Was wondering if employers were keen on putting drivers on LGV courses.
The route I’m going down is as follows - will pay for theory and training/test for Class C.
Many of the big companies around Aberdeen are top heavy with artics - ASCO, Caledonian Logistics, Craib’s, Dyce Carriers, Freelands, Kennedy’s, SBS and Seaforths and the like (no, I don’t expect anyone here to know anything about these companies).
Would any company with a fleet laden with artics pay for the C+E training of any would be driver if they held a C licence gained either by the employee’s own efforts or would they still expect you to pay for the additional training and test if they took onto their books?
SuperLez:
Was wondering if employers were keen on putting drivers on LGV courses.
The route I’m going down is as follows - will pay for theory and training/test for Class C.
Would any company with a fleet laden with artics pay for the C+E training of any would be driver if they held a C licence gained either by the employee’s own efforts or would they still expect you to pay for the additional training and test if they took onto their books?
My tip would be for you to carry on as you are with the Cat C, then do some agency work driving Cat C vehicles. The progression to Cat C+E IMHO would then be more “natural,” with you gaining experience of driving heavy vehicles in stages. That way, you’ll probably be able to have your ear to the ground and pick up info by chatting with other drivers as you go. If you do some Cat C agency work, you’ll also build some track record, which can only be to your advantage once you’ve done the Cat C+E test.
Given that LGV training is so expensive these days, my next suggestion is that your finances might not get too stretched, if you go about it as above. If you choose to go ahead as planned, you might find yourself in the situation where you’ve spent a lot of money, but you’re then unable to go straight to a Cat C+E job due to lack of experience.
I’d say that the answer to your original quetion might be a matter of company policy Vs. market forces. Having said that, you’d know your own local area best, so I couldn’t offer any local knowledge. I’m not sure whether a company would take the method of obtaining your Cat C into account. They might just go on the fact that you have it or not. It might be the same when it comes to Cat C+E.
Go with what Dave said and then get saving. Very few companies put people through, and when they do it’s usually their own warehouse staff or experienced rigid drivers. There isn’t a shortage of drivers per se, there’s a shortage of good, experienced drivers…Harsh, but true, I’m afraid. The chances of anyone taking on and training a completely unknown quantity are nigh on zero.
Get the rigid licence and go from there, you may be lucky, just don’t count on it.
I dont know if there are companies like J Coates in Leicester but they have their own agency and LGV training school - if you work on C for them then they will train you to CE but you will be tied to a contract for a set number of years. They also teach, for free if you work for them, all the other aspects of LGV driving such as roping & sheeting, tachos etc etc.
Assuming that Rogs suggestion is not an option (it may be, i dont know), go with what Dave said.
get your Cat C and get some miles under your belt.
once you are comfortable with Cat C, go for a job driving them with a bigger company that runs artics too
the reason being that you can put yourself through your class 1 but you would be far more likely to be taken seriously if you already have a job with a company who runs them
look at it from their point of view.
2 guys have walked in looking for a job driving artics. both have just passed their tests. one has been working for you for a while, no problems, can handle a class 2 with ease. the other guy, you dont know from adam. who would you put in your artic?
being known holds a lot of weight in this line of work
think mcpheresons of aberlour have had a training school for a few years if youve got your class c they ll get you up to c+e but you will owe them a few years work they used to have guys based down the docks in aberdeen and as far as i know there still there cant remember phone number but there address is fishertons garage aberlour if you want to try directory enquires
When i worked for DHL a few years back doing class 2 work, someone told me they put drivers who had been with them for awhile through licences.
Say they needed class 1 or class 2 drivers and you didnt have the licence you could apply for the job and if successfull they would put you through your test. I dont know if this is true or not since some other guy working there told me this.
When i was working for Driver Hire they were desperate for HIAB drivers and offered to put me through my HIAB for £120 and it could be paid back at £10-£20 per week out my wages. If i left DH i would have to pay what ever was owed of the £120.
DH etc… advertise they will help put drivers through HGV licences, cheaper rate etc… but dont know if they actually do.
Kenny1975:
When i worked for DHL a few years back doing class 2 work, someone told me they put drivers who had been with them for awhile through licences.
Say they needed class 1 or class 2 drivers and you didnt have the licence you could apply for the job and if successfull they would put you through your test. I dont know if this is true or not since some other guy working there told me this.
When i was working for Driver Hire they were desperate for HIAB drivers and offered to put me through my HIAB for £120 and it could be paid back at £10-£20 per week out my wages. If i left DH i would have to pay what ever was owed of the £120.
DH etc… advertise they will help put drivers through HGV licences, cheaper rate etc… but dont know if they actually do.
Don’t think that DHL trunk out of Aberdeen - AFAIK, only one courier firm does - so that option isn’t on for me, sad to say.
Anyway, some further info. I already have my foot in the door agency wise. Work part time - the objective of this is to pay for my LGV training. Have driven anything from an automatic Nissan Micra to 3.5t Transit/Sprinter type vans/pick ups. Have done this now for almost a year. Also have an FLT ticket which may help me get into warehousing/shunting type jobs for a start.
If Driver Hire are willing to help fund HIAB training in this manner, I don’t see how they wouldn’t pay for LGV courses with the employee paying back say £30 - £50 a week out of their wages.
I know some people who have been funded through one or other tests, they are usually at small firms and are existing staff members.
My boss has muttered about me getting class 1 but has gone quiet about it of late (probably scared by the cost)
It’s no odds to me, if he wants me to do it to cover the lowloader then fine I’ll do it but I’m not bothered enough to want to do and pay for it myself.
scania245:
think mcpheresons of aberlour have had a training school for a few years if youve got your class c they ll get you up to c+e but you will owe them a few years work they used to have guys based down the docks in aberdeen and as far as i know there still there cant remember phone number but there address is fishertons garage aberlour if you want to try directory enquires
Will seriously think about this one a shot - but will do as you and other posters have said about getting rigid experience first (at least 1 year).
I do understand that the training will not be totally free - will have to work for the company in question for a while.
Another thing to think about - compared to other parts of the country LGV training in Aberdeen is dirt cheap - none of the “big boys” operate up here. Lorries admittedly old - but the firms have been around for many years and one in particular has a very good word of mouth reputation.
if you get youre c+e youll get a job no problem as they dont let you loose for a good few weeks on your own ex TDG group but its hard dirty graft on the casks but great countryside
When i recently applied to Driver Hire for a job ( Class 2 ) i asked about being trained to class1. They said we`ll see after a couple of months. Yes you have to pay it back, but if you show the commitment, they will be willing to help you. Just remember though, dont go for your test until you are sure you will pass, as it will get very expensive for a re test for which they would have to consider doing. ( If they dont you still owe them for something you wont have!!! )
I fell lucky. The firm I work for paid for forklift, teleporter, ADR, Class2 then Class 1.
Oh and dont belive the tied to contract thing. My boss just asked if id do it, I said yes. He then said all he wanted was a gentelmans agrement that id stay with the firm. To this day I have 2 years after getting class1. He had trained and lost at least 4 others before and could do nothing payment contratc wise. Wasnt worth the paper it was written on, he told me hence why we just had a verbal agrement.
Must admit to having looked around as dont do much class 1 work and I like to do more. But having looked around my area I struggle to find a job thats better overall taking everything into concideration. So staying put driving class 2 mainly with the odd bit of time on class 1 paid more than 90% of local firms and home every night.
to 3.5t Transit/Sprinter type vans/pick ups. Have done this now for almost a year. Also have an FLT ticket which may help me get into warehousing/shunting type jobs for a start.
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