Courier Exchange Blog

Should People With Owner Driver Jobs Take Holidays?

Posted by Gertie on 04-Aug-2014 13:20:37

Do you deserve this? ‘Summer Time (I)’ (c) 2011 Jesus Solana. Used under a Creative Commons license. (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode) Do you deserve this? ‘Summer Time (I)’ (c) 2011 Jesus Solana. Used under a Creative Commons license. (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode)

Hello, my darlings!

Well, it seems as though summer is here again, doesn’t it? About time, I say – I was about ready to tell the rain and cold to go to all manner of unpleasant places, and often found myself reciting that old rhyme from my school days: ‘rain, rain, go away...’

All that is behind us now, though, and if I didn’t know any better I would say most of you are already thinking of nothing but ice-cream cones, the deep blue sea, and lying face-down in a towel all day long. Am I wrong?

That is why, this month, I will not burden you with any ‘serious’ topics – instead, I thought we might kick off July with one of our nice fan interactions! What do you think? I feel as though we have not had one of these in a while, and I know you like them, so why not? It’s summertime, so we might as well indulge!

For this week’s topic, I have picked something that Stevie and I were discussing the other day. As most of you know, he works as an independent courier – a ‘man and van’ – and has decided to stop operating for a couple of weeks while he and his girlfriend go off to Thailand on vacation. He told me that when he had said to some of his friends (who also work owner driver jobs) that he was going away, he got all manner of funny looks. He said some of them never take more than a few days of holidays each year, and they think two whole weeks off the job is far too long.

So I thought I would quiz my dear readers on this. I know many, if not most, of you have owner driver jobs, so I am asking you for your opinion on the following topic: should people with owner driver jobs take extended holidays, or any holidays at all? If not, why not, and if yes, for how long do you think would be ideal? This is a topic I am really interested in hearing your thoughts about, because I know almost nothing about it – I was absolutely shocked to hear some people go without holidays voluntarily! So yes, by all means do write in and tell me your opinion!

Until then, ta-ra!

- Gertie
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