Hi all got a quick question (apologies if its a bit dumb),
Do you need a class one licence to shunt? I currently work for a supermarket chain in the warehouse but have recently got my ‘C’ licence. Will be going for my class 1 in a few months but was hoping it may be possible for me to do a bit of shunting for them on the side, bit of experience an’ all that? I think I already know the answer but just wanted to check.
To satisfy insurance (even on private land) you will need the appropriate licence category.
You do not legally need a class1 for shunting but like dar1976 says most companies insist for insurance purposes.
No strictly true, most insurance companies are ok if you have received some training 
as above its depends per company you might need a hitch up and unhitch assessment for them to allow it but if you ask though i’m sure they let you might have to go in on a quiet day off mind
DHL @ Rochdale took a lad from the warehouse, gave him some training on Terberg shunt motor and he took over the shunting from a C+E driver.
It was down to cost and effective use of staff, driver sat around waiting for trailers to be moved during quiet periods e.g 9 months of the year and being paid C+E wages. Lad from warehouse would return to warehouse in between shunts and only get paid warehouse rates (lower than C+E).
Noworries:
No strictly true, most insurance companies are ok if you have received some training
Trained 3 warehouse workers with car licences to do just that in the past 
As said, it depends on what the company and the insurer require
The lads in Mammoet Preston Brook are only car licensed and they do the shunting. 1 of them is only 18. Depends on the company you work for but on their private land its up to the company. If you get your truck bumped into it’s tough. The same applies to when you take your car to ASDA or Tesco’s, people are told it’s between themselves and not down to ASDA or Insurers (as its private land) if they’ve been backed into or whatever.
Shunter we had at one place I worked, didn’t even have a car license.
Clunk:
Shunter we had at one place I worked, didn’t even have a car license.
That was what I did in my late teens - no driving licence at all and was the night yard shunter for a year with National Carriers Leicester
Thanks for the replies. I’ve been badgering my work for months for them to help me get driving and recently after getting my class 2 there was talk of me going out in the rigid for an assessment drive and doing some shunting. I mentioned about only having a class 2 and they said it’ll be part of your training.
Nothings set in stone though and I have my FLM doing all the running for me so I’m yet to hear it from the horses mouth, also I think I may be about to be stabbed in the back by a fellow colleague who has recently got both class 1+2 so its all a bit touch and go. I’ve got lengthy service where as he only has a few years at most so I’ll be really pished if he beats me to it, not that service length matters!
In an ideal world I would be able to take the rigids out every now and again aswell as doing shunting in prep for me to do my training with them, but that would be too good to be true, which is normally the case.
I shunted for DHL for two years without any of the appropriate category’s on my licence, alls I had when I got trained up was a car licence, so yes it’s possible to shunt but its all dependant on the companies and there insurance, shunting is what made me go and do my class 1 and I’m glad I did now, learnt the hardest parts Witt manouvering etc so it comes in handy
DHL will let you shunt without the appropriate licence. They will insist you have training and satisfy the driver trainer though.
Yep no class one required.Trained many car drivers from Michelin to shunt in the past.
As above. No license required unless you go out on the road.
Kerbdog:
The lads in Mammoet Preston Brook are only car licensed and they do the shunting. 1 of them is only 18. Depends on the company you work for but on their private land its up to the company. If you get your truck bumped into it’s tough. The same applies to when you take your car to ASDA or Tesco’s, people are told it’s between themselves and not down to ASDA or Insurers (as its private land) if they’ve been backed into or whatever.
asda tesco etc car parks are not private land, they are open to the public and subject to the same rules and regs as public highways 
could you imagine if you had an accident while shunting, H & S would have a field day,health and safety at work springs to mind.
put simply h&s might have a field day but the buck stops with the firm that let you get in the yard tug (give it it’s proper name please) - forget being qualified cos that doesnt even come into it on private land - accidents are going to be dealt with in the same way as normal for that firm.
i started out in a terberg yard tug (Terberg YT220 - 220hp, 75 ton capacity) and then progressed if i hadn’t had that initial experience then i doubt that i would have gone on and got my c+e. with regards to getting in one - i found that i had more chance of driving it cos i was permanent warehouse staff, not only cos of wages but cos you’re not wanting to go off on deliveries.