Hello everyone,
I am 22 years old, had a full class B licence for 2 years and aiming at getting my HGV Class C License in the near future; it has been something as a job role that has been more and more appealing to me over the last 6 months. I have been working in the security industry for the last 3+ years and think that this would be an ideal career change.
I had an interview with a large haulage firm in my area and they offered me a 80% chance of a job should I get my class C licence depending on a test drive (which I thought was brilliant considering I only initially contacted to find out more about the job role!). So after this I went away and did some research on gaining my licence, and what to avoid which is when I came across this forum which has been brilliant!
So I found a nice school with a bloke that seems like the kind of trainer I could get along with but it has sprung a few questions to mind. First of all this guy claims there’s no training for module 2, suggesting there’s no “official” training out yet. I have seen many places offering training of 35 hours of videos for £150+ which if I can genuinely avoid this fee and still pass module 2 I will be over the moon.
Second point I have is a few doubts about myself in this job role really. I like to think my driving isn’t too bad even though I’ve only been driving for 2 years, but my navigation skills are some-what questionable. They are developing slowly but unless I’ve been somewhere as a daily routine I generally have to use a satnav if it’s more than 1 hour drive away. The last thing I want to do is spend all this money for a license then on a test run be one of the people you see on a front page of a newspaper stuck under a bridge in the wrong town. ïŒ
The other concerning point about myself as I haven’t had an induction or trail yet is how do people manage with the mirrors & no centre mirror when reversing/parking? All the cars I’ve driven I’ve utilised all windows and mirrors to my advantage when parking to be most efficient and get the clearest picture just to avoid any chance of crashing — I’m not quite sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing but its another point I could do with knowing if that’s a tell-tale sign that I shouldn’t continue down this path.
If anyone could give me some advice or chip in some feedback that would be really welcomed.
Hiya
Sounds like your looking forward to your class2 which is good, as for learning to drive with no centre mirror or about kerbs thats what you pay your trainer for once you sit in the cab you will be surprised how much you can see and how to judge kerbs but dont try to rush everything take your time.
As for directional sence that will come in time so dont worry sat nav is ok but always have an atlas inyour bag they never break lol.
One of the lads at work been driving artics for 15 years work sent him to haysham by Lancaster he got there rang up no trailer here im In hollyhead lol numpty he got a rollocking for that 
Jeff
Hi the best people to answer your training queries would be rog or petersmythe(spelling?) they are from all accounts very good training providers on here and always seem more than happy to advice newbies so find them and drop them a pm. All I would say on the matter is make sure your not booking via a broker and make sure the lorrys are in good nick and up together, I can’t imagine anything worse than learning In a shed off a motor.
Regarding your sense off direction it will come but it takes time. When I started at 18 I lived at home and barely knew how to get from home to the yard. Looking in a map book meant nothing to me it was all lines and colours I would have to work out where I was and go through every sodden page until I found my destination. Now I’m like a taxi driver, not many roads, streets I don’t know if I’m not 100% on a road ill pick an a-z up and even know what page represents what area just like that but that’s down to years off having my head in the bloody book. We don’t use sat navs and when I started I was told he didn’t want me using one so I only had maps and my own ability to guess . Before long you’ll know what roads to avoid at certain times of the day, what roads you can cut through without causing mayhem if your preferred route is busy and so on but it just takes time!.
Your worry with the lack of an interior mirror or rear window is nothing to worry about. When you pull up in tescos car park for instance you probably bang your car into a spot without much thought. With hgvs it’s different, pull up to your drop/collection if your unsure you get out. Walk around look where you need to be and look for hazards, is there anything in the way that could obstruct you, if the gateway appears a good bit wider than your lorry you know even if you can’t see to great if you stick as tight as you can to one post your going to miss the other backing in.
It’s little things that at first you will be making a Conscious effort to do and then with time you’ll be banging the lorry in to every given tight spot like you do at tesco but without realising you’ve already pulled up at a job, looked in the air for low telephone, electric cables, tree branches that could be low, Checked that when you back round to your left there was nothing to your right for you to hit and all off a sudden you’ve mastered it without realising. Driving is not difficult, it’s the decisions you make that will make difficult. It’s quicker to have a look at where you need to be then wing it and try backing around the back off a building without knowing what’s round the corner. If there’s a car or something in your way and you need to back around it to get into a driveway, site whatever then carry on up the road turn around come in from the other way. It may take you 2 minutes to do that but it will eradicate the chance off hitting that vehicle and I guarantee it will be quicker doing that than shunting around an obstacle.
Did I do all these things when I first started? Off course not i made a right ■■■■ off myself on many occasions but I listened and watched people that where better than me. I’ve now had plenty off practice and am almost there. Another 20 years and I might make a decent driver . Just chill out relax and enjoy it if you decide it’s what you want to do and good luck.
Chris, the reason there’s no official training out for module 2 yet is cos it boils down to common sense. It’s actually the easiest of all the modules.
I was thinking the same thing as I wanted to be prepared and double prepared for all my tests. As long as you read all the questions carefully and don’t rush it all, you have more than enough time to read all the questions and answers more than once.
Good luck buddy
Hey chris wc to this forum. For mod 2 test I didnt read of any single line or a video and I got 45 out of 50. All you have to do is buy a theory book and read that for mod 2 it was just a common sense really which you will gain from reading theory book. Goodluck
Massive thank you to all members that have replied to this.
Given me some great advice and confidence in the lacking parts and also helped with the Mod 2 part. Really appreciate it all, looking forward to training now
Yay me have a 2 hour drive home from work after a 12 hour night shift…honestly wish id done that the other way around (12 hour drive 2 hour shift 
)
Can’t give much ‘advice’ on the training (did all mine years ago) but the Navigation will develop over time, sat navs are very useful, so is google maps (to plan your route the night before) & street view is good for checking exactly where the drop is/hazards & what direction to approach (for reversing in, especially for Artics)
Most company’s that I’ve worked for, tend to visit a lot of the same places, so once you’ve learnt where their customer base is, you will be building up a geographical knowledge in your head, then when you get a new drop somewhere off the usual route it just expands each day.
You won’t learn the entire UK road map in a day (I’m still learning 35 years later !) so keep chilled out & keep to speed limits (you’re the one who gets the fine, not the company) you won’t be as fast as ‘Bill’ who’s been doing the job for years & knows all the drops, but you will learn & within 6 months to a year you will be keeping up with him.
It’s not an 8-4 job, so don’t plan too much during the week. Some days you will start at 04.00 & work until 19.00 (& beyond-illegally) others will be 08.00 start & home by 14.00 (very rare, but they do happen !)
It’s a lot better than being stuck in an office, bored out of your brain sitting in a security hut or factory work (where they time you when you take a ■■■■ !) it’s very regulated, so you need to get your head around all the rules & regs.
The training will teach you the proper use for the mirrors & spacial awareness , do all your manoeuvring slowly & if not sure- get out & have a look. Always turn the radio off & wind the windows down (if it’s not raining) & keep your mirrors clean (all helps you to concentrate when in tight spaces) leave the Rock n Roll & Rap for the main roads.
Ask questions if your not sure, I ask questions nearly every day (you will never know it all !)
Once you’ve been doing it for a couple of years you’ll either love it or loath it. (I love it !)
Good luck, we need some new blood in the industry.
Check out the LGV TRAINING TIPS link in my signature below for module 2 training link and much more
Initial dcpc which is modules 2 and 4 is totally different from periodic dcpc which is the 35 hours and done during the 5 years after passing the initial
Hi. Just seen this thread as been away for the weekend and dont look at t’internet when I’m away. Just to say that I am happy to reply to pm as suggested if I can help in any way.
All the best, Pete 