I went to a well known supermarket distribution centre up in Yorkshire it was Xmas and I ended up waiting for 3 hours to be unloaded. As the flt driver started I asked him for directions to the toilet. He said the toilets are out of use due to damage caused by drivers. I said OK where are the staff toilets. Your not allowed to use them. Hmm. I point out my 3 hour wait and that I really needed to go for a wee quite urgently. He just shrugged and drove off. I then saw some nice bushes nearby and walked over and had a very refreshing wee whilst the office staff looked out of the window. 2 minutes later a manager and security staff are over at my truck berating me for my behaviour. Stating I'm banned from the site and they are reporting me to the police for indecent exposure and to my company. I point out the nearly 4 hour wait and that I'm banned from using the toilets according to the flt driver and pointed out they were quite lucky I didn't need a shit instead of just a wee. They were pretty much taken a back that I could stand my ground. Funny they never did report me.but that's how drivers are treated. I now drive a flt for only 50p and hour less than a 40 ton truck.
I'm 50 yo and being put through for my class C by Royal Mail. After 25 years as a postie van driver. I'm looking forward to the change and the money is decent. I hope i don't regret it.
All very valid points! You forgot to mention the driver behaviour software that now comes as standard and gives the office the leg up if you exceed the speed limit by 1mph, carry out an emergency stop for whatever reason ?, Don't change gears in a prescribed fashion, leave your driving seat for too long, or stray off your route because perhaps you encounter serious delays, and know a diversion which could get you there quicker, that's called geo fencing, all reported back ! who in their right mind would tolerate a work environment such as this ? then you have low bridges, width restrictions, weight limits, VOSA checks, and traffic wardens, good luck newbies, you're gonna need it !
I used to switch off the camera and live gps monitor. When office moan, I say speak to the hand as I want a live camera and kpi s on their office work. Accurate paperwork from the admin team would be nice.
When I worked for a certain company that likes hitting bridges I got suspended on full pay whilst there was an investigation as to why I stopped for a poo 💩 after having 8hrs in a RDC ! I was accused of stealing company time !
There is no driver shortage that is just a line put out by big business to keep the numbers up so they can carry on paying shit wages and treating drivers like dirt.
Passed my test in a lorry, tank transporters, hgv1 at tnt, tankers for 13 years, moved on just not worth the money, roads are terrible nowadays and nobody has any patience, now qualified as an engineer
Well said! I'm 19 years old and a class 1 driver been driving them since I was 18. Next week is my last week in the industry and I want to get it over with. Leaving this job is by far the best fucking decision I've made!
Bradley Williams good luck on your next endeavor. It’s not for everyone, but the sad thing is, it’s not going too get any better. In fact, it’s only going to get worse!
Absolutely spot on!! I spent days training to operate a lorry mounted crane. Not 1 second of that training counted towards my cpc. It's just a money making scam. I passed my class one in 1996 and just let my CPC run out. I refuse to take 5 days off my current job and then pay out £600 of my own cash to drive a scabby truck. Goodbye haulage world for me
100% true I am retired 75 year old HGV driver started driving when I was 17 on a 4 wheeler at 14 ton gross then no powered steering no air brakes try that today. Doug
In 1994 I drove HGV1 trucks, I got £15 ph Monday to Friday. £17ph on a Saturday and £19ph on Sunday. I worked through an agency called driver hire at Whitman. Last June they contacted me asking if I wanted some work. I haven’t driven trucks for over ten years and my licence has lapsed, no cpc or medical. The cost of maintaining these just weren’t worth the pay. Anyway out of curiosity I asked how much they are paying now, 24 years later. £11.50ph😳😳😳😳 I asked if he was joking, he told me that the rate now. That’s why people don’t want to drive heavy lorries anymore. It’s not rocket science.
😂...what clowns. i think the agencies have expanded greatly, cost have increased they probably retain more from the p/h. they prob charging the companies 15-20 p/h. Agencies are the cunts. The money is there still. lorry work will never finish.
The agency's these days want as much as the driver gets astonishingly, 25 years ago i knew someone that owned an agency and he was happy to get 2 pnd an hour per driver, i know times moved on but drivers pays gone down, mainly on agency's because of them they take too much, rates from firms have gone up for agency's but there keeping it, and also most companies pay for your breaks, but the agency's take that, fkn abysmal.
Make no mistake I've been in the game 30 years and i know what fkd the job is when they signed the foreigners in manna from heaven for employers, they already knew that these people were used to 30 pnd a week in Poland ect, so a pole is over the moon on 10 an hour, they have mainly come here to hammer it, take the savings back to there piss poor country's and are able to buy land and house after just 3 years, so it's a different agenda to them against us brits, specially older drivers can't compete with young foreign drivers, so that's how it is, maybe in 10 yrs time the job might be ok again when foreigners can't come anymore, but too late for a lot of us sadly.
Totally agree. Done my class 1 two years ago & have given up for good. Treated like a slave by agencies coz you have no experience. Chucked out on your own with no help to drive a double deck through the country lanes in Scotland. Most stressful job I've ever had. Wish I hadn't listened to the "I earn £800 a week brigade"
Always said if I had a kid and he or she said I want to drive a truck like you dad, I'd beat them within an inch of their life. I do like driving trucks cos it don't matter I earn more elsewhere I drive to keep my eye in.
Thanks! I live in Canada, Dad drove for BRS, ran fish for companies out of Leith, and Granton. We emigrated in 65. I finished high school, served my time at Cummins dealer in Toronto in the 70's. Truck owner for 30 plus years. 64 now, still driving long distance. Just want to say I completely agree with what your saying. We are behind the curve here, but pretty much the same thing is happening here, and the U.S. Do we blame ourselves ? We aren't the government. They just did what the shippers, and manufacturers lobbied them for. Cheaper transportation cost. Now that the shit is blowing back in their faces, who best to blame than a bunch of lorry drivers. They now have to show the public that they can tame the beast. Enter more techies with programs, and " safety " protocols who see a bright future living of the avails of HGV drivers. Companies all go for the latest tech in the trucks, but never invest any money in the driver. You pay shit wages, you get shit workers, many who should never be allowed behind the wheel. I've considered myself a dinosaur in this industry for years. Soon I will be extinct. As my dad used to say when I had owned a reefer in the 80's, " this is the lowest card in the pack ! " I could go on, but you say it better than I can Jason. Ps. Dad used to run Liverpool Trunk back in the day. I still have lots of fond memories of the Albion's and AEC's. Cheers.
A lot of good points well made Jason.After 34 years driving lorries, the last 25 as an owner driver,i still enjoy going to work,but after just coming from a meeting with the people we pull for it makes me wonder about carrying on. They are wanting our Euro 5 wagons upgrading to Euro 6, all with 6 recording camera's, all to be Fors compliant along with just a small mountain of extra paperwork and training! Good job we love driving eh? Drive/ride safe.
Cloudmaker Unfortunately, the whole business is hellbent on dehumanising driving. Now you can't even have peace in the cab anymore with big brother scrutinising every eye blink you make. Soon you won't be allowed to listen to the radio while driving. If only they were one fifth as interested in the health, welfare and wellbeing of drivers all this fixation on technology and box ticking to oppress drivers wouldn't be necessary.
Brilliant video fella just found your channel you are spot on found a flip flop having a pee at side of truck shouted at him all he did was shrug his shoulders and say it’s not his country I mean what can you say to that
I retired from trucking about 10 years ago aged 50 awhile before the drivers cpc came out, I was lucky enough to have both a military pension and an end salary pension from a large transport and shipping company TBH I have never looked back and never missed the crap you lads put up with
As a lowly van driver we’re also treated like dirt, low wages, long hours. No more money for having a Taco license, CPC is a waste of time as well. Only decent thing is the overtime is ok and plenty of it.
Wish I'd seen this before I done mine. 22 and scrimped and saved stacking shelves in Tesco to pay for it all myself and yeah.... what a mistake that was...
I took my class c a year ago aged 52 after being made redundant from my old job with the local authority I have held a pcv licence since 1991 and initially returned to driving service buses but that truly was horrendous and much harder work than truck driving in my opinion. Unfortunately all I've managed to get work as was driving a dustcart ( that lasted a week before I left lol ) and doing multi drop deliveries of fruit and veg for the measly rate of £8.50 an hour for 60 hours a week ( no overtime rate paid ) The company I work for are desperate for drivers but speaking to the old timers here they've not had a pay rise for 10 years !! It's not just the wages, it's the way you get treated at the customers sites, spoken to like dirt by the office staff, sworn at by the warehouse workers, disgusting portaloos literally full of s**t, At lots of places I'm the only native speaker and it's so hard to communicate with the workers there. Fortunately I've been offered a non driving job in the civil service which I hope to start soon. It's a shame as I actually do enjoy driving the truck, I just don't want to do it for 60 hours a week to take home £400.
Spot on Jason. I used to drive through an agency.My experience is that all the haulage firms want you to drive like a maniac and not take your breaks.Long hours, poor pay, treated like shit by haulage office tosses. Thankfully I am out of it now.
Just watched your clip, Every thing you said is bang on. & like you said "WE are just thick lorry drivers..who have 2 suffer being spoken to by a majority of warehouse staff with no respect.. and you know your self roads are chaos!!!!! reason being dum drivers behind a 44tonne truck with cpc card ..All the best....m8 real person right there..
Jase regarding the CPC. I'm lucky that I only have to sit one class because when I renew my ADR, that accounts to the rest. I get core, packages and all the classes except 7
What you said about the experience catch 22 is horribly correct. I'm 26, spent years driving 3.5T vans and decided to go for my Class 1. Got it but got turned down by many a company due to my lack of experience. So driving a vehicle that's wider, longer than a car, where you're blind from behind means fuck all in their eyes. Surely it shows a willingness if you have that experience at least and wish to go further with it. Been driving Class 1 for a few months now and I love it. I get the whole 'you'll hate it in no time' from more drivers than I can count but I don't really care. Some call it dead end, I call it freedom. I'd rather be stuck in traffic on the M6 than be stuck in an office all day where you're just a number, not a name. I'm aware my opinion may change as time goes on but right now, I know and feel that being a HGV driver is the best thing I ever did for myself and no one can take that from me. You do make some very good valid points so credit to you. Nice vid pal.
Fkn absoloutely spot on! You tell it exactly like it is! 😂 I do 4 nights per week trunking between Newcastle & London for 9.50 per hour, the truck runs 24/7 with 4 drivers (2x day shift, 2x night shift) I can't leave anything in it or it gets nicked.. Who would be a truck driver? 😂
Could not agree more fella i have been in this industry for 25 years now and have seen a steady decline over the years and all the tradional truck stops are all now closed down to make way for motorway service areas that charge outragous prices coz they can and then i go for a shower to find some kind sould has had a shit in a burger king cup and left it in the shower cubicle despite the toilet being in the same room!!! Yeah too much responsibility too many roadside fines and long unsociable working hours with piss poor pay rates and too many idiots on the road and add to that roadworks and tight schedules who the hell on this earth would want to spend £5k to be an hgv driver these days..!!
I did have an ADR in tanks for ten years and could not even get a job driving tankers. So I decided not to waste my money renewing it. I really wish I had never paid out 3 grand plus getting my HGV. Driving is finished in this country. Car drivers have no respect for HGV and bus drivers. The amount of abuse I've had as a bus driver is unreal. Ain't worth a bolt.
absolutely bang on Jason. I passed my class 2 few month's ago and have struggled to find work since then. the only job offered to me has been £ 8.60 ph and its multi drop deliveries around leeds city centre and some home deliveries. I went for a drive with an experienced driver for a day and I was all over the place to be honest. some of the deliveries were like home deliveries where as a new driver you shouldn't be in a class 2 truck. I have spent few thousand pounds to get this licence but so far it's been a pointless exercise.
Some many wise points made there. I drove for 6 years here in Ireland with a few trips to the uk. Uk has far better driving standards but it's still disgraceful how little respect others have for drivers. Its a tough life and i would advise young lads to make sure to have an exit strategy if thinking of getting into it
Just starting out at 24yrs old jay got this talk aswell by a lorry driver whos 30+yrs in the job he looked shocked and said "are you stupid" like you said its currrently a dead end job, its just one of them jobs i suppose like some security industries (lack of education turns into lack of quality drivers which results in lack of a good standard of wages) should do what the sparkies or plumbers do the equivalent of their apprenticeship 2 or 3 years with experienced driver to bring up the education and responsibility totally agree with your point made.
Cheers pal that was enlightening, I’m in construction and drive a 360 excavator for a living , I would love to drive trucks but that would mean half a pay cut, and from what you have said it really is not worth it. You guys are the veins of the country, surely you can stand up to this bullshit!!!!
Got my c+e but better off doing other things that pay better and regular hours with no silly start times ! I agree with you Jason we pay tax to run on the roads foreign trucks should pay at the docks to run on our roads as we pay to run on theirs through tolls and do all the ones who take breaks for tacho on hard shoulders, if drivers turn up for £10 per hr more fool them drive safe Jason
I like the idea of apprentice, when i started in 1976, was often with senior guys, passing their knowledge, it wast formal of course but was education.
Ive been considering a trucking job for quite a while now but Im never sure if I can handle it or not, if only companies offered some sort of work experience or internships for young people to go out with a driver for a few days to get first hand experience/feel to what the job is like so we can make better decisions in the future.
Kaan Geundogdou In 1994 I drove HGV1 trucks, I got £15 ph Monday to Friday. £17ph on a Saturday and £19ph on Sunday. I worked through an agency called driver hire at Whitman. Last June they contacted me asking if I wanted some work. I haven’t driven trucks for over ten years and my licence has lapsed, no cpc or medical. The cost of maintaining these just weren’t worth the pay. Anyway out of curiosity I asked how much they are paying now, 24 years later. £11.50ph😳😳😳😳 I asked if he was joking, he told me that the rate now. That’s why people don’t want to drive heavy lorries anymore. It’s not rocket science.
When I did European the drivers facilities were spotless, proper cleaning staff doing a fantastic job. In the UK no one was interested in cleaning the pathetic excuse for what was called "driver facilities ' the worst I ever experienced was Exeter services, tiles missing off walls, gaps around the shower base, flooding of the floor, mold and mildew up the walls..... I could go on. The facilities are crap because they are not maintained, because nobody gives a crap about drivers, we are scum, shouldn't be on the road at all, but we are keeping this country running on a daily basis, without us behind the wheel this country ceases to function. We are people too, but obviously not worthy of consideration because we drive Trucks. Without us, nothing moves.
Hi Jason regarding the CPC modules, you can look at it another way and say ye your right mate pass every module but pay the going rate in wages and not peanuts!!
Very good video my father used to drive lorries in the fifties and sixties and it was common back then to have a new driver go with an experienced driver until he’s experienced enough to go solo but that was when my father was driving heavy haulage so that is a specialized field also a driver at to be at least 21years of age
As an ex hgv1 driver I totally agree with everything you've said, I'm a 3rd generation driver and in my dads life time the job has drastically gone down hill..I miss the act of driving and the sense of achievement doing a good job on time but I do not miss the politics and being treated badly by employers and customers alike
I learnt to drive a lorry during my national service.The royal army service corp taught hundreds of recruits every month to drive heavy goods vehicles.National service was stopped in about 1960. Consequence no more truck drivers. The ministry of transport should provide the facilities and money to teach young drivers how to drive lorries.
absoulutely right Jason. I drive class 2 and the licence has costed me nearly 5000 pounds. I get 100 pounds a day for a 14 hours shift which I think I could have got doing something diffetent rather than sending so much money. I was thinking of progressing to class 1 but not anymore. No point spending more money just to be paid a quid more an hour.
19 years ive been driving class 1 and wouldnt recommend a hgv career to no one.I was earning more 6/7 years ago now we are soon approaching getting paid min wage,the job is total horse shit i see some of these new drivers on youtube loving the job but they just cab happy for now.Any people looking to become a lorry driver save the 3/4 k and do something worth while
I've been on class 2 for almost as long, was looking to take class 1 next year but beginning to think my money may be better spent elsewhere. No respect from the public, customers & even employees. Is it all really worth bad health?
Crazy ain't it going through all replys nobody as got a good word for the job out of 300 lol, but you won't hear foreigners complaining they think 10 hour is a Kings ransom, they only got 3 pnd hour in Poland, not a level playing field, signing them to come here, how many brits go to Poland to work, none, all one way traffic that fkd the job for our people sadly.
I was just starting out hoping to get my HGV licences. After watching this and reading the supporting comments then I'm not going to bother. Job sounds like a bag of shit, I'm not going to put effort, time and my own money into an industry and job that's obviously despised and even veteran drivers have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING good to say about it.......Thanks guys I'll swerve this dog shit job after watching this vid
Well done, wish I'd of realised the same years ago the job was ok though before the foreigners came, simple as that, i worked before they came and easily got a grand a week fair enough working through weekends, and off in the week but that was good money 25 yrs ago.
Mate don't bother ... I spent over 3k getting my class 2 and then class 1 ... I did it for 6 months before I realised actually how crap the job is... especially when u come out of a car factory on nearly 17 pound an hour and land a job for 13 an hour driving class 1... the wages are well off... the job will cause u nothing but stress ... long long days lonely ... you will hardly see your partner... you will finish work with just enough time to get home and eat before going back to bed ... trust me mate the jobs dog shit .DO NOT waste ur money
Hi Jason! I agreed with every word you said, it is absolutely bl--dy appalling how truck drivers are treated within the industry, it is basically along the same lines as nursing really, especially in regards to the responsibility involve, and being paid a minimum wage.... I have experienced driving a large artic and although I do simply love driving, I'm buggered if I'd want to drive a truck for a living in this day an age...... Drive Safe, Love ya Vid's xx
Well said man, Agree with everything you said. Newly qualified drivers should spend a couple of weeks in the truck going around with experienced older driver learning the trade. Way too much theory in the CPC although it’s a good course if it had a proper exam. Massive responsibility of a job that is the lifeblood of the economy, the wages or thankless attitude you get no way reflect this.
I work for Saints Transport. I do the Heathrow to Cardiff run nights, occasionally BlackWood/Llantrisant. It’s not fun anymore driving, motorways are ALWAYS closed!!!! And the stupid country lanes they send you down in a trailer!!! Also I used to work 6 nights a week sometimes and I was getting soooo depressed driving all night and sleeping all day!!! I used to do maximum hours. Not any more I only want to do MAX 12 hours a night, no more and weekends off. It does get VERY VERY lonely on your own all the time. I try and have a work/life balance but it’s hard. That’s why I would NEVER do nights out anymore or European work
Re: Cargo Values = I Drove HGV1's for a Bonded Warehouse in the 1990's, 26 Blue CHEP Pallets, on 1 Occasion when I Opened the Rear Doors, the Pallets were Stacked 8ft High with: Malrboros & Gold B&H packs of 20's, 26 Blue CHEP Pallets, I did the Maths, it Total'd = Between: 5 - 6 Million UK Pounds for the Entire Load @ mid 1990's Cig' Prices ! " WHAT Would the Load Value Be NOW ? " Diver's Pay THEN ? = CRAP & Going DOWN ! * I ALWAYS Tell ANYONE Thinking of Going Into HGV Driving * " DON'T DO IT ! "
I got out of the industry at 40 in 2006. I loved driving artics, I was damned good at it but even then, you didn’t need a crystal ball to see what was coming down the line. The job cost me my marriage and my home. I went self employed driving my own Combo van doing courier work and earned double what the agency rates were. No nights away, no VOSA, no cpc, no hassle. Would I go back? Not a chance. I did a runner from the U.K. and have been effectively retired since the age of 45. Until government stop buggering up the job with more and more expensive training, until firms pay a decent salary and neo-liberal economic policies are chucked in the shredder, it ain’t ever going to get better. My respects to those of you still turning those wheels through clogged up roads, crap facilities and all the rest of it.
l drive truck in Canada now l happen to be in a great company that pays very well but almost all don't pay much l totally understand why people don't drive anymore were not respected at all so l do agree with you
To answer your question... No one....because insurance companies will not permit newly qualified or returning licence holders to drive with less than 2 years recent experience. So the pool of existing drivers cannot now be replaced.
brilliant video Jay - I'm a new driver, been driving since January kept getting thrown in at the deep end with haulage firms via agencies and offered crap wages to go full time. After only a short few months of passing I fell out with the haulage game and started to look for something else, I'm now working for my local council as a bin wagon driver £12.50 an hour working 7-3 or job and off most days and I get the company of 2 lads to have a laugh with which makes my day fly by. I would never go back to haulage work as it is at the moment as it's a pile of shite and I respect any man or woman that does it because I wouldn't want to go back to it.
Agree with what your saying some good points but when I go into the services I’ve seen drivers leave it in a shit state and some do abuse them but not all of us but I’ve never been into a shower in the services and seen cleaning products to clean up after myself all I’ve ever done is left water on the floor but very rarely do you have a mop bucket that clean and useable with products to clean up after you’ve been in the shower what are we expected to do put our towel down and start moping the floor with it I don’t think so but drivers don’t put mould on the roof and the walls we don’t break the extractor fan these showers are mostly just run down due to the amount of use it gets But I have heard the horror stories about drivers leaving number 2’s in the shower and seen it myself that’s not acceptable but why should we all get punished because of the minority Now as for pissing in the truck park I don’t stay in services but imagine it’s winter freezing you’ve stopped for your 9 hours off it’s 7pm you get to bed your up at 4am and wake up at midnight needing a piss are you really gonna get out of bed get dressed walk over to the services building go back to the cab by which time your wide awake struggle to get back to sleep you finally drop off then what seems like no time your alarms going off and later on that day your nodding off at the wheel because you’ve had broken sleep it’s not like when your at home just nipping off feet away to the bog in the other room in your pants have a piss then less than a minute later your back in bed having not really woken up so your straight back to sleep who would do that I know I wouldn’t but then again I wouldn’t piss outside in the truck park either not ideal having a piss bottle and pouring it somewhere more sanitary the next day but then again tramping isn’t totally ideal is it
Us newbies had to pass a theory and a practical to get our initial CPC card Module 2 and Module 4. The theory is 80% pass, the practical is 5 show me tell me questions which you must score a min of 80% on each question and an overall score of 80%.
Been an HGV PSV driver for over thirty four years..now an instructor for four years..I can tell you he's not wrong about younger people paying for their HGV licence and leaving the transport althoger within 6 months.. I totally agree with him that unlike when I started in the early 1980's ..where the traffic was half of what it is now .. people where more patient .. anyone my age will remember a time without mobile phones ..no spy in the etc Until regional unions are created it's not going to improve.. you'd be better off in the French Foreign Legion..
It’s down to globalism, cheap screw drivers from the Eastern Europe, By the way it’s happening to every industry try construction for example. Employers won’t pay the money. Why should they when cheap workers in general are in huge numbers.
I am 56 and driven hgv class 1 for 35 Yrs in that time started on flats rope sheet etc.finished on ADR tankers.just finished had enough was earning 30k a year 20 years ago on tankers .only earned 38 k last year.now driving recovery truck home every night good
Also when you said its a dead end job and that you cant advance in it, I always thought the way to advance as a truck driver would be to become an owner operator and drive your own truck
Jason Walton Yh I heard things like that before but I always thought it's just like starting any other business and in theory it should be cheaper than most businesses such as shops etc. How can it end up as a disaster?
Where are you going to get a deposit on less than £12ph for class 1.. by the way i live on the south coast of England, with no hope of saving for a mortgage let alone affordable own truck. No Rdc's on the south coast except Tescos at Southampton.. awful place .
You don't just get a DQC(CPC) by attending a course for 7hours for 5 days. Drivers with acquired rights got a DQC(CPC) by attending a course for 7hours for 5 days and that was before 2009. I know people that have failed the CPC. I had to answer 50 questions for my CPC same amount of questions on a car test, and then a demonstration. The 7 hours for 5 days is just a refresher and you can do that in 5 years 7 hours each year. So you do take an actual test and people have failed them for a DQC (CPC) bit of plastic.
Im currently 24, in an insurance job on Shy of £20K fixed 9-5 Mon-Friday. However, I'm not too happy with the job and recently passed my HGV theory and just did an assessment lesson. I have been told that i can do a 5 day course for the practical I was really excited, however, I've heard so much negativity recently about the standard of life and how you're treated and it's now putting me off. Guessing it would be best to pull out now instead of spending over a grand to get my practical done?
Joe Higgins Hi buddy you cant always listen to what others say as thats there opinion on driving. I recently passed my Class 2 i work for tesco at moment thru an agency and job is easy as chuff dont get me wrong it has its challenges but on the whole i enjoy it its job and knock too so im not out all day away from friends and family but i still see why people dont like the job im only on £9 ph during week n more for sat and sun i take rest in week so my weekend is tuesday/ wednesday normally. Beats working in shitty cold warehouses n forklifts for just as shit pay so my advice is try it for a few years i know its expensive to get but if u have savings you could enjoy it n drop on a good job but have another plan incase u dont like it but my advice is try it ull never know unless u try yourself as the sayin goes
Keep going and remember when you eventually pass, only work for a manufacturer, not a haulier. That is , someone who profits from their goods and their safe delivery rather than someone who profits from the amount of miles or drops you cover in a week. Usually always better in salary, terms, holidays, pensions, conditions and the truck itself, not to mention your own longevity.
I think the main thing is PAY 💰, I am very fortunate to be with a family run and my truck is mine the only other person who may drive is the boss. I think we need a simula system as us 1 to 2 weeks driving c1 Training and then 2 to 3 weeks of job training eg strapping paper work so on, and the 6 mounths with an experienced driver.
My stepdaughter earns 8.50 per hour flipping burgers at a well known fast food establishment! She gets a larger holiday entitlement as well. Makes me feel quite inferior as a class 2 driver with 30 years behind me. Trouble is, like most of us, its all I know. Better the devil , as they say... even though on min wage. All points well made Jase, couldn't agree more. Before anyone asks why stay at my company ? Its just 5 min walk to work, so costs nothing to go in. Plus at my age, can't be arsed with job hunting now especially for an extra 1 - 5 quid an hour which would probably be swallowed up in extra fuel cost getting there. So no better off. Drive safe lads!
The conditions are as bad as the shite pay, transport abuse the 15 hour days when the 3 hours after 12 are meant for emergencys, but they usually all run you too the max day in day out, and in my experience the foreigners love that we're as older British drivers don't want to be doing 70 hr weeks, and then having to explain to vosa, also now minimum wage is 9 pnd an hour only foreigners mainly still want to do it, i mean another 1 pnd an hour isn't going to bring in much more than shelf filling after tax, hgv is one of the worst jobs you do for a life, no life.
I went to a well known supermarket distribution centre up in Yorkshire it was Xmas and I ended up waiting for 3 hours to be unloaded. As the flt driver started I asked him for directions to the toilet. He said the toilets are out of use due to damage caused by drivers. I said OK where are the staff toilets. Your not allowed to use them. Hmm. I point out my 3 hour wait and that I really needed to go for a wee quite urgently. He just shrugged and drove off.
I then saw some nice bushes nearby and walked over and had a very refreshing wee whilst the office staff looked out of the window.
2 minutes later a manager and security staff are over at my truck berating me for my behaviour. Stating I'm banned from the site and they are reporting me to the police for indecent exposure and to my company.
I point out the nearly 4 hour wait and that I'm banned from using the toilets according to the flt driver and pointed out they were quite lucky I didn't need a shit instead of just a wee. They were pretty much taken a back that I could stand my ground. Funny they never did report me.but that's how drivers are treated. I now drive a flt for only 50p and hour less than a 40 ton truck.
I'm 50 yo and being put through for my class C by Royal Mail. After 25 years as a postie van driver. I'm looking forward to the change and the money is decent. I hope i don't regret it.
All very valid points! You forgot to mention the driver behaviour software that now comes as standard and gives the office the leg up if you exceed the speed limit by 1mph, carry out an emergency stop for whatever reason ?, Don't change gears in a prescribed fashion, leave your driving seat for too long, or stray off your route because perhaps you encounter serious delays, and know a diversion which could get you there quicker, that's called geo fencing, all reported back ! who in their right mind would tolerate a work environment such as this ? then you have low bridges, width restrictions, weight limits, VOSA checks, and traffic wardens, good luck newbies, you're gonna need it !
@N/A N/A used to work at Warrens a wile back they had camera in cab i used to put my cap on it
I used to switch off the camera and live gps monitor. When office moan, I say speak to the hand as I want a live camera and kpi s on their office work. Accurate paperwork from the admin team would be nice.
When will double trailer start happening on UK roads.
When I worked for a certain company that likes hitting bridges I got suspended on full pay whilst there was an investigation as to why I stopped for a poo 💩 after having 8hrs in a RDC !
I was accused of stealing company time !
@@ElvisPresley68 If you're referring to stobarts then that's enough to put me off - Got offered a job with them the other week
pink tshirt and reads the Guardian......... says it all
There is no driver shortage that is just a line put out by big business to keep the numbers up so they can carry on paying shit wages and treating drivers like dirt.
Passed my test in a lorry, tank transporters, hgv1 at tnt, tankers for 13 years, moved on just not worth the money, roads are terrible nowadays and nobody has any patience, now qualified as an engineer
Well said! I'm 19 years old and a class 1 driver been driving them since I was 18. Next week is my last week in the industry and I want to get it over with. Leaving this job is by far the best fucking decision I've made!
Bradley Williams good luck on your next endeavor. It’s not for everyone, but the sad thing is, it’s not going too get any better. In fact, it’s only going to get worse!
Amen to that... I lasted 6 months before I realised what utter shite driving class 1 is... 6 months after 3k training what a waste.
Absolutely spot on!! I spent days training to operate a lorry mounted crane. Not 1 second of that training counted towards my cpc. It's just a money making scam. I passed my class one in 1996 and just let my CPC run out. I refuse to take 5 days off my current job and then pay out £600 of my own cash to drive a scabby truck. Goodbye haulage world for me
Well said mate,agree with everything you said safe driving my friend.
I use to be a driver and came across all the things you have. It's good to hear someone talking sence. Well done.
100% true I am retired 75 year old HGV driver started driving when I was 17 on a 4 wheeler at 14 ton gross then no powered steering no air brakes try that today. Doug
Legend
In 1994 I drove HGV1 trucks, I got £15 ph Monday to Friday. £17ph on a Saturday and £19ph on Sunday.
I worked through an agency called driver hire at Whitman.
Last June they contacted me asking if I wanted some work. I haven’t driven trucks for over ten years and my licence has lapsed, no cpc or medical. The cost of maintaining these just weren’t worth the pay.
Anyway out of curiosity I asked how much they are paying now, 24 years later. £11.50ph😳😳😳😳 I asked if he was joking, he told me that the rate now.
That’s why people don’t want to drive heavy lorries anymore. It’s not rocket science.
😂...what clowns. i think the agencies have expanded greatly, cost have increased they probably retain more from the p/h. they prob charging the companies 15-20 p/h. Agencies are the cunts. The money is there still. lorry work will never finish.
Shergillbert All driver agencies take a similar % you moron😂😂😂
Shergillbert I was earning £15hr from the agency, that’s £31k 25 years ago. Look what’s being paid now you idiot.
www.indeed.co.uk/m/jobs?q=HGV+Driver
The agency's these days want as much as the driver gets astonishingly, 25 years ago i knew someone that owned an agency and he was happy to get 2 pnd an hour per driver, i know times moved on but drivers pays gone down, mainly on agency's because of them they take too much, rates from firms have gone up for agency's but there keeping it, and also most companies pay for your breaks, but the agency's take that, fkn abysmal.
Make no mistake I've been in the game 30 years and i know what fkd the job is when they signed the foreigners in manna from heaven for employers, they already knew that these people were used to 30 pnd a week in Poland ect, so a pole is over the moon on 10 an hour, they have mainly come here to hammer it, take the savings back to there piss poor country's and are able to buy land and house after just 3 years, so it's a different agenda to them against us brits, specially older drivers can't compete with young foreign drivers, so that's how it is, maybe in 10 yrs time the job might be ok again when foreigners can't come anymore, but too late for a lot of us sadly.
What you have just said is spot on.
Do you ever wish we could turn back the clock 30 years ?
Totally agree. Done my class 1 two years ago & have given up for good. Treated like a slave by agencies coz you have no experience. Chucked out on your own with no help to drive a double deck through the country lanes in Scotland. Most stressful job I've ever had. Wish I hadn't listened to the "I earn £800 a week brigade"
The pay that some company's offer is embararising, 8.50 an hour for hard graft cat c work, might as well shelf stack.
Michael Aris exactly my point!
do somerhing else. it just doesn't worth
Mumtaz Zafar :
I am doing something else. Walked away 1 year ago. Best thing I ever did
Michael Aris :
Spot on mate and those that do pay overtime rate in the North East don't start to pay it until 10 (ten) hours have been worked
Always said if I had a kid and he or she said I want to drive a truck like you dad, I'd beat them within an inch of their life. I do like driving trucks cos it don't matter I earn more elsewhere I drive to keep my eye in.
Thanks! I live in Canada, Dad drove for BRS, ran fish for companies out of Leith, and Granton. We emigrated in 65. I finished high school, served
my time at Cummins dealer in Toronto in the 70's. Truck owner for 30 plus years. 64 now, still driving long distance. Just want to say I completely agree with what your saying. We are behind the curve here, but pretty much the same thing is happening here, and the U.S.
Do we blame ourselves ? We aren't the government. They just did what the shippers, and manufacturers lobbied them for. Cheaper transportation cost. Now that the shit is blowing back in their faces, who best to blame than a bunch of lorry drivers. They now have to show the
public that they can tame the beast. Enter more techies with programs, and " safety " protocols who see a bright future living of the avails of
HGV drivers. Companies all go for the latest tech in the trucks, but never invest any money in the driver. You pay shit wages, you get shit workers, many who should never be allowed behind the wheel. I've considered myself a dinosaur in this industry for years. Soon I will be
extinct. As my dad used to say when I had owned a reefer in the 80's, " this is the lowest card in the pack ! " I could go on, but you say it better
than I can Jason. Ps. Dad used to run Liverpool Trunk back in the day. I still have lots of fond memories of the Albion's and AEC's. Cheers.
absolutely bang on the money with this one Jase 😊
Why has this video not had more views?! Never a truer word spoken sir!
A lot of good points well made Jason.After 34 years driving lorries, the last 25 as an owner driver,i still enjoy going to work,but after just coming from a meeting with the people we pull for it makes me wonder about carrying on. They are wanting our Euro 5 wagons upgrading to Euro 6, all with 6 recording camera's, all to be Fors compliant along with just a small mountain of extra paperwork and training! Good job we love driving eh? Drive/ride safe.
Cloudmaker Unfortunately, the whole business is hellbent on dehumanising driving. Now you can't even have peace in the cab anymore with big brother scrutinising every eye blink you make. Soon you won't be allowed to listen to the radio while driving. If only they were one fifth as interested in the health, welfare and wellbeing of drivers all this fixation on technology and box ticking to oppress drivers wouldn't be necessary.
take a bow sir, well said Jase 👏
Thanks for this, just crushed my will to getting the licence, ha ha
gary63693 sorry bud! 😝
Very enlightening. Thanks. Mark USA
One of your best vids...
Brilliant video fella just found your channel you are spot on found a flip flop having a pee at side of truck shouted at him all he did was shrug his shoulders and say it’s not his country I mean what can you say to that
Video 4 minutes short of 15 minutes 🤔 Great timing on a 15 minute break 👍 😂😂
Bloody hell my boss is usually on the phone now ringing me saying did you need to take a 15minute break then
I could never pass a cpc my head just goes to sleep but the younger drivers with no experience answer all the questions bless
This guy is spot on
I retired from trucking about 10 years ago aged 50 awhile before the drivers cpc came out, I was lucky enough to have both a military pension and an end salary pension from a large transport and shipping company TBH I have never looked back and never missed the crap you lads put up with
And these day's, it is a load of crap!
As a lowly van driver we’re also treated like dirt, low wages, long hours. No more money for having a Taco license, CPC is a waste of time as well. Only decent thing is the overtime is ok and plenty of it.
Wish I'd seen this before I done mine. 22 and scrimped and saved stacking shelves in Tesco to pay for it all myself and yeah.... what a mistake that was...
why was it a mistake for?
curlyy94 I was the same pal wasted time and money
There's decent companies out there paying the right money but you need to keep looking
Thats spot on old boy.
I took my class c a year ago aged 52 after being made redundant from my old job with the local authority I have held a pcv licence since 1991 and initially returned to driving service buses but that truly was horrendous and much harder work than truck driving in my opinion. Unfortunately all I've managed to get work as was driving a dustcart ( that lasted a week before I left lol ) and doing multi drop deliveries of fruit and veg for the measly rate of £8.50 an hour for 60 hours a week ( no overtime rate paid ) The company I work for are desperate for drivers but speaking to the old timers here they've not had a pay rise for 10 years !! It's not just the wages, it's the way you get treated at the customers sites, spoken to like dirt by the office staff, sworn at by the warehouse workers, disgusting portaloos literally full of s**t, At lots of places I'm the only native speaker and it's so hard to communicate with the workers there. Fortunately I've been offered a non driving job in the civil service which I hope to start soon. It's a shame as I actually do enjoy driving the truck, I just don't want to do it for 60 hours a week to take home £400.
Spot on Jason. I used to drive through an agency.My experience is that all the haulage firms want you to drive like a maniac and not take your breaks.Long hours, poor pay, treated like shit by haulage office tosses. Thankfully I am out of it now.
Just watched your clip,
Every thing you said is bang on.
& like you said "WE are just thick lorry drivers..who have 2 suffer being spoken to by a majority of warehouse staff with no respect..
and you know your self roads are chaos!!!!! reason being dum drivers behind a 44tonne truck with cpc card ..All the best....m8 real person right there..
Jase regarding the CPC. I'm lucky that I only have to sit one class because when I renew my ADR, that accounts to the rest. I get core, packages and all the classes except 7
Your vosa exempt unless you have an Irish reg 😂
If ever there was a true word spoken,this is it,brilliant.
What you said about the experience catch 22 is horribly correct. I'm 26, spent years driving 3.5T vans and decided to go for my Class 1. Got it but got turned down by many a company due to my lack of experience. So driving a vehicle that's wider, longer than a car, where you're blind from behind means fuck all in their eyes. Surely it shows a willingness if you have that experience at least and wish to go further with it. Been driving Class 1 for a few months now and I love it. I get the whole 'you'll hate it in no time' from more drivers than I can count but I don't really care. Some call it dead end, I call it freedom. I'd rather be stuck in traffic on the M6 than be stuck in an office all day where you're just a number, not a name. I'm aware my opinion may change as time goes on but right now, I know and feel that being a HGV driver is the best thing I ever did for myself and no one can take that from me. You do make some very good valid points so credit to you. Nice vid pal.
Fkn absoloutely spot on! You tell it exactly like it is! 😂 I do 4 nights per week trunking between Newcastle & London for 9.50 per hour, the truck runs 24/7 with 4 drivers (2x day shift, 2x night shift) I can't leave anything in it or it gets nicked.. Who would be a truck driver? 😂
Mmmmnn, some interesting comments and well put. I'm new to this truck driving malarkey so I'm making it up as I go along!
We as truck drivers are classed as unskilled labour #labouroflove
Thanks for the thoughts. Been thinking of getting the license for years now but didnt due to the same stuff that you mentioned.
Agree with every word chief!!!
Could not agree more fella i have been in this industry for 25 years now and have seen a steady decline over the years and all the tradional truck stops are all now closed down to make way for motorway service areas that charge outragous prices coz they can and then i go for a shower to find some kind sould has had a shit in a burger king cup and left it in the shower cubicle despite the toilet being in the same room!!!
Yeah too much responsibility too many roadside fines and long unsociable working hours with piss poor pay rates and too many idiots on the road and add to that roadworks and tight schedules who the hell on this earth would want to spend £5k to be an hgv driver these days..!!
I did have an ADR in tanks for ten years and could not even get a job driving tankers. So I decided not to waste my money renewing it. I really wish I had never paid out 3 grand plus getting my HGV. Driving is finished in this country. Car drivers have no respect for HGV and bus drivers. The amount of abuse I've had as a bus driver is unreal. Ain't worth a bolt.
absolutely bang on Jason. I passed my class 2 few month's ago and have struggled to find work since then. the only job offered to me has been £ 8.60 ph and its multi drop deliveries around leeds city centre and some home deliveries. I went for a drive with an experienced driver for a day and I was all over the place to be honest. some of the deliveries were like home deliveries where as a new driver you shouldn't be in a class 2 truck. I have spent few thousand pounds to get this licence but so far it's been a pointless exercise.
Some many wise points made there. I drove for 6 years here in Ireland with a few trips to the uk. Uk has far better driving standards but it's still disgraceful how little respect others have for drivers. Its a tough life and i would advise young lads to make sure to have an exit strategy if thinking of getting into it
Just starting out at 24yrs old jay got this talk aswell by a lorry driver whos 30+yrs in the job he looked shocked and said "are you stupid" like you said its currrently a dead end job, its just one of them jobs i suppose like some security industries (lack of education turns into lack of quality drivers which results in lack of a good standard of wages) should do what the sparkies or plumbers do the equivalent of their apprenticeship 2 or 3 years with experienced driver to bring up the education and responsibility totally agree with your point made.
brian shaw see, a sensible person! Cheers for that.
I totally agree with the appreciship scheme, training private not all can afford.
Cheers pal that was enlightening, I’m in construction and drive a 360 excavator for a living , I would love to drive trucks but that would mean half a pay cut, and from what you have said it really is not worth it. You guys are the veins of the country, surely you can stand up to this bullshit!!!!
Got my c+e but better off doing other things that pay better and regular hours with no silly start times ! I agree with you Jason we pay tax to run on the roads foreign trucks should pay at the docks to run on our roads as we pay to run on theirs through tolls and do all the ones who take breaks for tacho on hard shoulders, if drivers turn up for £10 per hr more fool them drive safe Jason
There will always be Mugs who work for peanuts, and some of them can't add up!
Mature And sensible Driver sitting beside them,You Are Mature A driver And OHH..Well two out of three ain't bad...😂😂😂😂
I like the idea of apprentice, when i started in 1976, was often with senior guys, passing their knowledge, it wast formal of course but was education.
Ive been considering a trucking job for quite a while now but Im never sure if I can handle it or not, if only companies offered some sort of work experience or internships for young people to go out with a driver for a few days to get first hand experience/feel to what the job is like so we can make better decisions in the future.
Kaan Geundogdou In 1994 I drove HGV1 trucks, I got £15 ph Monday to Friday. £17ph on a Saturday and £19ph on Sunday.
I worked through an agency called driver hire at Whitman.
Last June they contacted me asking if I wanted some work. I haven’t driven trucks for over ten years and my licence has lapsed, no cpc or medical. The cost of maintaining these just weren’t worth the pay.
Anyway out of curiosity I asked how much they are paying now, 24 years later. £11.50ph😳😳😳😳 I asked if he was joking, he told me that the rate now.
That’s why people don’t want to drive heavy lorries anymore. It’s not rocket science.
When I did European the drivers facilities were spotless, proper cleaning staff doing a fantastic job.
In the UK no one was interested in cleaning the pathetic excuse for what was called "driver facilities ' the worst I ever experienced was Exeter services, tiles missing off walls, gaps around the shower base, flooding of the floor, mold and mildew up the walls..... I could go on.
The facilities are crap because they are not maintained, because nobody gives a crap about drivers, we are scum, shouldn't be on the road at all, but we are keeping this country running on a daily basis, without us behind the wheel this country ceases to function.
We are people too, but obviously not worthy of consideration because we drive Trucks.
Without us, nothing moves.
Hi Jason
regarding the CPC modules, you can look at it another way and say ye your right mate pass every module but pay the going rate in wages and not peanuts!!
I can't have put it better myself,I have been at wheel for 18 long years and I'm now looking hard to get out of it.
The industry is in the gurgler.
One word that destroyed it for me. .Telematics.
Very good video my father used to drive lorries in the fifties and sixties and it was common back then to have a new driver go with an experienced driver until he’s experienced enough to go solo but that was when my father was driving heavy haulage so that is a specialized field also a driver at to be at least 21years of age
As an ex hgv1 driver I totally agree with everything you've said, I'm a 3rd generation driver and in my dads life time the job has drastically gone down hill..I miss the act of driving and the sense of achievement doing a good job on time but I do not miss the politics and being treated badly by employers and customers alike
I learnt to drive a lorry during my national service.The royal army service corp taught hundreds of recruits
every month to drive heavy goods vehicles.National service was stopped in about 1960.
Consequence no more truck drivers.
The ministry of transport should provide the facilities and money to teach young drivers how to drive lorries.
absoulutely right Jason. I drive class 2 and the licence has costed me nearly 5000 pounds. I get 100 pounds a day for a 14 hours shift which I think I could have got doing something diffetent rather than sending so much money. I was thinking of progressing to class 1 but not anymore. No point spending more money just to be paid a quid more an hour.
19 years ive been driving class 1 and wouldnt recommend a hgv career to no one.I was earning more 6/7 years ago now we are soon approaching getting paid min wage,the job is total horse shit i see some of these new drivers on youtube loving the job but they just cab happy for now.Any people looking to become a lorry driver save the 3/4 k and do something worth while
Isn't that the truth!
I've been on class 2 for almost as long, was looking to take class 1 next year but beginning to think my money may be better spent elsewhere. No respect from the public, customers & even employees. Is it all really worth bad health?
Crazy ain't it going through all replys nobody as got a good word for the job out of 300 lol, but you won't hear foreigners complaining they think 10 hour is a Kings ransom, they only got 3 pnd hour in Poland, not a level playing field, signing them to come here, how many brits go to Poland to work, none, all one way traffic that fkd the job for our people sadly.
Spot on
Walked away from HGV's two years ago. Not worth it. Drive a minibus now 30hrs a week for same money. Race to the bottom in HGV's
I was just starting out hoping to get my HGV licences. After watching this and reading the supporting comments then I'm not going to bother. Job sounds like a bag of shit, I'm not going to put effort, time and my own money into an industry and job that's obviously despised and even veteran drivers have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING good to say about it.......Thanks guys I'll swerve this dog shit job after watching this vid
Well done, wish I'd of realised the same years ago the job was ok though before the foreigners came, simple as that, i worked before they came and easily got a grand a week fair enough working through weekends, and off in the week but that was good money 25 yrs ago.
Mate don't bother ... I spent over 3k getting my class 2 and then class 1 ... I did it for 6 months before I realised actually how crap the job is... especially when u come out of a car factory on nearly 17 pound an hour and land a job for 13 an hour driving class 1... the wages are well off... the job will cause u nothing but stress ... long long days lonely ... you will hardly see your partner... you will finish work with just enough time to get home and eat before going back to bed ... trust me mate the jobs dog shit .DO NOT waste ur money
done the job for 30 years, mate all what you say is true, the french respect their hgv drivers
you are treated lick xxx in the uk . keep safe,
Well said
Hi Jason! I agreed with every word you said, it is absolutely bl--dy appalling how truck drivers are treated within the industry, it is basically along the same lines as nursing really, especially in regards to the responsibility involve, and being paid a minimum wage.... I have experienced driving a large artic and although I do simply love driving, I'm buggered if I'd want to drive a truck for a living in this day an age...... Drive Safe, Love ya Vid's xx
Well said man, Agree with everything you said. Newly qualified drivers should spend a couple of weeks in the truck going around with experienced older driver learning the trade. Way too much theory in the CPC although it’s a good course if it had a proper exam. Massive responsibility of a job that is the lifeblood of the economy, the wages or thankless attitude you get no way reflect this.
How true then you got office staff saying that's needed ASAP
CPC wise I'm 18 just passed I had to take 2 CPC tests 1 in a dvsa exam place and other at test centre
I work for Saints Transport. I do the Heathrow to Cardiff run nights, occasionally BlackWood/Llantrisant.
It’s not fun anymore driving, motorways are ALWAYS closed!!!! And the stupid country lanes they send you down in a trailer!!!
Also I used to work 6 nights a week sometimes and I was getting soooo depressed driving all night and sleeping all day!!! I used to do maximum hours. Not any more I only want to do MAX 12 hours a night, no more and weekends off.
It does get VERY VERY lonely on your own all the time. I try and have a work/life balance but it’s hard.
That’s why I would NEVER do nights out anymore or European work
Totally agree with you.
Re: Cargo Values =
I Drove HGV1's for a Bonded Warehouse in the 1990's,
26 Blue CHEP Pallets,
on 1 Occasion when I Opened the Rear Doors, the Pallets were Stacked 8ft High with: Malrboros & Gold B&H packs of 20's,
26 Blue CHEP Pallets, I did the Maths,
it Total'd = Between: 5 - 6 Million UK Pounds for the Entire Load @ mid 1990's Cig' Prices !
" WHAT Would the Load Value Be NOW ? "
Diver's Pay THEN ? = CRAP & Going DOWN !
* I ALWAYS Tell ANYONE Thinking of Going Into HGV Driving *
" DON'T DO IT ! "
I got out of the industry at 40 in 2006. I loved driving artics, I was damned good at it but even then, you didn’t need a crystal ball to see what was coming down the line.
The job cost me my marriage and my home. I went self employed driving my own Combo van doing courier work and earned double what the agency rates were.
No nights away, no VOSA, no cpc, no hassle. Would I go back? Not a chance.
I did a runner from the U.K. and have been effectively retired since the age of 45.
Until government stop buggering up the job with more and more expensive training, until firms pay a decent salary and neo-liberal economic policies are chucked in the shredder, it ain’t ever going to get better.
My respects to those of you still turning those wheels through clogged up roads, crap facilities and all the rest of it.
Out of interest, where did you move to at 45 and what did you do then (now) for work?
l drive truck in Canada now l happen to be in a great company that pays very well but almost all don't pay much l totally understand why people don't drive anymore were not respected at all so l do agree with you
Good video fully agree with what you said
I think this is funny as fook🤣🤣🤣. Truthfully though there is no driver shortage
and here's me looking to get back in the cab lol at 56 no money
To answer your question... No one....because insurance companies will not permit newly qualified or returning licence holders to drive with less than 2 years recent experience. So the pool of existing drivers cannot now be replaced.
brilliant video Jay - I'm a new driver, been driving since January kept getting thrown in at the deep end with haulage firms via agencies and offered crap wages to go full time. After only a short few months of passing I fell out with the haulage game and started to look for something else, I'm now working for my local council as a bin wagon driver £12.50 an hour working 7-3 or job and off most days and I get the company of 2 lads to have a laugh with which makes my day fly by. I would never go back to haulage work as it is at the moment as it's a pile of shite and I respect any man or woman that does it because I wouldn't want to go back to it.
Agree with what your saying some good points but when I go into the services I’ve seen drivers leave it in a shit state and some do abuse them but not all of us but I’ve never been into a shower in the services and seen cleaning products to clean up after myself all I’ve ever done is left water on the floor but very rarely do you have a mop bucket that clean and useable with products to clean up after you’ve been in the shower what are we expected to do put our towel down and start moping the floor with it I don’t think so but drivers don’t put mould on the roof and the walls we don’t break the extractor fan these showers are mostly just run down due to the amount of use it gets
But I have heard the horror stories about drivers leaving number 2’s in the shower and seen it myself that’s not acceptable but why should we all get punished because of the minority
Now as for pissing in the truck park I don’t stay in services but imagine it’s winter freezing you’ve stopped for your 9 hours off it’s 7pm you get to bed your up at 4am and wake up at midnight needing a piss are you really gonna get out of bed get dressed walk over to the services building go back to the cab by which time your wide awake struggle to get back to sleep you finally drop off then what seems like no time your alarms going off and later on that day your nodding off at the wheel because you’ve had broken sleep it’s not like when your at home just nipping off feet away to the bog in the other room in your pants have a piss then less than a minute later your back in bed having not really woken up so your straight back to sleep who would do that I know I wouldn’t but then again I wouldn’t piss outside in the truck park either not ideal having a piss bottle and pouring it somewhere more sanitary the next day but then again tramping isn’t totally ideal is it
Us newbies had to pass a theory and a practical to get our initial CPC card Module 2 and Module 4. The theory is 80% pass, the practical is 5 show me tell me questions which you must score a min of 80% on each question and an overall score of 80%.
Been an HGV PSV driver for over thirty four years..now an instructor for four years..I can tell you he's not wrong about younger people paying for their HGV licence and leaving the transport althoger within 6 months..
I totally agree with him that unlike when I started in the early 1980's ..where the traffic was half of what it is now .. people where more patient .. anyone my age will remember a time without mobile phones ..no spy in the etc
Until regional unions are created it's not going to improve.. you'd be better off in the French Foreign Legion..
It’s down to globalism, cheap screw drivers from the Eastern Europe,
By the way it’s happening to every industry try construction for example. Employers won’t pay the money. Why should they when cheap workers in general are in huge numbers.
I am 56 and driven hgv class 1 for 35 Yrs in that time started on flats rope sheet etc.finished on ADR tankers.just finished had enough was earning 30k a year 20 years ago on tankers .only earned 38 k last year.now driving recovery truck home every night good
Also when you said its a dead end job and that you cant advance in it, I always thought the way to advance as a truck driver would be to become an owner operator and drive your own truck
Kaan Geundogdou some have gone that way, but it’s very expensive and can end in disaster!
Jason Walton Yh I heard things like that before but I always thought it's just like starting any other business and in theory it should be cheaper than most businesses such as shops etc.
How can it end up as a disaster?
Where are you going to get a deposit on less than £12ph for class 1.. by the way i live on the south coast of England, with no hope of saving for a mortgage let alone affordable own truck. No Rdc's on the south coast except Tescos at Southampton.. awful place .
You don't just get a DQC(CPC) by attending a course for 7hours for 5 days. Drivers with acquired rights got a DQC(CPC) by attending a course for 7hours for 5 days and that was before 2009. I know people that have failed the CPC. I had to answer 50 questions for my CPC same amount of questions on a car test, and then a demonstration. The 7 hours for 5 days is just a refresher and you can do that in 5 years 7 hours each year. So you do take an actual test and people have failed them for a DQC (CPC) bit of plastic.
Im currently 24, in an insurance job on Shy of £20K fixed 9-5 Mon-Friday.
However, I'm not too happy with the job and recently passed my HGV theory and just did an assessment lesson. I have been told that i can do a 5 day course for the practical
I was really excited, however, I've heard so much negativity recently about the standard of life and how you're treated and it's now putting me off.
Guessing it would be best to pull out now instead of spending over a grand to get my practical done?
Joe Higgins Hi buddy you cant always listen to what others say as thats there opinion on driving. I recently passed my Class 2 i work for tesco at moment thru an agency and job is easy as chuff dont get me wrong it has its challenges but on the whole i enjoy it its job and knock too so im not out all day away from friends and family but i still see why people dont like the job im only on £9 ph during week n more for sat and sun i take rest in week so my weekend is tuesday/ wednesday normally. Beats working in shitty cold warehouses n forklifts for just as shit pay so my advice is try it for a few years i know its expensive to get but if u have savings you could enjoy it n drop on a good job but have another plan incase u dont like it but my advice is try it ull never know unless u try yourself as the sayin goes
Keep going and remember when you eventually pass, only work for a manufacturer, not a haulier. That is , someone who profits from their goods and their safe delivery rather than someone who profits from the amount of miles or drops you cover in a week. Usually always better in salary, terms, holidays, pensions, conditions and the truck itself, not to mention your own longevity.
I think the main thing is PAY 💰, I am very fortunate to be with a family run and my truck is mine the only other person who may drive is the boss. I think we need a simula system as us 1 to 2 weeks driving c1 Training and then 2 to 3 weeks of job training eg strapping paper work so on, and the 6 mounths with an experienced driver.
Agree with everything you say,but you could never be a politician speaking the truth
i Work for Coltons and Iam based in Coventry and it's a one man one truck and the keys come home with me :)
Wise words
My stepdaughter earns 8.50 per hour flipping burgers at a well known fast food establishment! She gets a larger holiday entitlement as well. Makes me feel quite inferior as a class 2 driver with 30 years behind me. Trouble is, like most of us, its all I know. Better the devil , as they say... even though on min wage. All points well made Jase, couldn't agree more. Before anyone asks why stay at my company ? Its just 5 min walk to work, so costs nothing to go in. Plus at my age, can't be arsed with job hunting now especially for an extra 1 - 5 quid an hour which would probably be swallowed up in extra fuel cost getting there. So no better off. Drive safe lads!
Talking the truth
The conditions are as bad as the shite pay, transport abuse the 15 hour days when the 3 hours after 12 are meant for emergencys, but they usually all run you too the max day in day out, and in my experience the foreigners love that we're as older British drivers don't want to be doing 70 hr weeks, and then having to explain to vosa, also now minimum wage is 9 pnd an hour only foreigners mainly still want to do it, i mean another 1 pnd an hour isn't going to bring in much more than shelf filling after tax, hgv is one of the worst jobs you do for a life, no life.