Thinking of having a go at my HGV licence - Any pointers?
Discussion
I have just resigned from my job in the middle east and return to home at the end of August, I have always fancied having a go at getting what used to be referred as a class 1 HGV licence (not sure what its called now days), I have managed to sort most of our finances out recently so its time I can have a go at some thing I fancy. I live in West Sussex, any good driving schools PH's can recomend?
Would this lead to trying to get a job driving?
My sister in laws hubby is a Class 1 driver. He had a 10 year break from it to be a mechanic and came back into about 3 years ago. he had trouble getting work and was on a poorly paid temp contract for the 1st year, approx. £10 ph and thats including overnight runs. Became permanent 2 years ago but still not that well paid. He travels from Lincolnshire all over the country and to Ireland. Sometimes for 3-4 days at a time.
Its not all yorkie bars and prostitutes
My sister in laws hubby is a Class 1 driver. He had a 10 year break from it to be a mechanic and came back into about 3 years ago. he had trouble getting work and was on a poorly paid temp contract for the 1st year, approx. £10 ph and thats including overnight runs. Became permanent 2 years ago but still not that well paid. He travels from Lincolnshire all over the country and to Ireland. Sometimes for 3-4 days at a time.
Its not all yorkie bars and prostitutes
To be honest its not about money, we have managed to do quite well over the last few years and its more about me doing a job I really fancy doing and I enjoy driving so 10 pound an hour would be fine for me, I live right near Gatwick and there always seems to be driving jobs about, I'm looking at options at the mpment and driving is one of them
GreatGranny said:
he had trouble getting work and was on a poorly paid temp contract for the 1st year, approx. £10 ph and thats including overnight runs.
Still very tough to find work, and rates are no way near £10/hour anymore, closer to £7.50.Much as you may enjoy driving, it can easily become one of the most stressful jobs going, delays, timed deliveries, VOSA, load security etc.
It certainly ain't all bacon butties and the open road.
Roger Woods said:
Doogz - Thats where I am, its just one of those things I fancy doing, a bit like my bike licence all those years back, the schools I have looked at seems to be around a grand for a weeks course plus test, I think I will have a go. - thats the first week of Sept sorted for me then!
1000-1200 is about right, I passed mine a few weeks ago, all courtesy of the tax payer I was on the rock and roll at the time and they asked and funded my training. Got a new job not requiring a LGV a week later
s about 1990!I do a bit of class 1 driving in my spare time for a mate, i wanted to do the job for years but having had a crack at it in my spare time it's not a job i'd want to do full time. I enjoy the driving it's the sitting round in RDC waiting rooms and stroppy warehouse folk that gets old very quickly!
Roger Woods said:
I have just resigned from my job in the middle east and return to home at the end of August, I have always fancied having a go at getting what used to be referred as a class 1 HGV licence (not sure what its called now days), I have managed to sort most of our finances out recently so its time I can have a go at some thing I fancy. I live in West Sussex, any good driving schools PH's can recomend?
A friend of mine has just done his group 2 or whatever it's called now, he did it with a company from Gillingham I think. You also need to get a CPC licence for trucks before you can legally get a driving job. This is 35 hours of classroom and road tuition and costs around £1300, this is on top of your HGV course although I think the HGV course and test can count as 21 hours towards the CPC.
I've just completed my second of 7 hour sessions on the CPC and it's mind numbingly boring.
jagracer said:
A friend of mine has just done his group 2 or whatever it's called now, he did it with a company from Gillingham I think.
You also need to get a CPC licence for trucks before you can legally get a driving job. This is 35 hours of classroom and road tuition and costs around £1300, this is on top of your HGV course although I think the HGV course and test can count as 21 hours towards the CPC.
I've just completed my second of 7 hour sessions on the CPC and it's mind numbingly boring.
That can't count for existing frivers then, as I haven't done any CPC crap yet but I'm still driving.You also need to get a CPC licence for trucks before you can legally get a driving job. This is 35 hours of classroom and road tuition and costs around £1300, this is on top of your HGV course although I think the HGV course and test can count as 21 hours towards the CPC.
I've just completed my second of 7 hour sessions on the CPC and it's mind numbingly boring.
Life Saab Itch said:
jagracer said:
A friend of mine has just done his group 2 or whatever it's called now, he did it with a company from Gillingham I think.
You also need to get a CPC licence for trucks before you can legally get a driving job. This is 35 hours of classroom and road tuition and costs around £1300, this is on top of your HGV course although I think the HGV course and test can count as 21 hours towards the CPC.
I've just completed my second of 7 hour sessions on the CPC and it's mind numbingly boring.
That can't count for existing frivers then, as I haven't done any CPC crap yet but I'm still driving.You also need to get a CPC licence for trucks before you can legally get a driving job. This is 35 hours of classroom and road tuition and costs around £1300, this is on top of your HGV course although I think the HGV course and test can count as 21 hours towards the CPC.
I've just completed my second of 7 hour sessions on the CPC and it's mind numbingly boring.
speedchick said:
Life Saab Itch said:
jagracer said:
A friend of mine has just done his group 2 or whatever it's called now, he did it with a company from Gillingham I think.
You also need to get a CPC licence for trucks before you can legally get a driving job. This is 35 hours of classroom and road tuition and costs around £1300, this is on top of your HGV course although I think the HGV course and test can count as 21 hours towards the CPC.
I've just completed my second of 7 hour sessions on the CPC and it's mind numbingly boring.
That can't count for existing frivers then, as I haven't done any CPC crap yet but I'm still driving.You also need to get a CPC licence for trucks before you can legally get a driving job. This is 35 hours of classroom and road tuition and costs around £1300, this is on top of your HGV course although I think the HGV course and test can count as 21 hours towards the CPC.
I've just completed my second of 7 hour sessions on the CPC and it's mind numbingly boring.
Experience is the killer: no-one will take on a fresh-faced C1 driver. Your best bet is to get on the agencies, do C2 work for crap money and even worse hours, then once you've x-amount of experience, get some C1 agency work. Most of it (C1 or C2) will be store delivery work (supermarkets, etc) so it'll be somewhat removed from the trans-continental work that everyone imagines (think threading a rotten DAF with 45' trailer through London at 06:00 of a Monday morning, rather than shiny V8 Scania down the autobahn!).
Money isn't amazing: agencies come in at what, £10-12/hour at best, and IME that's C1 night work.
Money isn't amazing: agencies come in at what, £10-12/hour at best, and IME that's C1 night work.
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