After almost 2 years I may be driving again to earn a living, part time to start with. I have an assessment next week and am sure it will go ok. Have there been any tacho rule changes or any things else I need to be aware of in the last 2 years?
Wayne.
Wayne:
After almost 2 years I may be driving again to earn a living, part time to start with. I have an assessment next week and am sure it will go ok. Have there been any tacho rule changes or any things else I need to be aware of in the last 2 years?Wayne.
Yep you need a CPC…
Something I didn’t bother with … not even allowed to drive a puddle jumper now … LOL … hopefully I will never go back to it.
As has been said we have DCPC now - which you may already have.
I would however suggest attend a DCPC course for drivers hours just to make sure you are up to date. A £70 course may save a roadside penalty of £100+ or even worse getting dismissed for tacho problems.
Speed limit has also changed…50 on A roads now
daftvader:
Speed limit has also changed…50 on A roads now
Please allow me to clarify; the limit on single carriageway roads has been raised to 50mph unless a lower limit is in place. The limit on a dual carriageway has been raised to 60mph, again unless a lower limit is in force. Hth.
the maoster:
daftvader:
Speed limit has also changed…50 on A roads nowPlease allow me to clarify; the limit on single carriageway roads has been raised to 50mph unless a lower limit is in place. The limit on a dual carriageway has been raised to 60mph, again unless a lower limit is in force. Hth.
But only in England and Wales, the HGV speed limits have not changed in Scotland.
Thinking about it one other thing has changed in the past 2 years, if you haven’t done the 35 hours DCPC periodic training you can now choose to do the initial DCPC instead of the 35 hours periodic training.
Generally I don’t think there’s a great deal of difference in cost, the initial CPC consists of 2 tests (modules 2 and 4) which can be failed, while as you probably know the 35 hours periodic training doesn’t have tests that can be failed.
shep532:
As has been said we have DCPC now - which you may already have.I would however suggest attend a DCPC course for drivers hours just to make sure you are up to date. A £70 course may save a roadside penalty of £100+ or even worse getting dismissed for tacho problems.
After reading some of the posts on here most trainers haven’t a clue about drivers hours, you may be best to read back though some of tacographs posts and save £70
I have just had a 4 year break, in that time someone has nicked double time on Sundays.
daftvader:
Speed limit has also changed…50 on A roads now
In England 
mac12:
shep532:
As has been said we have DCPC now - which you may already have.I would however suggest attend a DCPC course for drivers hours just to make sure you are up to date. A £70 course may save a roadside penalty of £100+ or even worse getting dismissed for tacho problems.
After reading some of the posts on here most trainers haven’t a clue about drivers hours, you may be best to read back though some of tacographs posts and save £70
Just done my CPC and being out of it for five years realised how much I’d forgotten and didn’t know. Just getting agencies to take me on after so long out seems like mission impossible just now; up here in Aberdeen anyway.
Defo worth a refresher on tachograph stuff- you’ll be amazed what you had forgotten/ never knew etc.
Good luck with the assessment.
Last post about not being able to get work in Aberdeen after a layoff seems the very opposite of my experience( also based in Aberdeen).
Was away from driving for 25 yrs, back in the job since March( agency and working direct) and have more offers than I can fulfil, so my experience differs somewhat…
Thanks guys, have the dcpc already. A re-read of the tacho regs and I should be ok.
Wayne.
Wayne You’ll be fine!
This is absolutely true no ■■■■■■■■…I left driving for 23yrs I did my CPC & being a tight git , I arranged a interview that was also a driving assessment. Now as I did not want the job there was no pressure atall, 1 st thing that was different was it had as=n autobox ?I had last driven rangechangers/Splitters, so I went on there (DHL) assessmnet & passed the driving side fine, the uncoupling had me stumped for a minute as when I last did it trucks did not have ABS…eeek , OK got around that. As I expected he said" the driving is OK but your abit rusty on the reversing …you dont say… so came back & they gave me 2 hours & that was that, I was hooked & loved it again. I only did that as I am a mean son of a gun Lol.
good Luck wayne you’ll do fine !
Wayne:
Thanks guys, have the dcpc already. A re-read of the tacho regs and I should be ok.Wayne.
Good luck; remember 40mph in Scotland…oh and your passport. 
tachograph:
…the initial CPC consists of 2 tests (modules 2 and 4) which can be failed, while as you probably know the 35 hours periodic training doesn’t have tests that can be failed.
Not strictly true.
Teacher told me he would “fail” me and not upload my 7 hours unless I put my pillow and blanket back in my car and contributed to the discussion in some way.
I did as I was told because I was being paid handsomely to be there, what with it being a Saturday and all, so I’ve only got his word for it.
He was deadly serious though.
Dude in one of the classroom sessions last year was failing miserably to hide his boredom and contempt for the proceedings, when the annoyed “principal” said to him “When are you going to lose that chip on your shoulder?”
He glanced at his watch and said “4 o`clock”