Becoming a lorry driver

[GlasgowTitan]

Been thinking about this lately and wondering what are the pro's and con's of being a lorry driver? What are the wages like? Working conditions/hours? I understand you are expected to be away from home a lot if you drive for certain freight companies. What about if you got a bit more of a shift related job, like tanker driving for shell/bp etc. How much would it be likely to cost to get a licence, and what are the chances of landing a job when you do? Is there much competetition for driving jobs, or are companies crying out for more lorry drivers?

So many questions!