I am Stockport based and I’m looking at getting myself trained up soon and I have a pile of questions I was hoping to get some tips on if possible? Hope this isn’t over the top - I also realise some of these are possibly tricky to answer…
Can anyone recommend (or condemn!) any training firms in my area? (there’s 2 in Stockport that look legit)
Does anyone know the likely availability for work from September for Agency newbie work (I am assuming post Xmas will be very slow) – I am particularly interested in PM starts & nights (preferably finishing before 7am)
Is night work better for newbies, due to being quieter?
Any ideas on the future availability of work in view of all the proposed building in Manchester, the impact of Brexit and aging drivers retiring?
Is it really worthwhile in terms of getting work to get the ADR?
When do I have to do my CPC. I’ve got C1 on my licence as I’m an old git - so I’ve read I don’t need it right away? – if so it worth doing the ADR when the CPC is due as I think it counts towards the hours?
whataplum:
7. When do I have to do my CPC. I’ve got C1 on my licence as I’m an old git - so I’ve read I don’t need it right away? – if so it worth doing the ADR when the CPC is due as I think it counts towards the hours?
You will need to do the driver CPC before you can drive commercially, as you have cat C1 on your licence you can choose between doing MODs 2 and 4 (Initial DCPC) or 35 hours of periodic training.
If you’re going to do cat C training it will pay you to find a cat C driver training course that’s approved by JAUPT, that way the HGV training will get you some hours towards the 35 hours periodic training.
whataplum:
7. When do I have to do my CPC. I’ve got C1 on my licence as I’m an old git - so I’ve read I don’t need it right away? – if so it worth doing the ADR when the CPC is due as I think it counts towards the hours?
You will need to do the driver CPC before you can drive commercially, as you have cat C1 on your licence you can choose between doing MODs 2 and 4 (Initial DCPC) or 35 hours of periodic training.
“If you’re going to do cat C training it will pay you to find a cat C driver training course that’s approved by JAUPT, that way the HGV training will get you some hours towards the 35 hours periodic training.”
thanks - bit confusing this …is this flat out wrong then?:
If you passed your CAR test BEFORE January 1997, and have a C1 or 7.5 ton entitlement on your licence, you do NOT need to take the Driver CPC Initial Qualification.
whataplum:
7. When do I have to do my CPC. I’ve got C1 on my licence as I’m an old git - so I’ve read I don’t need it right away? – if so it worth doing the ADR when the CPC is due as I think it counts towards the hours?
You will need to do the driver CPC before you can drive commercially, as you have cat C1 on your licence you can choose between doing MODs 2 and 4 (Initial DCPC) or 35 hours of periodic training.
“If you’re going to do cat C training it will pay you to find a cat C driver training course that’s approved by JAUPT, that way the HGV training will get you some hours towards the 35 hours periodic training.”
thanks - bit confusing this …is this flat out wrong then?:
If you passed your CAR test BEFORE January 1997, and have a C1 or 7.5 ton entitlement on your licence, you do NOT need to take the Driver CPC Initial Qualification.
That is correct - you do not have to do the initial tests to get the first 5 year DQC but you do need a DQC so need to do the 35 hours periodic attendance training
Some of those 35 hours can be gained by choosing a LGV provider who is approved for practical LGV dcpc training
whataplum:
7. When do I have to do my CPC. I’ve got C1 on my licence as I’m an old git - so I’ve read I don’t need it right away? – if so it worth doing the ADR when the CPC is due as I think it counts towards the hours?
You will need to do the driver CPC before you can drive commercially, as you have cat C1 on your licence you can choose between doing MODs 2 and 4 (Initial DCPC) or 35 hours of periodic training.
“If you’re going to do cat C training it will pay you to find a cat C driver training course that’s approved by JAUPT, that way the HGV training will get you some hours towards the 35 hours periodic training.”
thanks - bit confusing this …is this flat out wrong then?:
If you passed your CAR test BEFORE January 1997, and have a C1 or 7.5 ton entitlement on your licence, you do NOT need to take the Driver CPC Initial Qualification.
That is correct - you do not have to do the initial tests to get the first 5 year DQC but you do need a DQC so need to do the 35 hours periodic attendance training
Some of those 35 hours can be gained by choosing a LGV provider who is approved for practical LGV dcpc training
thanks alot - real confusing this as even this guy from a training firm states someone with a pre 1997 licence can go on the periodic CPC:
You can do the 35 hours periodic training, no-ones saying you can’t, you’re in the lucky position of being able to choose between the 35 hours periodic training or MODs 2 and 4.
When the Driver CPC started in 2009 (2008 for PCV drivers) any drivers who had a HGV entitlement (cat C1 or above) were granted grandfather rights for the first 5 years, during the first 5 years everyone had to do 35 hours periodic training in order to be able to continue driving for a further 5 years after the first 5 year period.
-In other words you have to do 35 hours periodic training every 5 years.
The grandfather rights ran out in 2014, since then it’s been decided that anyone who had grandfather rights but has not completed the first 35 hours periodic training can choose to do either the initial DCPC MODs 2 and 4 or do 35 hours periodic training.
As you had cat C1 entitlement when the DCPC started and have not done any periodic training you can choose whether you want to do MODs 2 and 4 tests, or do the 35 hours periodic training.
As you intend to have cat C training it’s in your best interests to find a HGV training company that can offer you a HGV driver training course that will give you some of the periodic training hours, the course has to be approved by JAUPT to do that.
I believe that if you find a JAUPT approved driver training course you could get allotted 7 hours periodic training for each day of the driver training course, so it’s going to get you 21 to 28 hours of the 35 hours periodic training.
tachograph:
I believe that if you find a JAUPT approved driver training course you could get allotted 7 hours periodic training for each day of the driver training course, so it’s going to get you 21 to 28 hours of the 35 hours periodic training.
1 to 1 half days will get you 14 hours = 4 x 3.5 hrs
2 to 1 full days will get you 28 hours = 4 x 7 hrs
That is based on a LGV training course over a 5 day period with a provider who is approved for on road dcpc training
Test day cannot count
Sept till Xmas will be busy as all the supermarkets are trying to get stock into stores. After Xmas it slows down,but living it the Manchester area,there should be some kind of work.
If you want to work on a dirty cold building site then get your hiab. Or you could try other work and see which one you like best.
Get your class 1 asap,the work is easier.
Don’t expect to get home at a certain time. if you want to get home by 7am then remember you could work 15 hours plus travelling time from your place of work. Companies pay the Agency for 15 hours and will expect u to work closely to that (as long as it’s legal)
Night driving has its pluses but major roads tend to close and diversions are in place. This adds time to your day and you start sweating about low bridges.
Lastly buy a hgv sat nav that takes low bridges out of the equation 99.99% of the time.
please.
Ps. do some research on agencies in your area. See what kind of companies you could be working for.
Also,don’t be afraid to ask. I know drivers that have driven for 30 years and ask me about how to do a manuel entry on their tachograph.
Your learning all the time.
Good luck
tachograph:
You can do the 35 hours periodic training, no-ones saying you can’t, you’re in the lucky position of being able to choose between the 35 hours periodic training or MODs 2 and 4.
When the Driver CPC started in 2009 (2008 for PCV drivers) any drivers who had a HGV entitlement (cat C1 or above) were granted grandfather rights for the first 5 years, during the first 5 years everyone had to do 35 hours periodic training in order to be able to continue driving for a further 5 years after the first 5 year period.
-In other words you have to do 35 hours periodic training every 5 years.
The grandfather rights ran out in 2014, since then it’s been decided that anyone who had grandfather rights but has not completed the first 35 hours periodic training can choose to do either the initial DCPC MODs 2 and 4 or do 35 hours periodic training.
As you had cat C1 entitlement when the DCPC started and have not done any periodic training you can choose whether you want to do MODs 2 and 4 tests, or do the 35 hours periodic training.
As you intend to have cat C training it’s in your best interests to find a HGV training company that can offer you a HGV driver training course that will give you some of the periodic training hours, the course has to be approved by JAUPT to do that.
I believe that if you find a JAUPT approved driver training course you could get allotted 7 hours periodic training for each day of the driver training course, so it’s going to get you 21 to 28 hours of the 35 hours periodic training.
Thanks to all those who replied.
I’ve just passed my Hazard and Theory today so been looking at my options. As mentioned in my initial post (in a roundabout way) I was thinking along of the lines of doing my ADR and using those hours to contribute to my CPC (avoiding MODs 2 and 4, the costs to take them and the time to study for them makes up for the extra CPC/ADR costs & benefits, I think). I spoke to a couple of LGV driver training providers who said I can’t use actual driver training towards my CPC. That would be great as it would in theory save 2 days classroom training (plus costs) and sounds too good to be true, but I guess its not a big deal as these modules from the CPC course (presumably 1 each day) will be more than useful for a newbie me to make up the 35 hours:
Module 1: Drivers hours, analogue and digital tachograph
Module 2: Vehicle and load handling systems and safe vehicle loading
Hope I’ve got that right. Now to get some some driver training…
whataplum:
I spoke to a couple of LGV driver training providers who said I can’t use actual driver training towards my CPC.
You can use HGV driver training to get some of the periodic training hours and there’s a few people on this board who have done exactly that, in fact I believe the sponsor of this forum (Peter Smythe) offers such courses for cat C+E training but I’m not sure about cat C training.
Perhaps the trainers you spoke to don’t have their driver training courses approved by JAUPT, in which case they wouldn’t count towards the DCPC periodic training hours.
Is night work better for newbies, due to being quieter?
Depends. How good are you at navigating in the dark ?
Its it advisable to go straight for Class 1?
From personal experience I’d say yes. I couldn’t get work after getting my Cat C and applied for a serious amount of jobs. Even got interviews. But when you’re sitting in waiting rooms listening to the other driver’s tales of drinking diesel you know you’re not gonna get the job.
I walked straight in to work once i passed my C+E though so if I were you I’d do both one after the other.
There is no question that, provided you select a trainer who has the course approved for cpc, that the practical training will count towards your driver cpc. You will also get up to 28 hours from ADR. So if you do CAT C and ADR you will end up with the required 35 hours. Please note that any excess hours will be lost.
Peter Smythe:
There is no question that, provided you select a trainer who has the course approved for cpc, that the practical training will count towards your driver cpc. You will also get up to 28 hours from ADR. So if you do CAT C and ADR you will end up with the required 35 hours. Please note that any excess hours will be lost.
Hope this helps, Pete
Excess hours will only be lost if already got a DQC as those over the 35 will be outside the 5 years
