I know you guys will find this incredible to believe but I will be 46 this year so it was nearly 41yrs ago when I started primary education. During my 7yrs at primary school on occasion the class teachers would ask the question ‘what do you want to do when you grow up?’ Well the answers would range from the usual air headed girls wanting to be air hostesses or models ( generally the uglier they were the higher the aspirations lol ) to some of the boys wanting to be professional football players or be the next James Bond however the more sensible ones would quote more realistic ambitions such as to be joiners or engineers, plumbers etc and I would say approx 3-4 out of 10 boys liked the idea of being a Lorry Driver. Fast forward 35yrs or so how many kids would want to do this job for a living?? Not many I will bet. I have read various conflicting reports on the matter but it would seem that the average age of the lorry driver is fast approaching 40yrs old which suggests there is no young blood coming into the industry. Why is this?
The kit we use to do the job nowadays is immeasurably superior to what we veterans started out on, who would have imagined even 20yrs ago 600+ BHP , air conditioned cabs, automated transmissions etc etc, the modern truck is on par with most luxury cars however where the tackle has got better the rules and regulations have gotten to be absolutely ridiculous.Nowadays we have to contend with the most ludicrous practices in order to make a living such as…
(1) Digital Tachographs… We had a perfectly good system of paper charts but oh no, that could not be left alone, in comes new legislation demanding we all have to buy smart card and along with that ridiculous bureaucracy that came with it.
(2) Tachograph Legislation… A system of draconian rules and regulations ruthlessly enforced by various government agencies such as VOSA and the Police that can see an otherwise law abiding citizen procecuted and given a criminal record or possibly even jailed for minor offences that at one time would have been dismissed as a waste of the courts time.
(3) Speed Limiter Legislation… We can be trusted to carry freight worth several thousands of pounds in equipment that costs thousands but we cannot be trusted in where we position our right foot. As usual more rubbish out of Brussels that sees our speed limiters set at 4mph less than our legal motorway speed limit and off course vigorously enforced by the powers that be.
(4) Prehistoric Pay Rates…Putting up with all of the above for shocking pay rates not to mention awful working conditions. How many drivers do you guys know who get Bupa Health care, full pay when off sick or in general decent working conditions.
(5) Licensing Authorities… In any other walk of life if you commit a driving offence of any kind, you are caught and dealt with by the courts and that is the end of the matter but drive a lorry or a bus for a living you are hauled up in front of a government appointed civil servant in an ivory tower who then hands out additional punishment. Is that not a clear cut case of a violation of a drivers human rights being tried and sentenced for the same crime twice, disgraceful.
(6) Absolutely no respect… Whether it is a cheeky traffic clerk or cheeky awkward customers, it is not unusual to be spoken to like you are garbage from minions who wouldn’t have a clue how to do your job to them at the top of the tree who think its there right to look down their nose at the workforce who keep their business alive.
(7) High Taxation… The way the government hammer the industry with rip off road tax and fuel duty ensuring our wages are kept so lowly and the funny thing is, they go on about wanting freight off the road and treat us like garbage but the money grasping swines need our industry to keep the country alive.
(8) The Cost LGV Driver training… It costs an absolute fortune to train for an LGV license. They even had the cheek to abolish the right to go straight for a class one but brought out a new rule you had to sit a class 2 first doubling the already ridiculous cost of gaining an LGV never mind the medical cost and all the other rubbish that goes with it.
(9) Driver CPC…Another rip off, As I call it the Deplorable Cash Producing Con that sees experienced drivers who have worked in road haulage without incident all their lives suddenly now require to attend 35hrs of training every 5 yrs or they are adjudged to be unfit to do their job anymore. A system that sees the lucky candidates relieved of their hard earned cash to sit through the same garbage module 5 times to get a small plastic card to ensure they can continue to pay their mortgages. What other industry would put up with this? The unions attitude? Oh good you can pay us for the modules. The enforcement authorities attitude? get caught without it and we will hammer you into the ground. Oh and when we get this ‘professional qualification’ will professional pay rates follow? I doubt it very much.
So if you have managed to read this without falling asleep does it surprise you in anyway why no young blood seem to be coming into the road haulage industry? Why put up with all of the above when you can stack shelves in a supermarket for more money and less hassle. I have never been fully able to understand why such an essential industry as the Road Haulage Industry is treated so badly by the government,its various agencies, its customers and the public at large. It makes me very sad that this proud industry seems to be dying on its knees.
I only hope sense can prevail and this industry be recognised for keeping the country and the economy moving but I wont hold my breath.
As a lad i wanted to drive proper lorries which needed skill and strength to operate correctly, i never wanted this modern crap and i still don’t, so i wouldn’t be coming into it now cos its too bloody easy and any bloody fool can and does do it.
As a young driver i was mentored by a few old hands, they taught me the right way to do things, i enjoyed roping and sheeting (and took a pride in it) and all the hard graft, the day you gained the respect of the old hands was a day indeed, puppy with two tails time.
As a mere satellite of the EU masterstate we had no choice but to confirm, first with tachos and later with digi cards.
I wouldn’t say rules are ruthlessly enforced, if anything things are slacker than they were, at one time we had a 12.5 hour spreadover, but then we gained EU (again) safety standards and upped that to 15.
Speed limiters are EU standard, we have no option, we still have a 60mph max limit for lorries in theory, roads are too crowded now for 70mph cruising as was the old way.
Sorry, i get proper pay and full sick pay (but i don’t go sick and never have, ■■■■ takers do that) and i have excellent T’s and C’s, lots of others do too, sorry but people do not have to work for peanuts, the good driver hones and impoves on his skill set and gets the right reputation and record and finds better paid work.
LA’s are there for a reason, we are, according to many here, professionals, we are not accountants or teachers or bloody doctors who only need a licence to get to work or drive to Waitrose, we are paid to drive properly, and quite rightly there is a mechanism to keep some sort of discipline if we step too far out of line.
Respec’ is a two way street, generally i’ve been treated exceptionally well wherever i’ve been, and struck up a rapport with people i have to deal with, i don’t want respect for doing a simple job, i only want common decency and basic manners reciprocated, generally that is the case but there always the ignorant knuckle dragger that can only grunt but plenty of them in lorries too.
VED is remarkably low, in or around 1982/3 38 ton VED on 5 axles (2 + 3) was £3200.
Fuel tax is fairly high, but not a great deal worse than other EU countries.
The rest of 7 is a rant.
I don’t have a problem with the cost of HGV training (so long as everyone pays and the doleys scroungers and other ne’er do wells don’t get theirs paid for by the taxpayer, us), i do have a problem with the emphasis on passing a test and not actually teaching people to drive and control a lorry.
CPC, no its not ideal, it could have been useful if thought through better.
As for cost and time, see answer 4, proper companies pay for the course and pay the driver to attend.
I don’t think our industry is anything special, we don’t deserve special recognition, we are paid a set amount to turn up for work and do our jobs, no different to the millions of other people out there who we see scurrying about in the wee small hours going to work, some better paid than us, some much poorer paid, many with just as many hoops to jump through and tickets to obtain in order to work.
I think there are many people doing our job who are plainly not suited to it, its always been a strange job and attracted a ceratin type who could hack it, lorry drivers, now the job is ■■■■ easy and any bloody fool can do it there are thousands of unlorry drivers too.
Whats missing most though is pride, pride in the job, pride in themselves and that driver common courtesy and mutual respect shown willingly to one another, all but bloody disappeared now.
As a lad i wanted to drive proper lorries which needed skill and strength to operate correctly, i never wanted this modern crap and i still don’t, so i wouldn’t be coming into it now cos its too bloody easy and any bloody fool can and does do it.
As a young driver i was mentored by a few old hands, they taught me the right way to do things, i enjoyed roping and sheeting (and took a pride in it) and all the hard graft, the day you gained the respect of the old hands was a day indeed, puppy with two tails time.
As a mere satellite of the EU masterstate we had no choice but to confirm, first with tachos and later with digi cards.
I wouldn’t say rules are ruthlessly enforced, if anything things are slacker than they were, at one time we had a 12.5 hour spreadover, but then we gained EU (again) safety standards and upped that to 15.
Speed limiters are EU standard, we have no option, we still have a 60mph max limit for lorries in theory, roads are too crowded now for 70mph cruising as was the old way.
Whoopee woo for you!!!
Sorry, i get proper pay and full sick pay (but i don’t go sick and never have, ■■■■ takers do that) and i have excellent T’s and C’s, lots of others do too, sorry but people do not have to work for peanuts, the good driver hones and impoves on his skill set and gets the right reputation and record and finds better paid work.
LA’s are there for a reason, we are, according to many here, professionals, we are not accountants or teachers or bloody doctors who only need a licence to get to work or drive to Waitrose, we are paid to drive properly, and quite rightly there is a mechanism to keep some sort of discipline if we step too far out of line.
Respec’ is a two way street, generally i’ve been treated exceptionally well wherever i’ve been, and struck up a rapport with people i have to deal with, i don’t want respect for doing a simple job, i only want common decency and basic manners reciprocated, generally that is the case but there always the ignorant knuckle dragger that can only grunt but plenty of them in lorries too.
VED is remarkably low, in or around 1982/3 38 ton VED on 5 axles (2 + 3) was £3200.
Fuel tax is fairly high, but not a great deal worse than other EU countries.
The rest of 7 is a rant.
I don’t have a problem with the cost of HGV training (so long as everyone pays and the doleys scroungers and other ne’er do wells don’t get theirs paid for by the taxpayer, us), i do have a problem with the emphasis on passing a test and not actually teaching people to drive and control a lorry.
CPC, no its not ideal, it could have been useful if thought through better.
As for cost and time, see answer 4, proper companies pay for the course and pay the driver to attend.
I don’t think our industry is anything special, we don’t deserve special recognition, we are paid a set amount to turn up for work and do our jobs, no different to the millions of other people out there who we see scurrying about in the wee small hours going to work, some better paid than us, some much poorer paid, many with just as many hoops to jump through and tickets to obtain in order to work.
I think there are many people doing our job who are plainly not suited to it, its always been a strange job and attracted a ceratin type who could hack it, lorry drivers, now the job is ■■■■ easy and any bloody fool can do it there are thousands of unlorry drivers too.
Whats missing most though is pride, pride in the job, pride in themselves and that driver common courtesy and mutual respect shown willingly to one another, all but bloody disappeared now.
As a lad i wanted to drive proper lorries which needed skill and strength to operate correctly, i never wanted this modern crap and i still don’t, so i wouldn’t be coming into it now cos its too bloody easy and any bloody fool can and does do it.
As a young driver i was mentored by a few old hands, they taught me the right way to do things, i enjoyed roping and sheeting (and took a pride in it) and all the hard graft, the day you gained the respect of the old hands was a day indeed, puppy with two tails time.
As a mere satellite of the EU masterstate we had no choice but to confirm, first with tachos and later with digi cards.
I wouldn’t say rules are ruthlessly enforced, if anything things are slacker than they were, at one time we had a 12.5 hour spreadover, but then we gained EU (again) safety standards and upped that to 15.
Speed limiters are EU standard, we have no option, we still have a 60mph max limit for lorries in theory, roads are too crowded now for 70mph cruising as was the old way.
Sorry, i get proper pay and full sick pay (but i don’t go sick and never have, ■■■■ takers do that) and i have excellent T’s and C’s, lots of others do too, sorry but people do not have to work for peanuts, the good driver hones and impoves on his skill set and gets the right reputation and record and finds better paid work.
LA’s are there for a reason, we are, according to many here, professionals, we are not accountants or teachers or bloody doctors who only need a licence to get to work or drive to Waitrose, we are paid to drive properly, and quite rightly there is a mechanism to keep some sort of discipline if we step too far out of line.
Respec’ is a two way street, generally i’ve been treated exceptionally well wherever i’ve been, and struck up a rapport with people i have to deal with, i don’t want respect for doing a simple job, i only want common decency and basic manners reciprocated, generally that is the case but there always the ignorant knuckle dragger that can only grunt but plenty of them in lorries too.
VED is remarkably low, in or around 1982/3 38 ton VED on 5 axles (2 + 3) was £3200.
Fuel tax is fairly high, but not a great deal worse than other EU countries.
The rest of 7 is a rant.
I don’t have a problem with the cost of HGV training (so long as everyone pays and the doleys scroungers and other ne’er do wells don’t get theirs paid for by the taxpayer, us), i do have a problem with the emphasis on passing a test and not actually teaching people to drive and control a lorry.
CPC, no its not ideal, it could have been useful if thought through better.
As for cost and time, see answer 4, proper companies pay for the course and pay the driver to attend.
I don’t think our industry is anything special, we don’t deserve special recognition, we are paid a set amount to turn up for work and do our jobs, no different to the millions of other people out there who we see scurrying about in the wee small hours going to work, some better paid than us, some much poorer paid, many with just as many hoops to jump through and tickets to obtain in order to work.
I think there are many people doing our job who are plainly not suited to it, its always been a strange job and attracted a ceratin type who could hack it, lorry drivers, now the job is ■■■■ easy and any bloody fool can do it there are thousands of unlorry drivers too.
Whats missing most though is pride, pride in the job, pride in themselves and that driver common courtesy and mutual respect shown willingly to one another, all but bloody disappeared now.
With every post of yours, I’m finding that we have lots of attitude in common.
I particularly share your attitude towards ‘respect’. All I have ever wanted is respect from people who I respect !
Oh well I daresay when I was off for three months with a knee replacement I was a ■■■■ taker then!!! Our industry is nothing special is it not?? Well I wouldn’t like to see how the country would run without us!!!
rivits:
Well I wouldn’t like to see how the country would run without us!!!
Or doctors, nurses, policemen, teachers, people who work in power stations, people who maintain electricity lines, people who restock supermarket shelves, people who take your cash at petrol stations, bin men, mechanics, I could go on but I’m sure you get the point I’m trying to make.
rivits:
Well I wouldn’t like to see how the country would run without us!!!
Or doctors, nurses, policemen, teachers, people who work in power stations, people who maintain electricity lines, people who restock supermarket shelves, people who take your cash at petrol stations, bin men, mechanics, I could go on but I’m sure you get the point I’m trying to make.
people always make this point, the other point you’re missing is that none of these jobs would be there without lorries. how would medical supplies get to hospitals how do you build the hospitals how do police get their vehicles how do teachers get paper amongst other things. it’s all very give and take at the end of the day and no one can truly say this wouldn’t happen without us, but you’ve got to agree that the majority of things would become screwed without lorries
rivits:
Oh well I daresay when I was off for three months with a knee replacement I was a ■■■■ taker then!!! Our industry is nothing special is it not?? Well I wouldn’t like to see how the country would run without us!!!
rivits:
Oh well I daresay when I was off for three months with a knee replacement I was a ■■■■ taker then!!! Our industry is nothing special is it not?? Well I wouldn’t like to see how the country would run without us!!!
rivits:
Well I wouldn’t like to see how the country would run without us!!!
Or doctors, nurses, policemen, teachers, people who work in power stations, people who maintain electricity lines, people who restock supermarket shelves, people who take your cash at petrol stations, bin men, mechanics, I could go on but I’m sure you get the point I’m trying to make.
people always make this point, the other point you’re missing is that none of these jobs would be there without lorries. how would medical supplies get to hospitals how do you build the hospitals how do police get their vehicles how do teachers get paper amongst other things. it’s all very give and take at the end of the day and no one can truly say this wouldn’t happen without us, but you’ve got to agree that the majority of things would become screwed without lorries
Oh I agree with what you’re saying, but without them other jobs we wouldn’t need lorries would we? The point I’m trying to get across is that what we do is important, but as a group lorry drivers themselves are no more or less important than many other trades. Think of life as a gearbox if you will, with all components (different trades) meshing together you get forward motion. Take just one part away and you’re going nowhere.
I’d also like to add in answer to the op’s question, that apart from fundamental reasons such as it’s not an attractive job that is getting progressively worse, I think it is declining to a large degree because of two simple words… “No passengers”. Simple as that. How many of us got bitten by the bug as children either blagging the odd trip with our Dads or with a friend of the family? You rarely see it now, so that’s the next generation gone before it even started.
rivits:
Oh well I daresay when I was off for three months with a knee replacement I was a ■■■■ taker then!!! Our industry is nothing special is it not?? Well I wouldn’t like to see how the country would run without us!!!
Personally speaking, I wanted to be a lorry driver when I was seven because I had been out with my Dad driving all over from as far back as I can remember. Many hours spent enjoying the view, watching my Dad, and asking questions - this was why I wanted to learn the skill of driving.
Nowadays, nobody takes their kid along for the ride anymore - thanks to insurance, Elf & Safety, and all sorts of ■■■■■■■■. I am sure that this is why kids ain’t interested in learning the skills required - and be assured, driving IS a skill, whether it be a lorry, a motorbike or a car (or indeed a forklift). I have learnt how to drive all of these, and am proud of my skills - and look to improve them constantly.
My two pennorth…
the maoster:
I’d also like to add in answer to the op’s question, that apart from fundamental reasons such as it’s not an attractive job that is getting progressively worse, I think it is declining to a large degree because of two simple words… “No passengers”. Simple as that. How many of us got bitten by the bug as children either blagging the odd trip with our Dads or with a friend of the family? You rarely see it now, so that’s the next generation gone before it even started.
The Sarge:
Personally speaking, I wanted to be a lorry driver when I was seven because I had been out with my Dad driving all over from as far back as I can remember. Many hours spent enjoying the view, watching my Dad, and asking questions - this was why I wanted to learn the skill of driving.
Nowadays, nobody takes their kid along for the ride anymore - thanks to insurance, Elf & Safety, and all sorts of [zb]. I am sure that this is why kids ain’t interested in learning the skills required - and be assured, driving IS a skill, whether it be a lorry, a motorbike or a car (or indeed a forklift). I have learnt how to drive all of these, and am proud of my skills - and look to improve them constantly.
My two pennorth…
Me too mate and my Dad is still tramping away at 76 ( the silly old bugger!! )
rivits:
Well I wouldn’t like to see how the country would run without us!!!
Or doctors, nurses, policemen, teachers, people who work in power stations, people who maintain electricity lines, people who restock supermarket shelves, people who take your cash at petrol stations, bin men, mechanics, I could go on but I’m sure you get the point I’m trying to make.
people always make this point, the other point you’re missing is that none of these jobs would be there without lorries. how would medical supplies get to hospitals how do you build the hospitals how do police get their vehicles how do teachers get paper amongst other things. it’s all very give and take at the end of the day and no one can truly say this wouldn’t happen without us, but you’ve got to agree that the majority of things would become screwed without lorries
Oh I agree with what you’re saying, but without them other jobs we wouldn’t need lorries would we? The point I’m trying to get across is that what we do is important, but as a group lorry drivers themselves are no more or less important than many other trades. Think of life as a gearbox if you will, with all components (different trades) meshing together you get forward motion. Take just one part away and you’re going nowhere.
When I was about 7 years old I had a ride in my uncles lorry,he drove about 2 miles and I walked home ,that was me going to be a driver.Society needs all sorts of workers,if you deliver bricks then you need the bricklayer as much as he needs you.
Because its not seen as a “career” these days. Its a job which given a week or two`s training virtually anyone can do.
When I started there were no RDC`s and night work was almost unheard of. We roped, sheeted, chained, chocked and improvised where necessary. We found our own return loads and as Juddian points out, drove really difficult stuff even without power steering in most cases.
I remember as a new lad dropping the clutch on an Gardner “powered” Atki with 20 ton on the trailer and the only movement was the unit launching skywards! A wheelie if you please in an artic. Well the front wheels probably only lifted about 2 feet off the floor but it taught me to be a bit more gentle.
Women doing this job back then was virtually out of the question. It was a tough, cold, hot sweaty, dirty, hard dangerous job, it needed commitment and resourcefulness. Not many could, or would want to do it, so the wages reflected this. It was regarded as being very a well paid job.
RDCs, Trunking, changeovers, shift work, its all evolved into what it is now. Im asked to start at stupid times of the night and like most, Ive no idea when Ill be finished. Ive only got 5 years to go so I dont much care anymore.
But theres no way I would consider this as a "career" if I was a young un. No Way.
Apart from anything else the job is just so mindnumbingly bloody boring these days.
If I remember, Ill photograph the stack of paperwork I have to fill in before a shift at DHL on Saturday. You just wouldnt believe it otherwise. Mostly disclaimers saying that whatever happens, its my own stupid fault because I`m just an idiot driver.
Career? Jeeeeez.
P.S. I know there are some good gigs out there, but I`m talking about 90% of driving jobs and not the exception.
When I was 18 I started driving buses, there was a major shortage and the bus company paid for me to go through the training, then paid me a great hourly rate as a bus driver there after. I saved up nearly £2000 by the time I was 21, which paid for my cat C and C+E. I had 3 years of driving large vehicles (All be it buses, Double Deckers, Bendi Buses, Tri Axle Deckers) and a C+E licence… Couldn’t get a job nowhere, I applied for so many jobs and got F all back. I got a little interest from agencies But was never going to give up a full time job, 38 hours a week at £10.55 a hour for the chance to work a shift or two at £9 peh hour. Got sacked from the buses and whilst I was waiting for the appeals process (25 years old and full Dcpc qualified by this point, Had held C+E for 4 years and it was holiday season) I signed up with a agency, unbelievably I got shifts, 3-5 per week for nearly 6 weeks. Screw driving buses, landed a job with a Incredible boss who was willing to give a chance and now have a little experience behind me now.
Not many youngsters can afford the training, from my perspective it seemed as if experience was the key, but no way of getting the golden opportunity, I knocked on so many doors just to have them slammed shut in my face, I gave up trying to get into the trucking industry.
rivits:
Oh well I daresay when I was off for three months with a knee replacement I was a ■■■■ taker then!!! Our industry is nothing special is it not?? Well I wouldn’t like to see how the country would run without us!!!
what a ■■■■, how important am i
Err actually very important, I have a report on my laptop, if I could remember the title I could find it on internet, and it tells you what happens when we, and obviously I don’t mean you green456 because I find it hard to believe your a driver, stop working, and I think by day three the country is stuffed. So yes I am important because I am a Lorry driver and I keep people fed and watered.
So up yours green456
