Hi,
So I’m 20 (21 in Jan) and I’ve just started getting my HGV licences as I’m finding web development a very boring career choice.
I’m just wondering from your experience, what is work like out there for both Class C & C+E for someone of my age?
Over Christmas take long hard look at the news and look on FB at HGV fuel and load thefts
Also think can I start @3am on a cold frosty morning or sleep in a truck middle of summer when it’s still 25deg C at 11pm.
If you’re still up for it the got for it [emoji6]
Most of us current drivers ain’t getting any younger I’m 45
Sent from my truck
On the positive side though, once you’ve got your licence and some experience and assuming you keep your licence reasonably clean, there’s little reason to ever be out of work for too long.
I did similar although started about 21 amd went well into 30s. But yeah its not the job it used to be especially with the ever changing CSS crap and the new “must have” language being swapped every 5 mins. What’s wrong with Perl or PHP and WTF would I want to make my database calls out of RUST!?
On the positive side:
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21 is better than 20 for insurance purposes as few places can take you on below 21.
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At 21 you’re likely relatively fit so jobs like Brakes and similar aren’t out of the question. They involve a lot of carrying stuff but thry will take on new passes.
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You probably understand some of the bizare terms in job descriptions like “team player” and “positive attitude”. These people really don’t understand drivers!
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You’ve got plenty of time to change jobs another few times (now 45 and on 3rd “career”).
Negatives:
-
Its expensive to train for this job considering the average pay is around £24K to 28K. Could be higher with some jobs and darn sarth, but forget any talk of £35 to 50K unless you’re lucky, have skills, have experience, hace contacts and are lucky.
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If you want to increase your chances of a job, I would do ADR as there is a shortage there. Don’t expect more money there for most stuff, and you won’t get on petrol tankers without proven experience.
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If you want to be home every night, there are plenty of options although again experience is key for the good money. Tramping is alright for some, but see Blue Estate message re that.
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You will almost certainly have to go on agency to start with to get the magic 2 years experience.
Unfortunately generally this means the crapper jobs, getting calls at 3am to be 30 miles away by 4am to pickup a truck of a type you’ve never driven before (they vary a lot more than cars), find keys, find paperwork and then find the destination. Plus work out how to secure a load etc (you don’t learn this on the course).
Overall:
- Is it the best job out there… prob not.
- Is it the worst job, probably not.
- Are all drivers moaning gits…of course.
Would I do it again? Probably yes, but not sure I will be doing it for life. Currently do pallet trunking overnight so about as easy as I had it, but its starting to hurt, quite a lot.
If you want a physical job then this isn’t bad, but its not the same as sitting in a warm office especially getting ■■■■ wet through at 3am with curtains that wont pull, straps that are soaked, mud and thinking WTF did I give up an office job.
← me last night
trevHCS:
I did similar although started about 21 amd went well into 30s. But yeah its not the job it used to be especially with the ever changing CSS crap and the new “must have” language being swapped every 5 mins. What’s wrong with Perl or PHP and WTF would I want to make my database calls out of RUST!?On the positive side:
21 is better than 20 for insurance purposes as few places can take you on below 21.
At 21 you’re likely relatively fit so jobs like Brakes and similar aren’t out of the question. They involve a lot of carrying stuff but thry will take on new passes.
You probably understand some of the bizare terms in job descriptions like “team player” and “positive attitude”. These people really don’t understand drivers!
You’ve got plenty of time to change jobs another few times (now 45 and on 3rd “career”).
Negatives:
Its expensive to train for this job considering the average pay is around £24K to 28K. Could be higher with some jobs and darn sarth, but forget any talk of £35 to 50K unless you’re lucky, have skills, have experience, hace contacts and are lucky.
If you want to increase your chances of a job, I would do ADR as there is a shortage there. Don’t expect more money there for most stuff, and you won’t get on petrol tankers without proven experience.
If you want to be home every night, there are plenty of options although again experience is key for the good money. Tramping is alright for some, but see Blue Estate message re that.
You will almost certainly have to go on agency to start with to get the magic 2 years experience.
Unfortunately generally this means the crapper jobs, getting calls at 3am to be 30 miles away by 4am to pickup a truck of a type you’ve never driven before (they vary a lot more than cars), find keys, find paperwork and then find the destination. Plus work out how to secure a load etc (you don’t learn this on the course).
Overall:
- Is it the best job out there… prob not.
- Is it the worst job, probably not.
- Are all drivers moaning gits…of course.
Would I do it again? Probably yes, but not sure I will be doing it for life. Currently do pallet trunking overnight so about as easy as I had it, but its starting to hurt, quite a lot.
If you want a physical job then this isn’t bad, but its not the same as sitting in a warm office especially getting ■■■■ wet through at 3am with curtains that wont pull, straps that are soaked, mud and thinking WTF did I give up an office job.
← me last night
Wow thanks for this! Funnily enough I’m actually a PHP Developer ha! Getting ■■■■ wet through at 3am sounds good enough for me. I’m fed up of sitting on my arse bored out of my head sat behind a desk. Granted I get paid for it but I want to work and I want to graft. My end goal is to own my own small haulage company. In the mean time I’d like to try get into plant transportation and aggregates.
I’ve been driving Class 1 for just over a year now and not had any nights out or any other negative thing mentioned, it’s the easiest job you will ever have and find it funny that we get paid for looking out of a window, that being said you must find a good employer my self have found a fab job with great perks , a 3am start so I finish around 14:00-15:00 on a Monday to Friday shift and if I go in on a Saturday I get time and half and sundays double time plus get a weekly bonus put in my monthly wage , for me it’s the best thing I’ve done and love to drive and listen to podcast , I really do feel like I’ve landed on my feet and I’ve worked a lot harder and grafted more at lower paid jobs this truck work is a easy bit of cash and a golden ticket to never be out of work.
Go for it and enjoy yourself being paid to look out of a window
Work is out there but you might need to find it by doing some leg work.
My son who is currently 19 had done a couple of years on a highways gang and saved some cash, he decided that doing is HGV would be a good move for him so booked himself a HGV course, did his medical and theories etc in October and was due for test in November.
He went door knocking, and was offered a job at a local plant and tool hire firm as a yard man / general minor maintenance on the basis that once he’d passed his HGV he’d take their 7.5t over which currently has no regular driver and he’d cover their 8 wheeler as an when required.
He got that job on his own merit, I suggested it as I know the company and I go there in my job but he didn’t go there as my son just some 18 year old kid off the street.
They have been really good with him, he is keen to learn things and gets stuck in well so he has been grafting away and is now less yard and workshop based and spends most of his time on their 3.5t doing deliveries and getting experience managing his day and also loading the bigger plant on the other vehices.
Unfortunately his HGV test was binned due to Covid and rebooked for Feb which seems like that’ll go the same way but he’s established himself and is learning plenty that will make his life easier when he gets the licence.
It is very hard to find drivers in the plant hire industry who can do the job and are happy to get dirty and do other things, and have the confidence and knowledge to load and secure things safely.
So that proves it is possible to find the work but not by just looking on indeed or whatever, sometimes it just takes being the right person to walk through the door at the right time. It’s worked for me on the last two jobs by just walking in somewhere.
Good luck
For those who actually want to do the job, take the rough with the smooth and not bellyache about how hard done by they are 24/7, then there will always be work to be found, good work if you use your loaf and look hard enough, every job you start you will find depressive sods who hate eveything about the job and the place, avoid these people at all costs, they will make a B line for new starters because every bugger else who isn’t of a similar mindset avoids em like the plague.
You might get lucky and land on a good job straight away, but this is not how it usually is, passing your test only gives you the licence thats when you start learning, most of the better places won’t touch you till you’ve had your licence a certain time, eg 2 years, some won’t take you under 25, but you’ll find a job somewhere to kick start your lorry driving life and every mile yuou do is experience to take elsewhere…IMHO its best not to try for dead mans shoes jobs too soon, every bugger makes a balls up or several in their early years, you don’t want to get the boot from a dream job you could have handled with more experience had you waited a while 
This industry is broader than many realise, each of us takes to and enjoys different things, it might take you 5 minutes to find your niche it might take 15 years, but one thing is for sure, so long as you do your best to improve yourself and are loyal as you can be these days, are competent reliable and discreet when needs be so you earn yourself the right reputation (this industry is suprisingly small especially when you specialise), you can make a very decent living in this game and the older and more experienced you get the more employable you become, you can’t say that about many others.
Take no notice of the self driving lorry taking your job next year ■■■■■■■■, road transport will be needed for the rest of your working life and there will always be the need for skillful drivers who have the right attitude.
Go for your class 1 as soon as you can even if you don’t use it for several years, whatever you do in your life, so long as you keep renewing the licence (you can soon top up the DCPC if needed) within a week of whatever catastrophe befalls your world be back earning decent money again, more strings to your bow, hell of a lot more and easier work with a class 1.
Can completely relate to your post , I am older right enough (29) and had been working for my local council doing an office job . Very cooshty number , own office , pretty much my own boss and very laid back , school hours but not the greatest of pays however everyday was boring and felt like Groundhog Day so decided to try a change of career and got my class 2 licence .
Managed to get a job with a big company doing pallet work . A lot of people will tell you how grim pallet work can be but I thought it’s good money I’ll give it a go and decide for myself .
It was a total culture shock for the first month / 6 weeks , hard hard graft , usually 10 hour shifts , hard getting used to driving the truck in tight spaces as a new pass , using the tail lift and pallet truck with half ton pallets it ain’t easy if your a newbie !
My advice would be get your class 2 licence but stick with your job and do some work at the weekends and see if you like it , plenty agency’s out there will get you weekend work . It gets you some experience and decide if it’s for you or not before quitting your job .
Hope this helps ,if you need anymore advice give me a shout .