This thread is going to be the complete documented journey from my current position of being a PSV driver to Cat. C+E LGV driver. I have been driving buses for 6 years and I enjoy the driving but don’t like the hassle from the abusive and often drunk passengers.
I have just made the decision to go ahead with the LGV training after weeks of uncertainty, I have been speaking to a training company who are on the recommended list here and who have been really helpful. They have quoted me £2400 for everything from medical to the cat. C and then onto the cat. C+E test.
I already have my CPC card and digital tacho card from driving buses.
I have just booked my medical with my GP, that is in a weeks time. So the ball is rolling and I will now begin jumping through all the hoops until I reach my goal.
Hi I’ve been driving buses and coaches for over 5 years and decide to go for C+E last year I passed first time class 2 and class 1 total cost 1500£ had couple of days on rigid and couple of days on artic my instructor was fair and told me that I didn’t need many hours as I used to size of vehicle honestly you can save a bit of money as you are professional driver already
Rog, my GP is charging me £95 for the medical, I had a look at the list of doctors on here and found one in Aberdeen that would do it for £60 but to be honest it would take up the whole day and 120 mile round trip to go over to Aberdeen so by the time fuel is paid for I may as well just go to my GP and save some time as well.
I am planning on doing my training with MacPhersons in Elgin, I have been in touch via email and they seem spot on but I will go over and discuss my requirements once I have my provisional sorted.
I already have cat C1 on my licence and MacPhersons told me I did not need to do mod 4 as I have completed my CPC and have my blue CPC card.
Szymekinverness, Have you been able to find haulage work since you passed your test?
I am a little concerned about what I have heard about the lack of experience and employers not giving new drivers a chance.
Hi!
So you are going to do Class1 and even don’t know will you get any job?
Just like me! I had enough with two years on a local bus!
Wish you good luck!
Hi Night Spirit I’ve benn working with stagecoach for 3 years and for last 2 with other company covering all range of private hires tours contracts etc… but the trucks are all I always wanted to do, so I passed class 1 last year with local tomish training… Ok I better answer your question I went to one straight after test and they were ok to take me on, but as I started college (part time) I did not decided as they wanted full time at that time,and now I don’t want to go back there as I think they do not give me another chance i might be wrong. So college is done and I’ve recently applied for night trunking Inverness Glasgow but haven’t heard anything back yet, on monday I went to other local company and spoke to MD and he was positive as i walked in with my CV, copies of documents in my hand, so I hope he will get back to me, i also went to blue arrow and they got back to me I was asked to let them know when I can work next week, so there are some opportunities and I can agree with others right place-right time
Szymekinverness, it is a small world, I am driving for Stagecoach at the moment, I just dont see myself doing this for the next 20 years. It’s driving me crazy!
I look at doing my HGV training as an investment in myself. I may well end up driving buses for a few more years but I will eventually become a HGV driver.
Yes it is small slavecoach is good to start with but than you have to move on i have to admit that I’ve recently aplied to macphearson aberlour but I think they taking only experienced drivers. So go for your class 1 it’s worth every single penny
I had my medical this morning with my GP, I was in and out in under 30 minutes and £95 lighter. No problems passed it OK…which is just as well as if I failed I would have been unable to do my 12 hour shift driving my bus today!
My last medical which my company paid for was over an hour and the doctor stood and watched me fill the urine sample bottle, said he had to be sure it was mine and I hadn’t taken someone else’s urine in for the drugs test!!!
So I got all my paperwork off in the post and I am hoping that I get my licence back in the next 10 days. I have paid a deposit and provisionally booked my cat. C training to start 27th September as I have some time scheduled off work, however I still have to do my theory test which I can’t do without my licence so hoping it all falls into place.
If not I will just have to re-arrange the training.
Anyway I am now waiting again for the licence and spending all my free time studying for the theory test.
I have just booked my medical with my GP, that is in a weeks time. So the ball is rolling and I will now begin jumping through all the hoops until I reach my goal.
NS
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Ummm if you have your PSV you don’t need a medical, as your last medical for your PSV covers you until you are 45, and it also covers you for your HGV, I never had a second medical when I went for PSV Class 1 to HGV Class 1,
Is there not a cheaper training provider around, you should ■■■■ the Class 2 test, the only difference is the wheels are behind you in your bus and in a class 2 you are sitting on top of them, I think your only problem would be the reverse, on the Class 1,
Blueiain:
I have just booked my medical with my GP, that is in a weeks time. So the ball is rolling and I will now begin jumping through all the hoops until I reach my goal.
NS
Ummm if you have your PSV you don’t need a medical, as your last medical for your PSV covers you until you are 45, and it also covers you for your HGV, I never had a second medical when I went for PSV Class 1 to HGV Class 1,
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That only happens if the last PCV medical was within a few months of needing the LGV one
If the driver opted to tick for C on the D2 form when they applied for D then the medical for PCV would have also covered LGV
If you know your driving licence number you can keep checking on the Theory Tests page of the Gov website whether you can book your theory test yet, allowing you to know whether provisional cat C has been applied to your licence yet, potentially a couple of days before it turns up in the post.
Ummm if you have your PSV you don’t need a medical, as your last medical for your PSV covers you until you are 45, and it also covers you for your HGV, I never had a second medical when I went for PSV Class 1 to HGV Class 1,
Yeah guys, I did check on the medical situation but because it is 6 years since I had my last one I had to have another. Only if you have had a medical in the last 12 months can you get away with it.
I will keep an eye on the theory test website, that will give me a few days before it arrives so I can at least get it booked. I have just had a look but it told me I have no theory tests to arrange. Does anyone know if I can choose any testing center? I was hoping to see whichever test center has the earliest test available and go for that even if I have to go into Aberdeen or Inverness.
It’s must of changed then I did my PSV Class 1 in 1988 and the my HGV Class 1 in 1996 my only medical was in 1988, I’ve just had my second medical when I turned 45
Im sure you can choose where to take your test as I remember being sent to Croydon for my PCV theory as they gave you instant results at the time, where other test centres made you wait for a letter through the post.
Thanks M1cks…I am going to give it until towards the end of the week and start checking the Theory test website to see if my provisional entitlement has been added. Once I am able to do so I will get my test booked, but I will allow a little time just in case my licence hasn’t turned up to re-arrange my theory test.
I was going to have a look at various test centers around where I live to see where I can get the soonest appointment, until then I will just crack on with the studying!
Night Spirit: Szymekinverness, it is a small world, I am driving for Stagecoach at the moment, I just dont see myself doing this for the next 20 years. It’s driving me crazy!
I look at doing my HGV training as an investment in myself. I may well end up driving buses for a few more years but I will eventually become a HGV driver.
NS
Let me join the club:))
I’ve done 7 years as a Stagecoach bus driver, and will never do it again…
I’ve passed my class 2 in April, then my class 1 in May, and started my new job on 15th June. Today had a phone call from Royal Mail, but wasn’t interested, as I am quite happy with my current employer, and wouldn’t really like to drive 30 miles each way to work and back…
Buses were good to start with, but general public isn’t something I’d like to deal with all the time.
Do your class 1 and knock on the door, you’ll find job, as there are some jobs still available.
Best of luck
I got my cat C back in 2004 then in early 2005 I got my PCV and started working as a coach driver, but soon found out that it’s not all nice & easy work taking pensioners down to Weston-super-Mare or groups of people to Alton Towers etc (even despite the free entrance & meals!) I soon made my excuses and ended up back on the trucks. In fact, in January 2012 I upgraded the licence to C+E and I haven’t looked back since. Having a C+E licence as opposed to just cat C seems to open so many more doors, it really does.
So, I just want to wish you all the very best with your training and I look forward to reading all about your upcoming exploits!
I had enough with two years on a local bus!
i might be wrong. So college is done and I’ve recently applied for night trunking Inverness Glasgow but haven’t heard anything back yet, on monday I went to other local company and spoke to MD and he was positive as i walked in 
