after reading alot of posts and hearing of your tests /ambitions
europe free spirit own boss
does any newbees actually read what otheirs post 
regarding pay conditions or did you all see the clearstone adverts
why do you want to be drivers
As a newbie who cant currently find a job, this has long been an ambition of mine which due to finances in the past has always been put to one side. Now i have my class 1, i have no illusions on how the industry works,to make a good wage you have to put the hours in. My dad was in the industry for over 20 years and i know exactly how hard it can be from his experiences and i would advise anyone thinking of changing career to really do your research, whilst some people dont see it as work(driving)if you want to make good money you will have to work hard. As for european work,with rising costs i can see this becoming a rarer thing in the future but a new driver needs to be gaining a good few years experience of driving before he/she should even contemplate going over the water.
scania245:
after reading alot of posts and hearing of your tests /ambitions
europe free spirit own boss
does any newbees actually read what otheirs post
regarding pay conditions or did you all see the clearstone adverts
why do you want to be drivers
Might of been an idea to post this in the New & Wannabe Drivers Forum 
I personally think there is 2 types,there are the ones that have always wanted to do it,had relatives in the Industry possibly,like Trucks and have researched the Industry,Tacho Regs etc off their own back with some hints and Tips off here or a question or 2 that they are not sure of etc
then there are the ones who cant really be bothered,want an easy life cause they’re ■■■■■■■ lazy and trucking seems pretty easy,want everyone on here to tell em what to do, get em a job and if possible do the job for them.
I’ve PM’d newbies before with phone numbers,links etc,with no acknowlegment or thanks.
so I dont bother much now
■■■■ em
bikemonkey:
[Might of been an idea to post this in the New & Wannabe Drivers Forum
Well, I thought driving trucks looked cool when I was a boy, I love driving and motorcycling and I love to be alone. Strangely, I only feel safe when I am moving…
I don’t have any illusions about the money, it’s not the money I am in it for. I have had very well paid jobs, £600+ p/w take home, but they didn’t last because they didn’t suit me. I’m a stubborn git and your money won’t get me to do something I don’t want to.
I like the idea of the challenge to pass my test and since I have already driven tens of thousands of miles in Europe, I know I enjoy that.
Finally, I smoke now, why is that not grown-up? I’m an adult and I made that decision. Do you drink? Watch the footy? Look at the girls or play darts? What’s the difference?
There’s a lot to be said for “young at heart” and cynicism has it’s place too.
Time for me to chill…
maybe it should be the other way round?
I,ve spoken to many drivers who have being doing the job for years, they have all asked the same question why did I pack in what seems to them a good job to come driving? they have told me all obout the endless waiting for loads the long hours, sat in traffic, its not the job it used to be you know, its not the job for a young family guy ect ect,
not being cheeky or anything but some have lost touch with what goes on in a lot of workplaces, prior to my driving i,ve been involved in construction, motor trade, facilties mangagement, I,ve now had 3 driving jobs although one was,nt brill the time off ect was alot better then any of my previous jobs, I,m less hassled, never contacted at home, I now enjoy an excellant family life knowing thet I won,t be called in for this and that or asked to work every weekend ect. don,t get hassled with endless company politics or meetings about crap.
why do you want to be drivers
Why did you start doing the job?
Maybe because you fancied it as apposed to a factory job or similar - so probably thats why others are going for it.
Mothertrucker:
why do you want to be drivers
Why did you start doing the job?
Maybe because you fancied it as apposed to a factory job or similar - so probably thats why others are going for it.
I got peeved at pushing that ■■■■■■ green button thousands of times in a 12hr shift, not only that but the management began to realise employing our recent EU cousins via agencies was more economical. Don’t get me wrong manufacturing (CNC programming/operating) used to pay very well and did have it’s merits, but the shifts, “voluntary overtime” NOT, and training fresh agency staff every 2 weeks took it’s toll, had a go at my own business, brought in pocket money but not a wage, so I started van driving (local newspaper, owned by trinity mirror) and as I usually excel at most things the natural progresion is cat C to C + E and possibly operator CPC in my later years.
Driving’s in my ‘blood’, Gramps was a train driver (died 1977 at Farnley junction, Leeds)
Stepfather was a multi drop driver for Autobar from late 70’s to early 80’s, bacon butties from canteen at a colliery complete wi’ ■■■ ash are a fond memory 
. He went on to form T&D travel coach hire, I started to learn to drive in an old Ford ‘A’ series (transit on steroids) 20 seater at age 12 and a crash box at that, by time I was 13 I was handling a 53 seat Leyland Tiger around the ind est and backing them into garage (less than 6" clearance from bac wall to shutter) some of drivers on payroll couldn’t do that! I first got my car license in '90 passed first time in my old ma’s s3 landrover with overdrive (16 forward and 4 reverse gears, splitters and rangers won’t be a problem for me!) but got banned a short time later for parking on an armed response unit somewhere in strathclyde. 
Some may ask why I don’t go for cat D, but I couldn’t face ■■■■■■■ grannies or cleaning puke from stag nights and as for service buses, I might as well start pushing that flippin green button again.
I know I’m not going to find utopia, but being my own ‘gaffer’ on the road, travelling and hopefully a couple of stopovers a week (away from the missus) is getting there 
scania245:
why do you want to be drivers
Ive always wanted to drive trucks must be in the blood as my dad and grandad were drivers
untill i passed my class c last november I had been driving the little 7.5 tonners since 96 when I left the army although I was driving earth moving plant
paid for my own class c and im just about to pay for my own c+e
Always wanted to do it.
My grandad drove lorries almost all his working life, which kind of got me into it.
For me it was to get my high viz vest. But after thinking about it, spending £1000 to pass my test maybe was a bit eccentric.
Still, its another ambition realised
I wanted to be a driver for pretty much the same reason as the above that my grandad was a driver all his life.
Being 23 im finding it a real struggle to break into the industry simply because of the cost of training.I saved up £1200 last year did a weeks training and fell out with instructor at the end so subsequently wouldnt put me thru my test so have resorted to multidrop van driving until i can raise some more money to finish my training.
If anyone out there knows of ne companys out there who would possiibly help me with cost of my licence i would be forever grateful i am willing to pay the fee back just dont have the initial outlay extreme long shot i know but i gota try!
Adam
At 16 I looked at what I wanted to do… I did a few daft jobs in supermarkets and shops etc… but I always knew I wanted to be a lorry driver. When I turned 17 I took another look at what I wanted to do, and it was still lorry driving, so I joined the army to get my licenses and pass the time until I could drive lorries as a civvy.
And now, here I am… leaving the army to become a lorry driver!!
And now, here I am… leaving the army to become a lorry driver!!
could you bring a spare tank out with you when you leave so that my trainees don’t feel so intimidated by other lorries on their first day 
For me it was to get my high viz vest. But after thinking about it, spending £1000 to pass my test maybe was a bit eccentric.
Definately saw you coming there!
You could have bought my own personal Hi Viz vest autorgraphed by my good self for half that amount
ROG:
could you bring a spare tank out with you when you leave so that my trainees don’t feel so intimidated by other lorries on their first day
I dunno like, I reckon there all on account.
I was never intimidated by other lorries when I was learning, I was more like ‘giz a go of that!!!’ Been the same ever since.
You could have bought my own personal Hi Viz vest autorgraphed by my good self for half that amount Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing
Dont you just hate it when that happens!!!. I suppose its been snapped up by now?. Maybe you have some other garments i could purchase
Why do I want to be a truck driver?
Well, after 15 years driving coaches in the UK and on the continent, Im getting fed up of being nice to little old people
And if I want to stop for a brew I wont have to find 49 seats in a cafe for the load Im carrying
Andy13:
And if I want to stop for a brew I wont have to find 49 seats in a cafe for the load Im carrying
Depends how many immigrants climb in on the way over the channel