Just seen a job advertised, Sun-Fri channel hopping. Anything on the way out and chips on the way back in. Told a friend about it and he rang and enquired, the jobs self employed and its £450 a week all in. No night out money or anything! I know we all have different views on what we would like to earn, but its jobs like this thats keeping the money down as I’m sure he’ll fill the vacancy easily! Rant over!
Monkeys.
Peanuts.
/thread
Fileep:
Just seen a job advertised, Sun-Fri channel hopping. Anything on the way out and chips on the way back in. Told a friend about it and he rang and enquired, the jobs self employed and its £450 a week all in. No night out money or anything! I know we all have different views on what we would like to earn, but its jobs like this thats keeping the money down as I’m sure he’ll fill the vacancy easily! Rant over!
But you’re in favour of Steady Eddie making Tossco drivers redundant to save Tossco some more money! Can’t have it both ways fella, what side are you on?
Business is business…
Fileep:
but its jobs like this thats keeping the money down as I’m sure he’ll fill the vacancy easily!
And that is where the argument falls down! The fact that this vacancy will be filled easily means that this job is paying what the market will support!
The simple fact is that driving a truck is not exactly rocket science. I know we would all like to believe that our Class 1 licence is equivalent to a PhD, and that we are kings of the road and only the chosen few are entitled to call themselves ‘truck drivers’ - but let’s face it, most truck driving jobs could be done by a reasonably intelligent chimp. There are a few exceptions where the driver is still very much a key part of the team and where a specialist set of skills can be worth more cash, but for the most part the job consists of driving 26 pallets of cheap imported crap from point A to point B, along a big piece of tarmac. Stick it on the bay, let the warehouse do their thing, and repeat the process until you need a weekly rest!
I think it’s about time truck drivers (new, old or wannabe) realised that the glory days are over. Truck drivers are no longer role models, it’s not a ‘desirable’ career, and you’re certainly never going to get rich! Take it for what it is, a decent job! Just like stacking shelves in Tesco, working nightshift security in a warehouse or patrolling a school crossing. It’s just a way to pay the bills. You either like it (in which case you’ll be happy), or you can be a miserable arse and constantly complain that the job has gone down hill, in which case you really need to find another way to pay the bills!
Rant over! 
FH16Globetrotter:
Fileep:
but its jobs like this thats keeping the money down as I’m sure he’ll fill the vacancy easily!And that is where the argument falls down! The fact that this vacancy will be filled easily means that this job is paying what the market will support!
The simple fact is that driving a truck is not exactly rocket science. I know we would all like to believe that our Class 1 licence is equivalent to a PhD, and that we are kings of the road and only the chosen few are entitled to call themselves ‘truck drivers’ - but let’s face it, most truck driving jobs could be done by a reasonably intelligent chimp. There are a few exceptions where the driver is still very much a key part of the team and where a specialist set of skills can be worth more cash, but for the most part the job consists of driving 26 pallets of cheap imported crap from point A to point B, along a big piece of tarmac. Stick it on the bay, let the warehouse do their thing, and repeat the process until you need a weekly rest!
I think it’s about time truck drivers (new, old or wannabe) realised that the glory days are over. Truck drivers are no longer role models, it’s not a ‘desirable’ career, and you’re certainly never going to get rich! Take it for what it is, a decent job! Just like stacking shelves in Tesco, working nightshift security in a warehouse or patrolling a school crossing. It’s just a way to pay the bills. You either like it (in which case you’ll be happy), or you can be a miserable arse and constantly complain that the job has gone down hill, in which case you really need to find another way to pay the bills!
Rant over!
^ very true. 
Why would you get night out money if you were se to be honest that’s not enough to make it pay on self employed basis
If that’s all the hailier can pay on se then you have to ask if its worth doing th job in the first place. The rate must be extremly bad. Its nothig to do with glory days you need at least 550 absolute minimum to make it worth your while and pay an accountant nights out you would claim back at the end of the year to reduce your tac bill 
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Rob K:
FH16Globetrotter:
Fileep:
but its jobs like this thats keeping the money down as I’m sure he’ll fill the vacancy easily!And that is where the argument falls down! The fact that this vacancy will be filled easily means that this job is paying what the market will support!
The simple fact is that driving a truck is not exactly rocket science. I know we would all like to believe that our Class 1 licence is equivalent to a PhD, and that we are kings of the road and only the chosen few are entitled to call themselves ‘truck drivers’ - but let’s face it, most truck driving jobs could be done by a reasonably intelligent chimp. There are a few exceptions where the driver is still very much a key part of the team and where a specialist set of skills can be worth more cash, but for the most part the job consists of driving 26 pallets of cheap imported crap from point A to point B, along a big piece of tarmac. Stick it on the bay, let the warehouse do their thing, and repeat the process until you need a weekly rest!
I think it’s about time truck drivers (new, old or wannabe) realised that the glory days are over. Truck drivers are no longer role models, it’s not a ‘desirable’ career, and you’re certainly never going to get rich! Take it for what it is, a decent job! Just like stacking shelves in Tesco, working nightshift security in a warehouse or patrolling a school crossing. It’s just a way to pay the bills. You either like it (in which case you’ll be happy), or you can be a miserable arse and constantly complain that the job has gone down hill, in which case you really need to find another way to pay the bills!
Rant over!
^ very true.
Indeed but you don’t have to find £3k and pass various tests, keep yourself straight with the law, get up at silly o’clock etc to do those other things get out on busy roads with £100k plus of your gaffers kit and bring it back in one piece whilst dodging all the other ■■■■ on the road along with no end of bull from various quarters…you just turn up, clock in do your bit then ■■■■ off home to the wife and kids!
44 Tonne Ton:
Rob K:
FH16Globetrotter:
Fileep:
but its jobs like this thats keeping the money down as I’m sure he’ll fill the vacancy easily!And that is where the argument falls down! The fact that this vacancy will be filled easily means that this job is paying what the market will support!
The simple fact is that driving a truck is not exactly rocket science. I know we would all like to believe that our Class 1 licence is equivalent to a PhD, and that we are kings of the road and only the chosen few are entitled to call themselves ‘truck drivers’ - but let’s face it, most truck driving jobs could be done by a reasonably intelligent chimp. There are a few exceptions where the driver is still very much a key part of the team and where a specialist set of skills can be worth more cash, but for the most part the job consists of driving 26 pallets of cheap imported crap from point A to point B, along a big piece of tarmac. Stick it on the bay, let the warehouse do their thing, and repeat the process until you need a weekly rest!
I think it’s about time truck drivers (new, old or wannabe) realised that the glory days are over. Truck drivers are no longer role models, it’s not a ‘desirable’ career, and you’re certainly never going to get rich! Take it for what it is, a decent job! Just like stacking shelves in Tesco, working nightshift security in a warehouse or patrolling a school crossing. It’s just a way to pay the bills. You either like it (in which case you’ll be happy), or you can be a miserable arse and constantly complain that the job has gone down hill, in which case you really need to find another way to pay the bills!
Rant over!
^ very true.
Indeed but you don’t have to find £3k and pass various tests, keep yourself straight with the law, get up at silly o’clock etc to do those other things get out on busy roads with £100k plus of your gaffers kit and bring it back in one piece whilst dodging all the other ■■■■ on the road along with no end of bull from various quarters…you just turn up, clock in do your bit then [zb] off home to the wife and kids!
You make this out to be something that only some specialist could do. As the FH guy says, any chimp with with a few brain cells could do it. It’s far from difficult.
It’s not a difficult thing to do but many who pass the test find the reality somewhat different and when you weigh up your outlay against potential return then the job doesn’t seem so attractive these days. It’s great when the ink is still wet and you can’t wait to get out on “the open road” but when you’ve done the job for a while and you look at it now would you repeat the exercise?
How did you end up on the dark side Robert?
alix776:
If that’s all the hailier can pay on se then you have to ask if its worth doing th job in the first place. The rate must be extremly bad. Its nothig to do with glory days you need at least 550 absolute minimum to make it worth your while and pay an accountant nights out you would claim back at the end of the year to reduce your tac bill
YOU might need 550 a week to make it worth your while, but plenty of guys might actually enjoy the job and be happy to run for 450 because the job fits in well with their lifestyle, or they get a decent motor, or maybe the gaffer is a really decent guy who looks out for his lads and always stands his round at the bar! There is more to it than money for most people!
44 Tonne Ton:
Indeed but you don’t have to find £3k and pass various tests, keep yourself straight with the law, get up at silly o’clock etc to do those other things get out on busy roads with £100k plus of your gaffers kit and bring it back in one piece whilst dodging all the other ■■■■ on the road along with no end of bull from various quarters…you just turn up, clock in do your bit then [zb] off home to the wife and kids!
But none of those negative points you have listed are imposed upon you, you have a choice whether you turn up for work or not. If driving a truck is your ‘choice’ of career then by default you will be willing to accept these things … or you can ■■■■ off and find some other job! Patrolling a school crossing involves standing around in the ■■■■■■■ rain/hail/snow/blinding heat with enough day-glo to cause NASA to have an interest in your position relative to saturn, while trying to protect someone else’s seemingly suicidal miscreants and stop them ending up under the wheels of a truck - that sounds like total torture to me, but the old lady down the road from me considers it the best job in the world! Every job has it’s pro’s and cons, but any job will largely become what you make of it!
FH16Globetrotter:
alix776:
If that’s all the hailier can pay on se then you have to ask if its worth doing th job in the first place. The rate must be extremly bad. Its nothig to do with glory days you need at least 550 absolute minimum to make it worth your while and pay an accountant nights out you would claim back at the end of the year to reduce your tac billYOU might need 550 a week to make it worth your while, but plenty of guys might actually enjoy the job and be happy to run for 450 because the job fits in well with their lifestyle, or they get a decent motor, or maybe the gaffer is a really decent guy who looks out for his lads and always stands his round at the bar! There is more to it than money for most people!
44 Tonne Ton:
Indeed but you don’t have to find £3k and pass various tests, keep yourself straight with the law, get up at silly o’clock etc to do those other things get out on busy roads with £100k plus of your gaffers kit and bring it back in one piece whilst dodging all the other ■■■■ on the road along with no end of bull from various quarters…you just turn up, clock in do your bit then [zb] off home to the wife and kids!But none of those negative points you have listed are imposed upon you, you have a choice whether you turn up for work or not. If driving a truck is your ‘choice’ of career then by default you will be willing to accept these things … or you can ■■■■ off and find some other job! Patrolling a school crossing involves standing around in the ■■■■■■■ rain/hail/snow/blinding heat with enough day-glo to cause NASA to have an interest in your position relative to saturn, while trying to protect someone else’s seemingly suicidal miscreants and stop them ending up under the wheels of a truck - that sounds like total torture to me, but the old lady down the road from me considers it the best job in the world! Every job has it’s pro’s and cons, but any job will largely become what you make of it!
I didn’t actually make the initial comparison between different jobs and my point is that when you compare and consider all the factors then driving an LGV vehicle should attract a premium over those other jobs. The primary factor in keeping drivers wages low is too many drivers, a result of our open door policy on immigration. Simples.
44 Tonne Ton:
I didn’t actually make the initial comparison between different jobs and my point is that when you compare and consider all the factors then driving an LGV vehicle should attract a premium over those other jobs.
Why should it attract a significant premium though? The only half-sensible reason you have given so far is the circa £3k cost of the licence, but write that off over a 25 year driving career (some will work longer, some less) and it actually costs you less than the price of a pint each week! Let’s also not forget that those without the licence can’t apply for the job, so by paying your own way to get the licence you are by definition accepting the conditions upon which you will be eventually be emplyed and ‘buying’ your way into a closed market. Just for kicks, compare the cost of gaining a Class 1 to the cost of getting a 4 year university degree, then compare the average earnings of both over a 10 year period - suddenly the Class1 holder’s investment return doesn’t look quite so bad after all!
44 Tonne Ton:
The primary factor in keeping drivers wages low is too many drivers, a result of our open door policy on immigration. Simples.
Ah, so now it’s Johnny Foreigner’s fault? How exactly? 
FH16Globetrotter:
44 Tonne Ton:
I didn’t actually make the initial comparison between different jobs and my point is that when you compare and consider all the factors then driving an LGV vehicle should attract a premium over those other jobs.Why should it attract a significant premium though? The only half-sensible reason you have given so far is the circa £3k cost of the licence, but write that off over a 25 year driving career (some will work longer, some less) and it actually costs you less than the price of a pint each week! Let’s also not forget that those without the licence can’t apply for the job, so by paying your own way to get the licence you are by definition accepting the conditions upon which you will be eventually be emplyed and ‘buying’ your way into a closed market. Just for kicks, compare the cost of gaining a Class 1 to the cost of getting a 4 year university degree, then compare the average earnings of both over a 10 year period - suddenly the Class1 holder’s investment return doesn’t look quite so bad after all!
44 Tonne Ton:
The primary factor in keeping drivers wages low is too many drivers, a result of our open door policy on immigration. Simples.Ah, so now it’s Johnny Foreigner’s fault? How exactly?
Er, where have you been for the last 10 years? I find it difficult to have a conversation in English these days, so what part of the world do you operate in?
44 Tonne Ton:
It’s not a difficult thing to do but many who pass the test find the reality somewhat different and when you weigh up your outlay against potential return then the job doesn’t seem so attractive these days. It’s great when the ink is still wet and you can’t wait to get out on “the open road” but when you’ve done the job for a while and you look at it now would you repeat the exercise?
How did you end up on the dark side Robert?
Yes I would do it again. I am someone that naturally enjoys driving anyway. I departed driving as my main ‘trade’ because a) I was getting undercut on my rates, b) I was getting ■■■■■■ off with all the bureaucratic BS/HS etc and c) an opportunity opened to make good money elsewhere which is where I am now.
When the job starts getting to you and you become unhappy, it’s time to up sticks and move on, or leave the industry altogether. Reading the posts on this site, this applies to a good 50% of the members here.
FH16Globetrotter:
alix776:
If that’s all the hailier can pay on se then you have to ask if its worth doing th job in the first place. The rate must be extremly bad. Its nothig to do with glory days you need at least 550 absolute minimum to make it worth your while and pay an accountant nights out you would claim back at the end of the year to reduce your tac billYOU might need 550 a week to make it worth your while, but plenty of guys might actually enjoy the job and be happy to run for 450 because the job fits in well with their lifestyle, or they get a decent motor, or maybe the gaffer is a really decent guy who looks out for his lads and always stands his round at the bar! There is more to it than money for most people!
44 Tonne Ton:
Indeed but you don’t have to find £3k and pass various tests, keep yourself straight with the law, get up at silly o’clock etc to do those other things get out on busy roads with £100k plus of your gaffers kit and bring it back in one piece whilst dodging all the other ■■■■ on the road along with no end of bull from various quarters…you just turn up, clock in do your bit then [zb] off home to the wife and kids!Is it Monday!! Blimey! The world is really full of pessimists!!
The job is what you make of it,look on the bright side! We all could be in Afghanistan getting shot at or blown up!! Lorry driving is one of the best jobs out there!! If you don’t take it too seriouslyBut none of those negative points you have listed are imposed upon you, you have a choice whether you turn up for work or not. If driving a truck is your ‘choice’ of career then by default you will be willing to accept these things … or you can ■■■■ off and find some other job! Patrolling a school crossing involves standing around in the ■■■■■■■ rain/hail/snow/blinding heat with enough day-glo to cause NASA to have an interest in your position relative to saturn, while trying to protect someone else’s seemingly suicidal miscreants and stop them ending up under the wheels of a truck - that sounds like total torture to me, but the old lady down the road from me considers it the best job in the world! Every job has it’s pro’s and cons, but any job will largely become what you make of it!
FH16Globetrotter:
Ah, so now it’s Johnny Foreigner’s fault? How exactly?
For example, I know a paint sprayer who resprayed two RHD trucks which had been re-registered in Romania and he chatted to the Romanian owner about them. They pull unaccompanied trailers out of Ramsgate and have Romanian drivers, they do one short hop to Belgium every Friday so they get around cabotage laws and the drivers earn £700 a month.
Rob K:
44 Tonne Ton:
It’s not a difficult thing to do but many who pass the test find the reality somewhat different and when you weigh up your outlay against potential return then the job doesn’t seem so attractive these days. It’s great when the ink is still wet and you can’t wait to get out on “the open road” but when you’ve done the job for a while and you look at it now would you repeat the exercise?
How did you end up on the dark side Robert?Yes I would do it again. I am someone that naturally enjoys driving anyway. I departed driving as my main ‘trade’ because a) I was getting undercut on my rates, b) I was getting ■■■■■■ off with all the bureaucratic BS/HS etc and c) an opportunity opened to make good money elsewhere which is where I am now.
When the job starts getting to you and you become unhappy, it’s time to up sticks and move on, or leave the industry altogether. Reading the posts on this site, this applies to a good 50% of the members here.
I’ve been working on changing myself since 2007 but then the bankers threw their big spanner in so struggling to make headway there but still trying in between driving. What are you doing these days or don’t you want to say here?
44 Tonne Ton:
Rob K:
44 Tonne Ton:
It’s not a difficult thing to do but many who pass the test find the reality somewhat different and when you weigh up your outlay against potential return then the job doesn’t seem so attractive these days. It’s great when the ink is still wet and you can’t wait to get out on “the open road” but when you’ve done the job for a while and you look at it now would you repeat the exercise?
How did you end up on the dark side Robert?Yes I would do it again. I am someone that naturally enjoys driving anyway. I departed driving as my main ‘trade’ because a) I was getting undercut on my rates, b) I was getting ■■■■■■ off with all the bureaucratic BS/HS etc and c) an opportunity opened to make good money elsewhere which is where I am now.
When the job starts getting to you and you become unhappy, it’s time to up sticks and move on, or leave the industry altogether. Reading the posts on this site, this applies to a good 50% of the members here.
I’ve been working on changing myself since 2007 but then the bankers threw their big spanner in so struggling to make headway there but still trying in between driving. What are you doing these days or don’t you want to say here?
A fairly niche area of IT.
Harry Monk:
FH16Globetrotter:
Ah, so now it’s Johnny Foreigner’s fault? How exactly?For example, I know a paint sprayer who resprayed two RHD trucks which had been re-registered in Romania and he chatted to the Romanian owner about them. They pull unaccompanied trailers out of Ramsgate and have Romanian drivers, they do one short hop to Belgium every Friday so they get around cabotage laws and the drivers earn £700 a month.
But what does being Romanian (or cabotage) have to do with it though? I could buy a couple of ex-fleet motors, get a UK o-licence, and pay a couple of down-and-outs 700 quid a month (I would find SOMEONE desperate enough!) to drive them doing exactly the same work! At no point would the nationalty printed on my passport come into question.
The biggest rate-cutters are UK operators! I’ve never known a bigger bunch of back-stabbers than the hauliers of the UK! Johnny Foreigner is just a convenient excuse for some.
And incidentally there is plenty of cabbotage carried out by UK hauliers, not as much now as there used to be of course, but it has always happened and always will!
Tom I am an se driver do know the costs involved don’t for get the job is advertised as se NT employed as employed id quiet happily take it
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