Hi Im thinking of getting a job driving a 7.5 ton for knowhow/currys/pcworld just so i can gain some experience driving a bigger vehicle before i put in for my class 2, has anyone worked for these and if so what are they like ?
DONT do it.
I had the misfortune as doing it through an agency for a day. I got a call at 10am saying can I go get a lorry and meet a crew as they had just taken the roof off 
. They start early in the morning 6 or 7 and don’t finish until all the work is done. easily 8-9 at night. We didn’t get back to the yard until 9:30, Not sure how they do this on taco properly. The pay for them is terrible the drivers mate was there on £50 for a day. easily 12 hours +. I don’t mind multi dropping Ill happily do 15-20 palllets in a day but they had 30+ drops spread over a massive area. A lot of it was installing tele’s and washing machines.
Do you have a C1 by getting car before 1997?
If yes then have you done any dcpc hours yet?
Whereabouts are you from?
I have c1 on my licence but haven’t done any dcpc (whatever that is 
. ) and I’m from kent
You’ll need to complete 35 hours of periodic training by September to be able to continue driving.
There really is little benefit in following the path you suggest; all you’re doing is letting yourself in for loads of grief. It’s a bit like saying you want to fly a jumbo jet but, before you have any training, you’ll just potter about in a Cessna for a while just to get the hang of it.
You would be better off going for your CAT C with no experience. Look around, there are some trainers offering free cpc with the training package.
Pete
I took a 7.5 job, although I’d decided to do my Cat C. I found it helped me out.
I then started covering Cat C work when folk were off. I’m now the only full time HGV driver.
And still not had my Cat C for 2 years.
newboy23:
I have c1 on my licence but haven’t done any dcpc (whatever that is
Peter Smythe:
You’ll need to complete 35 hours of periodic training by September to be able to continue driving.
…to be able to continue driving commercially
I add that as some think they lose the licence
The driver cpc was introduced by the EU for LGV drivers in 2009 and it is now law which requires a LGV to ATTEND 35 hours of training which is usually done in 7 hour blocks
Many large companies pay for the courses and for the time their drivers are doing them but the law states that it is the responsibility of the driver to get this and the cost to a driver can be around the £300 mark for all 35 hours
Then there is the possible loss of wages if the training is done on days that the driver usually works
Completion of the 35 hours gets the driver a DQC - driver cpc card - which must by law be kept with then when driving commercially
After 09/09/2014 - £30 FPN for not carrying DQC - up to £1000 for driver and employer if required training not completed with driver going no further on journey
Courses and prices vary greatly with the cheapest being the classroom ones
The cheapest course can be done 5 times to gain the 35 hours = very cheap but boring
Google - Kent driver cpc - and see what comes up if looking for courses near you
Ok thanks, I’m thinking of using the nation driver centre in Croydon as they offer the cpc with there class c and £1180.00 all in ain’t that bad I don’t think
newboy23:
Ok thanks, I’m thinking of using the nation driver centre in Croydon as they offer the cpc with there class c and £1180.00 all in ain’t that bad I don’t think
You cannot do initial driver cpc modules 2 and 4 as you are already in the periodic system so please ask them if they are referring to initial or periodic dcpc … bet its initial only but I await your answer …
Just had a look at their website and I’m afraid it’s the Initial CPC that is included, it doesn’t mention periodic.
Peter Smythe wrote:You’ll need to complete 35 hours of periodic training by September to be able to continue driving.
…to be able to continue driving commercially
In fairness, that was the context of the thread. But you are quite correct ROG to point out that no-one will actually loose their licence without the dcpc.
To the OP, look around. It is possible to get the 35 hours included with your CAT C course.
Pete
IF you go for the job, beware of washing machines up flights of stairs same with all white goods its a killer all day, running round tipping on break just to get back at night used to do home delivery for B&Q never again.
I’m guessing knowhow is home delivery, so it’ll be great experience of running up and down stairs and dealing with face to face customers, ready for Class 2 work.
Hours will be long and job will be crappy, but it’s experience.
Thought I would bounce this to see if anyone else has experience of knowhow jobs? Recently Had an interview with them and quite like the idea of combining installation work with deliveries, pay is ok and it’s 5 days on 3 days off which I also like the sound of. My main concern is whether the scheduled deliveries are realistic? as like said earlier it’s finish when the loads are delivered. I was assured that they run legally within the tacho rules.
honk:
Thought I would bounce this to see if anyone else has experience of knowhow jobs? Recently Had an interview with them and quite like the idea of combining installation work with deliveries, pay is ok and it’s 5 days on 3 days off which I also like the sound of. My main concern is whether the scheduled deliveries are realistic? as like said earlier it’s finish when the loads are delivered. I was assured that they run legally within the tacho rules.
I was assured that they run legally within the tacho rules
the office might the computer might but you na … I worked out of Avonmouth trunking and the van boys 7.5t would be non stop all day getting that half hour when doing an installation oh and when you get one of them Big yanky fridges that has the label indicating a 4 person lift going to the flat on the 1st 2nd or 3rd floor yeah make sure you wear really tight as in designed for a 6year old shreddies 
For every washing machine/fridge you deliver and install, your taking an old one back too! So half way though your shift your spending 15 mins at each drop shifting all the old ones around to get to the new ones for delivery! Then, when you get back to the depot at 10pm in my case, your spending another hour unloading all the old washing machines/fridges and having to do a driver de-brief. I lasted 3 days after they sent me out with a sub contractor driver and got home after 11pm and he told me that he finished pretty much at the same time the day before.