Reasons for deciding to tramp for a career

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
21

I swapped from an office job to tramping.

It’s interesting. I tried my hand at day work and it stressed me out and wore me out. Tramping takes the pressure off and I find it just lets you get into a rhythm during the week.

Going home on a Friday is different to going home every night too. I’m excited to go home and see my partner, and we make more of our shorter time together that we have now than we made of the longer time when I was home every night.

Things may change in the future, but you just change with them and find the best way for you.

22

I wouldnt even consider day/night/trunking work .its been tramping since day 1.

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23

For me, tramping makes a lot of sense. I started it after my relationship broke down and I was sofa surfing, so it gave me my own space and a sense of freedom. And even though I now rent a room, I find it helps to keep me from murdering my housemates.
It’s also a lot more relaxing than worrying about what time I’ll make it home, if at all.
For the first few years as a driver I worked days and my partner was always frustrated by my inability to give her an accurate forecast of my finish time. With being out, you really aren’t worried about delays or issues as they make little difference overall. You get there when you get there. Blue estate gave good examples of how this works in your favour.
Now don’t get me wrong, it certainly wouldn’t suit everyone, as Juddian stated, he can’t stand tramping. It’s very much a horses for courses choice.

24

I’m thinking about starting in the hope I can run into Robroy, and get his autograph. :smiley:
As well as 16 years of CSA payments! :imp:

25

Originally I took my HGV test not because I had any interest in trucks, but at the time, and in the place I lived (east Kent) there was loads of continental work to be had, and I’d always loved travel but had never had the money to be able to do very much, so I saw it as a way of being paid to do something I wanted to do anyway. Within 10 years of passing my test, I’d been to nearly 30 countries in the truck.

Sadly, those days are gone now, and I don’t really like tramping around the UK, although the night-out money does make a huge difference, last Winter I did day work, this Winter I’ll probably go tramping again, firstly for the night-out money, and secondly to save on the cost of coal and diesel used to keep my narrowboat habitable during the week, meaning I should only have to work five months this Winter instead of six before I go off cruising the cut again next Summer.

I suppose really, that narrowboating is just a form of tramping though, living in a metal box and never knowing quite where you’ll be at the end of the day, although it is a slightly more comfortable and relatively stress free form of it…

26

slowlane:
I swapped from an office job to tramping.

It’s interesting. I tried my hand at day work and it stressed me out and wore me out. Tramping takes the pressure off and I find it just lets you get into a rhythm during the week.

Going home on a Friday is different to going home every night too. I’m excited to go home and see my partner, and we make more of our shorter time together that we have now than we made of the longer time when I was home every night.

Things may change in the future, but you just change with them and find the best way for you.

+1. Mind you,I tend to get home all loved up on a Friday night with a decent cooked meal waiting and a walk together round the local afterwards.

Then, by about Sunday afternoon, we’re both furtively looking at our watches, me wondering when I can get away, and me missus wondering how long she has to put up with me before I go.

Then, not long till Friday comes round again…

We both admit it, been going on for 11years and works for us.

No kids though, through choice…

27

Franglais:

Winseer:
If Labour win the election, we might all want to consider being a “Carer for a Tramp” rather than a “Tramper for a career”. :stuck_out_tongue:

Those care allowances are quite meaty already, and set to increase under a Labour government. :unamused: :open_mouth:

Wow ! £62.70 for a 35 hour week !
gov.uk/carers-allowance/overview
Wonder how many would rush to knock an elderly relative over the head to take advantage of that? And if you care for two or three people you dont need to apply for extra, because youre not eligible for it.

I think you’ll find that is the basic allowance, before ongoing ailments are included.

I know a single mum of four kids, 2 with ADHD that gets paid more in carer’s allowances per week than I get working the full time job.
I’m talking about the one that pays the £350 per week for the “first” special needs child.
She apparently loses this allowance pound for pound if she either gets a job, or moves in a fella - so she is officially looking for neither of course.
“Permanent Benefit Dependence” assured. :unamused:

I think the £62.70 allowance is for an adult dependent who’s disabled.

28

I’ve never done “tramping” officially. Nights out have just been a requirement of the job. My first proper job had some really strange restrictions on getting your night out money which didn’t always allow you to get turned around and back down the road. I then moved over to nights which was OK for a while before the repetition set in. I’ve now moved to a job where nights out are a requirement but aren’t always guaranteed.

29

Radar19:
I’ve now moved to a job where nights out are a requirement but aren’t always guaranteed.

That is like where I work, depending on the work I might do one night out a week or Mon-Fri out all week. Im all about the chilling so I didn’t enjoy work where the lorry had to be back in the yard every evening for night time reloading.

But as a single man living in a flat with one of my older brothers im not hugely concerned about being home for dinner :laughing:

30

When I was about 18 I had a couple of mates that were trampers and I used to go off with them.
These were the days when all trampers met up, and had a regular social life when away, and I loved it.
Nights out in the seedier side of London :smiley: around all the bars with other drivers, was areal eye opener at 18 yrs old. :open_mouth: :laughing:
When I started driving myself in 79, I just took it that nights out went with the job, I never even thought of day work, I took for granted that trucking = nights out, …and that is the only way I saw it, and tbh still do.

Later on with a family it was already in my blood, rightly or wrongly I never considered day work for the reasons I pointed out, the downside was I missed a lot of my kids in their growing up, which yeh, is a regret, but all my kids have turned out great, with a good upbringing and I am proud of all 4 of them.
The upside is I have a good understanding faithful (and attractive :smiley: ) wife, who met me when I was a tramper and has stood by me for all these years.

I saw a few countries and enjoyed the freedom over there and over here also.

However, whether I would start it now is debateable, the job has changed soooo much, but I still manage to have a social life during it, I park in places that I can enjoy, rather than a remote ■■■■ hole with no facilities, and do not operate the job as some stressful endurance excercise, like many do :unamused: …I reckon if a few more of you did that you would not see the nights out part of it as some occupational hazard, and coming out with the old and tired ‘sleeping in the tin box’ cliche.

I have all home comforts in the cab that go a long way to replicate a home,… so not all bad.

Tramping does not have to be a crap job, it is as good or as bad as YOU make it.

If you want my autograph Evil not a problem mate, I will sell you it anytime, just say the word. :laughing:

31

Tramping is real lorry driving and I drive lorries, simple.

All this piddling about doing shifts or trunking dung is just kid on trucking, for wannabes.

A.

32

robroy:
These were the days when all trampers met up, and had a regular social life when away,

Sometimes though that has caused me a headache the next day and stopping at the first services :laughing:

I parked up with 5 other drivers Thursday night to go and watch the footie and the next morning was a struggle but somehow I still got an extra load done :open_mouth:

33

Doing distance over Europe is a great way of seeing the parts other jobs dont reach…

34

AndrewG:
Doing distance over Europe is a great way of seeing the parts other jobs dont reach…

You doing a commercial Andrew? :open_mouth:

35

Evil8Beezle:

AndrewG:
Doing distance over Europe is a great way of seeing the parts other jobs dont reach…

You doing a commercial Andrew? :open_mouth:

Thats an old ad…

36

Radar19:
That’s an old ad…

And so is Andrew! :wink:

37

Evil8Beezle:

Radar19:
That’s an old ad…

And so is Andrew! :wink:

38

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39

40

sapper:
I’m just about to give up my tramping job, I love the freedom, but now I’ve moved back to Scotland, the flying down to Thurrock every second weekend is taking it’s toll, that’s where the truck is based, so my boss is looking for another driver now, lorry mounted crane on a daf ssc, all the work is moving containers and lifting on and off, easy money, mon to fri, very good money, I did 45k last year, anyone? Don’t have to have ticket, he’ll give you that, a good driver is whats needed.
Pm me if you are interested.

Sapper

Fly to work!!■■