Bored US trucker wants to go drive in England

OP, I have to ask. How can you be bored as a truck driver? I never have the same day twice. Every single day a different snaffu to deal with . Dispatch, shipper, trailer, truck, road conditions, you name it.

 

It's a good point, but at the same time, when I go on vacation and just bumble around aimlessly by myself, I start to get sorta bored and, I dunno, lost? Starts to feel like I'm wasting time and money. If I'm working at the same time, it feels better somehow. Like, I'm still exploring and seeing new things, but I'm also doing something productive.

Also, it would be interesting to discover trucking in other lands and compare it to good ol US. And then come back a year or two later, get back on the road, and compare it in other direction.

 

Oh, I'm not, like, violently bored. This is still the best possible job for avoiding boredom.

I just sorta miss those first couple of years, when there were states and even entire chunks of the country I haven't been to. I would get a load assignment on my Qualcomm and was like "wow, Oregon! I always wondered what that place was like!". Then I became an owner op with Landstar, and was able to book adventure loads to places like Alaska, Newfoundland, Victoria Island.

But now the only place I haven't been to is Upper Peninsula Michigan and the part of Canada above the lakes. Still excited to grab a load there sometime in the summer, but after that there's sorta nothing new left to see. Sure, sometimes I still get a delivery far off the interstates and it's new and fun, but it's happening less and less.

 

Why on earth would you ever subject yourself to driving on British roads when you're a US trucker I'll never fathom that. If you drove in the UK then you surely know how narrow and tight the roads are, with cars parked on either side and squeezing through gaps with your ####### puckered hoping you don't clip someone's wing mirror.

The cabs in the UK are also significantly smaller, you have a bunk right behind the seat and that's it, no leg room around the bunk. A lot of US highways may be boring but I assure you UK highways are just as boring and depressing with bushes either side blocking your view and with the added stress factor of being very narrow and clogged with traffic because our country is so tiny... Oh and did I mention roundabouts every 5 minutes? Doing a roundabout in a car is one thing, doing it in a 50ft truck is another.

If you honestly want to be stressed out when you're driving then by all means come to the UK, I myself however am taking the opposite direction and want to move from the UK to Canada as a trucker. I'll take "boring" wide open plains, mountains, forests, lakes and huge sleepers over narrow depressing clogged roads with tiny sleepers any day of the week.

As for your actual question about CDL -> HGV. You cannot exchange them, you'll need to get your class 2 and then your class 1. In total for the theory and exams and tests etc it'll cost you about £3,000 for the class 2 and class 1 courses.

 

If you want a change of scenery start taking loads Across to Canada , why would you want to drive on the ####ty road network in the U.K. and good luck finding truckers facilities .

 

Good point, but I've already been up and down Canada from Yukon to Newfoundland. Still fun up there though, I love America's hat.

And I agree, being stuck in England would be kind of a bummer. I was thinking more like cross-Europe, but based out of England because of better pay and language.

 

Look out on Amazon for a book called Keep On Truckin, by Mick Rennison.
He is based in London, England, and what he doesn't know about European trucking isn't worth knowing.
He is a former neighbor of mine, and a friendly guy, I'm sure his book will give you a great insight into how it all works. He ran all over Europe, drove team with his wife for a long time, and now runs local in London.

Happy reading!

 

A great Idea i think,because i have done the same step in the other direction.
Bored about trucking in europe and sometimes down to asia for more than 21 Years i was moving to canada in 2012 for to drive long haul canada/us.
I enjoyed this time very much and be now back in europe since march this year for a complete new job.
in my opinion i will do it always again you will learn much and see a lot.
From england to continental europe are not many companies in business,most of this work is done be cheaper east european companies so if,then you should take a look to other countries because there you have companies they are hauling longer distances around.
I think you have a good chance and when you need more information so maybe i can help you.
Take care all together and stay safe wherever you are

 

I’m in USA . Hate this President with a passion. I want to move to the UK. I have a Class A, hazmat, and tanker . Looking for a company that will help with the move, want to drive full time. Any suggestions??

 

my father told me , if you run away from your problems now (I was little kid ) you will be a looser your whole life . you always will find some one to blame for your own failures. Im 53 now, and I really treasure my father's words.