Hi all,ive been lurking here for a while,but this is my first post,so be gentle with me.I passed my HGV 1 in 1991,worked for approx 3 years on artic aggregate trucks for a company owned by a mate of a mate (long since gone now 
) also worked on grab/hiab tippers,mainly water board stuff,muck away,and bringing in reinstatement materials.I then went back to my first trade of Plumber.
Now i find myself on the waiting list for a hip replacement operation,a result of spending years ■■■■■■■ boilers and radiators around (if id stuck with driving i would probably be ok today,ho hum) anyway,its unlikely i will be able to carry on in my present capacity,so had considered making a return to driving,a slightly less physically intensive profession.
Now,the problem is of course,that i have been away for about 15 years,things have changed,and i have been left behing (digi tacho CPC etc) and i have not got much idea what the current requirements are,i have ordered a form to get my drivers card from the DVLA,so something is moving on that front.
Can anyone recommend an appropriate course of action for someone such as myself,once i have recovered fully from the op,as regarding getting back on the road,also can anyone recommend any agencies or companies in North Kent area,who may be interested in me.
Many thanks in advance.
Hi, and welcome back to the industry!
So far as driver cpc goes, you have grandfather rights until Sept 2014 so no immediate problem. But I would strongly suggest you find a local provider (go on the JAUPT website) and do a course on drivers’ hours, tacho and digitach. This will achieve a few things: obviously it will update you on current legislation so you don’t accidentally break the rules, it will show any potential employer that you have serious intent and it will get you back into the “flow” of things. Shop around. It can be as little as £50.
Best of luck. Pete 
It might be worth booking a day’s refresher course with a local lgv driving school. A lot of places now want you to do a driving assessment and if you havn’t driven one for 15 years you wouldn’t want to fail because your a bit rusty
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Welcome Thunderbird 1 .
To get your licence re-instated you will need to do a D4 medical - if not done so already.
Download the 8 page D4 Medical Form Using this Link Please print (colour, not black & white) and take to your GP if you have the facilities at home or work.
Please contact your GP or visit driversmedicals.com who can provide low-cost medical examinations.
THIS LINK will take you to a list of some cheap medical places around the UK.
THE PERIODIC (ongoing) DRIVER CPC
Forum with some useful stuff and Forum for questions on drivers hours
Thanks for all the info everyone.Rog,i never let my licence slip,i renewed it,medical and all,that was one of my better moves,as at the time i thought "well you never know"and now lo and behold i need it.
Thunderbird 1:
Rog,i never let my licence slip,i renewed it,medical and all,that was one of my better moves,as at the time i thought "well you never know"and now lo and behold i need it.
Would not matter if you had not renewed the medical - some on here have let it lapse for over 10 years and then simply taken a medical to re-instate it - no retest or anything else required - just a medical
I would seriously consider the refresher training mentioned - half a day should do it as long as there is a little real life reversing involved and not in some airfield around a few cones