Becoming a HGV driver?
Discussion
Triple Six said:
What does that entitle you to?
To put £407 into perspective; £115 goes to DVSA, £48 to the VAT man, so the school will earn around £243. Assuming an hour or two lesson, plus use of vehicle for the test, and commute to/from test centre I’d say that sounds about right?
For the record we charge £349 all in, but I hate retests - the aim isn’t to profiteer, we just want to cover our costs and get the customer their certificate.
I like to make our customers aware of the retest costs so that they can have a contingency plan to get straight back in for a test if needed - delaying leads to skill fade.
Keep in mind that if you decide to present yourself for test, you’ll need to make sure the vehicle is to DVSA test spec, including properly weighted with 5 full IBC’s if cat C / 8 IBC’s if CE.
The £407 is for the test and use of the truck for the test. No lesson beforehand. That’s me meeting the instructor with the truck at the test centre. To put £407 into perspective; £115 goes to DVSA, £48 to the VAT man, so the school will earn around £243. Assuming an hour or two lesson, plus use of vehicle for the test, and commute to/from test centre I’d say that sounds about right?
For the record we charge £349 all in, but I hate retests - the aim isn’t to profiteer, we just want to cover our costs and get the customer their certificate.
I like to make our customers aware of the retest costs so that they can have a contingency plan to get straight back in for a test if needed - delaying leads to skill fade.
Keep in mind that if you decide to present yourself for test, you’ll need to make sure the vehicle is to DVSA test spec, including properly weighted with 5 full IBC’s if cat C / 8 IBC’s if CE.
Something else to think about when planning on using a company truck for a retest is that school trucks are generally as short as they can get away with, in things that have good steering lock and they've put helper markers on the trailer and stuff for the reversing. In my experience rocking up in a full length kitted up V8 reefer with all the bells and whistles on it really doesn't give you an easy ride with the examiner 
Triple Six said:
What does that entitle you to?
To put £407 into perspective; £115 goes to DVSA, £48 to the VAT man, so the school will earn around £243. Assuming an hour or two lesson, plus use of vehicle for the test, and commute to/from test centre I’d say that sounds about right?
For the record we charge £349 all in, but I hate retests - the aim isn’t to profiteer, we just want to cover our costs and get the customer their certificate.
I like to make our customers aware of the retest costs so that they can have a contingency plan to get straight back in for a test if needed - delaying leads to skill fade.
Keep in mind that if you decide to present yourself for test, you’ll need to make sure the vehicle is to DVSA test spec, including properly weighted with 5 full IBC’s if cat C / 8 IBC’s if CE.
Nice to see. Not that common though. To put £407 into perspective; £115 goes to DVSA, £48 to the VAT man, so the school will earn around £243. Assuming an hour or two lesson, plus use of vehicle for the test, and commute to/from test centre I’d say that sounds about right?
For the record we charge £349 all in, but I hate retests - the aim isn’t to profiteer, we just want to cover our costs and get the customer their certificate.
I like to make our customers aware of the retest costs so that they can have a contingency plan to get straight back in for a test if needed - delaying leads to skill fade.
Keep in mind that if you decide to present yourself for test, you’ll need to make sure the vehicle is to DVSA test spec, including properly weighted with 5 full IBC’s if cat C / 8 IBC’s if CE.
Passed my module 3b (on-road) today with one minor, very happy.
Annoyingly, I didn't realise you're allowed to do the module 4 CPC at any time, rather than having to do it after the reversing and on-road tests, otherwise I would have sorted it out and done it by now. I'll turn up at the reversing location some time in the next week and they should be able to fit me in for half an hour.
A few things my instructor has mentioned over the last few weeks:
- Avoid selling your soul to the likes of Amazon and DPD doing multidrops -- they squeeze you and your time just as much as they do the local little courier drivers and warehouse staff
- Building materials deliveries including steel are good if you want 'normal' hours as it often means a fairly early start but you'll be done and home by 4/5pm usually
- ADR of any description is very useful to have, so strongly consider doing it at some point
- Take no notice of any crusty old dinosaurs bleating on about how the industry was better in the 1970s. It's still a fantastic career which a new driver will enjoy
- Don't be concerned one bit about applying for a job as a new driver when all the adverts say 6-12 months experience required. Just apply and you'll still be successful a lot of the time
- If I'm thrown the keys to a lorry and don't know what a particular button does, WhatsApp him rather than going in and asking another driver as you'll never hear the end of it
- Don't be put off if a company wants you to begin driving rigids to start with. When an artic driver is off they could ask you to step up to the artics. They'll see how good you are and you'll be on the artics forever more.
Annoyingly, I didn't realise you're allowed to do the module 4 CPC at any time, rather than having to do it after the reversing and on-road tests, otherwise I would have sorted it out and done it by now. I'll turn up at the reversing location some time in the next week and they should be able to fit me in for half an hour.
A few things my instructor has mentioned over the last few weeks:
- Avoid selling your soul to the likes of Amazon and DPD doing multidrops -- they squeeze you and your time just as much as they do the local little courier drivers and warehouse staff
- Building materials deliveries including steel are good if you want 'normal' hours as it often means a fairly early start but you'll be done and home by 4/5pm usually
- ADR of any description is very useful to have, so strongly consider doing it at some point
- Take no notice of any crusty old dinosaurs bleating on about how the industry was better in the 1970s. It's still a fantastic career which a new driver will enjoy
- Don't be concerned one bit about applying for a job as a new driver when all the adverts say 6-12 months experience required. Just apply and you'll still be successful a lot of the time
- If I'm thrown the keys to a lorry and don't know what a particular button does, WhatsApp him rather than going in and asking another driver as you'll never hear the end of it
- Don't be put off if a company wants you to begin driving rigids to start with. When an artic driver is off they could ask you to step up to the artics. They'll see how good you are and you'll be on the artics forever more.
Edited by Koyaanisqatsi on Wednesday 25th October 13:40
I joined a HGV jobs page on Facebook, its full of agencies/companies looking for drivers and people already in the industry saying "no chance at them wages etc" but definitely a place to get your foot in the door.
I've got my Theory/HP in a week or so then hopefully onto the practical, CPC theory is the week after.
I've got my Theory/HP in a week or so then hopefully onto the practical, CPC theory is the week after.
When I passed me test I fired a few emails off and got no response so I went down in person to my local firm and said I’d work a day for free with their driver trainer to ‘prove myself’ which they agreed to and they offered me a job the day after.
I think going and seeing people face to face is much more beneficial than an email with cv attached.
I think going and seeing people face to face is much more beneficial than an email with cv attached.
Glenn63 said:
When I passed me test I fired a few emails off and got no response so I went down in person to my local firm and said I’d work a day for free with their driver trainer to ‘prove myself’ which they agreed to and they offered me a job the day after.
I think going and seeing people face to face is much more beneficial than an email with cv attached.
This. I think going and seeing people face to face is much more beneficial than an email with cv attached.
You can't beat knocking on the door, i was in within 3 weeks of knocking on what had up till that time been a dead mans shoes door where i'm seeing my time out.
All my best jobs have come from word of mouth or taking it into my silly head to knock on the door, forgive me if i tell a lie but can only recall getting one job from an advert, i got the job out of 65 applicants circa '81 having just been made redundant (twice within 3 months) and it proved to be the crappiest job of them all, so crappy in fact that put my notice in after 3 or maybe 4 months and the office staff chucked their dummies out the pram and wouldn't speak to m, i wus broken hearted, not
All my best jobs have come from word of mouth or taking it into my silly head to knock on the door, forgive me if i tell a lie but can only recall getting one job from an advert, i got the job out of 65 applicants circa '81 having just been made redundant (twice within 3 months) and it proved to be the crappiest job of them all, so crappy in fact that put my notice in after 3 or maybe 4 months and the office staff chucked their dummies out the pram and wouldn't speak to m, i wus broken hearted, not
Venisonpie said:
Glenn63 said:
When I passed me test I fired a few emails off and got no response so I went down in person to my local firm and said I’d work a day for free with their driver trainer to ‘prove myself’ which they agreed to and they offered me a job the day after.
I think going and seeing people face to face is much more beneficial than an email with cv attached.
This. I think going and seeing people face to face is much more beneficial than an email with cv attached.
Triple Six said:
Definitely, pair of tidy work trousers/boots and a polo, hi-vis in the car just in case they offer you an assessment there/then.
Tidy stuff to me says all the gear and no idea. I work on the railway, when we see people turn up with bright oranges and clean boots = somebody here to tell you "I dont know what job you do, but your doing it wrong". the-norseman said:
Triple Six said:
Definitely, pair of tidy work trousers/boots and a polo, hi-vis in the car just in case they offer you an assessment there/then.
Tidy stuff to me says all the gear and no idea. I work on the railway, when we see people turn up with bright oranges and clean boots = somebody here to tell you "I dont know what job you do, but your doing it wrong". the-norseman said:
Tidy stuff to me says all the gear and no idea. I work on the railway, when we see people turn up with bright oranges and clean boots = somebody here to tell you "I dont know what job you do, but your doing it wrong".
Fair enough when someone's actually in the muck and bullets.However when someone is looking for a job its worth puitting yourself in the position of an employer for a mo, bearing in mind that initial first contact might only be 5 minutes if the TM or equivalent gives you the time of day, so make those 5 minutes count.
There's someone at the door looking for a job:
1, they've had the nous to find us and they are friendly, the best jobs in HGV world have never advertised for drivers and this one hasn't come via the usual word of mouth with a recommendation from present staff, so they've taken the initiative.
2, they're polite intelligent well presented and well spoken, i'm hoping this is how they will approach my customers and their customers if i employ them.
3, when i asked them for a CV, unusual one might think in transport but no longer unusual at the higher end, it was sat at on my desk the next morning, impressive, shows keen to get the job.
Tidy in HGV world means clean working clothes, bit of polish on the steel toed boots won't go amiss either, you don't see drivers employed by the top payers looking like some homeless bod resplendent in a tea/ketchup/grease stained threadbare T shirt that was white 8 years ago.
Ref number 3...keen to get the job, IF you get a bite or an offer DO NOT piss ball about, 'got to have a chat with the Mrs' 'i'll have a think about it'..nay nay and thrice nay, if you get an offer rip their ram off accepting it, if you seem not all that bothered about getting the job what does that tell them your attitude will be after several months or years there...it tells them the potential employee is a can't be arsed type hence we can't be arsed to give them the job...i've known good drivers turned down for not being keen enough to land the job.
the-norseman said:
I joined a HGV jobs page on Facebook, its full of agencies/companies looking for drivers and people already in the industry saying "no chance at them wages etc" but definitely a place to get your foot in the door.
I've got my Theory/HP in a week or so then hopefully onto the practical, CPC theory is the week after.
It’s easy to spot a bad job, which many of them are. I've got my Theory/HP in a week or so then hopefully onto the practical, CPC theory is the week after.
the-norseman said:
Theory and Hazard Perception passed today first time, need to study for CPC in two weeks now. Not sure if all the test centres are like this now but the MK one is run by a third party the staff were terrible, seemed English was their 2nd or 3rd language.
They have been for 10+ years, mostly run by Pearson Vue. Some of them are on a complete power trip. Triple Six said:
They have been for 10+ years, mostly run by Pearson Vue. Some of them are on a complete power trip.
Yep that is the company. To be honest the calibre of students entering the building wasn't up to much either some of them barely knew their own names.The receptionist wasn't organised at all and her lack of English combined with wearing a face mask, made it worse.
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