Question for the Truckers out there; I'm considering a career change

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Question for the Truckers out there; I'm considering a career change

8 posts & 5 voices | Started 4 months ago by Imabigkidnow | Latest reply from monkey_boy

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Imabigkidnow - Member

As per title;

Am considering a career change aged 32(currently in retail) Don't mind working on 7 days rotas or weird hours and have read in a few random places that there is a shortage of HGV drivers. This leads a few questions

- Is this true (I'm in the SE)
- What License to aim for (I've got funds to self fund training and yet to plan out my holiday allowance for this year, but I'm young enough that my car license doesn't permit 7.5t)
- I'm aware it'll probably be agency work for the first few years .. anyone specific (agency or actual employer) I should check out for improved accuracy with my market research?

Ta in advance

Posted 4 months ago #
Stu - Member

This came up last week - see here: http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/hgv-training-and-working

Posted 4 months ago #
Imabigkidnow - Member

hmm ok, thanks.

Does that mean it's going to turn into the next 'become a plumber' or 'open a chippy' trend I wonder?

Does look like a few of the 'old school' don't like it and giving up. Just human aversion to change in regs or is it genuinely getting nasty out there?

Posted 4 months ago #
project - Member

The thing is its a highly skilled job,, and a verytime sensitive one, companies want stuff when they say, so a lot of pressure on its drivers delivery company.

Youll need an lcv provisional licence, after a medical with any gp,then training to drive a rigid vehicle, then a cpc, and written test etc, then a driving test.

More and more freight is now going on Rail, so in the future there will be less call for drivers as the new HS2 alieviates overcrowding on the wcml, and more space is dedicated to freight.

Posted 4 months ago #
project - Member

and theres lots of peeps out there looking to change career, to paramedic, nurse, teacher,joiner,electrician, driver, etc etc.

Strange they didnt do it as a first choice.

Posted 4 months ago #
Imabigkidnow - Member

Strange they didnt do it as a first choice.

I think I'm quite a different kind of person from when I was making those kind of decisions at the age of 16-21
FYI I did the education system thru to uni then ~~underachieved~~ fell into the bicycle retail sector

Posted 4 months ago #
pennine - Member

I've worked within the transport industry for over 40yrs and I've never lost my interest. Numerous roles & a driving spell in the 70s/80s. More carefree & fun back then before JIT took over. The traffic conditions of today wouldn't entice me back driving that's for sure. A large % of drivers are over 45yrs due to the younger end not wishing to be a 'tramper' and away all week, working between 11 & 15hrs a day, and kipping in dodgy laybys. Having said that, those who can hack it stay driving for years, and generally enjoy the job (despite what they may say!)
A lot of the good jobs are word of mouth and most new driver's sign on with an agency to get experience. We've taken on agency drivers full time because they stood out from the crowd.

Oh! and you'll be castigated on here for taking 10 minutes to pass another truck Never happened in my driving days because limiters were unheard of and we could accelerate to 65mph+

Have a mooch around in here Trucknet

Posted 4 months ago #
monkey_boy - Member

my mates brother in law got into the HGV thing a about a year ago, he fekin hates it and cant wait to get out.

he's hardly at home

some sunday nights he can get a call to be in liverpool over 250 miles away by 4am the following morning

just his view mind, however as said above this does sound familiar

A lot of the good jobs are word of mouth and most new driver's sign on with an agency to get experience. We've taken on agency drivers full time because they stood out from the crowd.

i think he is still at the shitty end of the ladder and he's been told 'things do get better with time, experience and when you face gets known'

i guess at the end of the day its horses for courses.

Posted 4 months ago #

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