Evening All,
So, I currently drive buses for a living, and fancy giving it a go without passengers. Has anyone else made the switch from buses to HGVs? I already have a full Manual Category D licence and CPC: will I find the experience helpful, or is driving HGVs different enough that it’s like starting all over again? Anyway, I hope you guys and gals can help!
If you can drive a bus, you wont find it difficult to drive a truck. (Driving it to test standard may be an issue though!)
In most other respects, the job is totally different. In some ways harder, other ways easier.
If you choose to train for CAT C I strongly suggest an assessment as, hopefully, a full course shouldn’t be needed.
All the best, Pete 
Was someone on here a few weeks ago asking the same question don’t know if he took the leap hopefully someone can push you in his direction…
The job itself comes with the positives and negatives like anything I suppose just expect long unsociable hours if you do take the plunge. But I Suppose you may be use to that if you drive buses for a living. Best of luck with everything :-')
Whats wrong with the buses?
SuperMultiBlue:
Whats wrong with the buses?
The cargo answers back.
Broadly speaking, yes. I find, as an average, that passengers are a big part of why I want to make the move. I’ve been assaulted by a passenger in the past and the biggest cause of stress is interaction with passengers. I like the actual driving bit, just not the negative passenger interactions…
Fair enough. Even though you’re familiar with a large vehicle id still say you’d need the full week of say 4x4 hrs then test on the 5th day purely for you to learn and remember the test routes ie lanes, positions, speed limits. Test standard remember.
Good luck
No need to learn test routes in order to pass the test
ROG:
No need to learn test routes in order to pass the test
I’ve passed 4 dvla driving tests first time but what do i know
I had one trainee who trained and failed at Gloucester test centre then with a one hour refresher passed the test at Northampton/Weedon test centre so that proves knowing the routes is not necessary
ROG:
I had one trainee who trained and failed at Gloucester test centre then with a one hour refresher passed the test at Northampton/Weedon test centre so that proves knowing the routes is not necessary
How does that prove test route knowledge is not needed? 
If your guy had learnt his routes properly and received good quality tuition he would have passed in Gloucester with no need to strike it lucky in Northampton.
SuperMultiBlue:
ROG:
I had one trainee who trained and failed at Gloucester test centre then with a one hour refresher passed the test at Northampton/Weedon test centre so that proves knowing the routes is not necessaryHow does that prove test route knowledge is not needed?
If your guy had learnt his routes properly and received good quality tuition he would have passed in Gloucester with no need to strike it lucky in Northampton.
Nerves set in the first time but experience and confidence in that experience saw him through the second time
ROG:
SuperMultiBlue:
ROG:
I had one trainee who trained and failed at Gloucester test centre then with a one hour refresher passed the test at Northampton/Weedon test centre so that proves knowing the routes is not necessaryHow does that prove test route knowledge is not needed?
If your guy had learnt his routes properly and received good quality tuition he would have passed in Gloucester with no need to strike it lucky in Northampton.
Nerves set in the first time but experience and confidence in that experience saw him through the second time
Probably panicked as he hadn’t learnt his routes
Knowing the route helps, but isn’t critical
Every test centre has it’s “trip up” points and it’s down to the trainer to ensure these have been covered. We go as far as having a check list to make sure this is the case. But as for learning test routes, no need.
Pete
Peter Smythe:
Every test centre has it’s “trip up” points and it’s down to the trainer to ensure these have been covered. We go as far as having a check list to make sure this is the case. But as for learning test routes, no need.Pete
We also have a training book we work through making notes of the trickier areas for the candidate. I agree about the routes. I always tell my candidates to not to get to anxious about what is and isn’t a test route. A road is a road. Tarmac, road markings and signs.
Hi, like you I’ve had my full manual cat D+E for the last 15 years. I was driving coaches with a trailer for the last 10 and the passengers ground me down. The driving itself was enjoyable, I just couldn’t deal with the people or children anymore.
Last year October time I decided I wanted to do my class 2 so went through the motion.
Even though I was a cpc holder, due to the fact I got my cat b (car) in 1999 I didn’t have aquired rights so had to do module 2 and module 4. The tests were in fact real simple and I used an app off of Google play to help me through it.
I used a company local to me and I did 2 days @4hrs each day with my test on the 3rd day. The reason I did 8 hrs training was to familiarise myself with the test routes.
Overall I found the whole experience fairly easy as I had experience with big vehicles. I’m now proudly driving a volvo FMX 540 on my own with no one bleating in my ear and it feels heavenly.
Go for your cat C, you won’t regret it
Just to let you all know, I did my Class 2 test at GTG Glasgow yesterday, passed first time, 0 faults!
