Would you quit driving?

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
21

Can I still do a bit of agency at the weekend? :sunglasses:

22

oatcake1967:
Can I still do a bit of agency at the weekend? :sunglasses:

no reason why you cant. I used to take some days off as holiday so I could make up the money when I first packed in but over time money and role has improved so it gets better

23

m1tch:

oatcake1967:
Can I still do a bit of agency at the weekend? :sunglasses:

no reason why you cant. I used to take some days off as holiday so I could make up the money when I first packed in but over time money and role has improved so it gets better

In that case then I quit. :laughing:

24

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=85587

25

No I wouldn’t. I still enjoy the job. Perhaps because I’ve never ever let the job run my life nor stayed in bad jobs. :wink:

26

No, another role in transport almost certainly but I wouldn’t give it up to do a menial job for the same money, driving trucks is one of the few jobs where dumb white guys can earn a reasonable living.

All the manufacturing jobs have gone, where else can you earn ÂŁ30,000+ with no professional qualifications, when I drive about and see people working in all winds and weather doing manual labour, I consider myself lucky, o.k the hours are not ideal nor is the weekend working but I would rather drive than actually have to work for a living.

I realize there are some rubbish jobs in transport you just need to find one you like, sometimes this takes a while.

27

mike68:
where else can you earn ÂŁ30,000+ with no professional qualifications

Some are indeed lucky to earn those figures, But many, like myself who hold or have held ADR, HIAB and of course their HGV, LGV which I for one class to be professional qualifications, cannot get near that amount in this day and age. Wages always seemed better ‘back then’ even if you had to be a little adept at bending the rules to do two Ruhr trips a week, with each journey on trip money @ £250 a time, £500 a week in 1982 was a lot of cash! Today no one really wants to pay a lot, and I am now on the worst pay I have ever earned in 40 years of driving. But as I get told these days, I am so lucky to have a job :unamused:

mike68:
I realize there are some rubbish jobs in transport you just need to find one you like, sometimes this takes a while.

I do agree with you mike, but again, area to area this changes. I cannot help thinking I have had the best years of this work. for four years I have been searching for that ‘right job’ to see me through to retirement. I am beginning to think that sadly those type of jobs no longer exist, or would be offered to worn out knackered old scroats like me!

So if a job came up driving a roadsweeper, or even stacking shelves I think I would jump at the chance
providing the money equalled my current pee poor earnings :slight_smile:

28

I had to finish because of injuries from a bad RTA.I would be back in a lorry tomorrow given the chance.
Even though I have remained in the transport loop through acting as TM for several hauliers,I would prefer to be back behind the wheel of a lorry.

29

Yes, although come november looks like everyone is for the chop as our big contract goes - so shelf stacking here i come :laughing:

30

I did twelve years ago to go into IT, but I just did my CPC to keep my licence current. A neighbour of ours ran his own fleet so I have had the pleasure of supermarket RDC’s more recently though. At least I have an alternative career if/when they run our next annual cull of staff and outsource it to India.
As much as I would go back on the road again I don’t relish all those extra hours that you lot do and the random start times. When I did drive, I met some well educated drivers who had just had enough of their professional careers.

I have to shake my head when some of our lot in the office consider a curling carpet tile as a major H&S risk. If only they could see what you lot deal with everyday they would never leave the house.

Having done some European work I have also seen the difference between a ‘Chauffeuer’ and a navvie with a wagon as over here.

31

Twoninety88:

mike68:
where else can you earn ÂŁ30,000+ with no professional qualifications

Some are indeed lucky to earn those figures, But many, like myself who hold or have held ADR, HIAB and of course their HGV, LGV which I for one class to be professional qualifications, cannot get near that amount in this day and age. Wages always seemed better ‘back then’ even if you had to be a little adept at bending the rules to do two Ruhr trips a week, with each journey on trip money @ £250 a time, £500 a week in 1982 was a lot of cash! Today no one really wants to pay a lot, and I am now on the worst pay I have ever earned in 40 years of driving. But as I get told these days, I am so lucky to have a job :unamused:

mike68:
I realize there are some rubbish jobs in transport you just need to find one you like, sometimes this takes a while.

I do agree with you mike, but again, area to area this changes. I cannot help thinking I have had the best years of this work. for four years I have been searching for that ‘right job’ to see me through to retirement. I am beginning to think that sadly those type of jobs no longer exist, or would be offered to worn out knackered old scroats like me!

So if a job came up driving a roadsweeper, or even stacking shelves I think I would jump at the chance
providing the money equalled my current pee poor earnings :slight_smile:

I agree, ÂŁ30,000 is possible in certain areas and at the moment we are in a trough as far as pay is concerned, I truly believe better days are around the corner, history nearly always repeats itself and yes in many ways the best days have gone , even in areas where the rates are not so high the wage is still better than other locally available work.

32

Reason I ask, is last tax year I earned excellent money driving a truck, supermarket deliveries, all legal no nights out, doing about 48-52 hours per week. I have been asked if i am interested in going for a job in the office less money, but 37.5 hours per week. I have been driving trucks for 14 years dont hate the job but not as cab happy as i once was.

The office job is salaried, but the hourly rate ive wrked out is better than what i am on now, but no o/time potential.

very undecided

33

bugcos:
Reason I ask, is last tax year I earned excellent money driving a truck, supermarket deliveries, all legal no nights out, doing about 48-52 hours per week. I have been asked if i am interested in going for a job in the office less money, but 37.5 hours per week. I have been driving trucks for 14 years dont hate the job but not as cab happy as i once was.

The office job is salaried, but the hourly rate ive wrked out is better than what i am on now, but no o/time potential.

very undecided

That would probably be the killer, but as others have said, there’s always agencies on your days off.

Next time you’re in the office, try and have your 45 there, grab a brew, stand around and actually look at the people, listen to the sniping and ■■■■■■■■, watch the slump in their shoulders and back as they walk around, listen to the buzzing of the flourescent lights, watch how much you drink because the air con (due to no windows) is drying your throat, then imagine doing 8am - lunch time, then see if you’d go back after your dinner.

That’s how you’ll make the decision.

34

bugcos:
Reason I ask, is last tax year I earned excellent money driving a truck, supermarket deliveries, all legal no nights out, doing about 48-52 hours per week. I have been asked if i am interested in going for a job in the office less money, but 37.5 hours per week. I have been driving trucks for 14 years dont hate the job but not as cab happy as i once was.

The office job is salaried, but the hourly rate ive wrked out is better than what i am on now, but no o/time potential.

very undecided

I had a “friend” once that tramped for a living doing all kinds including boxes. Now this bloke decided to come of tramping and do day work for a well known firm. He now has a lot more time for himself and his young family.
After speaking with him thou he thinks he “sold out” due to not tramping any more. Personally I think he made the right choice, there is enough old boys in this job who either moan or are living proof that time flies and kids growing up arent something you can simply press rewind and see all over again.

My tuppence Bug if you dont mind. I wish you the best in your decision although I do think you will miss the driving side


35

Stanley Mitchell:
No way, I still love it, sillyOclock, not a problem, being an early bird does make it easier though :smiley:

I know people who have chosen the easier alternative, are they happy
not in the least, same [zb] 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 :cry: :cry: :cry:

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 :unamused:

+1. :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

All I ever wanted to do & still love it
working out of the uk does help I think. :smiley: :smiley:

36

Same as robroy. The job has very few good qualities anymore. Im in my early forties and looking to get out asap. Unless the world changes dramatically you will only get more work put on you for the same money, no one listens to you, you are viewed by the public as an uneducated thug in their way, to name but a very few. At the end of the day truck driving is only a low paid semi skilled job, with a heap of unsociable hours, if anyone else on here classes it differently I would have to question it.

37

Nope,I had 18 yrs working inside a printworks and looking at the inside of the same building for 12hrs a day just did my head in.I’m one of the very lucky one’s to be on a cracking rate which means I can still do all the things I used to do on a craftman’s wage and enjoy being out and about each day :laughing: :laughing: