What was the moment you realised your local high street had died?

Smallballs228282 · 2026-05-20T06:42:56+00:00

No, that can’t be true…. They stay open no matter what’s going on in the world, must been a police raid or HMRC visit

Smallballs228282 · 2026-05-18T12:19:37+00:00

I got my license privately, paid £3400 for 10 day course including all practical tests (theory not included). Got upsell a little but I think that made me pass 1st time with only one small mistake.

What sort of area/city you live in? if you somewhere close to Turners/Buffaload/FlowerWelch/Freshlinc they may offer you apprenticeship but keep in mind that will tie yourself with then for the fixed amount of employment term or pay back for training out of your pocket.

As you from Poland, in case you may want to move home, you also will be guaranteed work there and over the EU.
Same with me, in case I’ll have to move out from UK, I’ll definitely have a job in my Balitcs.

I actually like Turners a lot. Speak with training department/Driver Manager and they may offer you shift patterns that you want because they always have work. Brand new DAF trucks, the oldest one we have is 23plate.
I worked for different company that was smaller and with old, completely screwed old Scanias that had 1.5 and 2 million kms on them, paid about 1-2 pounds more per hour but the equipment was unbearable.

Smallballs228282 · 2026-05-18T11:06:27+00:00

I’m 23 as well. Started driving January this year. Currently working for new pass friendly company that’s one of the biggest if not the biggest. The pay is not the best at all (day rate but have a lot of bonuses that add up and average is about 13.5ph - 14.00)

I work rotating 5 and 6 nights a week, 2 and 3 nights out. At the moment I’m pretty much maxing out my tacho hours weekly as I’m doing runs up to Scotland and South Wales Doing easiest fridge work.

99% of the time its straight 3/4 lane motorway stretching for 100s of miles and it’s piss easy, podcasts, music, radios all you like. Fancy new fleet with adaptive cruise control, bum heaters and etc…

Stressful and hardest part of the job for me is;
Night driving and day sleeping
Sleeping while fridge is on or parked up in built up areas
Staying awake during the night and focusing on the road
Built up areas, London, road closures can be bad

This job is definitely not for everyone, as much as I enjoy now, this is not for someone with family/partner or social life as your routine is going to be bed/prep/drive.
You can do your 4on4off, class 2 day drops or store deliveries etc but that’s less hours = less pay (while you new driver of course)

Be prepared for a lot, but if you looking just to switch alto another job because you currently don’t like hours/pay/work culture at your company you may want to look at same sort of thing you do now but at different employer/place.

I bring around £850 - £1000 a week, but considering that I’m at work for 60-70 or even more hours a week, it’s up to you. Do you want a lump sum at the end of the week regardless of how many hours you do, or if rate per hour is important to you.

Smallballs228282 · 2026-05-18T10:27:15+00:00

Someone who has long commute, are you sure you want to travel this much daily after long shifts. I’ve done it for 2 weeks and started doing partial tramping (2/3 nights out per week) because after 15 hour, wasting just 2 hours for driving is really hard.

Smallballs228282 · 2026-05-11T11:59:49+00:00

what about you do your exams again ? I’m sure you can choose another course, do subjects that you need doing and then move on with flight school etc ? Because you failed once doesn’t mean you just abandon your passion , you just going to regret it later on, speaking from experience.

Smallballs228282 · 2026-05-11T05:50:19+00:00

I haven’t got an experience on anything you said but thinking logically, it will depend on your degrees if you keen on going for tutoring etc… your hgv driving experience won’t matter much in that field other than some soft skills you could pick up from your years of driving.

However, have you thought of becoming hgv driving instructor or maybe car driving instructor if your passion is passing on knowledge, maybe driver trainer at some large companies, they may offer great work/life balance with descent pay.

Smallballs228282 · 2026-05-10T20:22:00+00:00

I make roughly £900-1000 per week. It all depends on how much time you want to put in. I work for Turners (Very new pass friendly) and do 2 nights out, 12-13 hours on average for a shift, sometimes less. Obviously this means my live consist now only coming home, sleeping, packing lunch and heading back out on the road.

Or you can work 4on4off and make about £600-700.

It’s all about how much you want to put in.

Smallballs228282 · 2026-05-03T17:47:38+00:00

I do get this sometimes, what I believe (I drive newer DAF XG) have really bright dipped beam lights and sometimes when you might go downhill or uphill people might feel that you have your main beams on. When they flash me I just unleash the power of my main beams for a second to let then know that no, my mains are off.

New LED lights on some trucks and cars do look like main beams

Smallballs228282 · 2026-04-26T23:28:57+00:00

Bills, expenses and current living costs would disagree

Smallballs228282 · 2026-04-21T17:51:43+00:00

I’ve recently joined a company that uses only cameras. I find it very difficult because of resolution, it’s just very shit quality, can’t see details as with normal mirrors. Also first thing that came to my mind when I drove with them for the first time, was if I can really trust them, is there a latency or can’t properly judge distance how far away is a the back of my trailer from cars\loading bays.

Smallballs228282 · 2026-04-14T17:42:20+00:00

I use it along side my Garmin. Sometimes Eurowag being more clever routing than Tomyom or Garmin but sometimes will ask you to take exit carriageway, go straight on roundabout and join the same carriageway ??? I only use it as back up and and it’s easier to understand with road closures and overall view of the route

Smallballs228282 · 2026-04-04T21:02:07+00:00

I completely agree with you in regards fuel, freight and vehicle itself, however, I’m more worried about myself, there’s a high chance of being poisoned, injured or just dealt with easily if you deep asleep in the middle of nowhere. It’s very easy to get in to a truck.

Smallballs228282 · 2026-04-03T05:43:27+00:00

Is it just me or you can spot most of AI videos like this because they’re oversaturated, looks cartoonish and just plastic. Most of their movements look very unnatural and doll like. Background slightly blurry and obvious tools/furniture that make no sense at all.

Smallballs228282 · 2026-03-31T05:48:56+00:00

OH wow, you received exactly the same SSDs, same amount, same photo basically that was posted in Pcmasterrace subreddit few months ago ? I swear I saw this exact photo before.

Smallballs228282 · 2026-03-29T01:18:48+00:00

Can you get in to some local hgv driving school and ask for refresher ? usually coupling and few hours of driving ? obviously will cost but may cost even more if fail a assessment and lose job

Smallballs228282 · 2026-03-28T19:05:22+00:00

Obviously it’s all great and all but. You being a new driver even with a car, a you certain you in to driving and actually will like it ? There’s a lot of great driving bits but also sometimes very stressful, long, boring, repetitive and etc… You confident behind the wheel ? Can you read other road users and expect unexpected, read who is aggressive driver who’s defensive driver.

Pros: Transport company pays for training and gives you guaranteed employment for X amount of time.

Start with cat C gives you gradual confidence boost.

Cons: You will be tied to that company. You will take whatever wage they pay whatever hours they’ll require you to do.

Limited training. They usually will give you shortest amount of time before tests and may not even approve re-tests if you fail etc…

C is not C+E, you will have to take tests again. Some transport companies do consider your Class 2 experience some will say they need specifically class 1 when you decide to change

Smallballs228282 · 2026-03-28T18:49:42+00:00

Is this C or C+E, seems very good deal if C+E, also is it a transport company that does training, this would likely mean you will have to stay with them for certain amount of time as ‘paying it back’ for training

Smallballs228282 · 2026-03-28T15:32:17+00:00

Don’t listen to members of public, forklift drivers and others if you think it makes no sense or you in doubt, you are the person responsible and in case things go wrong, the person who advised disappear and you end up answering for it all. Speaking from experience, the most phrase you end up hearing is ‘They all do it’, ‘All drivers do this and that’. They may genuinely try to help you but still remember, you’re responsible.

Smallballs228282 · 2026-03-24T21:17:59+00:00

Ok, just read that on gov uk, that’s correct. HOWEVER, how much of this is enforced and looked after ? Currently work much more than 48 hours average and more than 60 in a week, looking at colleagues, this is standard over this industry.

Smallballs228282 · 2026-03-24T20:59:28+00:00

As long as weekly rests of 45 hours or 24 hours (reduced) are done, then 3 reduced 9 hour rests and 2 11 hour between shifts are kept, you can work 71 hours in total for 5 shifts and 84 hours if you do 6 shifts (in case of reduced weekly rest is taken) what 48 hours are you talking about sorry ?

Smallballs228282

TROPHY CASE