Truck Driving Jobs

nigeve · Joined: 11 Apr 2008 Posts: 9

Hi Guys, this might seem like a strange e-mail but read on anyway please. I live in London England. I’m very English. English accent, English Mannerisms, even my name is very English (Nigel) and I use different words to you such as Truck = Lorry, Sidewalk = Pavement, Garbage = Rubbish… You get the picture…
Well my sister is a US citizen and I’m always sat at my desk developing databases bored out of my brains daydreaming about being a trucker in the US…lol
This is a great forum for telling it as it really is, not the way some of the ads I have seen tell it. Long hours, congested roads, average pay, overheads and downtime are all the bits they miss out of the glossy broachers. However, the clincher for me is ageism. I am 41 years old and work as a computer programmer. I know I’ll be struggling for work when I am 51. As a trucker will I be able to continue working until retirement age? Or is it though to get work in your 50’s and 60’s..?

matcat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 560 Location: Sumter, SC

Hell at the company I was driving for I used to see people that looked like they should be in a nursing home going through the company school. Wasn't unheard of to see 50+ (even saw a guy 72) coming into it.

Mostly because of the economy going belly up over here, a lot of people are leaving retirement because they can't afford it.

nigeve · Joined: 11 Apr 2008 Posts: 9

So, would you say there is a shortage of truckers? Or a shortage of good truckers?

matcat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 560 Location: Sumter, SC

At the moment I would say there is a shortage of economy! Even the largest US Carrier Swift, I HEARD is on a 2 month hiring freeze, the schools are all shut down, not hiring anyone, cutting back almost 1000 trucks, and has fired or laid off many drivers in the last few months.

belpre122 · Joined: 14 Jul 2004 Posts: 665 Location: Hoosier

matcat wrote: At the moment I would say there is a shortage of economy! Even the largest US Carrier Swift, I HEARD is on a 2 month hiring freeze, the schools are all shut down, not hiring anyone, cutting back almost 1000 trucks, and has fired or laid off many drivers in the last few months.

Well that could be updated to 1001 trucks now matcat. Plus 1 more driver...........................

matcat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 560 Location: Sumter, SC

belpre122 wrote: matcat wrote: At the moment I would say there is a shortage of economy! Even the largest US Carrier Swift, I HEARD is on a 2 month hiring freeze, the schools are all shut down, not hiring anyone, cutting back almost 1000 trucks, and has fired or laid off many drivers in the last few months.

Well that could be updated to 1001 trucks now matcat. Plus 1 more driver...........................
Lets not mix things from other threads into... other threads :)

CrazyTulip · Joined: 08 Sep 2007 Posts: 184 Location: Central Florida

Hi Nigel! Welcome here on the forum. First of all, I'm originally from The Netherlands so I know what you're talking about in regards to age and work in Europe. Believe me: they are not nearly as bad here as they are in Europe in regards to getting older and not wanting to hire you.
There are so many people here still working way past their retirement age. So if you're in your 50s or 60s and want to drive a truck they'd hire you, granted there are no major health issues which would rule you out by law (E.g. certain type of diabetes, certain heart conditions etc.).

Then you'd also need to take a CDL-course here as your license from Europe won't be eligible here; at least mine wasn't. I had to even re-do my license to drive a car, which I thought was a joke as our regulations and exam is so much harder than it is here.

If I can help you in any way, shoot me a message. Good luck to you!! :D

BHG0069 · Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:30 pm Post subject: Re: Hello from London England...

nigeve wrote: Hi Guys, this might seem like a strange e-mail but read on anyway please. I live in London England. I’m very English. English accent, English Mannerisms, even my name is very English (Nigel) and I use different words to you such as Truck = Lorry, Sidewalk = Pavement, Garbage = Rubbish… You get the picture…
Well my sister is a US citizen and I’m always sat at my desk developing databases bored out of my brains daydreaming about being a trucker in the US…lol
This is a great forum for telling it as it really is, not the way some of the ads I have seen tell it. Long hours, congested roads, average pay, overheads and downtime are all the bits they miss out of the glossy broachers. However, the clincher for me is ageism. I am 41 years old and work as a computer programmer. I know I’ll be struggling for work when I am 51. As a trucker will I be able to continue working until retirement age? Or is it though to get work in your 50’s and 60’s..?

Come on over here and try it out. You sound like you really want to do it. Keep doing research on this site and find a company that you want to work for.

Best of luck

Ironturkey · Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:16 am Post subject:

Nigeve don't let the economy doom sayers scare you off, they're just scared that their hairy ones aren't big enough or hairy enough to handle it if the economy did tank.

As for age I used to know a feller that was 82 and still truckin he would still be out there now, but he fell out the back of a trailer and broke his hip then got pneumonia and passed on a week later. He was truckin at 82 not because he had to, but because he wanted to.

I have known many drivers who have trucked up into their 70's and 80's not because they had to but because they wanted to.

So come on over and bring some them hot English babes with ya, because thats just too damn far to go to have tea with a hot chick.

Evinrude · Joined: 10 May 2007 Posts: 400

[As a trucker will I be able to continue working until retirement age? Or is it though to get work in your 50’s and 60’s..?[/quote]

If your a trucker you will be forced to work until you die. Trucking wages have not risen with inflation in more than 20 years and most companies only offer pitiful 401 k matching.

Windwalker · Joined: 22 Oct 2005 Posts: 3086 Location: Holiday, FL

nigeve wrote: Hi Guys, this might seem like a strange e-mail but read on anyway please. I live in London England. I’m very English. English accent, English Mannerisms, even my name is very English (Nigel) and I use different words to you such as Truck = Lorry, Sidewalk = Pavement, Garbage = Rubbish… You get the picture…
Well my sister is a US citizen and I’m always sat at my desk developing databases bored out of my brains daydreaming about being a trucker in the US…lol
This is a great forum for telling it as it really is, not the way some of the ads I have seen tell it. Long hours, congested roads, average pay, overheads and downtime are all the bits they miss out of the glossy broachers. However, the clincher for me is ageism. I am 41 years old and work as a computer programmer. I know I’ll be struggling for work when I am 51. As a trucker will I be able to continue working until retirement age? Or is it though to get work in your 50’s and 60’s..?

At 60+ years of age, there are more than a dozen companies I can go to and get hired almost instantly. And, I know guys that are 70+ that can do the same. The biggest thing you need to do is maintain a good driving record. Then, refrain from "job hopping". That does not help you.

LeBron James · Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:12 pm Post subject:

When I'm in my 60's, I'll be sitting on a beach drinking mai' tai's...not parked at a dock watching a red light flash in my westcoast mirror. Nor would I give up a cush computer gig to drive truck - I can tell you that much. Why forgoe being home every night, off every weekend, and a normal life outside of and away from the cubicle?!?!? You will miss standing around the water cooler shooting the $&!+ with your co-workers...in trucking half the people you come across won't speak a word of the king's English.

Trucking will turn your mind to mush, put bags under you eyes, and add about 8 inches to your waistline. There's a reason why the life expectancy of truckers is around 57 years old. If the sedentary nature of the job don't get ya', then the po' folks diet high in salt, sugar, and monosodium glutamate will. That's just begging for Type II diabetes.

The last time the job paid decent was when Flo was slinging hash in Mel's diner. Back when "6 Days on the Road" was considered long-haulin'. But the water-to-water runs of yore are all gone now...today's truckers are regional/short-haul guys banging out more stops, sitting in more traffic, driving bigger tractors/longer trailers for less money.

BigWheels · Joined: 26 Aug 2006 Posts: 574 Location: Milwaukee, WI

LeBron James wrote: When I'm in my 60's, I'll be sitting on a beach drinking mai' tai's...not parked at a dock watching a red light flash in my westcoast mirror. Nor would I give up a cush computer gig to drive truck - I can tell you that much. Why forgoe being home every night, off every weekend, and a normal life outside of and away from the cubicle?!?!? You will miss standing around the water cooler shooting the $&!+ with your co-workers...in trucking half the people you come across won't speak a word of the king's English.

Trucking will turn your mind to mush, put bags under you eyes, and add about 8 inches to your waistline. There's a reason why the life expectancy of truckers is around 57 years old. If the sedentary nature of the job don't get ya', then the po' folks diet high in salt, sugar, and monosodium glutamate will. That's just begging for Type II diabetes.

The last time the job paid decent was when Flo was slinging hash in Mel's diner. Back when "6 Days on the Road" was considered long-haulin'. But the water-to-water runs of yore are all gone now...today's truckers are regional/short-haul guys banging out more stops, sitting in more traffic, driving bigger tractors/longer trailers for less money.

Well said Mr. James...well said.

Those of us driving big-rigs past our 60's are either lovin' it (still!), hatin' it (beats flippin' burgers), or just plain loco -- we're plumb dumb enough to not even think about hangin' up the keys. :lol:

bentstrider · Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Posts: 97 Location: Hesperia, CA

I say come on over here and give it a shot.
Being home every night/weekend is only good if you've got a family, or cool people to hang around with.
If not, then people just look at you as the weird guy with nothing to do on a Friday night.
Even though I'm not doing it right now, that's the only reason why I'm itching to get back into it.

You see, if I've got a Friday night off in another city/town, then I'm liable to have more of a good time, and get away with it.

nigeve · Joined: 11 Apr 2008 Posts: 9

Hi Guys… Well thanks for all those replies. North Americans are definitely friendlier than us Brits. It must be all that English reserve getting in the way of things and not speaking to people until you’ve been introduced…
Crazy Tulip, thanks for you offer, much appreciated. I have some good friends from Eindhoven (have you heard of Hans Segers) and I know just how crazy you guys really are…lol

LeBron James, that was another interesting insight. Now let me give you one into a typical day in my life. I have not lived less than 90 minutes commute from work in nearly 20 years. Typically it can be up to 2 hours in each direction to get from my front door to the office because the roads are so congested with over protective mothers who won’t allow their precious offspring to walk a mile and a half to school. Or if I’m really lucky I get an hour and a half’s journey on a train. Overcrowded, over hot, late, dirty with no where to sit and the sound of someone else’s iPod buzzing in my ear the duration of the journey.
Then I get to sit on a chair for 10 hours a day staring at a computer screen till my eyes go fuzzy. I’ll tell you about sedentary lifestyles shall I? I get up to get a cup of tea and I get up and walk 20 feet to the bathroom to take a piss, then I sit right back down again and feel my stomach folding over my trousers. I do very little programming because of politics and other garbage that I have to wade through. The highlight of my day is lunch. Cracker bread, 70grams of ham and a mint tea as I’m on a diet. Then back to the computer to eat while I work. My back gets stiff, my eyes ache and I leave the office every night with a headache. I do get to go home every night. I have time for diner, a shower then 8 hours insomnia before it’s time to get up and start all over again…
:shock:
I get £35k a year for this. I bring home £2.2k each month. My mortgage and other bills come to at least £1.5k a month because England is so expensive. £1 here has the same buying power as $1 over there.
So I sit at my desk day dreaming about driving a Peterbilt 389 across the prairies with a tasty hottie (I’d settle for an old bat) at my side and to be able to see the horizon instead of my computer screen.
And now I’ve been on this forum and read the truth about trucking my day dream has been shattered and I can’t even do that anymore… lol
I think I’ll shoot myself now and end the misery HAHAHA
:roll:

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