Hi there,
3 months ago I completed my LGV course and got me C+E.
However, everyone seems to say that to work anywhere in the LGV sector you need “2 years experience”.
I’m 21 years old and I’ve held a D (Bus and Coach) licence since I was 18 with the same amount of experience (3+ years) which increases by the day.
Does anyone know if a company would take that into consideration for the “2 years experience” requirement; holding a D licence must be sort-of the same as holding a C licence…the only primary difference being D licences are for carrying people whereas C licences are for carrying cargo?!
Any and all advice/help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Richard
The Lyonator:
3 months ago I completed my LGV course and got me C+E.
However, everyone seems to say that to work anywhere in the LGV sector you need “2 years experience”.
Well Done on the C+E pass!! This 2 years experience thing might be a company policy or a requirement placed upon a company by an insurer. Unfortunatlely, it does seem to be everywhere you go at your age/experience. Most people take the Cat “C” route via agency work to build towards their 2 years. Sometimes, I’ve known that the further a person is into the 2 years, the less important it becomes. On the subject of requirements, some firms, or their insurers, have an age requirement of 25 as well.
The Lyonator:
I’m 21 years old and I’ve held a D (Bus and Coach) licence since I was 18 with the same amount of experience (3+ years) which increases by the day.
It’s all good experience, because you can truthfully say that you’ve driven professionally for x (length of time.) Provided that it’s true, I’d also mention no accidents/convictions and that you’ve used tachographs. It all helps. 
The Lyonator:
Does anyone know if a company would take that into consideration for the “2 years experience” requirement; holding a D licence must be sort-of the same as holding a C licence…the only primary difference being D licences are for carrying people whereas C licences are for carrying cargo?!
You might be able to have your Cat “D” experience taken into account, since in terms of size, Cat “D” and Cat “C” vehicles are fairly similar as you said. I’d say that you’d do yourself no harm by asking a couple of agencies whether they’d be able to provide you with some work on Cat “C” or Cat “C+E” and see what they say. Very often, if you’ve worked for a firm via an agency, the firm themselves might ask whether you’ve got “C+E.” It does happen, but you might have to be patient for a while. Good Luck!!
You might be able to have your Cat “D” experience taken into account, since in terms of size, Cat “D” and Cat “C” vehicles are fairly similar as you said. I’d say that you’d do yourself no harm by asking a couple of agencies whether they’d be able to provide you with some work on Cat “C” or Cat “C+E” and see what they say.
My thoughts exactly.
It is worth approaching as many agencies as possible and putting yourself across as experienced but just having upgraded your licence to further your work prospects - which is true.
Congrats on the pass and good luck.
Mothertrucker:
My thoughts exactly.
It is worth approaching as many agencies as possible and putting yourself across as experienced but just having upgraded your licence to further your work prospects - which is true.
I hadn’t thought of “I’ve just upgraded my licence.” - Mothertrucker, that has the hallmark of a skilled and wily tactician.
That’s definitely worth a shot!! Go for it Lyonator!
alright mate im down s’hampton and hear the driver hire in town will take on with no experiance. Not been down there my self yet as not had enough time but will be going soon i think
It used to be a case of “nobody under 25”, but it now seems to be a matter of “two years experience.”
Didn’t we have some legislation at the back end of last year that outlawed age discrimination in relation to ‘Services’. And with Insurance being a ‘Service’, as opposed to ‘Goods’, perhaps the Insurance Industry are avoiding compliance ‘via the back door’.
Perhaps one of the magazines might wish to take a look at this subject.
Depends where you are in the country i suppose.
This is a good time for year for agency work with the summer holidays coming up and people going away, agencies get desperate for staff. In Glasgow area anyway seems to be a shortage of drivers. Seen adverts “1 years experience class 1 upto 6 points”. Other adverts just asking for some experience.
I was working with bibby for awhile through an agency, was booked in whole week even tho literally sitting about twiddling my thumbs most of the week. Going out doing one drop getting paid 8 hours for a 3 hour shift, because they were finding it so hard to get drivers from agencies rather pay you to sit about all week because if they leave it till thurs and friday when they are busy couldnt get a agency driver.
When i passed my class 1, went with an agency was told them straight off wanted class 1 work they said ok but can you do some class 2 as well since can be hard getting people with no experience work, i said sure 1 month later all class 2 multi drop work, told them was leaving because no class 1 stuff. Surprise surprise started to get lots of class 1 work after that.
Depends on insurance but most companies seem to be letting people drive who havent been driving 2 years up here anyway due to lack of drivers. After having passed my test about 14months and driving with loads of different companies multi drop, trunking etc… was going to get sent to one company but they couldnt let me drive because insurance wanted 2 years experience. But was they were so desperate and i had experience driving for lots of compannies they got some kinda exemption for me.
Guess what i am saying is if your area needs drivers badly you will get work espec with the summer holidays coming up.
moneywise, the best connection are good. they paid me £9 per hour to work at rank hovis. plenty of work and they caused me no trouble. i dont know about experience but its worth a shot
forget agenceys head for haulage firms put your name in the phone will ring be positive the more companys you approach the sooner the phone rings goodluck
I know with my place they wouldn’t take you on till you were 25 or over but thats only because of insurance sorry to put a downer on things mate I think a lot of other place’s are the same. Is anyone got the same thing with there company? 
alright mate. been lookin around go to afs in eastleigh and they have there own agency and will take you on. good wagons too and seemed nice on the phone
Why not bypass the experience problem by simply changing your name by deed poll to something that sounds Polish?
Alright mate, as your in Southampton you should go and see Deben on Nursling Ind Est. I passed my class 1 in April 05 aged 23. Deben in Felixstowe took me on the following September with no class 1 experience atall. I spent about a month with one of the shunters getting dock/driving experience before going out on my own. Nearly 2 years on im still there and drive an '06 DAF SSC.
The guys name down there is Jeff.
Good luck.
