Noticed something today while out in my van - a 7.5 ton driver under instruction - in a full blown 7.5T truck.
This looks a very strange move to me. To meet the C1 test requirements, you don’t need a vehicle of anything like this. Would the learner have just as well go the whole hog and aim for the proper C licence? Is he (or his company) just wasting his money?
Also, I have heard that to supervise a C1 learner, an instructor needs to have passed either a C1 or C test. Is this absolutely true? Or can I set myself up as a 7.5 ton instuctor with my grandad licence?
Also notice that there is a shortage of LGV instructors in my area. Would I be better off passing my C and C+E and starting my own LGV training company - offering 7.5T instruction of course!?
The student may be under 21 and so cannot take the C test. As has been said before most people recommend taking the test in a ‘full size’ vehicle and not one that meets the minimum standards. As regards supervision I’m sure you only need hold a C1 to supervise a C1 student but you do need to have held the licence for at least 3 years.
SuperLez:
Also notice that there is a shortage of LGV instructors in my area. Would I be better off passing my C and C+E and starting my own LGV training company - offering 7.5T instruction of course!?
SuperLez:
Noticed something today while out in my van - a 7.5 ton driver under instruction - in a full blown 7.5T truck.
This looks a very strange move to me. To meet the C1 test requirements, you don’t need a vehicle of anything like this. Would the learner have just as well go the whole hog and aim for the proper C licence? Is he (or his company) just wasting his money?
Some LGV training schools are telling wannabes (that are over 21) that they HAVE to take C1 before C - ROGUE TRADERS comes to mind
SuperLez:
Some LGV training schools are telling wannabes (that are over 21) that they HAVE to take C1 before C - ROGUE TRADERS comes to mind
That’s outrageous!
Then again, if the punter is doing his job properly, he’ll shop around (certainly not take the first company that he rings) and find a company who will advise him properly about what he can and can’t drive, etc. If a firm is interested in building a good word of mouth rep, then surely being honest and up front with customers at the start would surely be of the utmost importance to them.
ROG:
Some LGV training schools are telling wannabes (that are over 21) that they HAVE to take C1 before C - ROGUE TRADERS comes to mind
SuperLez:
That’s outrageous!
Then again, if the punter is doing his job properly, he’ll shop around (certainly not take the first company that he rings) and find a company who will advise him properly about what he can and can’t drive, etc. If a firm is interested in building a good word of mouth rep, then surely being honest and up front with customers at the start would surely be of the utmost importance to them.
I believe some areas of the Uk only have 1 training school and IF that school is stating the above then the wannabe takes the advice as sound
ROG:
I believe some areas of the Uk only have 1 training school and IF that school is stating the above then the wannabe takes the advice as sound
Captive market and all that, I suppose.
Would almost certainly be the most remote parts too - and no doubt the instruction would be very expensive too. Would not one single punter of these schools realise that they were seemingly being ripped off by unscrupulous companies?!
Some companies only run 7.5 tonne trucks and are loathe to put thier employees through a higher class for fear of losing them so there is still a niche in the market for category C1 training.
Some LGV training schools are telling wannabes (that are over 21) that they HAVE to take C1 before C - ROGUE TRADERS comes to mind
This is true Rog as I have spoken to people who have been told this. I have put them straight at once but when a so called reputable driving school tells someone this is a fact then the rookie usually believes it without checking up.
Talk about sharp practice.
I did my C1 when I was 19 years old, mainly so that I didn’t have to redo my Theory Test as that then made me exempt from having to do it again as I used it within the 2 years to get ‘a’ Truck Licence of some kind - so that saved having to constantly renewing it.
It was funny when I went in for my C when I was 21 (6 days after my 21st actually!) as the driving school did their lid in when I turned up without my Theory Test certificate - they were adament that I’d be turned away as they couldn’t seem to realise that I had passed my C1 seperately (post 1997) - when I turned up for my test the examiner I had took 2 seconds to pause and read my licence after he asked for my Theory.
It catches people out still - read in a magazine recently about how a driver got 4 points and a £200 fine for driving a 7.5T on a B (Car) licence - as he thought he could due to the fact that the company he even worked for thought his B licence gave him implied rights as he’d held the B licence for over 2 years!
The Lyonator:
I did my C1 when I was 19 years old, mainly so that I didn’t have to redo my Theory Test as that then made me exempt from having to do it again as I used it within the 2 years to get ‘a’ Truck Licence of some kind - so that saved having to constantly renewing it.
It was funny when I went in for my C when I was 21 (6 days after my 21st actually!) as the driving school did their lid in when I turned up without my Theory Test certificate - they were adament that I’d be turned away as they couldn’t seem to realise that I had passed my C1 seperately (post 1997) - when I turned up for my test the examiner I had took 2 seconds to pause and read my licence after he asked for my Theory.
It catches people out still - read in a magazine recently about how a driver got 4 points and a £200 fine for driving a 7.5T on a B (Car) licence - as he thought he could due to the fact that the company he even worked for thought his B licence gave him implied rights as he’d held the B licence for over 2 years!
Confusion still seems to reigne out there.
Richard
I thought that the C1 issue was well known - but obviously this poor guy’s boss was obviously blissfully ignorant on this one. Perhaps not helped by the fact that there are some limited rights to drive D1 vehicles under certain restrictions on a B licence - including holding the licence for 2 years.
As usual however, when the matter came to court, said driver obviously found that what they say about ignorance being no defence is unfortunately true.
Most licence confusion these days relates to towing.
The Lyonator:
It catches people out still - read in a magazine recently about how a driver got 4 points and a £200 fine for driving a 7.5T on a B (Car) licence - as he thought he could due to the fact that the company he even worked for thought his B licence gave him implied rights as he’d held the B licence for over 2 years!
Some companies don’t have a clue, I used to work for one that had two post '97 B licence holders driving D1 vehicles for ages…until it was pointed out to company.
