Hi everyone,
I just signed up a few days ago and have been browsing and reading.
I am looking into doing my LGV tests for both classes, fairly shortly. Next few weeks hopefully.
I currently work as a courier so pretty much doing the job already, all be it a smaller vehicle.
Looking to get out of the courier side of things as p_ssed off, at constantly never knowing what time you are going to get home at.
As, the courier industry is un-regulated in the respect of drivers hours you very often find yourself driving 14-15hrs a day, most days.
I enjoy driving, but I also like to get home to the wife still alive, lol.
Anyway, got a question about training.
I live in Feltham, Middlesex a stones throw from London Heathrow can anyone recommend a decent training school in the area?
I was considering Sterling in Slough and Wallace in Wembley.
I just read a post on here from an instructor, he never mentioned Sterling but he never had too, as the deal he mentioned is the same deal they offered to me and from what he said, I think I will give them a wide berth.
I have read a couple of posts on here praising Wallace but I think you do your class 1 on a tow and drawbar rig, which I don’t really think is adequate.
If you want to drive Cat 1, you need to train on Cat 1.
You can upgrade with Wallace to the full artic but that bumps the price up by another £470.
I know you get what you pay for but do any of you guy’s have any recommendations ■■
They get you to sign a disclaimer before you start and because you are self-employed it’s pretty much up to you.
You can refuse work, but who are they going to call with jobs tomorrow ?
If you know what I mean.
I have on many an occasion, done a day’s multi-dropping starting at around 7am or so, got back to multi-drop company with doc’s and any no-answers (un-delivered) and then beep,beep, beep on the old palm-pilot computer, low and behold a collection from Wembley going to Glasgow, that’s been booked since 13:00pm and it’s now 16:00pm.
Noticed last night, they had a place in Slough, sent them an e-mail asking for info and prices etc got a reply this morning.
Prices look competetive, but as we all know you get what you pay for.
So any comments on J.Coates, not just Slough but any of their other branches would be welcome.
From my limited contacts with J Coates (at Leicester), they seem to be quite a professional outfit. They are often quoted as not being the cheapest but, as is often said, you get what you pay for.
In your browsing of the forums have you read the “Idiot’s Guide” in the…I think it’s in the FAQ forum.
Not knowing when you will get home, or even IF you will get home (that night), is all part of the job.
Hi mate, first of all welcome to tn. I did both my cat c & cat c+e with Wallace. They’re not the cheapest company around but i found them to be very proffessional & they use nice new trucks which are easy to learn in. The main office is situated right next to wembly stadium but the guy i had for my training (Les) is situated in stockly park near heathrow. They’re a very proffessional outfit & very easy to deal with. I passed my cat c first time & when i failed my cat c+e they sorted me out a retest for the same day the following week, excellent service i thought.
They are a RTITB & DSA accredited training centre. Like i said they’re not the cheapest but i would highly recommend them from experience. I had a good laugh with Les. You can use either rigid with trailer or artic for your c+e.
I looked at the likes of sterling & e.p training in guilford. E.p only use flat bed trucks & trailers which in my opinion are more like 7.5 tonners.
Sterling were doing a deal which included a free artic course when you book a cat c course & pass a c.p.c. Would of cost about £1000. After i rang for details i was inundated with phone calls & txts saying deal runs out soon unless you book by a certain date. Then even when the deadline had gone i was still getting txts all the time offering other deals. This put me off sterling, if they’re so good why do they have to hassle people all the time.
Wallace on the other hand told me what they could offer & said they’d leave it upto me to decide which they did.
My advice would be to go with the school you feel the most comfortable with.
Check out the vehicles and see if that is what you want to learn to drive on.
Dont forget the small flatbed trucks are easy to drive but as they are only ‘baby’ trucks the examiners will be less sympasthecic than they would be with a larger vehicle that they consider to be a ‘proper’ truck. Class in Enfield but most use wagon and drag.
But dont forget you have to pass the cat C (rigid) first so dont start worrying about upgrading until you have your Cat C licence in your hand.
I would strongly advise any trainee againt paying up front for both courses. You never know how the first tests will go, so just find a truck and school you are happy with to do your Cat C with then rethink the issue when you have passed.
Maybe you could go with one school for the Rigid then another for the Cat C+E. It is all worth taking your time over - it is your cash you are parting with.
Good luck whatever you chose to do.
