Cat C1 licence... how long, expensive to get ???

[matt12023]

One of the drawbacks of being young (and handsome ) is that I don't have cat C1 on my licence automatically.

I'm pondering about getting a heavy vehicle, which i'd need cat C1 to drive, I don't need the C1+

Has anyone here done it and can give an idea of time frames and cost?

thanks

[matt12023]

Cheers for that,

can you remember the price difference for the C1+, was a course then much like if you book in for a motorcycle test?. did you feel you needed the full 4 days?

[Super Slo Mo]

The difference, as mentioned, isn't a lot. The test is slightly cheaper I think, but usually the cost of running the 7.5 tonne vehicle and providing an instructor is barely, if any, different to the 18 tonner. Getting a 7.5 tonne entitlement isn't worth the saving (over the Cat C) in my opinion.

4 days is not a long time at all, I'd be surprised if you manage it in any less. I did mine in 4 days, but most people take between 5 and 10. A lot of it depends on how good you are at the roadcraft side of things, how you read the road ahead, anticipate where you need to place the vehicle, what other road users are going to do, and how your actions will affect them, etc, etc.

Getting used to the size of the vehicle, gearbox, etc is only the start.

[Super Slo Mo]

Undoubtedly.

Should add that I had one to one tuition, so no sharing of the instructor's time. Probably helped a bit.

Oh, and it was 11 years ago, so maybe a bit different now.

Edited by Super Slo Mo on Monday 12th April 17:23

[Super Slo Mo]

Yes, I can imagine. It'd also give you time to think about what you were doing. I think I did something like 06:30 onsite until about 13:00ish, or thereabouts. We had a tacho break after about 4 hours or so, so all in all, it was pretty intense.

I remember on the third day thinking, 'I'm not going to manage this', as I struggled to pull everything together, then on day 4 it all sort of just clicked.