Becoming a HGV driver?
Discussion
the-norseman said:
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.
Excellent, always good to know the competition is of standard that makes the rest of us look bloody brilliant.The receptionist wasn't organised at all and her lack of English combined with wearing a face mask, made it worse.
Only today after the morning run had to get into the back of the headlight, yup as usual some clown has changed the bulb and put the bleedin thing in upside down...still makes a change from the same twerps putting single contact side light bulbs in double contact holders (and vice versa) or jamming a white bulb in where an amber offset pin indicator bulb should be...for crying out loud they're supposed to be in charge of a 44 tonner yet can't manage a simple bulb change....as said the bright side is it makes the rest of look good.
Some places they won't allow drivers to change bulbs and you can begin to see why.
Smint said:
Excellent, always good to know the competition is of standard that makes the rest of us look bloody brilliant.
Could be all sorts in the theory test centre; car, bike, bus, lorry, CSCS, university entry exams, etc. the-norseman said:
Been offered 5 day course in 2 weeks time in Leighton Buzzard just hoping I can get A/L on two days as I'm currently down to work.
Is that B to CE? How many hours? 1-to-1?Smint said:
Some places they won't allow drivers to change bulbs and you can begin to see why.
Headlight blew on a MAN last week, after looking at it for 5 minutes I waved the white flag and drove it over to the workshop. The entire surround had to be unscrewed and then I had to stand there and hold it as it had pedestrian sensors in it, then it was another load of bolts to swing the headlight out and a screw to release the back cover. Think it took two of us 15 minutes 
s p a c e m a n said:
Headlight blew on a MAN last week, after looking at it for 5 minutes I waved the white flag and drove it over to the workshop. The entire surround had to be unscrewed and then I had to stand there and hold it as it had pedestrian sensors in it, then it was another load of bolts to swing the headlight out and a screw to release the back cover. Think it took two of us 15 minutes
Best trick i found with a MAN is when you first get it, undo the torx bolts holding the covers and the bolts holding the headlights and grease all the bolts and the covers where they clip in place, so rare for an MAN to blow any bulb in the headlight unit that when they eventually do blow the bolts will be seized in place and then its a pita job. Never seen pedestrian sensors fitted to the front headlight surround panels, is that the next aftermarket must have bolt on tat that'll cause nothing but trouble after the first winter salting
Smint said:
Excellent, always good to know the competition is of standard that makes the rest of us look bloody brilliant.
Only today after the morning run had to get into the back of the headlight, yup as usual some clown has changed the bulb and put the bleedin thing in upside down...still makes a change from the same twerps putting single contact side light bulbs in double contact holders (and vice versa) or jamming a white bulb in where an amber offset pin indicator bulb should be...for crying out loud they're supposed to be in charge of a 44 tonner yet can't manage a simple bulb change....as said the bright side is it makes the rest of look good.
Some places they won't allow drivers to change bulbs and you can begin to see why.
I'm surprised there's no basic maintenance courses that drivers should do which includes basic fault finding. I think it would make sense to have them as official CPC courses.Only today after the morning run had to get into the back of the headlight, yup as usual some clown has changed the bulb and put the bleedin thing in upside down...still makes a change from the same twerps putting single contact side light bulbs in double contact holders (and vice versa) or jamming a white bulb in where an amber offset pin indicator bulb should be...for crying out loud they're supposed to be in charge of a 44 tonner yet can't manage a simple bulb change....as said the bright side is it makes the rest of look good.
Some places they won't allow drivers to change bulbs and you can begin to see why.
Getting a callout for a lightbulb is ridiculous, but it's easy money for the guys on call. One self employed guy told he gets several a month at £200 a time (his minimum callout charge).
DaveE87 said:
Smint said:
Excellent, always good to know the competition is of standard that makes the rest of us look bloody brilliant.
Only today after the morning run had to get into the back of the headlight, yup as usual some clown has changed the bulb and put the bleedin thing in upside down...still makes a change from the same twerps putting single contact side light bulbs in double contact holders (and vice versa) or jamming a white bulb in where an amber offset pin indicator bulb should be...for crying out loud they're supposed to be in charge of a 44 tonner yet can't manage a simple bulb change....as said the bright side is it makes the rest of look good.
Some places they won't allow drivers to change bulbs and you can begin to see why.
I'm surprised there's no basic maintenance courses that drivers should do which includes basic fault finding. I think it would make sense to have them as official CPC courses.Only today after the morning run had to get into the back of the headlight, yup as usual some clown has changed the bulb and put the bleedin thing in upside down...still makes a change from the same twerps putting single contact side light bulbs in double contact holders (and vice versa) or jamming a white bulb in where an amber offset pin indicator bulb should be...for crying out loud they're supposed to be in charge of a 44 tonner yet can't manage a simple bulb change....as said the bright side is it makes the rest of look good.
Some places they won't allow drivers to change bulbs and you can begin to see why.
Getting a callout for a lightbulb is ridiculous, but it's easy money for the guys on call. One self employed guy told he gets several a month at £200 a time (his minimum callout charge).
the-norseman said:
Nah its B to C, I'm doing it through the grant scheme they didn't offer CE unfortunately but will be looking to do C to CE after.
Had to amend the course to 4 days now Tuesday-Friday, original course was 5 days , 4 hours a day so presuming this will be 4 days 5 hours a day. towser44 said:
DaveE87 said:
Smint said:
Excellent, always good to know the competition is of standard that makes the rest of us look bloody brilliant.
Only today after the morning run had to get into the back of the headlight, yup as usual some clown has changed the bulb and put the bleedin thing in upside down...still makes a change from the same twerps putting single contact side light bulbs in double contact holders (and vice versa) or jamming a white bulb in where an amber offset pin indicator bulb should be...for crying out loud they're supposed to be in charge of a 44 tonner yet can't manage a simple bulb change....as said the bright side is it makes the rest of look good.
Some places they won't allow drivers to change bulbs and you can begin to see why.
I'm surprised there's no basic maintenance courses that drivers should do which includes basic fault finding. I think it would make sense to have them as official CPC courses.Only today after the morning run had to get into the back of the headlight, yup as usual some clown has changed the bulb and put the bleedin thing in upside down...still makes a change from the same twerps putting single contact side light bulbs in double contact holders (and vice versa) or jamming a white bulb in where an amber offset pin indicator bulb should be...for crying out loud they're supposed to be in charge of a 44 tonner yet can't manage a simple bulb change....as said the bright side is it makes the rest of look good.
Some places they won't allow drivers to change bulbs and you can begin to see why.
Getting a callout for a lightbulb is ridiculous, but it's easy money for the guys on call. One self employed guy told he gets several a month at £200 a time (his minimum callout charge).
Passed my Class 1 (C+E) this morning. I’ve no intention of driving for a living but I’d always wanted a HGV license.
It’s mad that 8 days ago I had never driven a HGV, except my grandads in the yard when I was a teenager and now I’ve got a Class 1 license.
It’s a great value qualification. £1,800 for 24 hours and opens up jobs that you can earn, albeit long hours, £40k+.
Ideal for somebody stuck in a low paid job.
It’s mad that 8 days ago I had never driven a HGV, except my grandads in the yard when I was a teenager and now I’ve got a Class 1 license.
It’s a great value qualification. £1,800 for 24 hours and opens up jobs that you can earn, albeit long hours, £40k+.
Ideal for somebody stuck in a low paid job.
I wanted to do my C+E but I'm doing my C in two weeks. Hope to upgrade, likewise not looking to do it as a job but always wanted to do the licence and its a good fall back. I might try pick up occasional work for experience.
Anybody who has done their class 2 recently, is the reversing exercise part of the main test or is it done separately? I always thought it was separate but I watched Ashley Neal's videos recently and he did his reversing test at the start of his practical.
Anybody who has done their class 2 recently, is the reversing exercise part of the main test or is it done separately? I always thought it was separate but I watched Ashley Neal's videos recently and he did his reversing test at the start of his practical.
Ah good! I watched the Ashley Neal video and he said basically if you mess up your reverse then thats test over straight away. I've got 15 years of car + motorbike experience behind me now so more confident than I was when I took my car/bike test but still a nervous person when tests come around.
the-norseman said:
I wanted to do my C+E but I'm doing my C in two weeks. Hope to upgrade, likewise not looking to do it as a job but always wanted to do the licence and its a good fall back. I might try pick up occasional work for experience.
Anybody who has done their class 2 recently, is the reversing exercise part of the main test or is it done separately? I always thought it was separate but I watched Ashley Neal's videos recently and he did his reversing test at the start of his practical.
Reverse in a class 2 is just like reversing a big van - it's a piece of piss and you should hand in your man card if you fAnybody who has done their class 2 recently, is the reversing exercise part of the main test or is it done separately? I always thought it was separate but I watched Ashley Neal's videos recently and he did his reversing test at the start of his practical.
k it up as you've completely failed at life . Artic reverse is a challenge for a freshie. Of course the instructor will point out all the gaps between rope hooks, marker lights and mud guard edges as your visual reference points to line up in your mirrors to know when you're far enough back in the box. This will get your through your test but has zero use out in the wild when you have to do a blind side reverse onto a bay in a tight yard, in the rain, at night, with trailers packed in like sardines. That's when you start learning how to drive.Edited by r3g on Saturday 11th November 15:51
r3g said:
Reverse in a class 2 is just like reversing a big van - it's a piece of piss and you should hand in your man card if you fk it up as you've completely failed at life . Artic reverse is a challenge for a freshie. Of course the instructor will point out all the gaps between roop hooks, marker lights and mud guard edges as your visual reference points to line up in your mirrors to know when you're far enough back in the box. This will get your through your test but has zero use out in the wild when you have to do a blind side reverse onto a bay in a tight yard, in the rain, at night, with trailers packed in like sardines. That's when you start learning how to drive.
Whilst I don’t disagree with the 2nd half - if you’re going to drive a wagon then you’re going to have to get used to sk it up as you've completely failed at life . Artic reverse is a challenge for a freshie. Of course the instructor will point out all the gaps between roop hooks, marker lights and mud guard edges as your visual reference points to line up in your mirrors to know when you're far enough back in the box. This will get your through your test but has zero use out in the wild when you have to do a blind side reverse onto a bay in a tight yard, in the rain, at night, with trailers packed in like sardines. That's when you start learning how to drive.t like this. Everyone you meet will be the best wagon driver and know more and be better than you. Gassing Station | Commercial Break | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff