Ok, I understand that it’s a never ending topic and in fact it doesn’t matter if you pass your test on either of them.
However while I can’t say anything bad about PSST - quite opposite - I don’t think I can find enough time and money to travel there again. Especially when I have to do a retest.
I can’t agree on days and time with my local training provider (I’m working on that) so I thought I’ll have to travel a bit further. Looked on recommended training centres and one offers W+D only (however they did bother replying when I asked to confirm that) and another one claims that companies won’t be willing to employ someone who passed on W+D.
Personally I’d like to have a go on an artic but if it means travelling for retests such a long way (still around 200 -250miles one way) I may not be able because I don’t have that much time…
I have no suggestions for you re trainers and options, obviously i’m not a trainer.
However, i’ve driven both W&D and artics widely over decades, there are detail differences between the two, both have benefits and drawbacks in designs regarding maneuverability mainly, you won’t turn a W&D where you can turn and artic because simply put you don’t have either the turning circle or are you able to jack knife the vehicle as tightly, but once you’ve driven something long that pivots at some point it’s only a case of altering approaches slightly to accommodate the differences.
No employer worth his salt would fail to employ you because you passed on a drag, i suggest whoever told you that only had an artic available for training vehicle and was telling you accordingly.
My question would be why you want to do it on W+D instead of artic?
Cant imagine many people even knowing you passed on WD instead of artic (not sure if it shows on licence), but it helps to know how to hookup an artic esp if you did agency anytime.
I believe PS has an accommodation offer for travelling distances, but still got to get there of course. As for retests, hopefully you won’t need one.
I passed on a w&d. I then did a days worth of conversion training across to regular Arctic, and then got various agency jobs to help build my confidence up. I was then taken on by another company full time, who wanted a new driver. They didn’t mind that I had not had my class one that long.
In the interim I had also driven class two with a similar size trailer, for staging deliveries.
As in, take a loaded trailer down to the Sub depot in Gloucester, Then leave it there and do my deliveries. Another driver would then use that trailer for extending his deliveries. On my way back I would pick up an empty trailer.
I am glad I did it that way, because I felt I did not have the confidence after repeatedly failing in a regular class one, even though subsequently I found out that I was pretty well shafted with the trainer that had been provided for me through the agency.
trevHCS:
My question would be why you want to do it on W+D instead of artic?
Cant imagine many people even knowing you passed on WD instead of artic (not sure if it shows on licence), but it helps to know how to hookup an artic esp if you did agency anytime.
I believe PS has an accommodation offer for travelling distances, but still got to get there of course. As for retests, hopefully you won’t need one.
I want to do CE on artic. Just one company (McPherson in Elgin) is giving an impression that employers prefer those who passed that way. It makes me question their credibility.
Another training provider (Aberdeen Training Services) has w+d but I wanted to make sure if they have an artic by any chance, but no reply yet.
Them two are recommended by forum users.
I remembered looking at Ritchies in Glasgow but I think they said it’s 2:1 training. I can’t be bothered sitting in a cab and watching someone driving. Or maybe I’m missing something looking for 1:1 only, don’t know…
Been to PSTT and did my C, passed first time.
However it is really far and takes a while to get there.
I’ll chase my local trainer and try to discuss options with him. It’ll save time at least…
dead.duck:
I remembered looking at Ritchies in Glasgow but I think they said it’s 2:1 training. I can’t be bothered sitting in a cab and watching someone driving. Or maybe I’m missing something looking for 1:1 only, don’t know…
When I did my tests years ago it was booked as 1:1 but another instructor was sic so I ended up Sharing driving time with another guy. It was great and actually we both learnt (from each other’s mistakes) and passed first time in the same training time.
I want to do CE on artic. Just one company (McPherson in Elgin) is giving an impression that employers prefer those who passed that way. It makes me question their credibility.
Another training provider (Aberdeen Training Services) has w+d but I wanted to make sure if they have an artic by any chance, but no reply yet.
Them two are recommended by forum users.
I remembered looking at Ritchies in Glasgow but I think they said it’s 2:1 training. I can’t be bothered sitting in a cab and watching someone driving. Or maybe I’m missing something looking for 1:1 only, don’t know…
Been to PSTT and did my C, passed first time.
However it is really far and takes a while to get there.
I’ll chase my local trainer and try to discuss options with him. It’ll save time at least…
I don’t come on here too often now but I am happy to assure you that in my opinion you have no reason to question the credibility of McPherson Training in Elgin, regarding Ritchies Training in Glasgow offering 2-1 training the “normal” industry standard has always been a 2-1 training ratio, look at it from the point of view that you are getting two driving courses for the price of one.
dead.duck:
I remembered looking at Ritchies in Glasgow but I think they said it’s 2:1 training. I can’t be bothered sitting in a cab and watching someone driving. Or maybe I’m missing something looking for 1:1 only, don’t know…
If you’re that set on 1:1 training contact CTTS in bathgate, you can specifically ask for 1:1 on an artic. Good staff in my opinion, passed class 2, class 1 and mod 4 with them. Worth a phone call/e-mail if nothing else, unless its a bit out of your way.
dead.duck:
… but I think they said it’s 2:1 training. I can’t be bothered sitting in a cab and watching someone driving.
There’s plenty of stuff to look at though. They’re driving on the same roads that you could be driving on for your test and making the same decisions, judgements and errors that you might make.
I went for 1:1 artic training, but on the test day warmup drive, me and his other student went out together for a couple of hours. I genuinely picked up a lot from watching how his other student drove. He was a lot more cautious than I was. My tendency was to keep it rolling when possible, and if I thought I could get it through without actually touching the kerb I’d go for it, despite my instructor trying to get me to stop taking risks on rubbing or even mounting a kerb when I should just have hung back and waited etc. Seeing his other trainee doing things so unhurried and safe really did rub off on me and achieved what my instructor never fully managed to get me to do by himself.
I learned in a wagon and drag. Easier to drive straight from a class 2 that’s for sure, however for experience to jump straight in an artic it’s best to learn in one unless you’re willing to pay for extra lessons in an artic once you’ve passed your test. It doesn’t show on your licence which variant you learnt in so an employer asking what you learned in / not hiring you because you didn’t learn in an artic is rubbish, and as has been said, likely you were told this as they only had artics available and wanted your business.
And as for 1:1 vs 2:1, I’ve learnt b, c, c+e 2:1 as that’s how the army does it. You get twice the lessons as you are getting taught directly and also learning from the other student. You also learn from their mistakes if they make any. Plus it’s nice to have a chill out for a bit after driving for an hour or 2 rather than driving constantly for 4 hours as you’ll start to switch off and make mistakes in turn knocking your confidence.