Question about becoming a truck driver

[englisharcher]

I have always wanted to drive a truck for a living.

What interests me the most is 8 wheelers operating out of quarries.

I know it is hard dirty work, for not much pay, but it's what I've always wanted to do.

The only thing is as I'm 35 and type 2 diabetic, is it too late for me?

Also. would a company be willing to train me, or will I need to pay myself? I have a feeling it will be the latter.

My car license only covers me up to 3.5t, so how much would i be looking at to get a license?

[zip929]

As long as your T2 is controlled by tablets then you should have no issues getting a license.

I cannot see anyone paying for you to train, there are too many drivers already out there.

You will need to self fund. I did this 22 years ago, not sure how much it costs these days but I imagine a couple of grand at least.

Then when you pass the test you will have the chicken and egg time!
No experience and no one willing to give you experience.
You will need to take any work you can get and then after a couple of years it becomes easier.

I gave up truck driving 12 years ago, so times may be different now.

Good luck

[R0G]

A company paying for a LGV licence in a recession = no way

To go from B to C have the best part of £2k ready just in case

To go from B to C to CE have £3k ready

Pass test(s) and put licence in a drawer for 2 years

After 2 years make sure you are over age 25

Companies and agencies want LGV drivers who have held the category of LGV they are wanting for 2 years and be over age 25 - insurance companies are the problem

Still want to go for it?

[R0G]

If you passed car test after 01/01/97 then you will also need to pass initial lgv driver cpc mosdules 2 theory and mod 4 practical

NEVER pay more than about £50 for a medical - google lgv medical

Always visit the training school before paying anything

[dowahdiddyman]

Seriously you do not want to drive an 8 legger out of a quarry, you really don`t. It`s a pants job where the main qualification is to `drive it like you stole it` and then some, all for naff all reward. The pay will more than likely be a percentage of the trucks earnings which at the present time ain`t alot. Get you hgv licence and go driving but there are easier ways to earn a crust.

[GC8]

Aggregates is definitely the harder end of the HGV driving spectrum, with coated stone (tarmac) being harder still. It is certainly true that you get paid more if you do more, but it isnt true to suggest that the pay is poor.

The pay may be poor, of course, but I worked for slightly less than one year and saved over £20,000 - not to be sniffed at.

Id suggest stating in a four wheeler, or a six at most too, as an eight wheel rigid is the least maneuverable of all HGVs and quarry work some of the most taxing in that respect, so youd be making it all very difficult for yourself.

[R0G]

Suggest a look at the film HELL DRIVERS to get some idea of that job !!

[GC8]

Whilst that made me smile, it hasnt been like that since the early nineteen seventies.

[R0G]

GC8 said:

Whilst that made me smile, it hasnt been like that since the early nineteen seventies.

Dont spoil my daydream .... LOL

[GC8]

The reality is that far from being No.13, most quarry vehicles are driven by owner-operators who are contracted through the quarry companys haulage scheme.

Employed drivers would typically earn 25% - 28% of the (6 or 8 wheel) vehicles gross earnings and the vehicle would be aiming to make £20 per tonne, per day.

[R0G]

GC8 said:

Employed drivers would typically earn 25% - 28% of the (6 or 8 wheel) vehicles gross earnings and the vehicle would be aiming to make £20 per tonne, per day.

Which does encourage the drivers to push the limits or break the legalities of driving IMO

there was a move to ban this sort of payment but it seems to have gone awry - shame

[jagracer]

R0G said:

A company paying for a LGV licence in a recession = no way

To go from B to C have the best part of £2k ready just in case

To go from B to C to CE have £3k ready

Pass test(s) and put licence in a drawer for 2 years

After 2 years make sure you are over age 25

Companies and agencies want LGV drivers who have held the category of LGV they are wanting for 2 years and be over age 25 - insurance companies are the problem

Still want to go for it?

Where do your figures come from or is that what you charge?
A mate of mine paid around £1200 for his C and just under that for his CE a few weeks later. This included all the theory. He also did quite a few ADR modules to get him to tanker level, this included part of his CPC, cost for that was under £1K.
He has had to work for an agency although he has had one job offer but didn't want it. A lot of companies want one year's experience and admittedly he can't find group1 work which is what he really wants but saying that he did do a few hours shopping once until they found out he couldn't reverse an artic onto the loading bank.
So It's not all so doom and gloom if you don't set your sights too high at the beginning.
BTW I drive an eight wheeler and as driving jobs go It's piss easy, good money and I don't have to break any laws to do it. The biggest headache I'm going to have is getting round the fact I work in and around the Olympic area of London.

[R0G]

jagracer said:

here do your figures come from or is that what you charge?
A mate of mine paid around £1200 for his C and just under that for his CE a few weeks later. This included all the theory. He also did quite a few ADR modules to get him to tanker level, this included part of his CPC, cost for that was under £1K

I am unemployed mate so I do not charge anything !!

I always go over the top as to what is actually charged for a first time pass in case of any retests

[GC8]

R0G said:

GC8 said:

Employed drivers would typically earn 25% - 28% of the (6 or 8 wheel) vehicles gross earnings and the vehicle would be aiming to make £20 per tonne, per day.

Which does encourage the drivers to push the limits or break the legalities of driving IMO

there was a move to ban this sort of payment but it seems to have gone awry - shame

It is 'illegal', but easily circumvented, through the payment of a guaranteed minimum day or week rate. My experience contradicts your opinion. There will always be people who break tacho/WTD rules, but theyre found in all walks. The majority of 'tipper' vehicles drivers are paid by the hour (an equal incentive to break the rules, if you think about it...).

[jagracer]

GC8 said:

The majority of 'tipper' vehicles drivers are paid by the hour (an equal incentive to break the rules, if you think about it...).

There'll always be incentives to break rules. I'm on a salary, no bonus or overtime so the sooner I get my work done the sooner I can go home, the only thing with my company is that if I rush around too much they'll only find me something else to do.

[englisharcher]

Right, I've done a lot of 3.5t multi drop work.

Would the next sensible step be to...

1, Get a 7.5t licence

2, Get some digi tacho work experience

3, See where that gets me, and take it from there.

What's the situation like for getting 7.5t work?

[GC8]

A C1 licence costs almost as much to get as a C, so thats where you should spend your money.

[R0G]

GC8 said:

A C1 licence costs almost as much to get as a C, so thats where you should spend your money.

+1

[cossy400]

+1 also.

Digi tachos are not rocket science either, 4 and half hours driving = 45 mins break.


Or split it in to a 15 then a half hour, < this way thou cannot be done the other way round it has to be the 15 1st.

Then theres working time but thats not hard once you know the in and the outs of it.

[R0G]

cossy400 said:

+1 also.

Digi tachos are not rocket science either, 4 and half hours driving = 45 mins break.


Or split it in to a 15 then a half hour, < this way thou cannot be done the other way round it has to be the 15 1st.

Then theres working time but thats not hard once you know the in and the outs of it.

WTD or RTWTD - forget it - no authority checks on it