I will appreciate it if someone can give me some guidance and advise.
I’m considering a “major” career change. I’m currently an IT consultant and the contract I’ve been working on for the past 17 years is nearing its end. Considering my age and the current IT ”climate” finding another job in my current line of work is going to be challenging. I’m not too concerned about the “drop in salary” but do need some sort of secure income and job satisfaction for the years to come.
I’ve had a long term interest in HGVs and long distance haulage. My dream is to own/operate my own HGV. What are my options?
I would have thought that an option will be to hire my services out to companies, using “my own HGV tractor unit” to pull their articulated trailers from one location to another. I spent some time Googling the concept but was unable to find anything in this regards. Is this an existing practice in the UK?
A further question on HGV licensing - I have noticed training centres advertising that a category C&E license can be obtained within 3 weeks. Is that a reality or just sales talk.
How difficulties it to secure a job. From what I can derive from various searches is that there is an abundance of skilled/experienced drivers and that it is quite difficult for a “new” river to find a job.
And lastly — how do you get across the 2 year experience hurdle. It seems to be a common requirement with all jobs advertised.
P.S. I will not be surprised if some of the responses are going to be “…find something else to do…” Certainly hope there are going to be some positive responses as well.
Time for a reality check… Owning a HGV Truck and all that does with it, is way down the road for you along with a ton of money for equipment, premises, insurances, DCPC’s, Operators licences, fuel allowances, running costs…hope you got deep pockets…
First thing you need to do, is get the ball rolling and learn to drive both class 2 and class 1,then get the experience then move from there…
If you look around this forum you’ll find brilliant advice, for newbies, professional drivers, owner operators and all the guidance you’ll need plus you get to see that newly qualified drivers do get jobs if your persistent enough…
There are ppl on this forum that will tell you that don’t do it, not enough jobs…worse career change you can make, then there’s the instructors that give out some fantastic advice whilst in training… driving a HGV is a big step up from driving a car… its gonna take you time to get to class 1 completed…its not a matter of weeks but months…
I would have thought that an option will be to hire my services out to companies, using “my own HGV tractor unit” to pull their articulated trailers from one location to another. I spent some time Googling the concept but was unable to find anything in this regards. Is this an existing practice in the UK?
A further question on HGV licensing - I have noticed training centres advertising that a category C&E license can be obtained within 3 weeks. Is that a reality or just sales talk.
How difficulties it to secure a job. From what I can derive from various searches is that there is an abundance of skilled/experienced drivers and that it is quite difficult for a “new” river to find a job.
And lastly — how do you get across the 2 year experience hurdle. It seems to be a common requirement with all jobs advertised.
Hi Will - and welcome. It’s perfectly possible and normal to operate a unit on “traction only” subcontracting to ABC or XYZ haulage. It’s not the road to endless riches. It’s heavily regulated through the Operator Licence system but can all be dealt with if this is your goal. You will need to take specific advice with reference to the O licence. Feel free to pm me - - this is something I do all the time.
CE cannot be obtained in 3 weeks. It may be possible to get CE three weeks from CAT C but that has to be passed first. The folks who are advertising this may not be, in fact, training centres. There is a rash of training brokers who are happy to take your money, hold on to it as long as possible, then pay the cheapest Jo Bloggs trainer they can find - eventually. That’s if they don’t go broke first taking your money with them - plenty of history of this. When selecting you trainer, make sure you visit first and satisfy yourself that you’re happy with the offering. There are many variations and it’s worth spending a day or 2 looking round. The only exception is to book on rock solid recommendation. Check whether cpc is included - eg we include cpc FREE OF CHARGE with all our full courses. This makes a hec of a difference to the final cost.
Securing a job has always been a bone of contention. But, truthfully, it’s a lot easier now than it has been for a long time. The 2 year thing is often notional and is frequently dispensed with if the right candidate presents themselves. And that’s another important bit - present yourself. Don’t waste time emailing or phoning. Always go and find the person who does the hiring and present yourself ready for work - NOW. The reputation of your trainer can also have an effect. There are employers who will take our newbies because they know the standard of training.
But it’s up to you to make the effort and I’ve got this feeling you will.
All the very best, fire away with any questions, and feel free to pm me directly if you wish.
Cant add much to the above, only to say that were I work there is an Owner driver who was working in managment upto about a year ago, he was given 6 months notice off redundancy, so went to follow a dream, driving took C then CE and CPC etc whilst working his notice, then bought a truck and skelly trailer with his redundacy.
I know this because he was having a bit of a nightmare getting on a bay were I was tipping too(I gave him a hand as you do), he told me he’d only just started driving, I said something like you got onto artics quick then, thinking 2 yrs expeirience stuff, which is when he told me that he was an Owner Driver
But he’s still cracking on, and maybe unlike some driver owner drivers, he probably has management skills that help him run his business so it can be done, so do your research, PM Pete, sounds like he’d be able to help and good luck
A special word of thanks to Pete. At present everything is as “clear as mud” but I assume I will get to grips of things in due course. I will most probably get in contact with you in due course. Your Peterborough office is not to far from me i.e. about an hour’s drive.
I am an od with many years under my belt and I am not going to shatter your dreams, you just have to beware of the pitfalls, there are many posts on the owners section on here of their truck failing for one reason and another and the solution is never a quick trip to PC World and replace it costing a grand, it is many many thousands of pounds, the best you will do is have a good living if working as on od for a decent company on traction only, the worst is that you will lose your house and all your money, marriages break up and families split are common stories for owner drivers. You will never be rich.
My advice is to take the tests and get the licence first, do the DCPC also as part of, then try and find some part time or agency work and see how you go on, you may find that your “dream” is not all its cracked up to be and that you hate it, I always wanted an office job after 25 years in the pilot seat of my truck but after trying it for a week in a friends business I hated it with a passion.
Take all the advice from here and then make up your mind but it seems to me its made up anyway.
brados:
I am an od with many years under my belt and I am not going to shatter your dreams, you just have to beware of the pitfalls, there are many posts on the owners section on here of their truck failing for one reason and another and the solution is never a quick trip to PC World and replace it costing a grand, it is many many thousands of pounds, the best you will do is have a good living if working as on od for a decent company on traction only, the worst is that you will lose your house and all your money, marriages break up and families split are common stories for owner drivers. You will never be rich.
My advice is to take the tests and get the licence first, do the DCPC also as part of, then try and find some part time or agency work and see how you go on, you may find that your “dream” is not all its cracked up to be and that you hate it, I always wanted an office job after 25 years in the pilot seat of my truck but after trying it for a week in a friends business I hated it with a passion.
Take all the advice from here and then make up your mind but it seems to me its made up anyway.
Good luck.
I agree with all the above comments. Most O/Ds only see any money when they retire & sell the truck.But good luck with the dream.
A good mate of mine works in IT he does do plenty of work although he is self employed & can pick & choose his jobs as he wants so there is still work in it if you want
But you can still go out & be a driver if it is what you really want & dont always be put off by the 2 years experience thing most jobs say that but some will take on newbies or sometimes agency will do although that can be last resort & as said you will never be rich as driving dont pay that well these days but if you can afford to take a pay cut & really want to do it no reason why not
You will need a medical 1st as well as the theory & HPT test before you can do any training you will also need a dcpc 35 hr before sept 14 ( or mod 2 &4 if not passed test before 97 )
so it can be done, so do your research, PM Pete, sounds like he’d be able to help and good luck 