Hi all I'm new, a few questions

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hi all been reading the posts on here for a while, thought its my time to gave a go!
thinking of doing the LGV license as I am so sick of office work. I’m 26 never really had a career in mind, just kind of fell into working for a mortgage brokers. I’m sure driving is something I would enjoy and have been looking into doing the required license.

Iv’e also got my head screwed on to the fact that (if) i do manage pass the tests I ain’t gonna get the dream job driving long distance through europe and that its gonna be a long hard slog working for an agency

Looking for somewhere to train in the teesside/north east area (im from middlesbrough) any suggestions?

also what are your views on the intensive training?

and also the company clearstone?

how much should I be looking at paying to be trained?

thanks in advance!

2

when i did my class 2 and 1, it cost me 952 each 1 week course with DTT.

DTT seems friendly and good instructors and got me passed first time on each, but look in yellow pages, use the phone, and see what each comapny offers.

some offer 1 hr assesment…which is waste of time and money in my mind, as if ur going to do it…get ur prov licence, then book ur thoery first, and pass it, then book ur weeks course, and have a go, if u fail, u book up another test.

when u passed, yes get exp with agencys, need a driver seems to be good with new drivers, but u do get the ■■■■ work, and money, but for a few months, and experince… its worth it…then u just move up the ladder. myself, i passed oct/nov 06, class 2 and 1, got agency work, 2 months later worked on class 2 for transport company, this week (7 months later) started on class 1…

it takes time

hopw this helps

3

Welcome cjw :smiley:
Do a search on this site to find out what training schools are/are not recommended.
Try this for some pre training tips trucknetuk.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=23857
ANOTHER NEWBIE wrote:
can anybody explain the process over the forum as to what i have to do to start with so i can tick them off on paper.

LGV C (Rigid) formally Class 2:

Anyone who passes their car driving test and wants to drive a large goods vehicle will need additional training to be brought to the DSA standard. The vehicles used will also have to conform to the standards as set by the DSA.
The vehicle must conform to the following:
Boxed/curtain sided vehicles
Length 8 metres
Width 2.4 metres
8 forward gears
Tachograph
ABS as standard

Requirements:

Stage 1
Have a medical to prove you are physically fit to drive a Large Goods Vehicle using
Form D4 of the pack (obtainable from various driving schools). Please contact you’re GP or we recommend www.driversmedicals.com who can provide low-cost medical examinations.
Stage 2
Obtain your provisional licence. Having completed forms D2 & D4 send with your licence to the DVLA in the enclosed envelope, I recommended that you send it record/registered delivery. Your licence with provisional entitlement will normally be returned within 2 to 4 weeks.
Stage 3
Pass the theory test. This is carried out at local test centres and made up of two parts; Part 1 is multiple choice, 60 questions and Part 2 is hazard perception, 14 video clips.
Stage 4
Book your training course with LGV Training school. Once you have passed your theory.

Test Criteria:
Answer approximately 5 questions on basic vehicle checks.
Reverse into a marked bay.
Controlled brake test.
Drive for approximately 1 hour around the town. Test may also include hill starts and motorway driving.

Order a D2 Form (MARK FORM FOR C NOT C1)
forms.dvla.gov.uk/forms/ordering_forms_dg.htm
Fill the form and a D2 form will be send to in the post
Download the 8 page D4 Medical Form
direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg … 020731.pdf
Please print and take to your GP if you have the facilities at home or work

Theory - get book /CD rom + HPT (Hazard Perception Test) again, you can get CD rom to practice. Best idea - get in touch with LGV school and, for a fee, they will train you and may have cheap medical.
Read posts on this site before booking any LGV school course - if in a certain area ask about a school near you on here. It may be worth you considering a B&B elsewhere in UK to do a course.
The driver CPC is not the same as the the other CPCs.
Digital tachos are usually required by agencies if you work for them but you are responsible for getting one. If you work for a non agency they might be nice and pay for it but dont hold your breath!

4

For Medicals,
Take a look at the announcement at the top of this forum, entitled ‘A fool and his money…’

5

“Iv’e also got my head screwed on to the fact that (if) i do manage pass the tests I ain’t gonna get the dream job driving long distance through europe and that its gonna be a long hard slog working for an agency”

And you still want to give up your cossy office job for this crap.

“Iv’e also got my head screwed”

You need your head read to even think of changing career.

Good Luck Mate. I wish I still had my office job.

Jim

6

also what are your views on the intensive training?

and also the company clearstone?

how much should I be looking at paying to be trained?

1/ Intensive training is the only way to go with trucks. Four or five days training with test at the end of the course whilt it is fresh in your mind is the best - and to my mind - the only way to go.

2/ Plenty of posts already on here about this particular company! :imp:

3/ Fair price is under a grand for training, including test fees.

7

Just found another website for cheap medicals www.doctorsonwheels.co.uk i think they are a little cheaper and can do the medical at your house or workplace :laughing:

8

If you have an apple mac pc the pcrom is no good as they are not compatable

Stay clear of clearstones in Newcastle try TTS based at Kingston park have the no if you want

For the theory book try waterstones or boarders £14.99 also trucker hand book £12.99

also www.vosa.gov/vosa/publications/manualsg … guides.htm

you can download as pdf file or pick up a copy free

9

for the advice!, got the number from the net cheers animal and yea i’ll stay clear of clearstones!

10

cjw:
“Iv’e also got my head screwed on to the fact that (if) i do manage pass the tests I ain’t gonna get the dream job driving long distance through europe and that its gonna be a long hard slog working for an agency”

truckerjimbo:
"And you still want to give up your cossy office job for this crap.

“Iv’e also got my head screwed”

You need your head read to even think of changing career.

Good Luck Mate. I wish I still had my office job.

Jim

I’d rather eat dog ■■■ than go and work in an office.
I ■■■■■■■ hate everyone,so being on my own in a truck all day earning twice as much as he probably is in his "cosy office"suits me just fine.

If you like your own company mate and like seeing different things everyday,you go for it and dont let all the miserable whingers on here put you off.
Its not all happy as larry and you do get ■■■■,and it is long hours (for me anyway)but I personally have never had it so good,but then im away all week and I do miss my kids more than anything.
Probably would’nt enjoy it though if I worked for a supermarket going into RDCs all week like some of the others on here,but there are varied sides of the job you could go into,I got containers and until something better should come up (which I doubt it will)I’ll continue doing that.

Earn £450-£500 a week for sitting on my arse all day,watching DVDs and having a sleep now and again?
I know where Im better off. :wink:

11

“If you like your own company mate and like seeing different things everyday,you go for it and dont let all the miserable whingers”

I only came a MISERABLE WHINGER after I started truck driving. I also put on a stone in weight, became lazy and a moaner,

I Become a fat, miserable, lazy, moaning truck driver. What a life it is!!!

If I can put just one person off becoming a truck driver then I will be very happy!!!

IT IS THE LOWEST OF THE LOWEST JOB IN THE WORLD!!!

Yes I am shouting!!!

12

truckerjimbo:
If I can put just one person off becoming a truck driver then I will be very happy!!!

This really gets my back up when I see people with that attitude. You tried something and it didn’t work for you. GET OVER IT
Just because something wasn’t right for you doesn’t mean it is not right for everyone and your attitude could be putting potentially good drivers off entering the industry.

Yes I’ve had a hell of a ride since I passed what with driving heaps of ■■■■, night outing in a fly infested cab and then getting made redundant from a job I absolutly loved, BUT I havn’t lost sight of the reason I got my licences and I will find that right job.

As I read in another thread, if your not happy with what your doing, you havn’t found the right job yet

truckerjimbo:
IT IS THE LOWEST OF THE LOWEST JOB IN THE WORLD!!!

If you realy think that then I suggest you try bus driving mate

13

Sorry but i have to reply to this.

I went to college and gained 2 HND’s and finally a degree in Software Design.

I went into the office and started my career.

After just 6 months i gave it all up!

Why, because i have a problem with everyone trying to be better than me all the time, Taking crap for other peoples mistakes and finally, having to constantly cover my arse and not get blamed for others mistakes.

So, i got an HGV licence.

Now all i have to worry about is my own mistakes, i dont have anyone breathing down my neck and i dont need to worry if the new guy who is just starting is going to one day get my bloody job.

Sure its a slog, Ill never be promoted, and 21.000 is the most i can ever look forward to. Lets face it, ill never be a managing director. BUT, in saying that, ill also never have to take all the stress that promotion brings.

In short, If you dont like your job, GET ANOTHER ONE!!! THATS WHAT I DID! AND LOOK IM HAPPY.

I dont understand people who hate their jobs but continue working at them for ever, ITS YOUR LIFE, ITS DOWN TO YOU TO MAKE IT BETTER!

Dont listen to Jimbo, he is just to afraid to do the above.

Its a grand at the end of the day, your car cost way more than that, if it dosent work, do something else.

14

all i ever wanted to do was drive a wagon,i started on vans,7.5 tonners,n saved for my class 1,passed it n its all ive ever done since,but…if its just a career change ur after,look at all possibilities,its not cheap to train to be a driver now,2 tests etc,its far cheaper to take a plumbing,tiling,brickie training course,and after it u will /may earn a good bit more.sittin in a cold warehouse in feb is by no means enjoyable,but drivin thru devon on a sunny august afternoon,on pay,is great.just look at the financial layout,the financial reward when training is complete,the type/availability of work in your area…the rest is up to you :wink:

15

I’m working in security at the moment and just passed my class 1. I did this because we might get made redundent and as I want to get out of security and always liked driving i thought why not get paid for it. some of the guys i work with moan about the job and do nothing about it. Well I can always say i’m doing something about it!!!

just go for it. Like they say if you don’t like it try something else. it may be a big outlay but the rewards are there!!!

I’m working for an agency on my rest days. I worked on the dustcarts a couple of times. That was fun!!! Although it was an auto box i think someone had shaken all the gears up!!! I had to reverse down some very narrow lanes. I think some of the lanes were actually narrower than the wagon!!! Still, no scratches so I must have done something right.

16

Just been reading this post and had to reply. I will start off by saying that i dont have my cat c yet but start my 5 day training on monday. :smiley:
I have to agree with MOST of the peoples posts on here as in if youre NOT happy with your job do something about it and stop moaning and in my eyes it isnt always about the money,
Im 37 and have worked in the timber trade for 20 years and i am a assistant production manager earning 30k a year + for long hours, lots of agro and working with people who dont know the difference between timber and a curly wurly"!!! Am i going to get 30k + as a newbie driver■■? I THINK NOT but its something that i have wanted to do for years so any other newbies out there i say GO FOR IT and enjoy. :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

17

cjw,ive just been reading this thread and apart from Mr Grumpywhatever,i think that youve been offered some very sound advice,i gave-up being a brickie-builder after 20 years to do what i allways wanted to do as a kid namely drive trucks,i took a wacking great pay-cut,done all the tough gigs that go with agency work now im doing fine.It dont suit all people but youi never know until yopu try and if you dont like it youve allways got your license to fall back-on in hard times,you wont find too many truckers re-training to be brickies in there late thirties either mate,they know what-side the breads buttered on! :wink:

18

Hi
I would say go for it.
There is always work there to fall on.

But BEWARE!!!

It is not as easy a ride as people think.
There are some stinkers of hgv jobs.
It can be lonely when you are in the middle of nowhere and something goes wrong with your truck.
Shoddy starting times.etc…

But at least there are lots of oppertunities.
If 1 driving job doesnt suit ,
it is easy to find another with in a week.

Good luck !!!

19

truckerjimbo:
“If you like your own company mate and like seeing different things everyday,you go for it and dont let all the miserable whingers”

I only came a MISERABLE WHINGER after I started truck driving. I also put on a stone in weight, became lazy and a moaner,

I Become a fat, miserable, lazy, moaning truck driver. What a life it is!!!

If I can put just one person off becoming a truck driver then I will be very happy!!!

IT IS THE LOWEST OF THE LOWEST JOB IN THE WORLD!!!

Yes I am shouting!!!

You need to calm down mate or you’ll give yourself a heart attack you fat ,lazy moaning ■■■■■■ :wink: :laughing:

If you hate it so much,why the ■■■■ are you posting on a TRUCKERS forum.
like has been said already by Semtex,just cause it obviously has’nt worked well for you does’nt mean it cant be great and enjoyable for someone else.

sounds like sour grapes to me.
you must of had some sort of idea what the job would involve?
I always wanted to do it (or liked the idea of it)since I was a boy,I paid for the licence myself and have been driving for over 3 years,I have my bad days,but most are good,im treated well where I work (I’d go somewhere else if I was’nt)
and I earn reasonable money.
most people come on here and give a reasonable well thought out response to the newbies questions,giving a balanced answer,not a single,one sided,negative response based on their own bad experience!!!
(That last bit I was’nt shouting just a bit louder than normal) :wink: :unamused:

20

Agree bikemonkey…
My “proper” job is a regular job in a laboratory in a steelworks. I start at 6 am/pm and finish at 6 am/pm. Inbetween I see the same people and 4 walls like clockwork, every day I work. I quite enjoy it sometimes and I always know where I am going to be on any working day…
On some of my days off I drive for an agency. In 6 months I’ve seen more of GB than I ever knew existed… and I’ve been around a bit!
Sometimes driving really annoys me. Waiting around is even worse. Crap companies everywhere you go. But at the end of the week, I only remember where I went driving not what I did for the other 48 hours spent at work.
Speaking as a relative outsider from someone who was brought up in a union dominated industry through the Thatcher years to now I think the drivers have shot themselves in the foot. Some drivers are working for not much more than minimum wage on shifts that possibly have no end…
Has anyone ever wondered why everything in the shops is so cheap?
a) Its made in China
b) we work long hours for next to nothing
I love driving but I couldn’t commit my life to it at the moment
C