Hello all, I usually hang around in the old time section on here. I’m just looking for some info and advice please regarding learning to drive eight legger tippers or similar.
I’ve always loved trucks from a very early age even though there is no family connection with the industry, my interest has never gone away and I’m in my thirties now. I have always wanted to drive a Hgv, still got a dream of owning an old volvo of scania one day!
I was thinking about possibly learning to drive an eight legger tipper for starters? I passed my driving test when I was 17 and it enables me to drive a 7.5 tonner I believe, but what is required to drive a tipper? I did read somewhere that you can get a tractor unit down graded to a 7.5 t unit remove the 5th wheel and use your car licence but I don’t think that one is possible?
I’d like to try and get out of the job I’m in as its future is very uncertain and I don’t want to be caught out! The older I’m getting the more I fancy learning to drive a truck and maybe change my career. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks indeed.
Stew.
Hi to drive an 8 legger you’d need a class 2 licence and off course your driver cpc qualification that goes with it. I’m not sure how the cpc works for you as I had to just do the 35 hours as I passed a while ago but I hear off module this module that being mentioned but don’t really understand what it entails for newbies.
Pete Smythe or rog will probably be along shortly to explain properly. If you do decide to go for it make sure you use a proper training school, there are many brokers out there that will take your money send you miles away to drive a heap off ■■■■. Make sure you visit a training school In person and have an assessment drive there usually free and will give you an idea of what they are like.
I think you’ll find also class 2 enables you to drive a tractor unit wether the fifth wheel must be removed or not I’m not entirely sure I’ve heard it does need to be an I’ve heard it doesn’t so who knows, either way it’s irrelevant because you won’t find a job that pays you to drive around all week solo not delivering ought .
It’s not all rosey in the haulage game no more but I enjoy it there’s a million jobs worse its what you make of It so go for it good luck.
If you passed the car test before 1st January 1997 you should have Cat C1 on your driving licence, to drive 8 wheel tippers you will need to do the Cat C test.
If you have cat C1 already on your licence you will have the Driver CPC until September 2014, to drive commercially after that you will need to do 35 hours of DCPC training.
harryvr6:
I did read somewhere that you can get a tractor unit down graded to a 7.5 t unit remove the 5th wheel and use your car licence but I don’t think that one is possible?
You don’t need to remove the 5fth wheel to drive a unit on a cat C1 licence if it’s not more than 7½ tonne, but the chances of getting most artic units down to 7½ tonne with or without the 5th wheel is remote I would have thought.
This roundabout in Godalming is just big enough to turn my 8 wheeler round on when it’s loaded up with the tag axle down. It was tight but it went all the way round the edge. I hate it when it doesn’t quite make a junction or corner and you have to take a shunt
I went to another firm who’ve got a stretched unit 8 wheeler and the driver reckoned it was terrible, I had a go in their yard and it was spiteful as the conversion hadn’t been done very well and the 2nd steer was like an anchor
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