Does anybody have an approximate idea of how many lessons it takes on average before taking a C and E test. ?
I already have my Class C and was wondering if more lessons are needed for getting up to scratch in a C and E.
And if anybody knows of a good HGV school in and around Wigan I would really be grateful for the info’.
I took my Class C with a no-frills ‘one man outfit’ five years ago and passed first time.I am thinking now of taking my C and E. My former instructor has since retired and, as such, I would be grateful if anybody knows of a good instructor in my area.
Speaking from experience, you will need a between 15 to 20 hours of training in the Artic or Wagon and Drag to get you up to test pass standard.
I am sure plenty on here will leap in to tell you otherwise - but to take a short course and fail then pay for retests always works out more expensive that to take enough time and pass first go.
Sorry I dont know of any Schools in that area but I am sure there are some good ones. When you find one go for an assesment drive and see what they say.
Keep us informed.
Had 2 first time C+E passes (last week and today) - both did 1 to 1 training with me starting at 830 am to 430 pm (approx)
Day 1 was mainly reversing, un/coupling & controlled stop on an airfied with a short run through a town (some tricky bits) and back to base - the drive to & from the airfield was on main roads.
Day 2 was gear exercise and local driving through towns with very tight turns and roundabouts finishing with a few reverses on airfield and an un/couple back at yard.
Day 3 was airfield for 2 reverses then the long drive to Gloucester test areas where I took them to the “nasty” bits (both had done their C within the last 3 months at Glos) - I did the long drive back to base as the trainee was knackered.
Day 4 was test day with test at 1pm - did 2 reverses on airfied and split the drive to Glos - at glos they did about 1 hour drive prior to test
Both passed and, as usual (for safety) I drove back to base.
I did, in fact, have a first lesson in the artic’ today.
The driving school was about a forty minute drive up the motorway from where I live. Cannot say I know much about them and their price per-hour was £41.00 per hour inclusive of vat.
In all I drove about twenty miles but did not do any reversing. The range-change gears where a bit perplexing but I must say I was surprised that I did feel very comfortable driving it. Yes, the gears made me think each time I had to change down but I suppose and hope this is to be expected since it was the first time I had driven a range-change box not to mention towing a trailer.
The instructor reckoned on about 8 hours reversing alone despite me not even having reversed it today ! This annoyed me, I have to say, since how can a person make such a precise judgement without first having seen a person reverse ?
Glad this forum is here and I think it may well be wise if I shop around for another school.
The instructor reckoned on about 8 hours reversing alone despite me not even having reversed it today ! This annoyed me, I have to say, since how can a person make such a precise judgement without first having seen a person reverse ?
Probably by taking the “average” from past experience.
I have found that giving the trainee “the underpinning knowledge” before undertaking their first reverse is working extremely well - for example, how to do a straight line reverse along the left yellow line into the garage then practicing that, how to move the trailer slightly to the left or right then practicing that. Once that basic knowledge is in, then doing the full reverse for the first time with me talking them through it.
The basic knowledge gives confidence to the trainee when they do a shunt forward followed by a straight line reverse into the garage. OK, it is nice to have it go in first time BUT better to shunt than fail - I tell them that to get it in the garage first time is “just a bonus”
The start of the artic reverse is a full right lock and putting the rear unit wheel, followed by the front unit wheel both about 12 to 15 inches from the yellow line and then looking in the left mirror to see if the trailer is filling it up. If yes, then front unit wheel close to yellow line and keep it there until the trailer shows the same in both mirrors - if mirror not filled then keep both unit wheels as they are (12 to 15 inch from line) and reverse until the mirror is full then front unit wheel to line.
The trailer will not come away from the line at the same angle every time so once both mirrors are showing the the same amount of trailer in each (unit & trailer are now in line) it is time to make a decision on how to proceed using the “underpinning knowledge”.
Excuse if I have not made this very clear but I hope you get the idea.
You may find instructors using bits of the trailer to reverse by - I dont personally hold with this method but if it works for you, great.
You said it all … knowledge through listening to your instructor does consolidate, in my opinion, the actual process itself.
If anybody wants to learn to be a bad instructor then I would suggest they merely state the obvious when they are sat in a cab with a student. In other words, tell them they look nervous …tell them they have a long way to go before they reach the indefinable standard called perfection … and this will dent confidence sufficient for it to become a prediction.
It’s a strange phenomenon learning anything and the best teachers in any game are usually the most humble and light hearted.
I know it’s frustrating teaching people and I know the temptation can lurk to ridicule and mock a novice in any field no matter how ethical we are. But casting our mind back to when we where seeking out help is usually a good way to bring light-heartedness and humility into the equation.
such as clipping the trees with the top of the trailer… BLOODY HELL YOU IDIOT, THAT COULD DAMAGE THE TRAILER … or… Making the top of this trailer into a moving roof garden could have serious H&S issues …or… I must send the council a bill for pruning their trees
hiya vincee, im training with truk bolton who aint too far from wigan, the guys there are great decent wagons and prices are spot on too! www.trucktraininguk.com 01204 525 454
ROG:
[You may find instructors using bits of the trailer to reverse by - I dont personally hold with this method but if it works for you, great.
This was the method I was told to use when practicing the reversing excercise, I personally found it didn’t work at all for two reasons. One was that I spent more time concentrating on wher these specific marker points where than where the trailer was actually going. Secondly, the areas we were practicing in was quite a lot smaller than the actual test centre dimensions (he mentioned that) and when placing the truck at the start of the manouevre the trailer was never at the same angle each time, so doing identical movements meant you’d end up in different positions/angles each time, also these marker points would be different on the test as the area was larger.
The only helpful one I used was to bring the cab round straight with the trailer after following the yellow line when the the 1st bay cone disappears behind the trailer in your left mirror, that stopped you overshooting the bay.
The only helpful one I used was to bring the cab round straight with the trailer after following the yellow line when the the 1st bay cone disappears behind the trailer in your left mirror, that stopped you overshooting the bay.
I used to use that method and it works well but I found that with our 45 foot trailer, filling up the N/S mirror works better.
I once asked a trainee if we were expecting a Royal Visit in the area.
When he asked me why I said that I thought we must be, as he was so busy polishing all the kerbstones
… or… Making the top of this trailer into a moving roof garden could have serious H&S issues 
…or… I must send the council a bill for pruning their trees 