Hi All.
New member here so first post.
I passed my HGV 3 at 18 and HGV 1 at 19 (RAF) back in the early 80’s. Since then I have done removals, Containers, Tilts, Lowloaders, over size, fridges and European work. I have also worked in Transport and Shipping offices. I moved to Ireland with the Mrs in the late 90’s where I was on fuel tankers until being made dedundant 6 years ago and I have not driven a truck since, (Lucky you I hear you say!).
So where is this going? Well, I have come to the realisation that once you pass the age of 40 it is very difficult to find work let alone 53 as I am now.
One of the very few jobs where you are valued at 40+ is trucking, if you have the experience to go with it.
I am a qualified ADI (Instructor) on Motorcycles, have a Train the Trainer Cert and a Forklift Cert. Still no jobs here!
I asked for approval to be a DCPC trainer but I need a TMCPC first. Apparently, years of driving experience and training qualifications are not enough although I know for a fact that some Trainers have not even sat in a truck!
Now I decided to do the 5 DCPC modules before September 14 to keep my licence. I have done 2 so far. If you want my opinion on DCPC I will gladly give it but I have other things to discuss first. I am planning on coming back home soon and maybe drive again.
My questions to you guys are:-
Am I mad to go back driving for the same money as I was earning in the 80’s ? (assuming I get work of course)
Do you believe that soon there will be a severe shortage of drivers leading to employers paying far more but for young and inexperienced people?
Are drivers wages and conditions so bad because we are all separated and have no single voice as opposed to hundreds together in a factory?
What other jobs are workers expected to pay for their own training and do it in their own time? (I know there are a few exeptions).
So thanks for reading and hopefully I gave you some food for thought. Future carreer advice gratefully accepted. Cheers all.
find another industry
I really enjoy driving artics and had a lovely part time/casual spot with a local haulier that pays well.
I have another source of income so was literally driving as a hobby…Loved it.
I am 49 and have done 3 modules of the DCPC. I cannot do the other 2 required, it is actually soul destroying, it is many things and I am not going to subject myself to it any longer, combine this with the H&S policy that many companies now operate and the enjoyment of the driving has finally being over-shadowed by the tedious, humourless and everything that is negative in life policies and people who implement such.
Such a shame that it has come to this, but I am under no illusion that it is only haulage, it is many sectors of industry that are affected…I no longer want to be a part of the society in which I find myself, it is so suffocating.
hi all 1st off att why cant u do other 2cpc days if not 2 personal ./as for the guy back from Ireland theres always people saying bad things about wot they doing.but trust me coming home from Canada next month and conditions in uk/Europe whole lot better .only advice I can give is like me take your time and weed out the muppets stick with it if its all that bad and lotta guys leaving that give you even more choice all the best 
Thanks for the replies so far guys. I was kind of hoping against hope that someone would persuade me that it aint so bad.
I used to feel like I was doing an important and skilled job. I enjoyed it mostly even though the hours were long but there seems to be a never ending stream of ■■■■■ coming out of Brussels these days that only seems to benefit those who work for the EU. H&S is being mis-used by people who dont seem to understand what it is for. Common sense it now so uncommon and the holes in Darwens net are getting bigger.
Dont forget you will be punished for working too hard and no part of your vehicle is edible.
Im off to do another DCPC module on Saturday where I will have to pay a guy to read to me stuff I know already or is totally irrelevent while my eyelids fuse together.
I do not know it all by the way and really hope I will learn something usefull like…how to deal with stowaways and not get fined. New types of eqiupment/drivers aids. New rules and legislation, How to find safe parking and deter thieves. How to swap trailers in a truck stop without waking everyone up. How to turn a fridge off in a truck park. Securing different types of loads. etc etc…you know, usefull stuff because I can not for the life of me work out how knowing the road fatality rate in Latvia is going to make me a better or more professional driver.
and really hope I will learn something usefull like.
dream on
att:
I really enjoy driving artics and had a lovely part time/casual spot with a local haulier that pays well.
I have another source of income so was literally driving as a hobby…Loved it.I am 49 and have done 3 modules of the DCPC. I cannot do the other 2 required, it is actually soul destroying, it is many things and I am not going to subject myself to it any longer, combine this with the H&S policy that many companies now operate and the enjoyment of the driving has finally being over-shadowed by the tedious, humourless and everything that is negative in life policies and people who implement such.
Such a shame that it has come to this, but I am under no illusion that it is only haulage, it is many sectors of industry that are affected…I no longer want to be a part of the society in which I find myself, it is so suffocating.
I am sure that you and I aren’t the only ones in this situation, but it is not the industry I started working in in 1972. We didn’t have all the modern technology but we enjoyed the job no matter how hard some days were because we thought it would get better. Forty years on I realise that it hasn’t and probably never will, that is why I am not bothering with the dcpc.
I have put on a previous post that I am packing in truck work after 38 years,because CPC, H and S, etc, and I almost certainly will, BUT I found myself renewing my medical a few weeks ago so maybe I am having second thoughts.
Just lately I have noticed companies are starting to hire again, an agency I once worked for paid me £150 for a seven hour night shift a few weeks ago because Robert, the agency bod, told me there really is a shortage of drivers and they were desperate.
So, I will stop waffling and say I think things are looking up for drivers, and yes it is not the job it was but maybe you will find it worth it.
I’m 53 and have only been driving for a couple of months, therefore limiting anything I say immediately. Can only drive 7.5tonners but am being paid…
From what I’ve seen, there are lots of jobs to be had and the agency I currently work for said there is a shortage of drivers, which can only increase.
I did CPC in a week - the trainer had driven for many years and included an open forum style opportunity to ask questions. Perfect for me.
Given my inexperience, I didn’t know what to expect and am still gently feeling my way, but as an experienced driver, you might like to decide what you want and chase it, because it’s what you want - you’re much more likely to be happy.
I’m still naive enough to be excited by the thought of driving an LGV, even a little one like mine. I enjoy driving to the highest standard possible and am looking for input. So in future if I am approaching a roundabout and will be going off on the third exit and will be preventing an artic from pulling out, I will already have slowed and flashed him. Apologies to the driver I did that to last week near Brighton… 
Good luck whatever you decide!
viking7000:
How to turn a fridge off in a truck park.
Why would you want to do that?
I would turn mine off so that I could stay awake all night listening to yours in case it stopped and I could warn you thereby ensuring you have a piecefull nights sleep with your earplugs in.
OK not off compltely but not on constantly either.
I recently reinstated my hgv and psv licenses, did a week’s cpc course and ordered a digicard (never used one before). Even invested in a truckers satnav (Fleabay cheapie) to supplement my paper maps.
What has put me off however, is being on the cpc course and being told of all the things DVSA can bust you for, the way onboard trackers and cab phones are used to put undue pressure onto drivers and even inquisitions of fuel economy, harsh braking and overspeeds on the tacho. It all seems totally detached from what it once was.
I have a couple of local companies interested in seeing me, but like the o/p I am uncertain about which direction to walk now. 
.
LIBERTY_GUY:
I recently reinstated my hgv and psv licenses, did a week’s cpc course and ordered a digicard (never used one before). Even invested in a truckers satnav (Fleabay cheapie) to supplement my paper maps.What has put me off however, is being on the cpc course and being told of all the things DVSA can bust you for, the way onboard trackers and cab phones are used to put undue pressure onto drivers and even inquisitions of fuel economy, harsh braking and overspeeds on the tacho. It all seems totally detached from what it once was.
I have a couple of local companies interested in seeing me, but like the o/p I am uncertain about which direction to walk now.
.
Welcome to the real world of today, not the one of yesteryear.
waddy640:
LIBERTY_GUY:
I recently reinstated my hgv and psv licenses, did a week’s cpc course and ordered a digicard (never used one before). Even invested in a truckers satnav (Fleabay cheapie) to supplement my paper maps.What has put me off however, is being on the cpc course and being told of all the things DVSA can bust you for, the way onboard trackers and cab phones are used to put undue pressure onto drivers and even inquisitions of fuel economy, harsh braking and overspeeds on the tacho. It all seems totally detached from what it once was.
I have a couple of local companies interested in seeing me, but like the o/p I am uncertain about which direction to walk now.
.Welcome to the real world of today, not the one of yesteryear.
I think it explains why people are so desperate for hgv drivers in some areas now. I have lost count of the roadside signs and even trailer based hoardings I have seen for hgv drivers. The reluctance to undertake drivers cpc is probably only one very small part of a much bigger picture. 
att:
I really enjoy driving artics and had a lovely part time/casual spot with a local haulier that pays well.
I have another source of income so was literally driving as a hobby…Loved it.I am 49 and have done 3 modules of the DCPC. I cannot do the other 2 required, it is actually soul destroying, it is many things and I am not going to subject myself to it any longer, combine this with the H&S policy that many companies now operate and the enjoyment of the driving has finally being over-shadowed by the tedious, humourless and everything that is negative in life policies and people who implement such.
Such a shame that it has come to this, but I am under no illusion that it is only haulage, it is many sectors of industry that are affected…I no longer want to be a part of the society in which I find myself, it is so suffocating.
Hi, att, can’t you reconsider taking the two remaining modules - because as you say the rules and regs rubbish is everywhere now.
We all get hacked off with it but driving is a job you’ve loved (your words) and you never know whats coming around the corner and one day you may wish you had your ticket still,in other words, don’t close the door, hope you don’t mind the advice.
Socketset:
att:
I really enjoy driving artics and had a lovely part time/casual spot with a local haulier that pays well.
I have another source of income so was literally driving as a hobby…Loved it.I am 49 and have done 3 modules of the DCPC. I cannot do the other 2 required, it is actually soul destroying, it is many things and I am not going to subject myself to it any longer, combine this with the H&S policy that many companies now operate and the enjoyment of the driving has finally being over-shadowed by the tedious, humourless and everything that is negative in life policies and people who implement such.
Such a shame that it has come to this, but I am under no illusion that it is only haulage, it is many sectors of industry that are affected…I no longer want to be a part of the society in which I find myself, it is so suffocating.
Hi, att, can’t you reconsider taking the two remaining modules - because as you say the rules and regs rubbish is everywhere now.
We all get hacked off with it but driving is a job you’ve loved (your words) and you never know whats coming around the corner and one day you may wish you had your ticket still,in other words, don’t close the door, hope you don’t mind the advice.
Thanks for the comment and the advice…I have the little work ethic monkey on my shoulder telling me I should do it, as it will be worth it. However, I also want to retain my integrity and stand by my own principles.
I only have to do 2 modules if I choose to partake once again…So I will just have to see how I feel in a couple of months time…Driving is in the blood, but then I think about the other drivers on the roads, the way in which you are treated at certain places, the lack of facilities in the UK…There are so many negatives that come with this vocation and I do my lists for psychological reasons, unfortunately the only one thing on the positive side is the fulfilment of my desire to drive large vehicles…I may look at plant as an alternative. 