That sounds like another trick. I guess they are getting a lot of people contacting their card issuer for a refund and they are losing out. So they now get folk to pay by Internet banking to avoid the money being taken back out of the brokers bank. Nice.
I really don’t know what us good driving schools can do about these underhand brokers. We must need some sort of government approval scheme or flag flying scheme. The cost of such a scheme makes it difficult to implement.
I really don’t know what us good driving schools can do about these underhand brokers. We must need some sort of government approval scheme or flag flying scheme. The cost of such a scheme makes it difficult to implement.
There is the DSA Accredited Centre list that we’re proud to be on. Does carry some weight. The biggest anomoly is, as you know, the fact the Voluntary LGV register is still VOLUNTARY! Drives me stupid.
It would be so easy for DVLA to enclose a list of Registered Instructors with the provisional licence. That would be a good start.
Happy New Year, Pete 
Perhaps an easier idea …
A rule which states that anyone operating a vehicle or vehicles for the purpose of obtaining a LGV or PCV licence should register that with the DSA for a very small one ooff admin fee and that registration to also take the form of a voluntary undertaking of certain standards
I know that is not as far as you would like it to go Peter but it would be a start with the effect of precluding those without their own training vehicles
Sorry ROG, not often I disagree with you but while the spirit of your last post is great the reality is not quite there.
Suppose all genuine trainers register their vehicles with the DSA and make an undertaking about standards etc. They then get a call from a customer (which is what brokers are to them) asking for a course to be delivered to the agreed standards.
What is so different from now.
Not disagreeing with you ROG, just saying something you might not have considered.
Happy new year BTW
Perhaps an easier idea …
A rule which states that anyone operating a vehicle or vehicles for the purpose of obtaining a LGV or PCV licence should register that with the DSA for a very small one ooff admin fee and that registration to also take the form of a voluntary undertaking of certain standards
I know that is not as far as you would like it to go Peter but it would be a start with the effect of precluding those without their own training vehicles
This is a typically British view! “Lets find an easy way of shutting people up!” Why do we have to find an easy way" The problems come, in part, from it being too easy to enter the industry as a “trainer”. EG no requirement to be registered, qualified, hold O licence, have proper premises, have correct maintainence arrangements in place, have some form of quality control in place to protect Joe Public.
This is quite apart from the broker issue. Not going to re-open that particular can of worms. My views are well known and documented.
Joe Public is horrified to discover that the majority of “trainers” are untrained apart from holding a driving licence. I see no reason why legislation should not be introduced, without any further delay, to make compulsory the registration upon qualification of LGV instructors. The voluntary register has been in place for 15 years and it’s high time it was given credence.
In the meantime, customers will continue to receive training over which there is NO quality control in any way, shape or form.
In my view, this is as serious as the broker issue.
Pete
I think all of the good quality driving schools will agree with you completely on this matter Pete. It needs us all to bring it to the attention of the government because the DSA keep dragging their heals. I would guess this is because if we have a good regulated trainee truck driver experience they would be out of a job! There would be no need for a test if all we churned out was highly trained drivers. At the moment they have to weed out the badly trained ones, that basically all their job consists of.
Tockwith Training, providing quality driver instruction since 1971
LGVTrainer:
Sorry ROG, not often I disagree with you but while the spirit of your last post is great the reality is not quite there.Suppose all genuine trainers register their vehicles with the DSA and make an undertaking about standards etc. They then get a call from a customer (which is what brokers are to them) asking for a course to be delivered to the agreed standards.
What is so different from now.
Not disagreeing with you ROG, just saying something you might not have considered.
Happy new year BTW
Hey John, although you say…
[
I have stated above that Flair has never acted as broker.
](Advantage Training - #80 by lgvtrainer - NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE) - Trucknet UK)
The video on your website showing your truck reversing excersise which has your phone number on it is advertising “branches nationwide”, what gives bro ?!!!
Hey John, although you say…
I have stated above that Flair has never acted as broker.The video on your website showing your truck reversing excersise which has your phone number on it is advertising “branches nationwide”, what gives bro ?!!!
None of my business, but I believe I recognise the trailer as ex=Sterling (I stand to be corrected if I’m wrong) and, for whatever reason, the signs have not been fully removed. Pete
Peter Smythe:
Hey John, although you say…
I have stated above that Flair has never acted as broker.The video on your website showing your truck reversing excersise which has your phone number on it is advertising “branches nationwide”, what gives bro ?!!!
None of my business, but I believe I recognise the trailer as ex=Sterling (I stand to be corrected if I’m wrong) and, for whatever reason, the signs have not been fully removed. Pete
I seem to remember a year / 18 months ago that John did State he had purchased it from Sterling.
I did purchase the truck in Oct 09, 3 months before Sterling fell. I made only minimal changes to the signwriting including the phone number and name. The “Branches Nationwide” sign was already there so why remove it.
As I spend 99.9% of my time in Chelmsford and the majority of our trainees live in Essex I dont believe the sign is there to mislead.
I would like to thank Mike-C for taking the time to be so observant on our website but I can assure you I would never subcontract a course out to another trainer. Not because of any deep rooted principles but because why give them 2nd best, (with the exception of all trainers on this site of course)
I love my job x
LGVTrainer:
I did purchase the truck in Oct 09, 3 months before Sterling fell. I made only minimal changes to the signwriting including the phone number and name. The “Branches Nationwide” sign was already there so why remove it.As I spend 99.9% of my time in Chelmsford and the majority of our trainees live in Essex I dont believe the sign is there to mislead.
I would like to thank Mike-C for taking the time to be so observant on our website but I can assure you I would never subcontract a course out to another trainer. Not because of any deep rooted principles but because why give them 2nd best, (with the exception of all trainers on this site of course)
I love my job x
Yeah, right.
I notice that a lot of companies, training and agencies are still using old terms and new terms, such as LGV and HGV.
There was one trainer that did training in LGV2 followed by HGV1? There are other names popping up as well but I thought that LGV was ‘Large Goods Vehicles’ and HGV was ‘Heavy Goods Vehicles’. Is this not the case?
Then there is the C, C+E, CE mixed in with Class 1, Class 2, Rigid & Articulated without any explanations 
Totally agree. It’s all very confusing for someone considering the industry. For myself, I try to continue using the terms that the trainee has used. In due course, which could be within a couple of minutes, I try to modernise to LGV.
But many drivers and TM’s that have been in the industry for 20+ years still use the old terms and it’s gonna take a while for it to stop I think.
It also doesn’t help when candidates argue. Had someone on the phone the other day insisting that they wanted a C1+E to drive Dad’s artic cos that’s what Dad had said!! Took ages to convince him otherwise and I’m not convinced he understands now. I tried. And yes, it was a “real” artic.
I blame Brussels.
Pete
Saratoga:
I notice that a lot of companies, training and agencies are still using old terms and new terms, such as LGV and HGV.There was one trainer that did training in LGV2 followed by HGV1? There are other names popping up as well but I thought that LGV was ‘Large Goods Vehicles’ and HGV was ‘Heavy Goods Vehicles’. Is this not the case?
Then there is the C, C+E, CE mixed in with Class 1, Class 2, Rigid & Articulated without any explanations
This is a UK only curiousity
The UK had HGV categories before we joined the EU
The EU had LGV categories
Once we joined the EU we had to switch by law to LGV
In many years time it is likely that HGV terminology will be dropped as older drivers retire
Another oddity, I believe, is that the EU has LGV C1 category vehicles but do not do LGV C1 tests - only C which covers C1
Another common one is the perception that a rigid vehicle is LGV and an artic is HGV. “I want to do my LGV and then move on to HGV” is quite normal.
Personally, I don’t care what people call it. But I fully understand the confusion it could possibly cause.
Brussels, yuk.
ROG:
This is a UK only curiousityThe UK had HGV categories before we joined the EU
The EU had LGV categories
Once we joined the EU we had to switch by law to LGV
Are you absolutely sure about this ROG?? 
I reckon the UK had HGV Classes for many years after we joined the EEC (The EU came later,) and there were four HGV Classes.
How is it that I took a HGV I test in 1979 many years after the UK joined the EEC?
If your theory is correct (it isn’t 
) then what vehicles could be driven on a German Klasse II driving licence in the 80s 
Peter Smythe:
I blame Brussels.
Pete they do get a fair bit of stick at the Christmas dinner but changing the HGV name…thats a bit much
Peter Smythe:
Brussels, yuk.
Guess its just the roast parsnips from now on then LOL
ROG:
The UK had HGV categories before we joined the EU
The EU had LGV categories
Once we joined the EU we had to switch by law to LGV
How can I put this so as not to cause offence. Mmmm, oh I know.
In Germany for example HGV’s/LGV’s are, and always have been LKW’s, Lastkraftwagen.
Coffeeholic:
In Germany for example HGV’s/LGV’s are, and always have been LKW’s, Lastkraftwagen.
This^^ 
However, my question to ROG still stands (and doesn’t need him asking for clarification. )
Standard job adverts in newspapers and the trade press of the time asked for Führerschein Klasse II, so I’m wondering which vehicles that could possibly cover, with the fishing hook and golden trumpet award waiting…
For ROG’s benefit, Führerschein (sometimes abbreviated to “FS”) = driving licence.
Over the past few months I have had quite a few PMs asking if this or that company are brokers (middlemen) so I thought a list of them might be useful.
It is recommended by those on this site that the potential LGV trainee should visit the school they may wish to train with so that they can meet the instructor(s) and perhaps view the truck(s) and any facilities before parting with any money.
I am delberately not going to make comments as to the credibility, or not, of any broker - I am quite sure members will post their own personal experiences or views if they wish to.
Please remember that this site has rules on making unfounded accusations or deflamatory remarks etc
BROKERS
easyashgv.co.uk
advantagehgv.co.uk
highwaylgv.co.uk
directlgv.co.uk
thelgvtrainingcompany.co.uk
hgvtrainingbroker.co.uk/index.html
hgvexpress.co.uk/
focushgv.co.uk/index.htm
PARTIAL BROKERS - NOW GONE BUST
qualitastraining.co.uk - WEBSITES ARE NO MORE
Rikki-UK
FROM HERE:
Autosearch (Essex) Ltd, which apparently traded as Sterling LGV and Qualitas has ceased trading…At this time Autosearch (Essex) Ltd is NOT in administration and no administrators have been appointed.
LGVTrainer:
Generally Sterling own all their own vehicles. However as they advertise Nationally through Google they inevitably get enquiries and bookings from locations where they are not based. The only long term areas they used other companies to provide the training was in Scotland, South Wales and Devon/Cornwall ie not so heavily populated areas. In other areas they would use subcontractors from time to time to see if an area warranted setting up permanently with company owned vehicles.Overall they did not intend to be seen as brokers in the sense of Clearstone, Pathway, Advantage etc
Any more ?
This site has a list of Recommended LGV training schools that have been recommended by members which can be accessed by clicking on the link in my signature below.
There is also hgvlgvtraining.co.uk which contains a list of independant (non broker) LGV training schools.
