To some, a job involving trucks and haulage work is their absolute ideal occupation. Most little boys dream of driving a big rig, and their childhood play in the sand pit usually revolves around heavy machinery and shiny remote-control vehicles. Little wonder then that when many little boys grow up to be big boys their obsession continues. Of course not everyone is lucky enough to live out their childhood fantasies in their career, but those fortunate few who make a living out of haulage work have more than a few reasons to be cheerful…

You’re Royalty

You may not have an actual crown but you’re definitely King of the road when you’re driving a truck. Sitting high up in your cabin towering above all the cars, it’s hard not to feel a little superior. But remember, with power comes responsibility and haulage workers need to bear in mind that just because they’re big they shouldn’t be a bully. The rules of the road apply no matter what size truck you drive and in fact driving for a living means you will probably need to be even more alert than a regular driver; not only your livelihood, but your life depends on your competent driving skills. Of course, you’ll always get the odd driver who wants to prove their worth by taking on a big truck, but smile, rise above them and wave them through with a flourish.

You’re the Boss

Even if you aren’t lucky enough to actually own the truck you use for haulage work, you are, in most cases, almost completely autonomous in this job. You will need to hone a certain level of organisational skills for a life on the road, but to some drivers, the freedom of being one’s own boss is one of the main attractions of the job. As long you fulfil all your delivery obligations and are able to maintain a professional approach to deadlines, not being constrained to a nine-to-five existence can be a major plus. No-one will be hanging over your shoulder checking that you’re dotting your ‘i’s and crossing your ‘t’s, or telling you when you can have your lunch; and you won’t have the daily grind of commuting to a job in the city with a million others all in a mad hurry. As soon as you set foot on the running board and swing up into your cabin, you’re already on the job!

Plenty of Me-Time

Being on your own for long stretches of time certainly isn’t for everyone, but it’s definitely addictive. Many drivers find the solace of long distance haulage work a blessing in disguise and, traffic aside, it can be a surprisingly stress-free job. There’s plenty of time to think through any problems in your life and come up with solutions in a calm and common-sense way. Although drivers can be away from home for extended periods of time, the old adage of absence making the heart grow fonder can certainly be true. Wives, girlfriends and families will cherish the times that they can spend with their haulage worker husbands, lovers or fathers, and being together becomes all that much more precious.

Author Bio: Norman Dulwich is a correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry across the UK and Europe. It provides services for haulage work companies to buy and sell road transport and freight exchange in the domestic and international markets.

Category: Automotive
Keywords: haulage work