How much will my skills have diminished in one year?

You’re good to go buddy . You’ll feel a little strange it first within the end of the week there right back to normal. Good luck.

 

True story:
Back in the late '90's, with about 1 million miles OTR experience, I decided to go back to school and get my degree. That first summer, I did some local bedbugger driving, but soon found that I couldn't keep driving and taking classes, so I stopped driving, and just took side work in construction. After 6 years, I graduated, and needed to find a summer job to make some money while I looked for 'professional' work. I found a job driving reefers for a regional ice distributor, but had to pass a driving test.

So, I got there, and they had a Freightliner daycab with a 400 Cummins and a 10-sp hitched to a fully loaded 53' reefer, scaled out at 78,000 lbs. From where the truck was parked, I had to drive about 100 yards, make a tight 90° right-hand turn (with a telephone pole at the corner), climb their 6% grade driveway, up to the main road, where I had to wait for traffic to turn while still parked on that grade. Holy cow, this was a nasty driveway!

I did my pre-trip, took a big breath, and headed for the exit. Caught 3 gears, hooked the turn, and climbed the hill. Got to the top, waited for a good big space, then pulled out like an expert. The next 2-3 miles took me through a LOT of hills before I came to the interstate, and I WAS just about soaked with sweat by the time I got there, but I got the job. Made a good bit that summer, too. But that was my last driving job. Soon found work in my field and gave up trucking.

So, yes, experience is retained; just relax, and it will all come back to you.

 

I’d work a weekend gig, like only Saturdays (maybe fuel), before I’d ever give up what you have.

 

I’m almost 70 years old , driving for 49 years I don’t wanna do nothing ha ha ha

 

I've been back on the road for the past several months after being off for a year and I actually feel like I drove better when I started again than when I stopped. And I didn't have near your experience. You'll do just fine. As for needing a refresher, I've come across companies that are strict about experience within the last year, but I've also seen plenty that will accept both six months in the last year and one year in the last two. A few don't even require that much to avoid a refresher.