Good afternoon all, this question is aimed at those of you that were drivers but are no more. Do you miss driving for a living? My own story has obviously been told on here so many times but for those that don’t know my driving career was ended by a car crash 4 years ago, thanks to injuries I can’t meet standards for LGV / PCV licences so that put a lid on my 25 year driving career.
Me and my family were worried I’d find it hard to get over what with it being my dream job but we’ve been surprised in that I’ve not had anything to get over really, don’t miss if, I can look back and smile at memories from what’s been a fantastic driving career but never for a second missed it or wished I could return. I think potentially it’s because I did everything I wanted to do, I had a ridiculously fantastic career so the fact I’ve been forced to do something else has worked out brilliantly! I often struggle with willpower so without the kick up the arse of losing licence I’d probably never got on with training and just ended up back driving. I’m loving driver training and seem to be good at it somehow! I insert a huge amount of my real world experience into the courses which seems to connect with people.
Probably pushing limits of what’s allowed on here but there’s I’ve put a discount code on my site, 20% off courses for Trucknet users, just use Trucknet in discount code box at checkout!
I thought I would miss driving, miss the mucking about, the uncertainty of early starts and late finishes all unscheduled , the little white lies and not so white porkies that controllers and customers tell , sure I miss tat wee flutter in the pit of the stomach as the DVSA come into view even though you are sure your whiter than white , the all powerful security persons and the warehouse staff that just look through you.
I do miss the view from the cab window and going to new places,meeting helpful folk and waving to my mates going the other way.
But most of all I can go to a proper toilet when I want to.
That option hasn’t been released yet, and when it is I doubt independent training providers will be administering it, I imagine it will be purely in the hands of DVSA, similar to the Modules 1a, 1b, & 2
(theory test, hazard perception test, and case studies part of initial DCPC)
I could have persevered with driving for a few more years, there wasn’t a medical or similar reason for stepping away from it; but being at that point late-50-something, someone “made me an offer I couldn’t refuse” which fitted better with my parental responsibilities, and I haven’t looked back since.
I’ve had the option to get into the truck training side of things, which would have satisfied any longing for being behind the wheel, but I prefer the training/technical/legal aspects of the industry more.
Do I miss it sometimes yes but on the whole no I don’t miss the idiot car drivers the unreasonable start timed delivery times the waiting around while the decide to sort your load out & paper work would I go back to it no not now
I had to give up due to ill health although I can meet the standard just it was not totally safe so had a look assessed ill health age ended up retiring earlier than planned but hey I’m I better for it yes is my health any better no but that another long story which has been documented on here although more has been added since then
I do get to sleep in my own bed every night have a different social life see my grandchildren grow up
Miss the good bits (there were plenty) but not the bad bits.
I only stopped because a side line business I started became full time. Whenever I read on here about the B/S procedures etc it makes me glad to be out of it.
Depending on your reasons for wanting to drive trucks assuming it’s all about enjoying driving far and wide, then that criterea can be met without needing to drive anything larger than vans or even cars.Possibly even moreso in an environment that seems hell bent on minimising truck miles run.Especially if you include the private holiday road trips paid for by commercial driving for a living.
With hindsight I could have saved myself a lot of frustration of pointlessly searching for the ‘right’ but non existent truck driving work in that regard.Let alone the wrecked back I got for my efforts and wrongly thinking that something better was bound to result.
So no I don’t miss driving trucks having found a far better ideal driving cars for a living which is around 90% distance work.
With the win win that I have even more time off for long foreign road trips.This year I’m planning on covering as far North as Iceland and as far South as Canary Islands bearing in mind I like sea travel almost as much as driving.
Star down under.:
CARRYFAST TRANSPORTATION
CANARY ISLANDS~ICELAND
YOU LOAD I DRIVE
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You hear that V12 burbling away can`t you?
(On the 8 track cassette)
The V12 would definitely sink it before it left Portsmouth harbour and even if not it definitely counts out the Portsmouth to Bilbao/Santander route let alone Denmark to Iceland also think that there are sharks in the Atlantic south of Gib.
Maybe ok for Putney to Teddington to avoid the local roads.
I definitely don’t miss the “modern” driving experience, but I do miss the camaraderie of my time on the road. I don’t think I’m alone there, as demonstrated by our recent Xmas get together, we had over forty ex drivers at the meet up, and a great time was had by all. The smell of burning rubber, ferodo, and diesel was very evident Regards Kev.
Nope, I don’t miss it one iota since retiring, I used to love the job but after 30+ years behind the wheel of a class 1 I’d had enough by the time the retirement age came around, I wouldn’t go back to driving for a gold pig, No more getting up at silly o clock in all weathers to deliver a load to a place whose security, unloading staff looked at you as something nasty they’d trodden in.
I don’t miss the idiotic, impatient drivers either, who had no earthly right to possess a driving licence whatsoever.
Been retired 4 years. I still miss going all over the country, meeting people. I did enjoy the job, no RDCs etc, all roofing deliveries to farms. I’ve thought about doing the odd day here and there, but the previous job isn’t available anymore (company been sold off) and anything else wouldn’t be the same so I’m not tempted.
Due to various factors I drifted out of work, rather than choosing a set date to quit. Now with licence and DCPC expired, and since the last job, which I did enjoy, changed a lot, Im out and no real regrets. I do miss some of the social side of Routier life on the road, and the out of the way trips to odd places, but I dont miss the more recent hanging around and of course some silly start times.
But, on balance?
No regrets for doing the job, and no regrets for leaving it either.
I retired at 69 and thought the last day I left the yard in my car I’d be crying all the way home. But instead I felt big weight had been lifted off my shoulders. What I miss is the way it was, that’s easy to say but harder to put into words. I always wanted to be a long distance lorry driver and enjoyed all that went with it. Of course I was young and had enthusiasm and passion for the job but when I retired it had just become a job. Thankfully the US is years behind you in truck technology and I was still driving a truck with a gearlever.
I retired on the day the DCPC kicked in without regret then and none since.Only my car these days.Absolutely appalling in the Uk with the level of traffic and the absence of basic manners and the permanent Mr.Angry drivers.I spend as much time at my Spanish home as I can.Always by car and occasionally via Poland.A totally better world driving in mainland Europe.From the channel port to spain i can tell you within 30 mins.when I will arrive.I can’t do that between here and leeds.
I gained a few years of youthful experience before I was put onto continental work by a relative who was a transport manager.A few years running middle east having my eyes opened but I was young,keen and less cynical in those days.Then many years running continental from a home in Belgium.
I have to say I don’t really recognise the so called camaraderie between Brit drivers.The average middle east driver was a petty thief and a lot of european drivers,especially when T forms started were imbeciles.A mention here for the famous 01ers.I steered clear of the Brit “must go” truckstops.I’m sorry if i hurt the feelings of the many genuine guys.
I did my last few years as an agency driver working to my own standards.I ended up my last shift being paid 8 hours for nothing but show up.Nobody could make their mind up whether the dcpc date was the last date I could work or the first day i couldn’t.It was a night shift.
Having said all that i have been to many interesting places and seen things that people have paid to see on holiday.But not in the UK.
