As I’m being made redundant in May I think it’s a good time to grab the bull by the horns and upgrade the licence to C and move up from the 7.5 tonners, it should hopefully increase my chances of getting a reasonable job.
I have contacted 3 driving schools in the Peterborough area, 2 more established ones and ED Trucking which is a relative newcomer apparently, they can also offer in house jobs.
Anyone had anything to do with them ■■? Especially the standard of their training ■■?
I reccomend Apex training if your in the Peterborough area. I went with them! great instructors there all a good laugh and very good at teaching, they no there stuff!
Apex is one of the others that I’ve contacted but there are significant cost incentives to go with ED and I really just need to know that they are good at the job.
I can’t comment on their abilities, but I have seen the motors around while working. The trucks all look well looked after, and as far as I could see the trainees were driving well (ie instructors looked calm and pointing things out etc).
I am not familiar with Trainers around Peterborough so could not recommend, however I would advise that you choose one that does not use minimum spec machinery and flat trailers, etc. I think its important to get some feel for a box or a curtainsider before you get thrown into one thats fully freighted. Just my view for what its worth?
youre on wogans show enough, tell its pay back time for all the materail he’s used from you and he should sponsor the upgrade…will the people who are making you redundant fund it you dont want to dip into the pay off money too much
Ask ED Trucking for their test pass rate. It will tell you more about the quality of their training than price, their self opinion or advertising could.
As with others I have not experienced ED Truckings training. I learnt with APEX training in Peterborough and can thoroughly recommend them. When I learnt they were still using FL10’s with a 40ft triaxle box trailers, but have since upgraded to FH12’s, and I think 45 foot trailers.
As for the rigids, they were R reg FL7’s at the time, and I guess as they are still relatively new by some fleet standards, taht they have probably still go those.
The thing that swung the choice for me was that unlike a few other training schools, you go 1 on 1 wuith Apex, rather than sharing an instructor. I liked this idea as it meant you got more continuous practise in (ie a full 4 driving, as i did half day lessons).
Hope this is of some (albeit limited) help. They do also have contacts within some of the companies in the local area to help place drivers once a new licence has been acquired.