First step to becoming a HGV driver
Discussion
THERE IS NO DRIVER SHORTAGE = 100% FACT
The Govt, agencies and brokers with perhaps the RHA may say otherwise but the proof is in the job ADs and the trainers
Job ADs would be mainly companies not agencies if there was a genuine shortage and those that passed with schools would be snapped up immediately
There may be small pockets of the UK where some have difficulty in recruiting but that's it
I bet if those having difficulty offer silly high wages then they would not be short of drivers
The Govt, agencies and brokers with perhaps the RHA may say otherwise but the proof is in the job ADs and the trainers
Job ADs would be mainly companies not agencies if there was a genuine shortage and those that passed with schools would be snapped up immediately
There may be small pockets of the UK where some have difficulty in recruiting but that's it
I bet if those having difficulty offer silly high wages then they would not be short of drivers
....Anyway.
I had my 'Assessment drive' today. It was a M A N, probably around 20 years old. It had a 4 over 4 gearbox basically you can go through gears 1-4 in the normal manner (we pull away in 3rd no problem) then you knock it over to the right to activate the high range and you have 4 more gears, It takes a little bit of thought, but can see that 20 minutes with this and you would do it without thinking about it. The Truck Bounces around quite a bit! but I'm guessing that old suspension and low speed (got up to maybe 30) I felt confident sitting up higher with good visibility in the cab. I would have been quite happy to take it out on the road. The drive was literally 5 minutes in the cab, went round the block, a small tarmac path on private ground. No junctions. no traffic. I was expecting to go on the road for 20 minutes or to do a reversing exercise or something.
A little disappointed but not put off in the least.
The assessor is happy with my driving and suggested 16hrs over 4 days with a test the practical test on the Friday. I paid a £300 deposit today. We have booked my Hazard perception, Theory and module 1 test - These are all on the 17th January. I have provisionally booked my lessons for the 28th Feb to the with the test on the 4th March. I said that I do not mind 'doubling up' on the lessons, Im paying for 16 hours but will effectively get 32 in the cab half of it driving, Half of it watching someone else and either learn from their mistakes or learn from their techniques.
They also leant me 2 DVDs:
The complete LGV and PCV hazard perception tests:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Theory-Hazard-Pe...
And the complete LGV and PCD Driver CPC Case Study Test:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Driving-Tests/Complete-...
These are better than the books I previously posted. I highly recommend!
Took a practise run on the Hazard and Theory test, Scored 95% on the Theory (Pass is 85%) and 71 on the hazard perception (pass is 67) - on the Hazard perception you can review you marking, I clicked too early on one hazard, If I had waited a split second I would have scored 5 more!
Im feeling very excited now that my dream now has started rolling and dates are being set. I plan on doing a little bit of revision each day and will do the mock tests every 4/5 days to make sure Im on top of it.
I had my 'Assessment drive' today. It was a M A N, probably around 20 years old. It had a 4 over 4 gearbox basically you can go through gears 1-4 in the normal manner (we pull away in 3rd no problem) then you knock it over to the right to activate the high range and you have 4 more gears, It takes a little bit of thought, but can see that 20 minutes with this and you would do it without thinking about it. The Truck Bounces around quite a bit! but I'm guessing that old suspension and low speed (got up to maybe 30) I felt confident sitting up higher with good visibility in the cab. I would have been quite happy to take it out on the road. The drive was literally 5 minutes in the cab, went round the block, a small tarmac path on private ground. No junctions. no traffic. I was expecting to go on the road for 20 minutes or to do a reversing exercise or something.
A little disappointed but not put off in the least.
The assessor is happy with my driving and suggested 16hrs over 4 days with a test the practical test on the Friday. I paid a £300 deposit today. We have booked my Hazard perception, Theory and module 1 test - These are all on the 17th January. I have provisionally booked my lessons for the 28th Feb to the with the test on the 4th March. I said that I do not mind 'doubling up' on the lessons, Im paying for 16 hours but will effectively get 32 in the cab half of it driving, Half of it watching someone else and either learn from their mistakes or learn from their techniques.
They also leant me 2 DVDs:
The complete LGV and PCV hazard perception tests:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Theory-Hazard-Pe...
And the complete LGV and PCD Driver CPC Case Study Test:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Driving-Tests/Complete-...
These are better than the books I previously posted. I highly recommend!
Took a practise run on the Hazard and Theory test, Scored 95% on the Theory (Pass is 85%) and 71 on the hazard perception (pass is 67) - on the Hazard perception you can review you marking, I clicked too early on one hazard, If I had waited a split second I would have scored 5 more!
Im feeling very excited now that my dream now has started rolling and dates are being set. I plan on doing a little bit of revision each day and will do the mock tests every 4/5 days to make sure Im on top of it.
It's bouncy because it's on steel suspension and is empty.
The first time I ever drove an 18 tonner was an old ERF, back in 1998 so it would probably have been an early to mid 80's truck. It was so bouncy I couldn't actually keep my foot on the accelerator pedal. It was just a flat bed so very light without a load on.
They put me in a Merc box van for the lessons which was a lot smoother.
The first time I ever drove an 18 tonner was an old ERF, back in 1998 so it would probably have been an early to mid 80's truck. It was so bouncy I couldn't actually keep my foot on the accelerator pedal. It was just a flat bed so very light without a load on.
They put me in a Merc box van for the lessons which was a lot smoother.
callmedave said:
stuff
Is that the 7.5t you're doing or C ? If it's C then the slap across 4 over 4 box is pretty standard in a lot of trucks between then and now. I don't know what new rigids have in them these days other than the Iveco 18 tonners that I occasionally drive to help out have a 6 speed auto box in them. Once you pass your test I think you'll find it'll be rare to drive a truck with a manual box - certainly all the artics these days are auto. callmedave said:
Its Category C.
Agree that most modern trucks will be Auto', but imagine learning Auto then getting in a truck with a range splitter.
Im aware that when Im starting and the 'new boy' I'll be given the s
ttest/oldest/dirtiest trucks, probably the ones with the worst gearboxes too!
If you end up on the agency circuit you'll just get thrown a set of keys. It could be brand spanking new or a few years old. The company rarely cares so long as you get the job done.Agree that most modern trucks will be Auto', but imagine learning Auto then getting in a truck with a range splitter.
Im aware that when Im starting and the 'new boy' I'll be given the s
ttest/oldest/dirtiest trucks, probably the ones with the worst gearboxes too!
callmedave said:
Its Category C.
Agree that most modern trucks will be Auto', but imagine learning Auto then getting in a truck with a range splitter.
Im aware that when Im starting and the 'new boy' I'll be given the sttest/oldest/dirtiest trucks, probably the ones with the worst gearboxes too!
Just be grateful twin splitters have been superceded.Then again it was a good box if you could use it,a nightmare if you couldn't.Agree that most modern trucks will be Auto', but imagine learning Auto then getting in a truck with a range splitter.
Im aware that when Im starting and the 'new boy' I'll be given the s
ttest/oldest/dirtiest trucks, probably the ones with the worst gearboxes too!Ki3r said:
Watching this thread with interest. I'm currently a delivery driver with Tesco for their home shopping, love the driving side of it.
How much are we looking at cost wise to get your licence?
Assuming I don't need to retake any tests or require any further training then its going to set me back around £1500.How much are we looking at cost wise to get your licence?
I have already put down a £300 deposit and I can pay the rest over the phone as and when, so I will just call them up each payday and pay a
off.R0G said:
For anyone you might be confused by the terminology
In 1991 the old terminology of HGV and the various classes was scrapped
From that date we moved to the LGV system
25 years on and some people as well as road signs are still using old terms !
The rules for HGV and LGV are different
No-one calls it C+E despite that being its official title for longer than I can remember now. It will always be known as class 1 and rigids class 2 rather than "C".In 1991 the old terminology of HGV and the various classes was scrapped
From that date we moved to the LGV system
25 years on and some people as well as road signs are still using old terms !
The rules for HGV and LGV are different
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