There won’t be any shortage of drivers, the govt of the day will not allow that to happen.
If there comes a shortage they’ll hand courses out to the doley’s, money to burn apparently (ours 
) and any further shortfall will allow immigration to suit.
No intention of packing up yet, have a lovely job and still enjoy me work, CPC no bother, proper employers make provision for such things.
I will be out of the UK by then…I semi - retired at 46 and relocated to Lincs. I have watched this part of the country steadily get busier and more houses being built, yet no new roads.
I am 53 this year and have seen this country raped by the rich and corrupt, filled with foreigners to suit their agendas.
I see no future in this country, so have purchased a house in Portugal, no one goes there, it is not on anyones agenda, it is mostly ignored, the population is falling, there are no jobs and they don`t do benefits…Just right for someone who wants to grow/brew their own and keep themselves to themselves…I doubt I will do my medical this year, no point really.
I’ll be 65 in Jan 19. I’d like to keep on a while, but the arthritis is getting worse, and my work, apart from an occasional stint with a tipping trailer, is all on flats rope and sheet and I’m starting to struggle quite badly. I need to go this year to have my other hip replaced and if that goes as well as the first one, maybe I will carry on. It’ll be 40 years in April since I started on my own and it’s been ok. Hard work but well paid and decent customers who appreciate service above and beyond, and to be honest I would miss it.
However, I have a good wad in the bank, and no debt at all, plus my gear today would weigh in at around 70k. On the other hand, I did two round trips this week, loaded both ways, and it worked out at a fraction under £7per mile.
GREED IS A VERY POWERFUL FORCE.
Reckon I’ll be keeping going even if I have to steer it with my teeth!!
AndrewG:
harrawaffa:
Mickey mouse:
They can’t get new drivers now and just rely on EE’s so I can see serious problems ahead.What’s the reason? Poor pay or poor work? Or just the type who won’t give anyone a chance and would rather have someone who got their licence via a tractor and can hardly string a word of English together.
Many have vast experience traversing across europe, a little different than the confines of a little island.
As for not speaking the indigenous language…what difference does that make…
I watched a manager (who had no influence as to who he employed via agency) try to explain to an EE driver not turn left out of the gate nor to follow his satnav as it would mean incurring a fine under the London Lorry Control Rules. He turned left out of the gate… 
I will be 65 in June 2019. I may finish before then if things go to plan. I have really had enough, driving commercials since I was 18, artics since the age of 21.
I’m not keeping my entitlement or DCPC current after that, I dont want the temptation of doing a couple of days a week. A clean break and do the things I want to do.
I live in the USA and have looked into my UK pension, I found that I can claim mine in September 2019, so I intend to do so, along with the US social security and my 401K I should be pretty well off compared to most.
For those of you wondering what a 401K is, it is a company profit sharing scheme that builds up each month and can be drawn out in the huge lump sum at retirement or in stages after you reach 59.5 years. I have made a couple of very large withdrawals over the past few years and will still have enough next year to completely pay off my mortgage.
If an employer ever suggests you join such a scheme I urge you to do so, it may seem you are wasting money you need now but down the line you will be glad you did.
