Old guy newbie looking for some honest opinions

[Rikping]

Hi all, apologies for the longish post, old guy newbie 60 years old looking for some honest opinions and advice, probably been asked before but hey. After school I joined the forces and passed the old HGV3 test, driving Military vehicles (the old Bedford 4 tonners and 8 tonners often with trailers plus many others) after 9 years service, I came out in the late 80's and started driving for agencies, Multi drop, Removals etc, then about 18 months driving for a builders merchants with a HIAB crane on the back. I quite enjoyed that job, great banter on building sites but then got another job (more money) but not driving other than vans, cars etc. So thinking of returning to driving (after about 30 years) for the next 5/6 years till pension age. Very fit and active and ride my motorbike all over Europe and the UK when I can.
Questions:
1/ Am I too old to start over?
2/ Can I 'claim' a few years experience albeit 30 years ago and probably not checkable? (although I still have my old brown book HGV3 licence, long since expired.)
3/ Would an agency bother giving me any work at my age?
4/ Will I realistically get employment in the driving industry?
4/ Will I be wasting my meagre savings on HGV training?
5/ Ideally long distance is what I'm after/prefer or is that what everyone wants and should I settle for multi drop?

[mark1284]

Go for it!


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[Monkey241]

I'm 53....started driving 3 months ago.

The company I work for has several older drivers-one I know is 67. And is recruiting.
Give it a shot!

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[Peter Smythe]

Reading your post, you have no need for basic training. You should be able to complete a medical (D4 form completed by any doctor), send it in with a D2 (licence application) and your current car licence. DVLA will then issue you with a CAT C licence. You will need driver cpc (normally completed by attending 5 x 7hr classroom courses). Apply for a digicard. Then, all things being equal, you're ready to go.

Sounds like you have the attitude that will endear you to a decent employer. Some may look at you as being a safe bet running up to your retirement, possibly IRO 5,6,7 years. The same employer could look at a 30 year old knowing that he will be up and gone as soon as someone else offers a bit more cash. So you are in a decent position. Maturity and life experience may work in your favour.

Impossible to guess how agencies may view you. But I cant see any bias tbh.

All the best with it, Pete

[dieseldog999]

your on a pigs back with that outlook bud.go for it as theres no negatives apart from of your own doubts.
most of the new snowflakes cant/wont tramp so theres another bonus.
agencies will take you on if you can walk and chew chewing gum at the same time,so no probs there either.
itl be an eye opener for the first cpl weeks,thereafter itl be water off a ducks back.
everythings automatic with all mod cons especially if your tramping.

[Rikping]

Reading your post, you have no need for basic training. You should be able to complete a medical (D4 form completed by any doctor), send it in with a D2 (licence application) and your current car licence. DVLA will then issue you with a CAT C licence. You will need driver cpc (normally completed by attending 5 x 7hr classroom courses). Apply for a digicard. Then, all things being equal, you're ready to go.

Pete,
I admit defeat trying to understand the new licences categories. My old HGV3 licence (separate from normal D/L) expired in 1993, and was not renewed. Are you saying that under the licence changes, I am now automatically allowed a CAT C ?

[Peter Smythe]

Provided the records of your previous licence are at DVLA (there have been horror stories of lost records), you should receive a full CAT C. You will also get CE with a drawbar restriction.

There's only one way to find out!

Pete

[Franglais]

All the above. Plus, do half a day on the road in a school truck.
Refresher and confidence builder. If you get an assessment drive with a good company straight off, you don't want to blow it with nerves.
.
Edit.
More tramping jobs are C+E (Class 1) than rigids.

[carryfast-yeti]

go for it matey! at 60 yo you're just a youngster in the trucking world

[Rikping]

Thanks fellas, some good encouragement there, so I will go for it but still not sure about my licence situation. So after scouring through DVLA website couldn't find the answer, plenty about renewing CPC but not the actual licence renewal. I rang DVLA to enquire regarding my licence situation. The response was that my old HGV licence has long since expired and because it wasn't renewed its now run out and I will have to retrain both licence category and full CPC. I asked at what stage does it run out then? 5 years 10 years? etc, he then waffled on about changing laws and different laws for different aged licences but not really answering my question but he was 'sure' I would have to do all the training again and requalify. Being a tad cynical in my old age I asked him to direct me to the exact piece of road traffic legislation or regulations that stipulate this so I can read it officially for myself. He again waffled on about the road traffic act/regulations etc but again couldn't provide the exact answer. Probably a bit rude and I feel a tad guilty now, I said can I speak to someone that does knows about theses things? it went a bit frosty after that
Long story short I have had to email my query to DVLA via their website, I await their response.

[dieseldog999]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
patience will be a cirtue waiting on someone to be responsible for giving you rock solid information from dvla.
if you speak to some unhelpful cabbage in dvla,just hangup the phone,and go through the menu and speak to someone else.

every now and again,you come across someone who actually takes an interest and can help instead of the usual vague pass the buck welsh cretin.
im on at them several times a year for various different things,and if the 1st one is a fanny,just hangup and try again.
otherwise..you will need the patience of an oyster.
probably a driving school bod would have a better idea if your going for a days refresher anyway?

[Rikping]

Well, surprisingly a prompt reply from DVLA re my licence situation it appears Pete was quite correct I salute you sir. So having read the below my old HGV 3 becomes a Class 2 Result! So medical D4 a D2 application then and a CPC. Standby all roads!! providing I get a job that is. Maybe a few hours refreshing wouldn't go a miss.

I appreciate you contacting DVLA to seek clarification on the matter.

An applicant who wishes to renew a British mainland or Northern Ireland LGV/PCV licence must show that at some time since 1st April 1986 he/she has held a full LGV/PCV drivers' licence authorising the driving of that corresponding category. Section 89A (5) of the Road Traffic Act 1988; as amended by the Road Traffic Act (Driver Licensing and Information Systems) Act 1989. Whilst Commencement Order No.4 1990 (SI 2610) specifies the implementation date of 1st April 1991.

Prior to October 1976 driving licence records were held by the Local Taxation Offices and were progressively transferred to the DVLA.

Therefore, we would not hold the details of a test pass before this date.

The back of your photocard licence will show the following symbol < (alongside the categories).

This indicates when the licence holder made the transfer from a red book licence to a DVLA computerised issued licence, thus showing that a test was passed prior to the date on the photocard licence.

I hope this information finds you well.

[Peter Smythe]

Happy to help.

All the best, Pete

[bl4kmist]

I’ve just turned 50, started to think about my HGV two yrs ago and did my medical and filled out the forms, sent my license away to DVLA and got the c & ce categories added to it.

I’ve been caught up with trying to complete renovations on this house (time consuming and a never ending money pit) as going to be moving back to South Wales (currently in n.e. England) and if I’m honest DOUBT regarding my age and if I’m too old, but after joining and reading through this forum and speaking to HGV drivers face to face it’s been encouraging (so this yrs goal is the class 1 & 2 for me).

After 21 yrs working in the railway industry (and with them replacing jobs with software/hardware) I could have 17 yrs in the haulage industry is my method of thinking.. so in your regards Rik I’d say you have the advantage of experience mate and you’ll fall back into it in no time at all once you’re driving again so it’s a no brainer for me, go for gold l

Keith.

[steviespain]

Well, surprisingly a prompt reply from DVLA re my licence situation it appears Pete was quite correct I salute you sir. So having read the below my old HGV 3 becomes a Class 2 Result! So medical D4 a D2 application then and a CPC. Standby all roads!! providing I get a job that is. Maybe a few hours refreshing wouldn't go a miss.

Have you now got your new plastic licence with the correct categories?
I ask because I was/am in a similar situation but they won't give me back my class 2.

Long story as short as I can make it....
Passed Class 2 in Dec '76 in Army.
Left Army '78.
Drove for a few years and then stopped, moved on to other things.

2 years ago returned to UK.
Passed medical, applied for licence, got sent a provisional Cat C.

Queried this, Got told that they had mo record of me passing the test and that I had to prove that I did.

Got in touch with Army Records. Got sent a doc with all (most) of my qualifications including the Class 2 that I passed.

Sent a jpg/scan of it to DVLA who then answered.....
"While we now accept that you did pass your test in Dec '76, we decline to re-issue your entitlement because you failed to renew your old cardboard style licence for the new plastic style licence in '86."
Ok, I'm paraphrasing a bit there. But that's what they said.

Then I got a good paying job driving 7.5 puddlejumpers so wasn't too bothered about chasing it up.

So I'd be interested to know how your situation pans out Hopefully, it's a good result for you.