It’s all media Hype, there’s been a lack of drivers for over 10 years and many older drivers like myself thought it was a kick in the teeth when the so called drivers CPC was introduced, I’ve been driving for 35 years class one for nearly 33 and every year I have to sit in a room and get told how to do my job by someone who’s read a book on load safety, tachco hours or driving style, come on you ain’t teaching an old dog new tricks but you have to listen, I fully understand if your new to the industry then yes for the first few years everyone needs that experience even if only told about it…running down hill loaded at 44 tonne to a set of lights or a roundabout with queuing traffic is completely different to running about on a test with an empty trailer, they don’t teach you about load safety in depth as the instructor is giving you 4-5 days intensive training on basically how to manoeuvre a 60ft truck about safely, the truth is basically England is no longer big enough to cater for our 24-7 life style, back in the day supermarkets did close at 17:30 and petrol stations would close at 20:00…and just for people who are new to this job and listening in, you cannot drive a fuel tanker without doing a full ADR course, I was shit at school the paperwork is as thick as the yellow pages…if you don’t no what that is ask your mum or dad.