Hi All,
New to the forum but been ‘lurking’ for a while 
I have relocated to Liverpool and have decided to get back to driving after a long break, I passed my HGV in 1980 and drove fuel tankers and general haulage until 1993 when I moved into a sales career. There are loads of vacancies at the moment up here for LGV C + E jobs so I had a chat with an agency and they said they could get me work easily even with my ‘break’.
I decided for my own and the general publics sake I had better do some refresher training and signed up for a couple of days with a local school, after the first day I was told theres no need to do any more as I’m fine just a bit rusty. I also have done a days digital tacho and drivers hours course.
I have signed on with a couple of agencies but I have asked them to get me a couple of days ‘shadowing’ a driver unpaid before I feel happy to go out on my own, this is for my own confidence as much as anything but I also feel its a safe way to proceed after such a break. So far the first agency promised me that wouldnt be a problem, then came back the next morning asking me to go of and do some container work, now looking at all the vacancies for container work they all ask for experience with pin machines? I dont even know what one is so I said no! She said it was easy and I would have no problem but I still refused, I did ask if she had done it and she hasnt even been out in a truck!!
I have signed on with another agency this morning and once again stressed my request for a couple of days out with someone and they have also said it should be possible, I’ll let you know how I get on.
If theres anyone reading this from the merseyside area who would like a couple of days company free of charge , who doesnt mind showing me the ropes then please give me a shout on here or andy (at) greatdives dot co dot uk
Cheers Andy
Mate,you’ve done the refresher course and as they said youre " fine just a bit rusty "
That’d be enough for me. 
Yeh I know what your saying, but I mainly drove tankers but my adr is out of date (lots) If the agency cant get me anything I will just get on with it but thought it was a good idea
Hiyyaaa scubaharley, It should’nt take you long to get back in the stride of things, just a case of updating as you already have the knowlege & have done driving work before, good luck & welcome 
Hi Andy,
I did my first artic drive for 7 years last saturday. I’ve been on the railway for the last 10 years, did a little for an old mate 7 years ago to help him out now and then on my rest days, but recently felt I’d better get back to keeping up to speed with my hgv. I did 16 years as a driver, 12 on artics, 6 of that abroad.
I’ve done a couple of driver cpc days for a refresher on hours and regs etc, but needed a drive (my mate packed it in 6 years ago as the company he was pulling fridges for folded). I went and saw my old guv’nor of 19 years ago who operates locally and explained my situation. Two days later he said " do me a favour, go to Wolverhampton in the artic and back on a pallet run night-trunk?" Off I went! Loved every minute, felt like I’d only packed driving in the week before! I now realize how much I miss it, even with my rose-tinted specs, so seems it may become regular.
My advice is just get stuck in. You seem to have a load of quality experience (especially if you drove tankers), trust yourself and go for it. I know you’ve had longer “out the saddle” than me, but it is, as my guvnor said, like riding a bike, you never forget.
Good luck mate, enjoy it.
Regards,
Mark.
Hi Mark,
Thanks for the advice mate, I’ve started doing some agency 2’s work to get back on the road just to gain a bit of experience, only done one day so far even though the agency promised me 3 (beginning to learn agencies arent that great already ) I felt reasonably happy by the end of the day although it was a huge learning curve just being given a wagon and told heres ya drops get on with it, luckily another agency driver took pity on me and showed me the ropes! All of the drivers and indeed shop staff I have come across have been really helpful so far. I wish that you got at least a couple of hours induction training especially at the Co op RDC where the wagon I was given was a fridge wagon, I asked how to work it and was told to just get on with it as its ambient food so no need for the fridge, but next time it could be frozen?? An hour at the start could save them loads of work and money later down the line!
I’m going to do a couple of weeks on the 2’s then get back onto the 1’s again
Cheers,
Andy
scubaharley:
Hi Mark,
Thanks for the advice mate, I’ve started doing some agency 2’s work to get back on the road just to gain a bit of experience, only done one day so far even though the agency promised me 3 (beginning to learn agencies arent that great already ) I felt reasonably happy by the end of the day although it was a huge learning curve just being given a wagon and told heres ya drops get on with it, luckily another agency driver took pity on me and showed me the ropes! All of the drivers and indeed shop staff I have come across have been really helpful so far. I wish that you got at least a couple of hours induction training especially at the Co op RDC where the wagon I was given was a fridge wagon, I asked how to work it and was told to just get on with it as its ambient food so no need for the fridge, but next time it could be frozen?? An hour at the start could save them loads of work and money later down the line!
I’m going to do a couple of weeks on the 2’s then get back onto the 1’s againCheers,
Andy
Well done mate! I may ask a local agency for the odd day myself. I know how you felt with the fridge, I’ve been in that position before, luckily I had a few old hands to show me how to set the temp/start it/etc, but still a worry! I remember a friend (who shall remain nameless) setting a frozen load to +25 by accident!! Wales to Hastings and a trailer full of thawed-out turkeys!! You live and learn eh? Keep us informed how you’re doing.
Regards
Mark.
Hi All a quick update on my last month;
I have been working for an agency doing class C work for the last month and have pretty much been constantly working for the Co op delivering to stores all over the North west, it was a bit scary at first with lots of difficult reversing into tight spaces in the dark and rain, but now I am fairly confident
Yesterday I did another 4 hours in an artic with Truck Training at Bolton, this included reversing practice and coupling un coupling as well as a 2 hours ‘assessment’ drive. The instructor was completely happy with my performance in the artic and said he would be happy for me to use one of his company vehicles if I was looking for a job (he used to be an assessor for Wincanton. So I am now looking for HGV 1 work hopefully still with Co op as I now know their systems and foibles, got an interview this afternoon with an agency that says they can place me there or in Tescos (Stobarts).
Hi Scubaharely
Check this post out if youre unsure of fridge work, may be of some help to you to start off with but I’m sure if youre doing regular temp stuff they will induct you anyway:
trucknetuk.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=58173
Hope Co-Op/Stobarts works out for you.
Matt
scubaharley:
Hi All a quick update on my last month;
I have been working for an agency doing class C work for the last month and have pretty much been constantly working for the Co op delivering to stores all over the North west, it was a bit scary at first with lots of difficult reversing into tight spaces in the dark and rain, but now I am fairly confident
Yesterday I did another 4 hours in an artic with Truck Training at Bolton, this included reversing practice and coupling un coupling as well as a 2 hours ‘assessment’ drive. The instructor was completely happy with my performance in the artic and said he would be happy for me to use one of his company vehicles if I was looking for a job (he used to be an assessor for Wincanton. So I am now looking for HGV 1 work hopefully still with Co op as I now know their systems and foibles, got an interview this afternoon with an agency that says they can place me there or in Tescos (Stobarts).
Good luck Andy, keep us posted.
Regards,
Mark.
Thanks guys, no work at the moment cos of the bloody snow