ADR - Good choice (or not)?

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
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Well the weekly retainer I have been getting for the last few weeks whilst my ‘employer’ sorted out their operators license, has now come to an end and the company have effectively ceased trading. The temping on the tippers I have been doing for the last few weeks to tide me over is also drying up now, courtesy of poor ground conditions, which is a usual winter thing. I have got some severance pay off my last employer, which whilst not a great amount, I ideally want to invest in some additional driving qualifications.

At the moment I am looking at ADR and a couple of quotes have come in for around the £430 mark, or £480 with the tanks, which seems very reasonable and well within budget. I was just wondering whether anyone else had got their ADR in recent times and found it useful on the job market.

Also if anyone knows any good web sites about ADR training syllabus and typical exam questions that would be appreciated. I could Google it, but I’m looking for a site with accurate, up to date information. As all of us that have done DCPC know, there is a lot of incorrect information about most things out there.

Thanks…

2

ADR as 28 hours of CPC… viewtopic.php?f=5&t=128053

Agencies generally pay £1 extra an hour if it’s ADR pallet work.
That’s what I do, and basically ALL I know :open_mouth:

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Evil8Beezle:
ADR as 28 hours of CPC… viewtopic.php?f=5&t=128053

Agencies generally pay £1 extra an hour if it’s ADR pallet work.
That’s what I do, and basically ALL I know :open_mouth:

Thanks for the extra info in that thread link Evil… :wink:

I will save at least £180 by the ADR giving me at least 21 hours CPC. Realistically I would rather spend £90 day on something useful, rather than £60 day for mindless waffle that was of little real benefit. :confused:

I have seen ADR jobs that pay not much more than tippers, to ones that pay about £3 to £4 hour more, so from a monetary perspective, it is very much swings and roundabouts, but even at a pound a hour more, you’d recover the outlay within a few months.

4

LIBERTY_GUY:
Well the weekly retainer I have been getting for the last few weeks whilst my ‘employer’ sorted out their operators license, has now come to an end and the company have effectively ceased trading. The temping on the tippers I have been doing for the last few weeks to tide me over is also drying up now, courtesy of poor ground conditions, which is a usual winter thing. I have got some severance pay off my last employer, which whilst not a great amount, I ideally want to invest in some additional driving qualifications.

At the moment I am looking at ADR and a couple of quotes have come in for around the £430 mark, or £480 with the tanks, which seems very reasonable and well within budget. I was just wondering whether anyone else had got their ADR in recent times and found it useful on the job market.

Also if anyone knows any good web sites about ADR training syllabus and typical exam questions that would be appreciated. I could Google it, but I’m looking for a site with accurate, up to date information. As all of us that have done DCPC know, there is a lot of incorrect information about most things out there.

Thanks…

I’d advise against googling anything ADR related for exactly the reasons that you’ve given.

The demand for ADR qualified drivers varies and will depend on the type of work on offer in your area.
If you give an approximate location, then somebody in the know might possibly be able to give you a good answer.

The prices you’ve mentioned seem a little on the cheap side, but did you check to see whether the price quoted includes VAT and exam marking fees, because not all providers are completely transparent about those two items.
If those prices include VAT and exam marking fees, then I’d say that you’re on a winner.

When you attend an ADR course, the provider has to give you a current handout/handbook that goes with the course.
The provider approvals process includes, the premises, the course itself, the instructor, the classroom and equipment plus the handouts, and includes unannounced spot-checks by SQA external verifiers. If DCPC is offered, there is also the possibility of an unannounced external verification visit by JAUPT or the DVSA.

5

LIBERTY_GUY:
I was just wondering whether anyone else had got their ADR in recent times and found it useful on the job market.

Thanks…

For me it didn’t prove fruitful, I’ve never used my ADR & I’m not a truck driver anymore. Most people are successful though so don’t be put off, all the best.

6

dieseldave:
I’d advise against googling anything ADR related for exactly the reasons that you’ve given.

The demand for ADR qualified drivers varies and will depend on the type of work on offer in your area.
If you give an approximate location, then somebody in the know might possibly be able to give you a good answer.

The prices you’ve mentioned seem a little on the cheap side, but did you check to see whether the price quoted includes VAT and exam marking fees, because not all providers are completely transparent about those two items.
If those prices include VAT and exam marking fees, then I’d say that you’re on a winner.

Thanks for all the extra info Dave, much appreciated.

Yep I checked that the prices were fully inclusive of VAT and other fees. In this part of the world (Staffordshire), those prices are pretty much on par with others. They are all reputable training providers I have contacted, with a known history, as appreciate there are scam merchants out there too.

7

Pimpdaddy:

LIBERTY_GUY:
I was just wondering whether anyone else had got their ADR in recent times and found it useful on the job market.

Thanks…

For me it didn’t prove fruitful, I’ve never used my ADR & I’m not a truck driver anymore. Most people are successful though so don’t be put off, all the best.

Thanks Pimpdaddy. :wink: I’m not a career truck driver as such, but having spent the summer working outdoors this year on local(ish) HGV driving, I’m not sure I want to go back to working indoors again, as got used to having my own space.

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If your going to spend the money on ADR, make sure to do the tanks element. This is a good time to get into the fuel industry, you may have to start on the little class 2 oil tankers but with 1 years experience of that you will be able to move onto class 1 forecourt deliveries. Average pay then will be around £14-15 depending on the contract.
I did this and it has proved well worth it.
As for exams, don’t worry too much about them, you are given all the info.
Hope this helps

9

Camerin:
If your going to spend the money on ADR, make sure to do the tanks element. This is a good time to get into the fuel industry, you may have to start on the little class 2 oil tankers but with 1 years experience of that you will be able to move onto class 1 forecourt deliveries. Average pay then will be around £14-15 depending on the contract.
I did this and it has proved well worth it.
As for exams, don’t worry too much about them, you are given all the info.
Hope this helps

Thanks for the input Camerin. For the sake of an extra £52, I would certainly be doing the tanks part as well. Both the providers that have given me quotes so far have courses starting in a few days time, so would hopefully be able to physically get the card by mid January. This close to Christmas I’m not expecting many calls from agencies, so might as well use my time constructively.

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I’ve been asked if I want to do it, but said I wasn’t interested. Truth is I wouldn’t mind having it but at my place you have to sign to say you’ll pay for the course if you leave. I’ve got no plans to leave but I’m not signing to say I’ll pay for it.

11

Camerin:
you may have to start on the little class 2 oil tankers but with 1 years experience of that you will be able to move onto class 1 forecourt deliveries.

The op has told us long and loud he doesn’t do shop or home deliveries.
Fairly narrows down your opportunities in this sector.

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I have consistant work from one company that I wouldn’t have without ADR. Best money I have ever spent.

13

isaac hunt:

Camerin:
you may have to start on the little class 2 oil tankers but with 1 years experience of that you will be able to move onto class 1 forecourt deliveries.

The op has told us long and loud he doesn’t do shop or home deliveries.
Fairly narrows down your opportunities in this sector.

It the very heavy handball of unloading an entire truck by hand that the o/p doesn’t want. The 300 kilo plus cages you have to drag up high kerbs (if you can get remotely anywhere near the shop), or the heavy stuff you have to drag up two flights of stairs to deliver to people’s homes. Say what you will, but those sort of gigs are waaay above the safe handling limits.

I am looking more to industrial ADR work, perhaps industrial waste, or bulk industrial supplies. Would definitely consider bulk gas or fuel oil deliveries though, as got vacuum and pressurized tanker experience with non hazardous loads (think brown stuff). :wink: