Since the age of 8 I have always wanted to be a HGV driver after seeing those yorkie bar adverts in the late 70’s the ones where he is driving a big rig delivering yorkie bars!!!, anyway, fast forward life and I end up falling into a sales career but at the age of 41 I now want a career change. ( I know it won’t be easy and I know I won’t earn as much as I do now especially to start with but that is not the motivator)
i have a couple of questions…
Should I just do class c to start with?
Should I bite the bullet and do c+e in one go.
Eddie stobart do a traing course c and e £2800 and you get an interview at one of there depots…what do you experts think?
3 No - you can get training cheaper elsewhere and there’s no tie in contract where you have to pay back if you leave. (Read the newbies forum about brokers etc and do your research before picking a trainer)
The general census of opinion is that it is better to gain some Class 2 experience before driving Class 1 as it helps with getting used to the size of the vehicles however there is nothing to stop you doing both tests back to back and stepping up to Class 1 when you feel that you are ready to do so. I passed both tests summer of last year, coming into the career as a total newbie to the world of HGV driving, it was a sharp leaning curve at times (and still is) but I have managed okay albeit with one or two hiccups along the way, I served a short 23 shift ‘apprenticeship’ on Class 2 before stepping up to Class 1 and maybe in hindsight I should of done a few more Class 2 shifts before making the leap but I was keen to get cracking.
Thanks for the advise guys… I can’t wait to get started. I live in Guisborough, near Middlesbrough. Does anyone know of a good training center locally?
As for doing some work on C, its entirely up to you. Some here jumped straight from C into C+E and got cracking on artic work whilst others, myself included spent time on C before making the jump. I’ve got my test tomorrow but I got bitten in the arse today for being a little too cocky. Nothing too bad but little things like approaching junctions a tad too fast will net me a few minors but its also a gateway to a serious if you go charging round. My second drive was a lot smoother.
Some will argue that doing time on C will cause you to pick up bad habits because driving on test is a world away from driving for work. People will say that since you’ve just passed C, you’re still in test mode so less likely to make silly mistakes. On the flipside doing C work first means that you aren’t so scared of a large vehicle and the artic is a beast even if you have done 26t work like I did. Since you’ve been driving a large vehicle, the road sense is more engrained so you’ll be more aware of things that only a large vehicle driver would be aware or should be aware of.
Radar19:
As for doing some work on C, its entirely up to you. Some here jumped straight from C into C+E and got cracking on artic work whilst others, myself included spent time on C before making the jump. I’ve got my test tomorrow but I got bitten in the arse today for being a little too cocky. Nothing too bad but little things like approaching junctions a tad too fast will net me a few minors but its also a gateway to a serious if you go charging round. My second drive was a lot smoother.
Some will argue that doing time on C will cause you to pick up bad habits because driving on test is a world away from driving for work. People will say that since you’ve just passed C, you’re still in test mode so less likely to make silly mistakes. On the flipside doing C work first means that you aren’t so scared of a large vehicle and the artic is a beast even if you have done 26t work like I did. Since you’ve been driving a large vehicle, the road sense is more engrained so you’ll be more aware of things that only a large vehicle driver would be aware or should be aware of.
Good luck with your Test radar! I see your from Lincoln…I used to live their
Welcome aboard Jacobaz, fire away with
As many questions as you want.
In general, a firm will see how you are with their customers on cat c multi drop work.
Then cab hopping for c & e work until a driver leaves to have your own cab, then it’s easier to leave all the kit in it.
Talking of tv adverts ,Google the broken down Heineken driver, so good, the Danish hate to see it leave.
toby1234abc:
Welcome aboard Jacobaz, fire away with
As many questions as you want.
In general, a firm will see how you are with their customers on cat c multi drop work.
Then cab hopping for c & e work until a driver leaves to have your own cab, then it’s easier to leave all the kit in it.
Talking of tv adverts ,Google the broken down Heineken driver, so good, the Danish hate to see it leave.
Personally I think it’s less of a risk with your money if you do a few months of Class 2 work before sitting your Class 1. It’s also good experience to “earn your stripes” as do you really want drive Artic’s without any real knowledge of Rigids? I also think a fresh Newbie will find it easier to get a start on VANS , but at the same time, it’s good to have a Class 1 in your pocket…
(That’s a dig at ash 001 if he ever gets back on…)
I don’t see the argument that you will pick up bad habits…
From an employers point of view, someone who has gone straight from a car licence to c+e doesn’t really have any hgv driving experience. Just because you did a 1-2 week course and passed does not mean that you will be ok in our £100,000+ equipment. So employers can be a little apprehensive when it comes to lack of experience. But from a drivers point of view, how do you get experience without someone giving you a chance? My advice would be, if you have some experience, e.g. you’ve driven 7.5t for example give it a go. But if you are coming from only driving cars etc, maybe working your way up to c+e may be a better option.
i went straight to class 1 from a car. last august. class 2 aqquired in the process obvs. only had my car licence for just over a year as well. did a back to back course and walked straight into a job. (with an offer from a 2nd company) they had me on rigids for a couple of months (pallet network) to get to know the customer gaffs and used to the size. then sent me out in artics.
imo youll learn faster doing pallet network tripe as they send you to horribly tight places. i can get an artic into places some of our 5 year veterans cant who didnt start where i did.
btw pallet delivery is horrible work. but it is useful. hope this helps
I went straight through from car, to Cat C (rigid), and the Cat C+E (artic). I don’t really see a point in driving rigid for a certain amount of time, before going for your artic, you may as well do them as quickly as you can, together, while your brain is still in “training mode”. Obviously if this is financially viable of course! If you can get them both done, and get both categories in your pocket, then they’re done and dusted!
To me, rigids felt quite natural to drive, and can be dealt with by using common-sense, and so can artics to some extent, but sometimes you need to wake yourself up, and realise that some things aren’t possible in an artic!
Eddie Stobart do take-on new passers, and yes, like people say, it can be difficult for new-passers to find work. If you have zero experience, providing you pass the Eddie Stobart interview and driving assessment, they’ll put you with someone for a month, so you can learn the ropes. It will depend on your depot as to what type of work you will be doing, i.e supermarket deliveries, soft-drinks, ports, etc.
Good luck, and I’m sure you’ll make the right decision to suit you!
netty201:
From an employers point of view, someone who has gone straight from a car licence to c+e doesn’t really have any hgv driving experience. Just because you did a 1-2 week course and passed does not mean that you will be ok in our £100,000+ equipment. So employers can be a little apprehensive when it comes to lack of experience. But from a drivers point of view, how do you get experience without someone giving you a chance? My advice would be, if you have some experience, e.g. you’ve driven 7.5t for example give it a go. But if you are coming from only driving cars etc, maybe working your way up to c+e may be a better option.
Well for the OP I don’t think there is a general consensus!
In some area’s demand for drivers is such that a Newbie can walk straight into a job, but that may not be the case everywhere…
What can’t be denied is written above, and this is in my opinion why chainmailguy was put in a Rigid to start with, to see if he was safe and sensible. It’s still going to be expensive crashing a Rigid, but probably less than an Artic, what would you do if you were the boss? Yes having a class one in the back pocket may have been the difference in getting the job or not, but I suspect chainmailguy could have started on the Rigids with just the oversized VAN licence!
I’m also normally doing pallet work, and my experience of it is contrary to chainmailguy’s, I find it quite enjoyable. It’s not boring as you’re on the go, but not having to tear the arse out of it like you do with other jobs. It’s not really that manual, as it’s a kerbside delivery on our VANS, and all my drops on an Artic are Forklift so I just open and close the curtains at each drop. The maneuvering in tight situations and dealing with the general public is a lot to do with what you make of it, I just view it as a challenge and try to enjoy it. Although that’s hard when a pensioner starts swearing at you!
Anyway, nothing wrong with getting both your classes in one hit, but it’s probably best to not assume your first gig will be an Artic one, and if it’s not going to be, I don’t see the harm in getting some free practice in an oversized VAN to improve your Class 1 passing odds…
Thanks for everyone’s input here guys, all valid points and lots of food for thought. I have enough money to do the first part straight away, but I think I might save more to do both back to back. I like the points made where you are still in training mode to do both together but get a job on class 2…gain experience and then with confidence work on class 1.
I have to say I’m so excited as this is something I’ve wanted to do for years but like a lot of people I fell into a job and life ticks by!
By the way this forum is excellent, lots of useful advice, and lots of good banter!
it’s easy to say you’re going to do a few months on the rigid and for time to get away from you. when I passed my class 2, I wanted to get a bit of experience on the vans before I did class 1. I ended up doing 15 years before I took class 1, but I guess the experience helped, I did pass first time, driving an artic felt natural.
jbaz73:
it’s easy to say you’re going to do a few months on the rigid and for time to get away from you. when I passed my class 2, I wanted to get a bit of experience on the vans before I did class 1. I ended up doing 15 years before I took class 1, but I guess the experience helped, I did pass first time, driving an artic felt natural.
I keep seeing people saying “working on the vans” in the forums…does it mean vans as in transit vans■■? Sorry if this is a stupid question!
jbaz73:
it’s easy to say you’re going to do a few months on the rigid and for time to get away from you. when I passed my class 2, I wanted to get a bit of experience on the vans before I did class 1. I ended up doing 15 years before I took class 1, but I guess the experience helped, I did pass first time, driving an artic felt natural.
I waited 3 months including booking, I could see at my firm that the Artic drivers had it easier…
And yeah, I think I passed first time with the aid of some (and in your case a lot!) of Rigid experience!
the ones where he is driving a big rig delivering yorkie bars!!!, anyway, fast forward life and I end up falling into a sales career but at the age of 41 I now want a career change. ( I know it won’t be easy and I know I won’t earn as much as I do now especially to start with but that is not the motivator)
, but at the same time, it’s good to have a Class 1 in your pocket…
