Hello
It’s time i changed my profession
I know this would of been asked so many times before but in my defence I have tried looking on this site. Plus there’s only so much information I can take in after hours of reading and searching.
How do I go about becoming a driver? I know I have to go learn and train with an instructor and what not but is there a company that will sort all the information out for me, and do all medical and theory. I was looking at the recommendations page for HGV training, i dont think its been updated for a while. so im asking can anyone recommend a trainer in the doncaster area? Or maybe a place that could train and take you on afterwards? Can I apply to do cat C+E to start with or just C? Are there intensive courses from start to finish? Also there seems to be plenty of jobs about but how hard actually is it for inexperience driver to get a job?
I know I’ve probably missed a few questions. A helping reply will be much appreciated.
Hi Jamie , if I were you I would give Peter smythe transport training a call , even if you don’t decide to do your training with them you will get good advice .
Cheers mike
Mikey D:
Hi Jamie , if I were you I would give Peter smythe transport training a call , even if you don’t decide to do your training with them you will get good advice .
Cheers mike
I second that recommendation because that company will help/guide you from right now until you pass
They will help you fill out any forms as well as get you a relatively cheap medical etc etc
OK, they may be a little dearer than some others nearby but you get what you pay for
I am not connected to that company in any way but going by the many reports gained from this site
The vast majority of job adverts are actually employment agencies so the impression of loads of work is slightly misleading. It isn’t impossible to get work after passing your test, just difficult!
Hi
Thanks for all the replies.
I think I just need to find and choose a HGV trainer first, then worry about everything else step by step
At the moment I am a timber frame erector and its just beginning to get to me… Cold wet windy days on site, wouldn’t mind it if I was at home every other night but majority of the work is away. When I say majority I mean 99% ha . I like driving so hopefully it’s a win win situation
JamDogg:
Hello
It’s time i changed my profession
I know this would of been asked so many times before but in my defence I have tried looking on this site. Plus there’s only so much information I can take in after hours of reading and searching.
How do I go about becoming a driver? I know I have to go learn and train with an instructor and what not but is there a company that will sort all the information out for me, and do all medical and theory. I was looking at the recommendations page for HGV training, i dont think its been updated for a while. so im asking can anyone recommend a trainer in the doncaster area? Or maybe a place that could train and take you on afterwards? Can I apply to do cat C+E to start with or just C? Are there intensive courses from start to finish? Also there seems to be plenty of jobs about but how hard actually is it for inexperience driver to get a job?
I know I’ve probably missed a few questions. A helping reply will be much appreciated.
Thanks
Jamie
Peter Smythe is near you I think., and the font of all knowledge on here regarding training, and rather good if you read posts on here !
JamDogg:
Hi
Thanks for all the replies.
I think I just need to find and choose a HGV trainer first, then worry about everything else step by step
At the moment I am a timber frame erector and its just beginning to get to me… Cold wet windy days on site, wouldn’t mind it if I was at home every other night but majority of the work is away. When I say majority I mean 99% ha . I like driving so hopefully it’s a win win situation
Thanks
Jamie
£3500 to earn £6.50/hr ? That’s the reality for most newbies. Like Daisy says, there are no jobs, what you see in the ad papers/job centres are agencies advertising non-existent jobs just to get you on their books.
And then read the posts about new, very young drivers getting full time work at decent pay and you’ll see there’s 2 sides to every story. And if it costs you £3.5k something has gone wrong!
ROG:
To go from B to CE then I recommend having £3k ready in case of retests and that should cover everything for the majority of wannabes
DCPC.
£3500 isn’t unrealistic but as usual Peter is straight in trying to convince everyone that everything in the haulage sector is rosy and they’ll have no problems getting a job! Of course that’s nothing to do with his vested interest as a training company is it !
ROG:
To go from B to CE then I recommend having £3k ready in case of retests and that should cover everything for the majority of wannabes
DCPC.
£3500 isn’t unrealistic but as usual Peter is straight in trying to convince everyone that everything in the haulage sector is rosy and they’ll have no problems getting a job! Of course that’s nothing to do with his vested interest as a training company is it !
I have considered the initial dcpc in that £3k but not ongoing stuff like future medicals, digicards or periodic dcpc etc
I do not know of one good trainer who says getting a job is easy as a newbie - most good trainers will give a realistic opinion of what the job situation is like in their area
Welcome onto the forum mate. You have taken the best first step by asking on this forum and not just handing over your hard-earned money to the first broker who promises you the earth.
My advice would be to phone up a few local trainers in your own area (don’t use a broker) and arrange a test drive (which should be free). Then, once you’re satisfied with what they offer, go with them. As you have already heard, Peter Smythe’s training school is only just down the A1 from you and I have only ever heard good things about them on this forum. In fact, many on this forum were trained there! So why not give them a try first?
The transport industry is an everchanging one and many jobs are coming and going all over the country all of the time, so being in the right place at the time is crucial. You can then really help yourself further by looking the part and being ready at a moments notice to get going. If you have the right licence and attitude, you’re almost there. For people to say there are “no jobs” is totally wrong. There are jobs out there but they won’t come and find you! As with most things in life, most of the best jobs (well paid, cushy etc) are already taken, but you never know your luck. If you happen to be in the right place at the right time…
Peter is straight in trying to convince everyone that everything in the haulage sector is rosy and they’ll have no problems getting a job! Of course that’s nothing to do with his vested interest as a training company is it !
I don’t ever recall trying to convince anyone that everything in the haulage sector is rosy. Or that newbies will walk straight into a job. A “mystery shopper” call to my office will confirm that we always answer truthfully when asked about work. It happens that, at the moment, we are able to suggest places (some of which are agencies) that will take our newly qualified drivers. That’s not always the case and then we make it clear that the situation is what it is.
Being upfront and honest are cornerstones of my business. Check out the website; you will see that ALL the fees are clearly displayed so no-one struggles to work out what it will cost. It’s got a bit more complicated since the introduction of driver cpc, but all the info is there. An email to our office will generate a response including a full breakdown of all fees. We are dealing with grown adults - let’s treat them accordingly and not try to be clever and mislead anyone. There are no clever forms to fill in - as with the brokers who will then use the information they have to hound you to the ends of the earth.
Many candidates enter the industry speculatively and with their eyes wide open. I have never misled anyone about work. My normal answer is along the lines of "yes, you will get work eventually. It’ll probably be driving a skip or a tipper - in other words - you have to start at the bottom and work up. Don’t think for one minute that you’ll walk out of here to drive a shiny new Scania earning £700 a week. RobK can believe what he likes, but there will be people on the forum who have heard those very words from me and the staff.
And yes, I DO have a vested interest in people wishing to join the industry. Otherwise I’d starve! I also happen to believe that it’s a great industry to be part of. But I won’t con anyone into it. I like to sleep at night.
I passed C+E with Peter last July, and was doing agency work at Sports Direct within two days, with only my pass certificate. Then ended up doing ASDA store deliveries, then car parts for Transfreight at the Toyota plant, also both at agencies.
I’ve been a full-time permanent employee of NFT since October with a very good wage/pension. I don’t think that the situation is half as bad as people make out.
I also think that it’s best to get C+E as soon as you can as there seems to be about eight times as many jobs compared to C.
Ignor the doom and gloom merchants on here. Yes £6.50 an hour is not uncommon, yes £ 2000 to £ 3000 to acquire c +e is not uncommon ither. But that is all very short term thinking with zero long term vishion.
long term there is the possibility of good money some day, may take 10 years to get there but it’s possible. One driver I know makes £600 a week avarge. yes he’s out all week and Maxing out his hours every week too but where can you make 600 a week , befor taxs of couse, outside of middle management jobs witch are harder to land than your first driving job anyway. It’s about as good as it gets if going down the uni rout isnt for you and if you just want to be an employee.
If in 5 years I can be making 450 to 550 a week on a relitivly low stress simply rdc routs ill be happy with somthing like that. I’v been on 300 a week for 7 years now, averageing 50 hours a week for that too doing retail. long term goals is what we have to keep in mind. it’s not about a better life tomorrow it’s about planting the seeds for a better life years from now.
. I like driving so hopefully it’s a win win situation
