Hello ladies and gentleman. I am about to turn 18 and currently have just started driving lessons for cars. I have been interested in driving lorries for a while now, long distance driving interested me the most. I think i have the right personality for it, i have aspergers syndrome mildly but it means i feel extremely comfortable for long periods of time without interacting with people. Being lonely doesn’t bother me.
My current plan is when i pass my driving licence get myself booked onto a HGV driving course. A training company near me offer a back to back Cat C & Cat C+E course that is only about £60 a months, you dont pay for 3 months either. It also includes the relevant CPC training & tests if you will be needing it, which i think i will.I was originally planning on learning with Eddie Stobart since they guarantee an interview after you finish the cat C+E,might be easier to get hired then since i know young drivers can struggle finding work.
I am a bit concerned about the medical with mainly my eyesight. I wear glasses but my vision isn’t so bad that i cant see without them, it just makes things further out a bit easier to read, but i think you only have to have really good vision in one eye right? I am just supposed to wear them for reading and when i am on the computer. I also have an astigmatism in my right eye.
Anything else i need to know? Id just like a bit of advice on the whole process really. Thanks
Cannot do back to back courses because the licence goes to DVLA after passing C so there is going to be about a 3 week wait for it to come back to do CE
What is the name of the training company near you - is it on the members recommended list contained within the link in my signature below
ROG:
Cannot do back to back courses because the licence goes to DVLA after passing C so there is going to be about a 3 week wait for it to come back to do CE
What is the name of the training company near you - is it on the members recommended list contained within the link in my signature below
Ignore the back to back thing. I just was reading the website wrong i think Does everything else i am planning sound good though? I reckon it might be better for me to train with Eddie Stobart since it could possibly save the stress of looking for work as long as i do alright in the interview.
ROG:
Cannot do back to back courses because the licence goes to DVLA after passing C so there is going to be about a 3 week wait for it to come back to do CE
What is the name of the training company near you - is it on the members recommended list contained within the link in my signature below
And this is the company that have a location close to me in Hampshire - hgvtraining.co.uk/
ROG:
Cannot do back to back courses because the licence goes to DVLA after passing C so there is going to be about a 3 week wait for it to come back to do CE
What is the name of the training company near you - is it on the members recommended list contained within the link in my signature below
And this is the company that have a location close to me in Hampshire - hgvtraining.co.uk/
OVER 60 TRAINING CENTRES
Noboby has that many so this has to be a broker IMO
Simple verification = can you visit the centre and see the training vehicles and meet the instructors before you part with any money - if yes then it is probably OK
ROG:
Cannot do back to back courses because the licence goes to DVLA after passing C so there is going to be about a 3 week wait for it to come back to do CE
What is the name of the training company near you - is it on the members recommended list contained within the link in my signature below
And this is the company that have a location close to me in Hampshire - hgvtraining.co.uk/
OVER 60 TRAINING CENTRES
Noboby has that many so this has to be a broker IMO
Simple verification = can you visit the centre and see the training vehicles and meet the instructors before you part with any money - if yes then it is probably OK
I think they must be. It says “We have an approved partner network of over 60 training centres” So they are not ran by them i believe.
The company you’ve linked to is a broker and most likely has no training vehicles or trainers of their own, they will dictate which HGV driver training company you learn with and charge you for their trouble, you’re better off finding a good training company your self.
Having said that, contrary to what some people on this board will advise I would not advise anyone to go into debt for HGV driver training unless they have some experience of road transport and already have a job lined up, at £60 a month it will take 4 or more years to pay off the debt and if you find you don’t like driving lorries or are simply no good at it you’ll be in debt and possibly without work.
If you go for HGV driver training immediately after passing the car test you’re likely to find it very hard to find work, who in their right mind would trust a new car driver with a HGV vehicle and load, even if you find a company who will give you a chance it’s likely to be the jobs no-one else wants.
My advice would have to be to get a couple of years car driving under your belt then think about HGV training.
tachograph:
The company you’ve linked to is a broker and most likely has no training vehicles or trainers of their own, they will dictate which HGV driver training company you learn with and charge you for their trouble, you’re better off finding a good training company your self.
Having said that, contrary to what some people on this board will advise I would not advise anyone to go into debt for HGV driver training unless they have some experience of road transport and already have a job lined up, at £60 a month it will take 4 or more years to pay off the debt and if you find you don’t like driving lorries or are simply no good at it you’ll be in debt and possibly without work.
If you go for HGV driver training immediately after passing the car test you’re likely to find it very hard to find work, who in their right mind would trust a new car driver with a HGV vehicle and load, even if you find a company who will give you a chance it’s likely to be the jobs no-one else wants.
My advice would have to be to get a couple of years car driving under your belt then think about HGV training.
Yeah i am thinking of just getting experience in a car for now. Once i have had my car licence for 6 months i can apply to BlueStar buses as a trainee driver so i might do that for a few years then make the move to HGVs
Suspect anyone with a new car licence and under 21 would have real problems getting a job due to insurance. Some can do it, but would be likely a dodgy job unless very lucky.
Company mentioned have “interesting” reviews around as they pay the trainer’s very little and usually only those who cant get work elsewhere will find trainees through it.
All the above advice seems good.
Get a fair bit of experience driving cars first. Get to known how to recognise idiots on the road. Get to find your way around in strange towns. Get to know driving before specializing in trucks.
Being keen and wanting to jump straight in is good, but jumping in before you’re ready could be an error?
Good luck.
Franglais:
All the above advice seems good.
Get a fair bit of experience driving cars first. Get to known how to recognise idiots on the road. Get to find your way around in strange towns. Get to know driving before specializing in trucks.
Being keen and wanting to jump straight in is good, but jumping in before you’re ready could be an error?
Good luck.
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ROG:
One thing that will help is getting your car advanced with the IAM or ROSPA asap
Yeah sounds like i should wait a bit first. Luckily the bus company near me takes people, even at 18 as long as you have had your driving licence for 6 months. After 3 years of service they give you a lump sum of about £1200 since they take a tenner out of your wages each week for the PCV. i reckon that would give me a bit of a head start on the HGVs too, maybe id find it a wee bit easier since id be use to driving a bus. At least the bus driving will get me out of college(which i think is ■■■■■■ and onto the road! I will get myself advanced with the IAM or ROSPA as ROG has suggested, more training can only be a benefit to myself.
I went through buses first, they paid for everything and I gained some valuable experience. One of the main lessons I learnt was not to rush despite everything going on as it gets you in to sticky situations and don’t go through a gap you don’t want to go through!
Actually agree with Rog do some advance driving course
If there is a yard around where you live go work in there for a bit speak to the drivers find out or find a driving job on small work then you get to know the road network give you some experience see some of the idiot drivers around
Matt87:
I went through buses first, they paid for everything and I gained some valuable experience. One of the main lessons I learnt was not to rush despite everything going on as it gets you in to sticky situations and don’t go through a gap you don’t want to go through!
Did you enjoy it? I think it will depend on where you drive though, some cities might have nicer people than others. Luckily for me my granddad was a bus driver on and off for 50 odd years, he has already been giving me some good advice about it. I like the fact the bus company pays for your PCV licence too, the one near me take a tenner of your wages each week but the lump sum id get back after 3 years would pay for most, if not all of my HGV training.
If you need to wear glasses to meet the eye tets then all that will happen is you’ll have a “01” restriction on the back of your license, nothing to worry about
andyvxr:
If you need to wear glasses to meet the eye tets then all that will happen is you’ll have a “01” restriction on the back of your license, nothing to worry about
I have 01 code next to all LGV test pass categories but NOT any of the others
That means I have 01 code next to my LGV C1 gained by passing HGV class 1 (now C+E) but not next to my pre 97 LGV C1 … go figure that DVLA medical logic
Some sound advice I’d personally agree with… I passed my car test at 17 and had been driving for a couple years before I’d finally had enough of my original trade as a vehicle technician and went in to van driving, a massive variation of work all driving and mainly multi drop for the parcel companies which gave me good experience and was a real eye opener to driving work!
Finally made the jump to HGVs a couple years ago (which for me was the best decision I’ve made employment wise!) however I feel getting those all important yrs in the cars and vans were an invaluable help to my current situation. Also that all important age factor would have had time to pass by then also. I know myself how frustrating it is trying to get in to something when so many factors seem to be an issue!
Good luck with whatever you decide and how you move forward!
- is it on the members recommended list contained within the link in my signature below 
Does everything else i am planning sound good though? I reckon it might be better for me to train with Eddie Stobart since it could possibly save the stress of looking for work as long as i do alright in the interview.