Is a wk class 1 training really necessary?

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Just looking for others opinions as regards the length of class 1 training.

Back in the day when we didn’t have to train on class 2 then class 1 what timescale could you pass the HGV test if never driven anything bigger than a car??

Reason for asking is that I have found 3 driving schools in my area all quote 4 days training & test on fifth.

After driving over 50k this year in a 26t it surprises me that training schools consider my experience to be no more than someone who has say just passed their class a month ago & had no driving experience since then !!

Just makes me think that it’s about nothing but easy money for some training schools doing class 1. Had one trainer tell me you can come for an assessment but it will still be a wk to train !!

Tin hat is on ready for the abuse, but I’m sure there must be others on here who think the same.

2

Boo9729:
Tin hat is on ready for the abuse, but I’m sure there must be others on here who think the same.

Hi Boo9729,

There are training schools that will give you an honest opinion based on a proper assessment, so I think it might simply be that you haven’t found the right training school yet.

3

Leading up to going for my class 2 and was thinking similar.

When I done my motorbike test, I sat my CBT and my instructor said there was no point in direct access (a week course) lessons would be fine.

I did fail it first time (foot down on U Turn) but passed second time after 5 lessons.

Only bike experience I’d had was a couple of goes on a c90 semi auto at 16.

I’ll look into it further once I get my licence sent away for provisional entitlement to be added.

4

This thread has prompted me to analyse our Class 1 stats for this year with regards to course length.

We have had 38 C+E passes in 2013

16 x 1st time pass with 2 days inc test
7 x 2nd time pass with 2 days inc test
6 x 1st time pass with 3 days inc test
2 x 2nd time pass with 3 days inc test
3 x 1st time pass with 4 days inc test
1 x 2nd time pass with 4 days inc test
2 x 3rd time pass with 3 days inc test
1 x 7th time pass with LOTS of days

If we have trained the candidate for Cat C there is no need for a C+E assessment otherwise we will encourage the candidate to come along for a free trial drive. With a year or 2 experience we normally only train all day Sunday and test on Monday, occasionally an extra day if there are lots of difficult to shift bad habits.

5

.
I posted on this issue about 18 months ago.

I was newly Class 2 qualified and a training centre ‘assessed’ me as needing 35 hours, another centre said 12 hours - and they were right.

6

LGVTrainer:
This thread has prompted me to analyse our Class 1 stats for this year with regards to course length.

We have had 38 C+E passes in 2013

16 x 1st time pass with 2 days inc test
7 x 2nd time pass with 2 days inc test
6 x 1st time pass with 3 days inc test
2 x 2nd time pass with 3 days inc test
3 x 1st time pass with 4 days inc test
1 x 2nd time pass with 4 days inc test
2 x 3rd time pass with 3 days inc test
1 x 7th time pass with LOTS of days

If we have trained the candidate for Cat C there is no need for a C+E assessment otherwise we will encourage the candidate to come along for a free trial drive. With a year or 2 experience we normally only train all day Sunday and test on Monday, occasionally an extra day if there are lots of difficult to shift bad habits.

I appreciate you putting those stats on & pretty much tells me that a pass in 2/3 days is achievable. I loath to spend in the region of 1k for a wk when I’m confident enough to know I could achieve the pass in a short period to time at a much lower cost.

I may even way up the financial option of travelling further afield & staying away for a couple of nights.

7

LGVTrainer:
16 x 1st time pass with 2 days inc test
7 x 2nd time pass with 2 days inc test
6 x 1st time pass with 3 days inc test
2 x 2nd time pass with 3 days inc test
3 x 1st time pass with 4 days inc test
1 x 2nd time pass with 4 days inc test
2 x 3rd time pass with 3 days inc test
1 x 7th time pass with LOTS of days

What is the definition of ‘days’
4 hours driving per day or more ?

8

I passed mine with flair training 2days inc test with 3 minors, after passing my c with them a month earlier and without driving inbetween

9

.

10

Dan_1986:
I passed mine with flair training 2days inc test

How many hours behind the wheel before test?

11

I would say roughly 6-6/12

12

Dan_1986:
I would say roughly 6-6/12

So about 4 hours on day 1 then 2+ on day 2 followed by test on day 2?

13

Yeah pretty much right there ROG

14

I’d like to upgrade my licence. I’m a coach driver with a manual licence. I don’t see the Cat C being a problem (it’s a rigid vehicle similar to a coach right?) but how long would it take for me to adjust to driving an artic and get my C+E?

15

daveb0789:
I’d like to upgrade my licence. I’m a coach driver with a manual licence. I don’t see the Cat C being a problem (it’s a rigid vehicle similar to a coach right?) but how long would it take for me to adjust to driving an artic and get my C+E?

Get assessments to see how far away from DSA style driving you have come from your last DSA driving test because that is likely to take the time

If you do not have a pre 1997 car licence then you will need to do intial LGV dcpc moodules 2 and 4 in order to drive lgvs commercially

16

Thanks rog. I got my cat D in 1996. Yes an assessment seems like way forward.

17

daveb0789:
Thanks rog. I got my cat D in 1996. Yes an assessment seems like way forward.

No initial dcpc for you

I assume you already have a DQC dated 09/09/2019 for LGV and PCV ?

18

Yes I got my DCPC card in August this year dated up to 2019. A very expensive hobby it seems.

19

12 hours including test done over 3 days is the norm depending the candidate is a experienced class C driver or has recently passed the C test.
Don’t pay for extra training you don’t need.

20

I think from looking most people seem to quote for 5 days including test. It’s only when you have an assessment drive that you may find you need less. Before I went along I didn’t have any idea how much I’d need for my cat C. Turned out 2 days with test on day 3 was plenty to pass with 3 minors. And I will be booking my class 1 as soon as I get my license back and it is just 2 days