might get infected and suddenly find yourself become a grunting ill mannered oaf too, no thanks.
Sums it up for me. I’ve been around a bit in me working life; floor sweeper/dogsbody up to ops manager of a Nightfreight depot, commis chef to recruitment consultant,dirty overalls to posh suits. I’m lucky enough to be with a good firm now which (hopefully) will see me through to retirement, whenever that may be; but nowadays I’ve no ambition other than to drive a lorry and take home a decent wage at the end of the week.