Hello Everyone,
I am looking to start a career in HGV.
I am use to being out on the road from previous role as a rep
Lost my last Friday and now is the time to do this.
I am not really sure what type of HGV to even drive.
Will send of form this week and have medical appointment in the near future.
Spoke to a few training companies near me and prices are somewhat different to say the least.
Your feedback is appreciated.
Kind regards,
Jason
Looked at any job vacancies around your way?
Know anyone local who is already a truck driver?
Re training schools, look at prices, but also go and see them yourself.
Make sure they are a genuine school with their ownvehicles etc. Donāt be scammed by ābrokersā.
PS tell us approximately where you are, and you might get a better answer.
This, big style. Avoid anyone who offers training ānationwideā, thatās a broker.
If you state where you are someone on here will be sure to know a decent proper driving school near you.
Can you handle a military style wet wash using baby wipes to clean yourself when thereās no access to hot water and a shower when you have to park in noisy lay-by after a 15 hour duty and a 10 hour drive with 9 hours off for daily rest?
No access to a loo at a lay-by that is soaked in urine and human faeces, imagine the that pungent aroma in your cab with the windows open in the summer as itās too hot to sleep with the windows shut.
It doesnāt have to be like that 
No, you can push heavy cages into shops over horrendous surfaces for 4 days a week and be home every night. You just have to be ok with being shouted at by people all the time for blocking them in.
Oh and salaried for 48hrs but only ever doing 40-44 max. Theyāre out their but a lot of drivers detest physical work. I myself canāt stand doing trunk runs. The 3 times Iāve driven up to bownhills from Southampton Iāve been desperate to push cages. Up now at stupid oāclock for a 2:15 start for drive into London for 2 shops then Basingstoke for 3 shops.
I only have to push them to the end of the tail lift or off the back into store but I agree the physical work is good. Give me South Wales/West over London every time though! 
Thank you for all the advice so far
Just be aware that most of what you might have heard about the"driver shortage" and potential big wages will undoubtedly turn out to be BS, so go into it with your eyes open
How old are you Jason / when did you pass your car driving test? If you are old enough, you will have the 7.5 tonne entitlement on your licence - get a medical sorted, tachograph card and CPC then you will be able to drive a 7.5 tonne commercially.
Better than nothing and a quick way to get an āinā if you are out of work at the moment.
Of course, if you arenāt old enough/passed your car test too recently, then ignore the above!
Do your homework, speak to people who have experienced using local hgv driver training firms.
One local firm to me had a driver trainer whose only hgv experience was passing his class 1 test in the army and never sitting in a wagon again until he left the army 7 years later to become a class 1 instructor 
Strange you saying that as one of our driver/trainers is ex army and he says he done all his theory/mod 4 in one day and passed his class 1 with zero faults (same day too āapparentlyā) and was offered a job instructing straight away which he done until he started at our place. I think heās been here 13 years?? Heās a Northerner.
What with zero experience hgv driver trainers let loose and many driver CPC trainer gods plying their ātradeā, is there any wonder why hgv drivers will only ever be professionals in name only.
I started looking end of April, 5 years of experience in total with 4 being class 1
Applied for a dozen or so positions mostly on agencies.
Got 1 call back where they told me I wasnāt qualified as I had no āādouble decker experienceāā and offered me a much lower paid job instead
Finally got my first interview - again with an agency, when I started applying to lower paying jobs (under Ā£15 per hour)
5 years of experience and got 1 interview/job offer in 2 months, for a sub Ā£15 per hour position 
I live in Suffolkā¦
So when I pass my hgv later this year will it be quite difficult to get a job?
What an audacious thing to say with no double decker experience, which was the excuse the company said to you, if anyone has pass test to get their license a DD trailer is no different to a single decker trailer except the driver must be aware the top deck may be top heavy,the pain in the back end with DD loading is that the driver is not allowed on the trailer bed to strap the load down, so the fork lift driver loading it traps the internal straps for pallets that weigh below 400 kgs and then all that faffing throwing ratchet straps for a pallet over 400 kgs.
I can only suggest perusing through the DVSA website under the operating license decision pages where it gives the names and addresses of small to large haulage companies in your area in the decisions and applications pages then drive over to see them.
It may list owner drivers who may want a driver to cover holidays or to be a casual driver.
The list is endless to which type of LGV driving to choose from livestock haulage, ADR dangerous goods by road for fuel, chemical, gases, liquids and so on, with a plethora of rules to adhere to.
Will it be day runs to be home every night or tramping all week living in the cab for a week or more but this does save commuting and fuel in the car?
Couldnāt tell you mate. Iām in the West Midlands supposedly the UKās main logistic hub and dozens if not hundreds of companies around like Royal Mail, DPD, UPS, DHL basically all the abbreviations you can think of, a couple supermarket chains depots, a fuel depot, scores of general haulage etc. seems like no one is hiring perm right now.
Back when I started in 2018 it took me almost 2 years to get my 1st (and only so far) full time job. I guess nothing has changed nowadays itās all agency work until you get a foot in then work hard and hope the client becomes your future employer (if you like working there yourself of course)
Donāt forget the rats, lol. I never left my window open only the top with the mesh pulled across, of course.
I hope you donāt ratchet strap the cab doors to stop anyone breaking in?