I’m very grateful for my job,reading through this thread. I do an easy driving job,on tankers,for most of my driving life. About 3 months ago I got ‘bored’ and applied for other class 1 jobs.I was offered a few,and tried one. I lasted maybe 4 weeks.Never again will I moan about doing ‘one hitter’ tanker work,ever.
I choose to tramp and do permanent weekends,thur-mon shift.(roads are quieter,pay is substantial).I could earn more if I renewed my ADR,however i’m comfortable doing 60-65 hours and 2-4 nights out. I earn between £620-700 in the bank weekly.I wouldn’t sit in an office for double that.I don’t have to do multi drop and there’s no handball.I did the ‘bad stuff’ early on in my driving life so now I can have a relatively easy time of it.Of course nowadays there is not much fun in driving,cameras,VoSA and plod all after us.But it’s what I know,and it’s what i’m good at.So many on here are too quick to sneer and abuse,thats why as truck drivers we will never get the magical £10/hr across the board,as we’d never stick together.
I guess what i’m trying to say is like what other posters have said,if you drive a truck,you will work long hours,it’s all a case of what works for YOU.If you’re happy on £400 a week,fine.If you get £1000 a week fine. Good luck all of us
GBD:
I have been musing over this thread and after reading all the views of the posters i asked myself what has this career of 25 years and 4 months given me…well its kept me in work for all but four months of it.
i,ve seen things, the good, the bad and definately the ugly !!
i,ve travelled throughout europe and visited several capital cities, although in all honesty i was probably cursing them at the time( paris inner ring road) ( brussels ring road you know who i mean!)
Yes i,ve slept in the coffin (including leyland roadtrain sleeper hammock) but i,ve had the benefit of lots of hotels, b&b,s and a few other sleeping arrangements i wont mention without waterboarding.
the pays been crap… and the pays been good. So i generally agree with every comment on here but i really am too old in the tooth to go and do something other than this. You see i am one of these muppets who wanted to drive as a kid and i cant truly say i regret one bit of it.
Thank you.
Great post, echoes my sentiments.