First post ever. Been browsing the forum for a few days. A wealth of quality information and advice. I am thinking of starting LGV but have a few questions and would appreciate some advice. Might get lengthy so appologies. Here goes:
I worked in a distribution company for quite a few years. Friday and saturday night the last 2/3 years. Used to pick up £85 for two nights after tax. I was advised first and then I started to ask the numerous drivers that used to deliver to us. Basically I have been told by most drivers that what I am earning in 2 nights (£7p/h) I could easily make that amount in 1 night by trucking. They also advise me that Friday to Sunday is where there is a lot of demand as a lot of drivers prefer not to do these days. Have I been advised correct? I would just like more opinions please. Initially I would want to start part time and work any of these 3 days.
My next question is just out of curiosity as I would never think of risking my license (which i have yet to get). According to other posts, if I am already working 5 days, then I can only do trucking for 1 days every other weekend. Question is, if I was to do more than 1 day of trucking who would find out and how? Again this is just out of curiosity, I do plan to do trucking more than 1 day but I plan to ‘compress’ my other job hours. i.e. do my contracted hours in fewer days or reduce my hours. Compressing or reducing my hours should make trucking 2 days legal. I am allowed this flexibility at my main job.
Final question is that does DVLA check every single persons medical history when they apply for a provisional license or only if there is a problem declared in the D4. Again, just curious as medical history clean.
If you click the link in my signature or these truck pics it will lead you to an index where you can access a lot more info which may be of use to you
BEFORE you book your training, READ THIS… - I suggest the trainee-to-be visits the training school, meets the head person(s) and has a quick look at the truck BEFORE parting with any money.
auto201477:
. Basically I have been told by most drivers that what I am earning in 2 nights (£7p/h) I could easily make that amount in 1 night by trucking. They also advise me that Friday to Sunday is where there is a lot of demand as a lot of drivers prefer not to do these days. Have I been advised correct? I would just like more opinions please. Initially I would want to start part time and work any of these 3 days.
Some night trunk jobs don’t pay that much more but can go up to £15+ per hour for weekend nights and most are C+E ARTIC so you would be looking at a financial layout of between £2,500 to £3,000 to get a C then C+E licence.
auto201477:
My next question is just out of curiosity as I would never think of risking my license (which i have yet to get). According to other posts, if I am already working 5 days, then I can only do trucking for 1 days every other weekend. Question is, if I was to do more than 1 day of trucking who would find out and how? Again this is just out of curiosity, I do plan to do trucking more than 1 day but I plan to ‘compress’ my other job hours. i.e. do my contracted hours in fewer days or reduce my hours. Compressing or reducing my hours should make trucking 2 days legal. I am allowed this flexibility at my main job.
VOSA, the executive agency of the DfT (Department for Transport) can stop a driver at any time they want to and tie into the DWP database (tax people) to find out if you work anywhere else and they can use your National Insurance number as well.
The link I did in my last post will inform you of what your legal requirements are if doing 2 jobs with one of them driving under EU rules.
auto201477:
Final question is that does DVLA check every single persons medical history when they apply for a provisional license or only if there is a problem declared in the D4. Again, just curious as medical history clean.
If the medical D4 gives you a clean bill of health then that is good enough for the DVLA.
If there is a problem then the DVLA medical section may refuse your application completely or ask you to go for more tests.
First post ever. Been browsing the forum for a few days. A wealth of quality information and advice. I am thinking of starting LGV but have a few questions and would appreciate some advice. Might get lengthy so appologies. Here goes:
I worked in a distribution company for quite a few years. Friday and saturday night the last 2/3 years. Used to pick up £85 for two nights after tax. I was advised first and then I started to ask the numerous drivers that used to deliver to us. Basically I have been told by most drivers that what I am earning in 2 nights (£7p/h) I could easily make that amount in 1 night by trucking. They also advise me that Friday to Sunday is where there is a lot of demand as a lot of drivers prefer not to do these days. Have I been advised correct? I would just like more opinions please. Initially I would want to start part time and work any of these 3 days.
Sorry to put a damper on your ambitions m8, but the fact is that at the moment you’d be lucky to get any work let alone weekend work.
Before parting with hard earned money on HGV driving lessons I suggest you do some research in you local area to see exactly what the chances of getting work are.
Basically you’d be competing for work with experienced drivers I’m afraid.
If you post your location here someone will probably be able to give advise on the availability of work in that area.
auto201477:
My next question is just out of curiosity as I would never think of risking my license (which i have yet to get). According to other posts, if I am already working 5 days, then I can only do trucking for 1 days every other weekend. Question is, if I was to do more than 1 day of trucking who would find out and how? Again this is just out of curiosity, I do plan to do trucking more than 1 day but I plan to ‘compress’ my other job hours. i.e. do my contracted hours in fewer days or reduce my hours. Compressing or reducing my hours should make trucking 2 days legal. I am allowed this flexibility at my main job.
You need to have a weekly rest period of at least 45 consecutive hours every other week and a reduced weekly rest of at least 24 hours on alternating weeks, time for the reduced weekly rest has to be paid back in one block so realistically you would probably only be able to legally work one day every other week unless you adjust the hours from your usual job.
The people who are most likely to check you records are VOSA, if you didn’t record the other work for your main job there’s every chance that they wouldn’t find out that you’d been running bent.
However if you did get court you’d be facing a possible large fine and having your license withdrawn either for a set time or permanently, it could be an expensive lesson
auto201477:
Final question is that does DVLA check every single persons medical history when they apply for a provisional license or only if there is a problem declared in the D4. Again, just curious as medical history clean.
Strange question
As far as I know they would not bother checking a medical history unless they had reason to.
First post ever. Been browsing the forum for a few days. A wealth of quality information and advice. I am thinking of starting LGV but have a few questions and would appreciate some advice. Might get lengthy so appologies. Here goes:
I worked in a distribution company for quite a few years. Friday and saturday night the last 2/3 years. Used to pick up £85 for two nights after tax. I was advised first and then I started to ask the numerous drivers that used to deliver to us. Basically I have been told by most drivers that what I am earning in 2 nights (£7p/h) I could easily make that amount in 1 night by trucking. They also advise me that Friday to Sunday is where there is a lot of demand as a lot of drivers prefer not to do these days. Have I been advised correct? I would just like more opinions please. Initially I would want to start part time and work any of these 3 days.
In very general terms what you where told WAS correct. However you may be hard pushed to get them driving shifts that you want with things as they are NOW. There is currently not a demand for drivers as there once was.
My next question is just out of curiosity as I would never think of risking my license (which i have yet to get). According to other posts, if I am already working 5 days, then I can only do trucking for 1 days every other weekend. Question is, if I was to do more than 1 day of trucking who would find out and how? Again this is just out of curiosity, I do plan to do trucking more than 1 day but I plan to ‘compress’ my other job hours. i.e. do my contracted hours in fewer days or reduce my hours. Compressing or reducing my hours should make trucking 2 days legal. I am allowed this flexibility at my main job.
Once you are driving under the tacho regs you would have to make records of all your work for that week. Someone would find out usually only if you tell them.
Final question is that does DVLA check every single persons medical history when they apply for a provisional license or only if there is a problem declared in the D4. Again, just curious as medical history clean.
As far as i know they just accept the medical you provide them.
First post ever. Been browsing the forum for a few days. A wealth of quality information and advice. I am thinking of starting LGV but have a few questions and would appreciate some advice. Might get lengthy so appologies. Here goes:
I worked in a distribution company for quite a few years. Friday and saturday night the last 2/3 years. Used to pick up £85 for two nights after tax. I was advised first and then I started to ask the numerous drivers that used to deliver to us. Basically I have been told by most drivers that what I am earning in 2 nights (£7p/h) I could easily make that amount in 1 night by trucking. They also advise me that Friday to Sunday is where there is a lot of demand as a lot of drivers prefer not to do these days. Have I been advised correct? I would just like more opinions please. Initially I would want to start part time and work any of these 3 days.
My next question is just out of curiosity as I would never think of risking my license (which i have yet to get). According to other posts, if I am already working 5 days, then I can only do trucking for 1 days every other weekend. Question is, if I was to do more than 1 day of trucking who would find out and how? Again this is just out of curiosity, I do plan to do trucking more than 1 day but I plan to ‘compress’ my other job hours. i.e. do my contracted hours in fewer days or reduce my hours. Compressing or reducing my hours should make trucking 2 days legal. I am allowed this flexibility at my main job.
Final question is that does DVLA check every single persons medical history when they apply for a provisional license or only if there is a problem declared in the D4. Again, just curious as medical history clean.
Thanks in advance for any replies.
More money than sence
Have you looked at what is happening in the industry
You wanna put your money under your pillow for a year or two then think about doing the driving
auto201477:
I have been told by most drivers that what I am earning in 2 nights (£7p/h) I could easily make that amount in 1 night by trucking. They also advise me that Friday to Sunday is where there is a lot of demand as a lot of drivers prefer not to do these days. Have I been advised correct?
Hi auto201477, WELCOME.
At first glance I’d say you’ve received advice that’s fairly sound mate.
The other posters have given you the info and links you need on drivers’ hours, so I’ll limit myself to giving you a suggestion about just the paragraph I’ve quoted.
Before you start spending any of your hard-earned cash, please ask the drivers you speak to for a TM’s contact name and phone number for their firm…
Then, I suggest that you give that person a call and explain that you’re thinking of taking your LGV test, your availablity and briefly explain your experience in the industry. Your next question might then be; would you give me some part-time work on Fridays/weekends days/evenings/nights?
Given your circumstances, and thanks for the info you provided, that’s my version of you doing some market research on the cheap.
I’ve explained the above, because there is normally an ‘experience’ hurdle that most newbies don’t seem to think about in advance, but which is well documented on this site. Another way of gaining some experience/earning some extra cash would be to approach courier/van type firms, which mightn’t involve you in any significant expenditure since you probably already have the necessary driving licence.
I wouldn’t like to see you come a cropper at the experience ‘hurdle’ after spending a four figure sum of your own money.
