Thought I’d pass on my experiences so far.
After reading advice on here about where to get trained, I gave the " I’ll guarantee you a job after you’ve bought our £1500+ package in advance" merchants that I found on Google, a wide berth. Instead, I looked in my local( Bristol ) yellow pages for LGV training schools.
After a few phone calls and a couple of short assessments, I decided to book with Dynamic LGV Driver Training. I can say that I was very pleased with the tuition and expertise passed on to me by Karl, and would recommend him highly. I passed Cat C on first attempt I am going back to him to do my C&E next month.
The next problem is finding a job…looks like I’ll have to do some 7.5 ton work, as most agencies I phoned said that 1- 2 year’s experience is needed. Just hoping as it gets near Christmas, that the demand for Cat C improves.
as forlooking for work just keep at it , if you take the 71/2 tonne work not nomally very long after that a class 2 job comes up they just need to see that your relaible andcan handle the work
Thanks everyone for the good wishes and advice. Busy sending off CV to as many agencies as I can find. Most are giving me the 2 year UK experience rule, but have found a few who are willing to bend a little. Only 7 days to go until the C&E !!!
Well passed the C&E yesterday Bad start as I cocked up the reversing and had to take a shunt, which my instructor said I was allowed to do.
So left the test center in not the best frame of mind. Next, the examiner took me down a new route, which didn’t help the nerves!! The final straw was the truck jumping out of gear as I pulled off from the traffic lights!!! After that I thought I’d failed, so I forgot about nerves. Next pulling up on the left in a safe place, I stupidly picked a spot that had a bus stop, which I ended up putting the unit into. So by that time, I was sure it was all over. Imagine my surprise when I was told that I’d passed…4 minors!!!
Just goes to show, that sometimes one’s driving is not as bad as it seems to the examiner.
Passed mine 3 weeks ago. I think it’s a bonus when you think you’ve fluffed it, you just get on with it after that.
Had to take a shunt on my reverse too. I take it that was one of your minor faults?
I’m not surprised the instructors don’t tell you a shunt counts as a minor, as Brian my instructor said to me “it’s very hard to make a bloke go forward when he’s supposed to be focused on going backwards”
If I’d known it was going to count as a minor, I’d probably not taken the shunt, and more than likely made a balls of the entire thing.
But anyway, congratulations, and good luck finding work.
There’s no shame in driving a 7.5, mine’s quite good fun, and as said before, that will progress to class 2 work. I do all the holiday cover at our place.
PaulNowak:
Congrats bud
Had to take a shunt on my reverse too. I take it that was one of your minor faults?
Thanks Paul. No, the minors were for: Use of mirrors x2 ; Positioning Normal Driving and Positioning Normal Stop. Job lined up as a Recycle Driver, but have a couple of other vacancies I can go back to now as I’ve passed.
I am going back to him to do my C&E next month.
