adam277:
You wouldn’t get that support at most places I sure didn’t. Sounds like you got lucky and have a decent employer.
You would get it in a lot of the smaller companies, where the drivers know each other and the boss has probably been a driver himself or herself.
But to get in those companies, forget emails and CV, dress clean a tidy, but like you could start work and go and knock on the office door.
Fortunately it’s a long time since I’ve had to advertise for a truck driver (out of 23 drivers, there is one van driver that came via an ad). I’m mostly pleased because if I were to put an ad in, it sounds like a not great job - UK/Euro work, long hours some weeks, quiet hours next week, double manning ( far from everyone’s cup of tea). Yet people usually stay once they arrive. One of the newer Class 1s came to us via another driver, he had the opportunity to join us a few years back, but wasn’t sure. Now he says he’s kicking himself for not coming to us earlier.
There are some similarities with muckles job, niche job, sometimes you deal direct with the customer and generally you are one of the team, I’ve driven, my TM was one of our drivers and even the finance manager gets out in a puddlejumper from time to time, so we know the job and therefore respect the drivers.
My point is that, without actually trying a job, it can be difficult to know what the job is like. Some of the small firms you have to try them out.
As I’m fond of saying, you aren’t a tree, you can move if you aren’t happy somewhere.
Every job is different and starting out it could mean a start with a company that would ■■■■ on you whenever they get the chance or falling lucky and finding one where you’re happy.
The thing is in haulage there’s always a driver that has the comment “I wouldn’t work for them” no probably he won’t and it’s probably something he’s heard from another driver who’s wife went to school with the cleaner, or he’s a disgruntled arse who got kb’d on an application. If other drivers were to be listened to then there’s be no drivers
I’ve been in haulage about 20 years the last 12 or so European, and I’ve worked for some semi decent firms in that time, I’ve worked for some tossers too, the firm I’m with at the moment I’ve been with for a year and it’s ok, the money could be better but it always could no matter where you work, the work itself is clean I’ve a 16 plated truck and a fridge trailer that’s not even a year old, I’m away 3 weeks sometimes 4 at a time and I get all over Europe, but if I’d listened to comments from other drivers I’d still be in a job I hated.
V8-Chris:
Im new to hgv driving but as i was doing my training for my licence i found that there were so many diffrent views on the job,
Whats your view■■?
if youve been posting for several years stating youve been driving during the troubles,and have worked for everyone and their granny,then why would you be posting sating as above your new to driving.■■
either your smacked off your ■■■■ and brain wrecked,
or,
your unaware we can read all your previous posts and see yet again its a 1 out of 10 attempt at pure trolling pish.
There are many different jobs to try and I would advise any new drivers to sign on with an agency and taste as many different flavours as possible.
When I had a houseful of kids, 100 hours a week tramping (exaggeration but you know what I mean) suited me great. Now that kids have left home, a nice regular 40 per week m-f suits me. Horses for courses
COOKiEEES!!:
To answer the op’s original 2 questions, I’ll keep it brief:
well paid? …NO,
enjoyable? …only at the start…
but once the novelty wears off, then for the most part no.
(Unless, of course, you happen to find the following pursuits “enjoyable”: stress, being treated with more contempt than dirt, handballing of items for dirt cheap wages)
I’m apprehensive about commenting as I was given a hard time on this forum in the past but the reason I haven’t taken a lorry job till now is just this, I think the novelty will wear off. I actually did work for Nightfreight for 2.5 hours but I could see that the novelty would wear off real quick so I handed the keys back and went home. Don’t get me wrong, I REALLY want to drive a big lorry BUT the novelty hasn’t worn off’ve Taxi driving (which I have been doing for 24 years) I have a driving assessment with Muller Wiseman (Wincanton) on the 28th and it seems like it might be the job for me (tankers picking up from farms) but the shifts are 10.5 hours long and I’m not used to doing more than 6 or 7 hours on the Taxis, we’ll see.
