Lorry Driving and Having Horses

[archiesmum]

I am thinking about a career change to get out of the dead end job I am in - will need to get my lorry licence as I am restricted to 3.5t although I have done my trailer test. I will be looking at getting a horse lorry in the future as both my horses are substantial and makes it a bit of a squeeze in the trailer! So two birds one stone?!

However, is it possible to have horses and get time to ride as either a day driver or a tramper? I am currently DIY but if the wage was better and the yard was right I would look at part livery. Any experiences?

 

[Landcruiser]

I speak as someone who spent a lot of time hitching around the UK and Europe during my misspent youth, and chatted to a lot of lorry drivers. Most told tales of being stuck in places waiting for loads or waiting to unload. Delays due to this and traffic issues would be inevitable. So you would need to make sure any livery arrangements were flexible. I would guess it's "How long is a piece of string?" depending on the job. A regular weekday local route, right through to transcontinental away for weeks at a time potentially.

 

[RHamilton]

I was considering doing something similar.

Were the unloading and loading issues tied to a particular type of cargo?

If it was, it seems like you should be able to anticipate delays, though you might have no say in avoiding the delays altogether.

In your travels was there any type of driver that got to choose the type of load they carry?

 

[Hack4fun]

Just make sure that you check out the rules if >3.5t for commercial driving and whether you need an operators license.

 

[ROG]

If personal lorry is 7.5 tonne GVW or less and only used for non commercial use then it will not affect your other commercial LGV driving hours/regs

 

[tda]

It's very varied being a wagon driver, but there are plenty jobs with just day work.
One of our guys is just days, five days a week, often one or two days earlier finish depends on the customers work
A friend of mine is a HGV driver, works nights, shunting trailers between Wakefield and Birmingham, loves it, dead easy,