Hgv - what's involved in doing your licence these days
Discussion
I am lead to believe that there is a shortage of Hgv drivers where I live and Hgv diving is much better paid than it used to be.
So what's involved in doing your licence these days?
What sort of money can you expect to be paid?
If I did my licence what costs are involved?
I understand that once you have your licence you often require other tickets / licences / course as well. What are these?
Also, If I did my licence what are the chances of getting work as a newbie? Although I am in my late fourties wit a mature head.
What are the realities of working in the Hgv industry these days?
All advice welcome.
So what's involved in doing your licence these days?
What sort of money can you expect to be paid?
If I did my licence what costs are involved?
I understand that once you have your licence you often require other tickets / licences / course as well. What are these?
Also, If I did my licence what are the chances of getting work as a newbie? Although I am in my late fourties wit a mature head.
What are the realities of working in the Hgv industry these days?
All advice welcome.
From what I gather, the shortage of drivers is false. It's a statement which is overused by those training companies which charge you through the roof to arrange your tests, when you can easily do it yourself.
Try www.trucknetuk.com for info.
Try www.trucknetuk.com for info.
Nowadays 2 - 3 grand cost, training, test, medical,CPC. When you have this lot then the fun will start, no experience = no job unless you know someone in the know somewhere.
Crap wages, crap conditions, being treated like low life everywhere you go. Then theres the new breed of Hitler, or VOSA or whatever they call themselves these days. These guys will give you a FPN for the slightest of infringements.
Looks like I will be put out to grass soon due to ill health, been doing it for 41 years.
f
k em !
Crap wages, crap conditions, being treated like low life everywhere you go. Then theres the new breed of Hitler, or VOSA or whatever they call themselves these days. These guys will give you a FPN for the slightest of infringements.
Looks like I will be put out to grass soon due to ill health, been doing it for 41 years.
f
k em !gus607 said:
Nowadays 2 - 3 grand cost, training, test, medical,CPC. When you have this lot then the fun will start, no experience = no job unless you know someone in the know somewhere.
Crap wages, crap conditions, being treated like low life everywhere you go. Then theres the new breed of Hitler, or VOSA or whatever they call themselves these days. These guys will give you a FPN for the slightest of infringements.
Looks like I will be put out to grass soon due to ill health, been doing it for 41 years.
fk em !
tbh, this is sadly pretty spot on.Crap wages, crap conditions, being treated like low life everywhere you go. Then theres the new breed of Hitler, or VOSA or whatever they call themselves these days. These guys will give you a FPN for the slightest of infringements.
Looks like I will be put out to grass soon due to ill health, been doing it for 41 years.
f
k em !its not cheap getting your licence anymore, and in lots of general haulage you are treated pretty badly.
they've been saying for years there is a driver shortage, and yet lots of firms will only pay the lower end of the scale. getting a start can be hard if you have no experience, lots of companies want 2 years experience first believe it or not.
also agencies are often piss takers. they'll constantly be advertising that they have lots and lots of work here, there and everywhere and that they pay top rates of pay. this is often just bull to get you with them, they'll just then use you as and when it suits, and 'surprisingly' each job, and shift will have 'various' rates of pay.
if you love driving, and travelling around, it may be worth giving it a thought, as there are still some decent jobs out there, although they are often hard to find/get a foot in the door in. i'm lucky, (medical pending) i work for a firm that does some very interesting work, that travels all of the uk, europe and beyond, we get treated far better than any firm i've worked for in the last 20 years, and the pay is the best i've ever come across in this industry. but it does come at a cost, with regards long periods of time away from home, (2-4 months is not uncommon) and its abit of a closed shop to at first get into, but it can be done.
if you did do your test, what sort of work would you be happy/prepared to do???
days, nights, bit of both? would you need to get home after every shift, or are you happy tramping? this is where you could be out a few nights a week away from base, sleeping in the lorry.
if tramping is ok for you, bear in mind that the uk isn't the greatest for its facilities for truck drivers. there are some excellent truckstops out there, that charge a fair price for overnight parking, with good shower facilities, good food and maybe even a bar, but we could do with alot more.
parking for the night in a motorway services is often grim. lots are rubbish. poor parking, lousy showers and food and all for the stupid price of upto £27 a night!!!!!
we get all our parking and expenses paid for, but there are lots of haulage firms that won't pay their drivers overnight parking believe it or not
some of the work is crap, but may be worth putting up with for a bit, just to get you up and running and get the experience under your belt. you may along the way have to put up with some right halfwits. they come in all shapes and sizes and they maybe the public, other drivers, security guards, goods in and out staff, transport managers, health and safety reps to name but a few
but like i said, if you love driving, and travel and could put up with alot of the above, then give it ago
Ren Esis said:
From what I gather, the shortage of drivers is false. It's a statement which is overused by those training companies which charge you through the roof to arrange your tests, when you can easily do it yourself.
Try www.trucknetuk.com for info.
Especially the stickies near the top of the newbies forumTry www.trucknetuk.com for info.
I can recommend the LGV TRAINING TIPS one put together by some guy called ROG ... I wonder who he is !!!!
Can't help on the substantive points, but any claim about "shortage of workers" in any industry is bks, I've been seeing them for years, but what it actually means is "shortage of workers with glittering careers already who are able/prepared to work for fk all", and that applies to virtually all industries.
ks, I've been seeing them for years, but what it actually means is "shortage of workers with glittering careers already who are able/prepared to work for fk all", and that applies to virtually all industries.lack of lorry jobs down here, in south wales near swansea.Loads of drivers though,there's a training center near us,that must be putting 5-10 drivers a week through {mostly from unemployment office}.I paid for my class 1 myself cost me £1200,and ADR {hazzard/goods}cost me another £400 I was one of two who paid themselves in a class of 12.
Like a few commented on here,shortage of drivers is due the fact they can't get many to work for the wage/conditions of the job.
local {quite a large firm based in Dafen,Llanelli advertising £7.87per hour class 1 with nights out required!
Like a few commented on here,shortage of drivers is due the fact they can't get many to work for the wage/conditions of the job.
local {quite a large firm based in Dafen,Llanelli advertising £7.87per hour class 1 with nights out required!
It seems to be getting harder/more expensive as time passes, with periodic training and assessments, having to get one class at a time etc. When I did mine (20+ years ago) it was a weeks learning with the test at the end and, provided you passed, you got a class 1 drive just about anything license. When my Dad did his (50+ years ago) a man came out, watched him park a trailer (he was already driving HGVs) and that was it. The class 1 was an actual separate license back then.
Perversely, despite getting more and more difficult to get a license, the quality of HGV drivers seems to have gotten worse over the years.
Perversely, despite getting more and more difficult to get a license, the quality of HGV drivers seems to have gotten worse over the years.
johnny fotze said:
It seems to be getting harder/more expensive as time passes, with periodic training and assessments, having to get one class at a time etc. When I did mine (20+ years ago) it was a weeks learning with the test at the end and, provided you passed, you got a class 1 drive just about anything license. When my Dad did his (50+ years ago) a man came out, watched him park a trailer (he was already driving HGVs) and that was it. The class 1 was an actual separate license back then.
Perversely, despite getting more and more difficult to get a license, the quality of HGV drivers seems to have gotten worse over the years.
Driver quality ? Put it down to stress, companies wanting more & more all the time.Perversely, despite getting more and more difficult to get a license, the quality of HGV drivers seems to have gotten worse over the years.
Some jumped up little a
hole sat in a office 9-5 in charge of transport, don't make me laugh, it's true. We've all seen these tossers, this would never happen in any other occupation.
A bloke where i work was put in charge of transport & did'nt know what a 7.5 ton weight restriction was. !
He was eventually replaced by a woman who did'nt even know the areas we were delivering to. This was not a fly by night tuppeny penny outfit either. Like most things nowadays, everything gets done on the cheap.
gus607 said:
Driver quality ? Put it down to stress, companies wanting more & more all the time.
Some jumped up little ahole sat in a office 9-5 in charge of transport, don't make me laugh, it's true.
We've all seen these tossers, this would never happen in any other occupation.
A bloke where i work was put in charge of transport & did'nt know what a 7.5 ton weight restriction was. !
He was eventually replaced by a woman who did'nt even know the areas we were delivering to. This was not a fly by night tuppeny penny outfit either. Like most things nowadays, everything gets done on the cheap.
I can well believe it, it was bad enough when I got out at the first opportunity.Some jumped up little a
hole sat in a office 9-5 in charge of transport, don't make me laugh, it's true. We've all seen these tossers, this would never happen in any other occupation.
A bloke where i work was put in charge of transport & did'nt know what a 7.5 ton weight restriction was. !
He was eventually replaced by a woman who did'nt even know the areas we were delivering to. This was not a fly by night tuppeny penny outfit either. Like most things nowadays, everything gets done on the cheap.
I wasn't having a go at wagon drivers, by the way.
gus607 said:
Nowadays 2 - 3 grand cost, training, test, medical,CPC. When you have this lot then the fun will start, no experience = no job unless you know someone in the know somewhere.
Crap wages, crap conditions, being treated like low life everywhere you go. Then theres the new breed of Hitler, or VOSA or whatever they call themselves these days. These guys will give you a FPN for the slightest of infringements.
Im not sure that the costs are accurate, although the rest certainly is! No more than £1,500, surely? I only paid about £750 plus 1x retest cost, so well under £1,000. DCPC used to cost close to £1,000 if they could fleece you, but it can be found for £55 plus disbursements and VAT now (£75).Crap wages, crap conditions, being treated like low life everywhere you go. Then theres the new breed of Hitler, or VOSA or whatever they call themselves these days. These guys will give you a FPN for the slightest of infringements.
We ve just put 5 thru class 2 at work and 3 thru class 1,
£900 plus the vat class 2
£1000 plus the vat class 1
Cpc seems to be the stinger, module 4 which is basically your walk round check, one of our lads been quoted £250 to do it (he has his class2) but to do in with his class 1 its only £50.
Lorry hire etc is involved with the £250 but its only a half hour test max.
Sadly hes only got till sept to get it done but is not on the list for class 1 so hes going to have to bite the bullet at some stage.
£900 plus the vat class 2
£1000 plus the vat class 1
Cpc seems to be the stinger, module 4 which is basically your walk round check, one of our lads been quoted £250 to do it (he has his class2) but to do in with his class 1 its only £50.
Lorry hire etc is involved with the £250 but its only a half hour test max.
Sadly hes only got till sept to get it done but is not on the list for class 1 so hes going to have to bite the bullet at some stage.
cossy400 said:
We ve just put 5 thru class 2 at work and 3 thru class 1,
£900 plus the vat class 2
£1000 plus the vat class 1
Cpc seems to be the stinger, module 4 which is basically your walk round check, one of our lads been quoted £250 to do it (he has his class2) but to do in with his class 1 its only £50.
Lorry hire etc is involved with the £250 but its only a half hour test max.
Sadly hes only got till sept to get it done but is not on the list for class 1 so hes going to have to bite the bullet at some stage.
You mentioned initial module 4 and the periodic 35 hours september deadline so which is it because it cannot be both£900 plus the vat class 2
£1000 plus the vat class 1
Cpc seems to be the stinger, module 4 which is basically your walk round check, one of our lads been quoted £250 to do it (he has his class2) but to do in with his class 1 its only £50.
Lorry hire etc is involved with the £250 but its only a half hour test max.
Sadly hes only got till sept to get it done but is not on the list for class 1 so hes going to have to bite the bullet at some stage.
R0G said:
cossy400 said:
We ve just put 5 thru class 2 at work and 3 thru class 1,
£900 plus the vat class 2
£1000 plus the vat class 1
Cpc seems to be the stinger, module 4 which is basically your walk round check, one of our lads been quoted £250 to do it (he has his class2) but to do in with his class 1 its only £50.
Lorry hire etc is involved with the £250 but its only a half hour test max.
Sadly hes only got till sept to get it done but is not on the list for class 1 so hes going to have to bite the bullet at some stage.
You mentioned initial module 4 and the periodic 35 hours september deadline so which is it because it cannot be both£900 plus the vat class 2
£1000 plus the vat class 1
Cpc seems to be the stinger, module 4 which is basically your walk round check, one of our lads been quoted £250 to do it (he has his class2) but to do in with his class 1 its only £50.
Lorry hire etc is involved with the £250 but its only a half hour test max.
Sadly hes only got till sept to get it done but is not on the list for class 1 so hes going to have to bite the bullet at some stage.
The way its been explained to him is that he has to do it before sept.
Quite frankly I don't give a s
t the scenario I was makin was the price not splittin hairs over this and that. All the modules "new" drivers have to do are CPC are they not?
cossy400 said:
R0G said:
cossy400 said:
We ve just put 5 thru class 2 at work and 3 thru class 1,
£900 plus the vat class 2
£1000 plus the vat class 1
Cpc seems to be the stinger, module 4 which is basically your walk round check, one of our lads been quoted £250 to do it (he has his class2) but to do in with his class 1 its only £50.
Lorry hire etc is involved with the £250 but its only a half hour test max.
Sadly hes only got till sept to get it done but is not on the list for class 1 so hes going to have to bite the bullet at some stage.
You mentioned initial module 4 and the periodic 35 hours september deadline so which is it because it cannot be both£900 plus the vat class 2
£1000 plus the vat class 1
Cpc seems to be the stinger, module 4 which is basically your walk round check, one of our lads been quoted £250 to do it (he has his class2) but to do in with his class 1 its only £50.
Lorry hire etc is involved with the £250 but its only a half hour test max.
Sadly hes only got till sept to get it done but is not on the list for class 1 so hes going to have to bite the bullet at some stage.
The way its been explained to him is that he has to do it before sept.
Quite frankly I don't give a s
t the scenario I was makin was the price not splittin hairs over this and that. All the modules "new" drivers have to do are CPC are they not?
Those without acquired rights must pass the 2 initial DCPC modules to drive LGVs commercially and on passing they get a DQC - driver cpc card - which is expiry dated 5 years from the module 4 pass date
During the 5 years before the expiry date they need 35 hours of periodic DCPC to let then drive commercially for another 5 years after the DQC runs out
It must be either of the two options above but not both
R0G... I hope you don't mind me asking but I'm a little confused by all this.
I passed my standard UK driving test in 1994, so I have C1, C1E, D1 and D1E entitlements (according to my license, entitlement runs until 2047)
Whilst I don't currently drive for a living, in the past I drove a 7.5 tonner for a local transport company and this is always my fallback employment.
Your post above reads as though unless I do some sort of course before September 9th I will lose my C1 entitlement, is this right?
I passed my standard UK driving test in 1994, so I have C1, C1E, D1 and D1E entitlements (according to my license, entitlement runs until 2047)
Whilst I don't currently drive for a living, in the past I drove a 7.5 tonner for a local transport company and this is always my fallback employment.
Your post above reads as though unless I do some sort of course before September 9th I will lose my C1 entitlement, is this right?
K50 DEL said:
R0G... I hope you don't mind me asking but I'm a little confused by all this.
I passed my standard UK driving test in 1994, so I have C1, C1E, D1 and D1E entitlements (according to my license, entitlement runs until 2047)
Whilst I don't currently drive for a living, in the past I drove a 7.5 tonner for a local transport company and this is always my fallback employment.
Your post above reads as though unless I do some sort of course before September 9th I will lose my C1 entitlement, is this right?
You will not lose any driving licence category but you will lose the right to use that category for commercial purposesI passed my standard UK driving test in 1994, so I have C1, C1E, D1 and D1E entitlements (according to my license, entitlement runs until 2047)
Whilst I don't currently drive for a living, in the past I drove a 7.5 tonner for a local transport company and this is always my fallback employment.
Your post above reads as though unless I do some sort of course before September 9th I will lose my C1 entitlement, is this right?
Private LGV driving such as C1 or C horseboxes = no dcpc required = driver retains category on licence
Driving LGV in connection with a business in some way = dcpc required unless an exemption applies
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