Please excuse me if this is in the wrong area, I am a 46 year old male looking for a final change in direction and would love to join the haulage industry.
I have my medical book for Wednesday morning and hope to complete the theory and hazard perception asap, then I can get myself booked on a course for my Cat C with a view of gaining some experience prior to taking the C+E maybe summer next year.
I have a couple of questions really,
I realise I have to do the CPC but have been told that as I passed my driving test in 1989 only have to do the Mod 2 & 4 initial, I’m not really sure what this means ■■ does it mean I don’t have to do the full 35 hours being new to the industry ■■?
Once I pass my Cat C I am hoping to get some experience doing weekend work (as a day driver) and school holidays (either as a day driver or tramping), as I work in IT at a school this is all I can commit to for the moment with the intention of leaving school if I can find steady employment. Is this something that is possible and is the industry looking for people to cover at these times or am I just kidding myself.
I am fortunate to live in an area which is inundated with industrial estates and intend to write to each individual company nearer the time in the hope of gaining some experience the sooner the better, any advice that you can provide is always greatly appreciated.
I realise I have to do the CPC but have been told that as I passed my driving test in 1989 only have to do the Mod 2 & 4 initial, I’m not really sure what this means ■■ does it mean I don’t have to do the full 35 hours being new to the industry ■■?
Mod 2 & 4 are a couple of extra tests so much less bother then doing a 5 day CPC. The Mod 2 is very similar to the theory test except the format is slightly different. You have to read a short case study and then answer questions relating to the scenario set out in the case study. If you revise properly for your theory then it shouldn’t be too taxing.
The Mod 4 is a mix of practicable & theory. An examiner will ask you questions and you will try to answer them by pointing at a lorry. You might also have to demonstrate that you can do up a ratchet strap or a chain. Your HGV driving school should give you all the info you need.
Think the main problem you will face while working in a school is that they will probably want a months notice. The world of HGVs is faster moving and a lot of employers won’t want to wait a month for you to start. That said you could always start a job during the summer hols and then put your notice in. (If the school get sniffy about you serving your notice during the summer holidays then just politely tell them to do one).
I spend 7 years doing IT in schools, have to say in some ways it was a great job. But in others it’s dreadful, I always found the teachers worse then the students!!
I have spoken to the driving school this morning and he’s explained all about mods 2 & 4, also provisionally booked me in for the October half term for the training and test .
As you passed car test before 1997 then you have a CHOICE -
Do mod 2 and 4 tests
OR
Do 35 hours periodic attendance
Either will get you 5 years dcpc
Many schools have their practical training approved for dcpc hours so doing the C course could get you between 14 or28 dcpc hours depending whether its 1 to 1 (14) or 2 to 1 (28) over the basic 5 days training with test on day 5
ROG:
Driver cpc
Many schools have their practical training approved for dcpc hours so doing the C course could get you between 14 or28 dcpc hours depending whether its 1 to 1 (14) or 2 to 1 (28) over the basic 5 days training with test on day 5
Sorry Rog you have lost me on that bit I’m afraid when I spoke to the training company they can train me at half term (last week in October) 4 hours a day Monday to Friday from 7:30 to 11:30 then my test would be on the Friday afternoon with a 2 hour lesson before hand.
ROG:
Driver cpc
Many schools have their practical training approved for dcpc hours so doing the C course could get you between 14 or28 dcpc hours depending whether its 1 to 1 (14) or 2 to 1 (28) over the basic 5 days training with test on day 5
Sorry Rog you have lost me on that bit I’m afraid when I spoke to the training company they can train me at half term (last week in October) 4 hours a day Monday to Friday from 7:30 to 11:30 then my test would be on the Friday afternoon with a 2 hour lesson before hand.
If that training company have their LGV practical courses approved for dcpc then by paying a little more you could get 14 hours towards your 35 - ask them
ROG:
Driver cpc
Many schools have their practical training approved for dcpc hours so doing the C course could get you between 14 or28 dcpc hours depending whether its 1 to 1 (14) or 2 to 1 (28) over the basic 5 days training with test on day 5
Sorry Rog you have lost me on that bit I’m afraid when I spoke to the training company they can train me at half term (last week in October) 4 hours a day Monday to Friday from 7:30 to 11:30 then my test would be on the Friday afternoon with a 2 hour lesson before hand.
If that training company have their LGV practical courses approved for dcpc then by paying a little more you could get 14 hours towards your 35 - ask them
ROG is speaking of periodic DCPC, which you’ll need to have completed before you can drive Cat C for wages.
If you’re canny, you could ask the training school that does your Cat C lessons if they have their Cat C lessons approved for periodic DCPC.
As already mentioned PLEASE be aware of ‘national’ training schools, because you’ll probably end up paying far more than you need to for exactly the same thing.
A read of the LGV driver training schools recommended by TN members might save you some money:
Thanks for the help everyone, I live in Grimsby and we only have about 3 popular training schools around here Denbys, TranSafe and Lindsey Driving School at the moment I’m looking at going with TranSafe transafetraining.co.uk/ just because they can fit me in during the October half term which suits me down to the ground.
when I spoke to the training company they can train me at half term (last week in October) 4 hours a day Monday to Friday from 7:30 to 11:30 then my test would be on the Friday afternoon with a 2 hour lesson before hand.
A read of the LGV driver training schools recommended by TN members might save you some money: