Got day 1 of Cat C training on wednesday with Peter Smythe (prob not the man himself lol), test on tuesday.
Bit worried as not driven a car since i passed car test just over 1 year ago - i’m not sure if 14 hours is going to be long enough :-S (too late now lol)
Not too worried about the reversing (famous last words) due to a good bit of experience with compact agricultural tractors and trailers but am slightly worried about learning a 4 over 4 box whilst keeping up with innumerable mirror checks, etc 
Cheers 
You are with one of the top training schools in the UK so give them and yourself a chance
I assume you informed them of your driving history?
I have every confidence in the school due to reading posts on trucknet.
Err, no didnt inform them about driving history, probably should have yeah, been riding big motorbikes all over the country for the last 5 or so years though so i like to think i’ve got a bit of road sense/awareness, etc
Ducpusher:
Err, no didnt inform them about driving history,
I am surprised they did not ask - perhaps Peter can explain why not if they did not ask
I can’t remember being asked but that doesn’t mean they didn’t lol
As Rog has said… One of the best schools in the country. Chances are you won’t get Mr Smythe himself, but he does have some good training staff in his team.
Did you have an assessment? If not then day 1 will be an assessment of your abilities and anything that needs polishing up on will have the extra attention.
You’ll be surprised how much can be put into 14 intense 1:1 hours.
Best of luck.
The lack of car driving experience honestly doesn’t phase me. Until the late nineties, when the practice was outlawed, I used to teach folk with NO licence on buses and artics. A bus would take around 30 hours and an artic 40 hours. So, to train someone with a car licence on a new truck that virtually drives itself, doesn’t wind me up in the slightest.
True, it’s not me personally doing the training. But my team are all thoroughly competent and experienced and will have no problem. We are also all bikers or ex-bikers so there’s a good common denominator before we start!
I wish this young man (I presume male) all the best with his training and test and will make a point of keeping up to date with his progress.
I hope he runs a diary on here as he will be one of the earlier candidates with a loaded vehicle.
Pete 
Training went pretty well i think, the gearbox took quite a bit of getting used to for the first couple of days and the sheer size of the truck was a problem on the first day as well - bouncing up and down kerbs, etc, but as my instructor said “your road positioning will improve when you start checking your mirrors more”. I think my instructor probably got tired of saying “mirrors” “mirrors” “mirrors” and “check your mirrors”, etc, every two minutes but i think the message finally got through in the end, you don’t at all realize (before the course) how often you have to do it - every 2 or 3 seconds. Practising the reversing exercise went well apart from the initial position where i was usually too far to the left.
Took test yesterday and failed, got 5 minors for “undue hesitation” (+ some other minors) - examiner said i was approaching junctions/roundabouts, stopping, then looking, then going when clear whereas i should have been approaching in the correct gear to carry on if it was clear (keeping it rolling). On the plus side the examiner said my mirror/shoulder checks were ok as was the reverse exercise. I think the examiner might have been a touch harsh but nevermind, got a retest booked for next tuesday.
Can thoroughly reccommend Pete Smythe Transport Training. Excellent and professional instructors and staff who were always very friendly and seemed like they genuinely care about getting you passed.
Sorry you didn’t get it straight away. Better luck next time. Thanks for the kind words. Pete
Sad to hear that.
Failed my one as well yesterday.
Dont you have to wait another 3 days before booking next one?
.
Mario 
If money and commitments allow, don’t leave it too long before rebooking. You’ll get it next time
Tests are booked through PSTT, because their site is the test centre - they sort everything 
I know. I had a couple of retests there.
Edited as comment obsolete
Peter Smythe:
That does sound bad Dean!Pete
Edited to compensate.
Failed again, would’ve passed but didn’t see 30mph sign so heard those dreadful words from the examiner “can you back it off a bit, this is a 30”. Bugger, bugger, bugger, it all went so well apart from that, only 9 minors this time as opposed to 12 last time. Will crack it next time i’m certain (Retest Monday 2nd dec).
Once again, thanks go to Pete Smythe & co - a most accommodating sort of fellow 
All the best for next time; your mistake was probably amongst the most common so dont beat yourself up.
Pete
Well at least your accrued minors are coming down.
Best of luck and don’t give up.
Bet you’ll be more cautious with the right foot next time.
Turned up this morning for an hour and a halfs drive to get my hand back in before test at 8:30am, all went fairly well untill my instructor told me that my test had been cancelled due to the examiner calling in sick 
Rebooked for the 12th of December
That’s the worst possible luck IMO. So sorry it happened to you but at least you haven’t got a massive wait.
All the best for 12th. Pete