Hi all,
So I’m very tempted in taking the plung and getting my HGV licence. I currently work in an office and it’s just not for me. I love driving and currently my commute is 100 miles down the M4.
I’ve looked into some videos and people who post them always say how bad it is, I just want to know if anyone is happy?
Would you say the work is there for new drivers?
Many thank for any advise you can give me
James
So I’m very tempted in taking the plung and getting my HGV licence. I currently work in an office and it’s just not for me. I love driving and currently my commute is 100 miles down the M4.
I’ve looked into some videos and people who post them always say how bad it is, I just want to know if anyone is happy?
Would you say the work is there for new drivers?
Firstly, welcome to the forum. Personally, I can think of nothing worse than getting up in the morning to do a job I didn’t like. Clearly you enjoy driving so you may find that professional driving is for you. But there are plenty of bad jobs out there that you’ll come across. Sadly, folks don’t often shout about the good ones! I’ve said it before, that if driving is such a bad job, why stick at it??
There is a bias against new drivers in many places. But there is a growing acceptance that, to get the job filled, sometimes the employer has no choice but to drop the “2 years experience” requirement. So it’s fair to say that, yes, there are jobs for new drivers. But they may not always be the prime jobs. But after a few months, the field opens up and you can make a move.
Hope this helps. Fire away with any questions, Pete 
QuestionTimeJames:
Hi all,So I’m very tempted in taking the plung and getting my HGV licence. I currently work in an office and it’s just not for me. I love driving and currently my commute is 100 miles down the M4.
I’ve looked into some videos and people who post them always say how bad it is, I just want to know if anyone is happy?
Would you say the work is there for new drivers?
Many thank for any advise you can give me
James
I use to enjoy driving my car until I started lory driving. I came to realise it wasn’t the actual driving I liked it was the choosing where I could go and when I wanted to be there. Both of which aren’t possible driving lorries.
I would say do it only if you’re content on having no form of career progression during your lifetime. Yes, you can move into the transport office but this will generally mean a drop in money, at least initially.
I have done quite a few different types of work, my first two years was real hard graft working for companies like P&H, bidvest & brakes. I use to go home after a days work and just fall asleep on the sofa I was so exhausted.
However, then I discovered supermarket work for the likes of waitrose and morrisions. Where you’ll do a 12 hour day and spend six of it sitting in a canteen on POA. I wouldn’t say it was enjoyable, as by then I had lost my love of driving but it was nice to return home not sweating or tired
Some people enjoy it, some people don’t! I’ve known plenty of drivers that still enjoyed the job, even though they had been driving for a long time.
As a new pass, you will struggle to get jobs that are either well paying or with a firm with a culture that makes you happy. If you do have to take some rubbish jobs, just look at it as a learning curve and a stepping stone to getting on to something better.
I retired last month from running a haulage company and we would take on a new pass if they came across well ( we weren’t desperate and staff stayed for a long time).
As jonnyboat references, it’s different driving when it’s your choice and driving with strict instructions, which is where working for a firm that allows latitude comes in. As a new pass, there has to be more control and interference from management, whilst they build up confidence in you and in some places, they never let you think for yourself, but with experience under your belt you can make a move to something better.
If you work as an agency driver, then truck driving is very seasonal.
Very quiet January to February, busy June to September as this is when many drivers become unavailable due to their summer holidays.
Busy November and December, particularly December. Even this month in May, one agency driver that I’ve spoken to who wants to work 5 days each week has only been getting 3 shifts.
You can work through more than one agency, but the problem with this is each agency wants to know your availability. This will lead to you having to decline shifts even though you have told them you are going to be available that day. With most agency work, you only know about a shift the day before.
Many new agency drivers will let the agency mess them about by giving them start times all over the place, one day early, the next day late, etc. and keep phoning them at short notice asking them to go in right away. This leads to the driver being tired. If you have been awake for 10 hours, it’s not a good idea to then take on a 15-hour shift at short notice for example.
If you need a full week’s wages all year round it might be best to become an employee of a company.
I’m HAPPY beats office work any day. Its a very personal choice. Bit like asking should I marry Alice. Just keep moving jobs until one suits you.
QuestionTimeJames:
I love driving
If that’s the only reason you’re going into it, a year from now you’re going to hate driving so what then?
QuestionTimeJames:
Hi all,So I’m very tempted in taking the plung and getting my HGV licence. I currently work in an office and it’s just not for me. I love driving and currently my commute is 100 miles down the M4.
I’ve looked into some videos and people who post them always say how bad it is, I just want to know if anyone is happy?
Would you say the work is there for new drivers?
Many thank for any advise you can give me
James
Reading that I’d say no, a 100 mile commute is hardly a 400km run with half a dozen deliveries plus collections really.
YouTube is ok, but it only shows the plus side of life not the up to your nuts in mud loading or unloading on a building site in the rain.
A couple of people, in particular johnnyboat have hit the nail on the head. I have no love/hate for driving, sometimes I love it (Friday and payday) lol, sometimes I hate it (when I get ■■■■■■■■ of drops, or when I can’t find a place because of a wrong address or the company changed its name)
But… I start work at 8am and finish around 5pm and get paid 45 hrs a week. I wouldn’t be able to match the hours anywhere else. So I stay. I get good days and bad days. The hours give me chance for outside interests, I’m currently studying for a maths degree with the open university. I don’t intend driving a truck forever.
if you do it and end up working somewhere you dont like, try somewhere else, there are good and bad places to work. My first time round, about 15 years ago i wasnt ready for it and ended up quitting, but i got back into it 2 years ago because i thought it might be time to give it another go, and i must say i enjoy it now…most days 
I worked in an office for a couple of years, much like you I scoured the internet seeing if it was worth it etc and watching vloggers… I took the plunge got my license and after giving the office malarky a little more chance I decided enough was enough and went for it.
I love it, I drive all different types of trucks and I’m paid quite well. In a few months’ time I’ll have both ADR and Class 1 
My biggest highlight when working in the office was the drive there and back, I could see trucks going in an out all day across the way and was always jealous.
It’s not all flowers and sunshine but if you’re going into it because you enjoy driving and trucks then you should be fine! If it’s just for the money you’ll turn into a miserable sod and moan on the internet about it.
You’ll find a lot of negativity because people who are happy don’t tend to go out of their way to shout about it compared to those who are unhappy.
I’ve met a lot of drivers over the years (I drove buses for 5 years) and it’s mostly moan moan moan but they dont’ move on.
Just holding the license gives you security to do other things if it isn’t for you, it’s a great fall back if nothing else.
I am a newbie two and got taken on by a company that takes new passes. You may struggle to find work at first but its not a matter of luck so much as a matter time before you get employed if you keep trying.
If you cant get work locally try and get tramping work further a field (I commute 75 miles to work on Monday and the same again back on Saturday and spend all week sleeping it the truck).
I like driving so long as its not in cities , I like sitting on my ■■■ going down motorways listening to the radio. Theres plenty of that in Tramping.
The food at the services is great I don’t know why truckers moan about it. I get to eat mcdonalds burger and fries every day (all paid for by the company).
The truck parking areas stink of ■■■■ I find this disgusting.
You will travel all over I have seen more of the uk already then I have seen in my life time and I haven’t been doing this very long.
If you like driving and you like travelling you will probally like it, it can be stressful (driving in cities is what I hate the most).
Will I you like it it years time ? probally not but all works ■■■■■ any way so don’t worry about it.
I struggled finding someone to hire me, never went to agency due to me being un full time employment in a different career than driving. I applied for a van driving job even tho my firm were advertising for a class 2 driver.
In my intervuew i said i have no expierience but i want to start at the bottom and work my way up
And if you need any class 2 work covering i can do it for you.
Got the job drove class 2 after a week or so in the job. They offered me a contract driving class 2. Now a year later i paid for my class 1 course myself and failed it back end of last year, my boss has seen i dont moan and just get on with the job as i love driving and he is now paying for my class 1 course again and told me he wants me in class 1 work to help him out instead of employing agency as they are costing him a fortune.
I love my job so pleased i chose to drive but i love trucks and onel day want to do heavy haulage.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
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