Just wondering how many drivers will hang their keys up for the final time in September 2019? (Only 18 months away). At my current employer about ten drivers are approaching 65 and aren’t doing the current round of cpc courses. That’s about a quarter of my employers drivers that will just pack up overnight. They can’t get new drivers now and just rely on EE’s so I can see serious problems ahead. I wonder if this is a good indicator of the problem nationwide.?
Mickey mouse:
Just wondering how many drivers will hang their keys up for the final time in September 2019? (Only 18 months away). At my current employer about ten drivers are approaching 65 and aren’t doing the current round of cpc courses. That’s about a quarter of my employers drivers that will just pack up overnight. They can’t get new drivers now and just rely on EE’s so I can see serious problems ahead. I wonder if this is a good indicator of the problem nationwide.?
If you company not get drivers that some another company will move load.i still not see empty shelf or picture with not delivered load.all parcel from small to big come Asap.
Oh.if go to nearest She’s test station that you can see plenty test vehicles and if somebody want pass test that must wait long time.Plus in next 5 years plenty small company go under administration or will be sold to big one.Same job will do less number of truck and drivers because less empty miles.
I won’t be renewing the dcpc in 2019, I will be 72 by then, I think that will be my lot. Mind you I’ve been saying this every year since I turned 65 
. Regards Kev.
kevmac47:
I won’t be renewing the dcpc in 2019, I will be 72 by then, I think that will be my lot. Mind you I’ve been saying this every year since I turned 65
After Brexit…
We may well need drivers who can rope sheet and use their initiative, dont quit.
Personally, I could stop in 2019 but, I’m gonna keep plodding on until 2024 unless of course too many bits of me stop working altogether before that date.
Unfortunately I haven’t got an option and had my keys taken away in 2016 
dri-diddly-iver:
Unfortunately I haven’t got an option and had my keys taken away in 2016
Ouch, sorry to hear that, it ■■■■■.
I’m good to 2026 with banked training. I don’t intend to need to renew it then but will if I still enjoy the occasional day in the cab.
yourhavingalarf:
kevmac47:
I won’t be renewing the dcpc in 2019, I will be 72 by then, I think that will be my lot. Mind you I’ve been saying this every year since I turned 65After Brexit…
We may well need drivers who can rope sheet and use their initiative, dont quit.
Personally, I could stop in 2019 but, I’m gonna keep plodding on until 2024 unless of course too many bits of me stop working altogether before that date.
Without going too far down the Brexit road…*
If we need new drivers in 2020 well need to get them from our new trading partners wont we?
And I think that the drivers in India are far more skilled than most of us. They are quite capable of ropinnsheetin, of changing wheels, doing running repairs, managing to do a run without bothering too much with traffic lights etc. They can drive old manual trucks, and theyll work cheaper than most Euro drivers so our economy** is sure to prosper.
*thatll be a first for me! Dont take this TOO seriously.
**some parts of it anyhow. 
Does this mean that they can start the driver shortage ■■■■■■■■ once again?
alamcculloch:
Does this mean that they can start the driver shortage ■■■■■■■■ once again?
Call “Driver Shortage” and you can get anyone you want in to fill the gap. Thats how the "new competitive in a world economy Britain" will function. We wont be in competition with high wage Germany and France, we`ll be in competition with India and China. Imagine how our wages and conditions will improve then?
I’d fully intended hanging mine up 19th September 2019 - just before my 65th birthday.
But I couldn’t wait that long so hung them up in March last year instead
Just a small point here because many people don’t seem to quite realise how DCPC works…
In order to carry on driving after your DCPC expiry date, you have to have completed 35hrs of periodic DCPC before that date, otherwise there will be a gap in your entitlement during which time you are committing an offence if you do drive.
Another way of putting it would be to say that the whole of the 35hrs of DCPC has to be done in advance of you actually needing to use it.
Sorry chaps, I know that none of us like it, but them’s the rules. 
Got another 7 hours to do on Monday but I ain’t paying for it and get paid so it’s no hardship.
I’m finishing this October, had enough and retiring to Canada, after 50 years starting as a drivers mate.
Franglais:
alamcculloch:
Does this mean that they can start the driver shortage ■■■■■■■■ once again?Call “Driver Shortage” and you can get anyone you want in to fill the gap.
Can’t see that happening. Border Agency who are responsible for granting work visas will just ask DVLA how many HGV license holders there are, find there are far far more than there are lorries on the road and say “sorry, only reason you can’t get drivers is because you either don’t pay enough or you’re crap to work for.” The Border Agency default answer to any company wanting a visa for workers is to say no. Currently if a company wants to hire someone from outside the EU the company have to prove to the border agency that they’ve advertised the job throughout the EU and that it was impossible to find someone out of a population of half a billion to do the job.
Franglais:
alamcculloch:
Does this mean that they can start the driver shortage ■■■■■■■■ once again?Call “Driver Shortage” and you can get anyone you want in to fill the gap. That
s how the "new competitive in a world economy Britain" will function. We wont be in competition with high wage Germany and France, we`ll be in competition with India and China. Imagine how our wages and conditions will improve then?
more project fear propaganda from the dictatorship EU and those vile globalists who are in cahoots with them
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.
Conor:
Franglais:
alamcculloch:
Does this mean that they can start the driver shortage ■■■■■■■■ once again?Call “Driver Shortage” and you can get anyone you want in to fill the gap.
Can’t see that happening. Border Agency who are responsible for granting work visas will just ask DVLA how many HGV license holders there are, find there are far far more than there are lorries on the road and say “sorry, only reason you can’t get drivers is because you either don’t pay enough or you’re crap to work for.” The Border Agency default answer to any company wanting a visa for workers is to say no. Currently if a company wants to hire someone from outside the EU the company have to prove to the border agency that they’ve advertised the job throughout the EU and that it was impossible to find someone out of a population of half a billion to do the job.
Currently its "UK Visas and Immigration" previously called "UK Border Agency" who are responsible for visas. "Border Force" are different again. All part of the Home Office, so not too important. I was making the point that when many of the current DCPCs run out well be (probably) out of the EU. So as the original poster suggested there could be a shortage of drivers, and since we wont automatically be open to EU drivers wouldnt any shortfall come from elsewhere? And wont some employers want cheaper drivers from further afield? Wont any new deals with other countries include deals on the passage of workers?
I don’t plan to renew mine. 57 next year, had enough.
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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… 