Is It Worth It?

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hi all,

Been watching and reading this forum rigorously over the last week and been finding it very helpful so thanks for all the newbies and experienced folk for leaving their 2 cents. I just had some questions that after searching couldn’t find somewhat related answers to.

So I am thinking of going for my HGV C or class 2 licence was going to do C+E but quite frankly I’m a bit a worried about the reversing/manoeuvring with an artic and was thinking of getting a bit of class 2 experience first before diving into that. On the whole, I’d say I’m an average driver, not exactly Lewis Hamilton but not quite as bad as reversing up a motorway.

I do enjoy driving, but one of the main things that appealed to me was a 4 on 4 off type rota. The main reason for that is with my mum’s health I have to help out with her and things around the house so having something like that would be ideal.
In terms of long hours or being alone, that doesn’t particularly phase me as currently I work for myself and do on average 14-16 hours a day where I’m alone most of the time in quite a mentally challenging role. However, things have changed with that and it’s just not working out as much financially anymore so I’m thinking its time I am realistic and go back to full-time employment.

I do have experience in driving jobs I was a courier (just van driving) for Amazon delivering up to 180 parcels a day as multi-drop. And have travelled throughout the UK in a LWB van when I worked in insulation.

My questions were:

Is it fairly easy to find roles such as 4 on 4 off type work? Or do these types of jobs normally have more competition?
My brother comes back from working abroad in August so he should be able to help out more with mum then, was thinking of eventually getting into international work, but how hard is it to get into that? And is the money any better for it?
Would it be worthwhile getting my ADR or HIAB or should I wait til I’ve more experience under my belt for that?

Thanks for reading.

2

If you can do 180 drops in a van you will be absolutely fine in a rigid or an artic.

The reversing and manoeuvring will come with time - don’t worry about not being Lewis Hamilton he only has to drive forward.

4 on 4 off is becoming a lot more popular, not so much on rigids though. I couldn’t tell you how easy international work is to come by but I think it helps if you know someone in that line of work.

3

Thanks Jimmy, although I like driving the Amazon multi-drop work was a nightmare out 6 days a week from 7am-7/8pm especially around the Christmas period for a measly 350 a week on average, having to double park in city centres, pop the hazards on and race up flights of stairs then if we were done early we were sent to help someone else. My mate tried it and lasted one week, was chaos one of the guys had a punch up with one of the managers mainly due to the unrealistic expectations they had on us.

Got you about the international work, wondering if it might be a similar situation as with ADR/Fuel tanker work where it’s hard to get into.

Was initially thinking of taxi work, but thought there would be more to be made in this business and don’t exactly have the ‘joys’ of cleaning up the remainders of someones vomit after a dodgy kebab on a Friday night. Would be interested in hearing anyone’s thoughts on taxi work vs hgv work without drifting too far from the points in original post.

I’m also based in Scotland seems as if there is more work in England with better pay mostly as well.

4

I’ve had my class 1 just over a year. And my class 2 for a little longer.

Since then I’ve done: Supermarket work (times 2), same day courier work, general haulage, cash and carry deliveries, mobile cranes, car parts delivery driver (times 2), fresh vegetable deliveries, boxes, curtainsiders etc… I’ve driven everything ranging from a tri axle trailer full of champagne to on one occasion taken a rigid lorry out with a packet of screws (and the warehouse lad did ask me how to strap it!).

What you will find is none of the jobs I’ve listed above are remotely similar. You will work out what you like and what you don’t. My favourite by far was working for the same day company. Always different. Going anywhere and everywhere. Sometimes it was shunting stuff between DHL sites and JLR sites for them. Sometimes it was going to Oxford St in London and delivering marble floor slabs for a shop renovation at 3/4am… Or the ultra fancy gym in zone 1 London where I had to collect treadmills and return them to glamorous Wolverhampton.
Similarly doing to the David Lloyd (can’t remember the place) and collecting gym equipment at night. As the lads broke the equipment down I had a little workout on the other equipment.

Least favorite… well that’s the thing I’ve done the most which are supermarkets. Mind-numbingly boring. But you will find out what you like. I’ve not done 1% of potential driving jobs - which is pretty exciting. There is so much you can do with the licence.

Now their isn’t anyone who is/was a worst driver than me (just ask the forum!). When I first started I had more crashes than an old version of windows with no updates. But… with a relatively small amount of time you become a lot better.

Today I went for an assessment because I had time. Involved me driving a none 6 speed manual (not used to, but have driven), involved both a good side and a blindside reverse. And to top it off was in a short rear steer trailer. (At this point some will know the company I’m talking about for sure). Wanna know what the worst trucker on truckner did… Only went and was offered a job after with a salary of just under 40k for 45 hours a week with full benefits and a decent overtime rate over the 45 hours - plus full benefits. I’m not sure if it’s for me.
But my point is that all your worries will dissipate with time.

To bring this into focus. I was amazed when I passed my class 1 test first time. It was a fluke. The same day a had a night shift driving for VW parts from Tamworth (Ceva logistice then - XPO now I think) on what was meant to be class 2.
They needed a class 1 driver to help out a driver who put his back out. I put my hand up. Ended up finding out that my fluke was just that… Took out a street name sign trying to reverse into a dealership. My next class 1 shift involved me blagging the agency and doing agency on the weekend for a general haulage firm.

I had to pick up a high-value trailer of booze (talk of starting big) from Crick Sainsburys, and take it to one of the DC’s in Birminghamv (don’t wanna say the name as it’s specifically a high value warehouse (and meant to be secret - you shouldn’t find it on google but can) and I’ve worked at other sites for that company in Brum). Back and forth. I did 4 runs.
The problem was… My reversing was so bad the shunter came over and told me to drop the trailer and he’d sort it out. That same rubbish driver just over a year ago (and only doing part-time) smashed the good side and the blindside reverse in an unfamiliar vehicle with someone watching and an unfamiliar gearbox. If I can do it - anyone can.

Driving as a job is limited by your own ambition and ability to make things happen. I still dream of doing a Euro run. But I can assure anyone on hear when the time is right I will make it happen. So yeah I think it’s worth it.

5

sammym:
I’ve had my class 1 just over a year. And my class 2 for a little longer.

Since then I’ve done: Supermarket work (times 2), same day courier work, general haulage, cash and carry deliveries, mobile cranes, car parts delivery driver (times 2), fresh vegetable deliveries, boxes, curtainsiders etc… I’ve driven everything ranging from a tri axle trailer full of champagne to on one occasion taken a rigid lorry out with a packet of screws (and the warehouse lad did ask me how to strap it!).

What you will find is none of the jobs I’ve listed above are remotely similar. You will work out what you like and what you don’t. My favourite by far was working for the same day company. Always different. Going anywhere and everywhere. Sometimes it was shunting stuff between DHL sites and JLR sites for them. Sometimes it was going to Oxford St in London and delivering marble floor slabs for a shop renovation at 3/4am… Or the ultra fancy gym in zone 1 London where I had to collect treadmills and return them to glamorous Wolverhampton.
Similarly doing to the David Lloyd (can’t remember the place) and collecting gym equipment at night. As the lads broke the equipment down I had a little workout on the other equipment.

Least favorite… well that’s the thing I’ve done the most which are supermarkets. Mind-numbingly boring. But you will find out what you like. I’ve not done 1% of potential driving jobs - which is pretty exciting. There is so much you can do with the licence.

Now their isn’t anyone who is/was a worst driver than me (just ask the forum!). When I first started I had more crashes than an old version of windows with no updates. But… with a relatively small amount of time you become a lot better.

Today I went for an assessment because I had time. Involved me driving a none 6 speed manual (not used to, but have driven), involved both a good side and a blindside reverse. And to top it off was in a short rear steer trailer. (At this point some will know the company I’m talking about for sure). Wanna know what the worst trucker on truckner did… Only went and was offered a job after with a salary of just under 40k for 45 hours a week with full benefits and a decent overtime rate over the 45 hours - plus full benefits. I’m not sure if it’s for me.
But my point is that all your worries will dissipate with time.

To bring this into focus. I was amazed when I passed my class 1 test first time. It was a fluke. The same day a had a night shift driving for VW parts from Tamworth (Ceva logistice then - XPO now I think) on what was meant to be class 2.
They needed a class 1 driver to help out a driver who put his back out. I put my hand up. Ended up finding out that my fluke was just that… Took out a street name sign trying to reverse into a dealership. My next class 1 shift involved me blagging the agency and doing agency on the weekend for a general haulage firm.

I had to pick up a high-value trailer of booze (talk of starting big) from Crick Sainsburys, and take it to one of the DC’s in Birminghamv (don’t wanna say the name as it’s specifically a high value warehouse (and meant to be secret - you shouldn’t find it on google but can) and I’ve worked at other sites for that company in Brum). Back and forth. I did 4 runs.
The problem was… My reversing was so bad the shunter came over and told me to drop the trailer and he’d sort it out. That same rubbish driver just over a year ago (and only doing part-time) smashed the good side and the blindside reverse in an unfamiliar vehicle with someone watching and an unfamiliar gearbox. If I can do it - anyone can.

Driving as a job is limited by your own ambition and ability to make things happen. I still dream of doing a Euro run. But I can assure anyone on hear when the time is right I will make it happen. So yeah I think it’s worth it.

Cheers for your feedback Sammy [emoji106]

Great to read about experiences from someone who’s been around a bit.

The straws incident made me chuckle, should of told them you’ll just leave them and save the straws up from your McDonalds on route.

Have you done any 4 on 4 off type work? If so, how did you find that? Due to circumstances that would suit me best.

Sent from my SM-J530F using Tapatalk

6

markdoc10:

sammym:
I’ve had my class 1 just over a year. And my class 2 for a little longer.

Since then I’ve done: Supermarket work (times 2), same day courier work, general haulage, cash and carry deliveries, mobile cranes, car parts delivery driver (times 2), fresh vegetable deliveries, boxes, curtainsiders etc… I’ve driven everything ranging from a tri axle trailer full of champagne to on one occasion taken a rigid lorry out with a packet of screws (and the warehouse lad did ask me how to strap it!).

What you will find is none of the jobs I’ve listed above are remotely similar. You will work out what you like and what you don’t. My favourite by far was working for the same day company. Always different. Going anywhere and everywhere. Sometimes it was shunting stuff between DHL sites and JLR sites for them. Sometimes it was going to Oxford St in London and delivering marble floor slabs for a shop renovation at 3/4am… Or the ultra fancy gym in zone 1 London where I had to collect treadmills and return them to glamorous Wolverhampton.
Similarly doing to the David Lloyd (can’t remember the place) and collecting gym equipment at night. As the lads broke the equipment down I had a little workout on the other equipment.

Least favorite… well that’s the thing I’ve done the most which are supermarkets. Mind-numbingly boring. But you will find out what you like. I’ve not done 1% of potential driving jobs - which is pretty exciting. There is so much you can do with the licence.

Now their isn’t anyone who is/was a worst driver than me (just ask the forum!). When I first started I had more crashes than an old version of windows with no updates. But… with a relatively small amount of time you become a lot better.

Today I went for an assessment because I had time. Involved me driving a none 6 speed manual (not used to, but have driven), involved both a good side and a blindside reverse. And to top it off was in a short rear steer trailer. (At this point some will know the company I’m talking about for sure). Wanna know what the worst trucker on truckner did… Only went and was offered a job after with a salary of just under 40k for 45 hours a week with full benefits and a decent overtime rate over the 45 hours - plus full benefits. I’m not sure if it’s for me.
But my point is that all your worries will dissipate with time.

To bring this into focus. I was amazed when I passed my class 1 test first time. It was a fluke. The same day a had a night shift driving for VW parts from Tamworth (Ceva logistice then - XPO now I think) on what was meant to be class 2.
They needed a class 1 driver to help out a driver who put his back out. I put my hand up. Ended up finding out that my fluke was just that… Took out a street name sign trying to reverse into a dealership. My next class 1 shift involved me blagging the agency and doing agency on the weekend for a general haulage firm.

I had to pick up a high-value trailer of booze (talk of starting big) from Crick Sainsburys, and take it to one of the DC’s in Birminghamv (don’t wanna say the name as it’s specifically a high value warehouse (and meant to be secret - you shouldn’t find it on google but can) and I’ve worked at other sites for that company in Brum). Back and forth. I did 4 runs.
The problem was… My reversing was so bad the shunter came over and told me to drop the trailer and he’d sort it out. That same rubbish driver just over a year ago (and only doing part-time) smashed the good side and the blindside reverse in an unfamiliar vehicle with someone watching and an unfamiliar gearbox. If I can do it - anyone can.

Driving as a job is limited by your own ambition and ability to make things happen. I still dream of doing a Euro run. But I can assure anyone on hear when the time is right I will make it happen. So yeah I think it’s worth it.

Cheers for your feedback Sammy [emoji106]

Great to read about experiences from someone who’s been around a bit.

The straws incident made me chuckle, should of told them you’ll just leave them and save the straws up from your McDonalds on route.

Have you done any 4 on 4 off type work? If so, how did you find that? Due to circumstances that would suit me best.

Sent from my SM-J530F using Tapatalk

I’ve no experience but there is plenty of that sort of work about. It sounds fantastic on paper - take 4 days holiday and actually get 12 off. And I can see the positives. I’ve never actually had a ‘driving job’. I’ve been an agency driver. That might mean being full time and on a rota but it’s not a job. If I wanted to do 4 on 4 off most big agencies wouldn’t mind. You just tell em your availability. For employers they seem to like it as well.

Good luck with it all. Remember as soon as you earn back the money the licence cost you - if you never use it again you have lost nothing. If you do you are winning.

7

Thanks for the advice mate, that’s a good way of looking at it! Stay safe.

8

sammym:
Driving as a job is limited by your own ambition and ability to make things happen. I still dream of doing a Euro run. But I can assure anyone on hear when the time is right I will make it happen. So yeah I think it’s worth it.

I’m looking forward to reading about that Sam. I’m not taking the ■■■■ either

I’m the same I’d love to do a euro run or more specifically a couple of years of it, difference is I won’t make it happen