I,m due to leave the Army after serving 26 years to Queen and Country!
I am looking to do my Cat C license with HIAB, i have driven 7.5t on agency work.
What i need to know is do i have to complete the CPC first before i attempt to book my driving course!
Any advice would be greatly appreciated! 
Thanks
Mark
Hi, and welcome.
Having served all that time in the forces (thank you very much for that) I’m assuming you passed your car test before 1997. If that is the case you will already hold a C1 (7.5 tonne) licence. This in turn will give you acquired rights for driver cpc until Sept 2014. If my assumptions are correct, then the answer to your question is NO you don’t need your driver cpc at any point just yet. You will need to complete 35 hours of periodic training before Sept 2014 in order to continue driving over 3.5 tonnes professionally.
I strongly suggest you locate a good trainer who will be able to give you accurate advice at each stage. In the meantime there are several reliable contributors to this forum who will try to help. But it’s always easier face to face.
This is a link to DSA Accredited LGV centres dsa.gov.uk/category.asp?cat=324
Information for how to start the process can be found on the websites of most good trainers. Beware the brokers who will invariably charge more and often provide poor service. Speak with the provider that catches your eye and arrange to visit the centre if possible. Then make a decision before parting with your hard-earned.
All the very best with it all. Feel free to pm if I can be of further help.
Pete S 
Hi sapper3857,
Welcome to the site.
Just left the RN myself after 23 yrs and moving into driving is a goos decision as far as im concerened. There is some fantastic advice on here.
Where abouts are you going to do your training?
Welcome
Is the army paying for this 
as part of resettlement
Depends where you are but look for a good trainer go & visit them have a chat see what they are about sit in 1 of the vehicles before you book any of it
You could always give Peter Smyth a call ( I did he gave me a lot of good advice but due to other factors he is a bit far for me but then most of the trainers will do that for you )
businesslink.gov.uk/Transpor … hicles.pdf
Some light reading for you
Hiyyaaa sapper3857, & welcome
matey - nice to see you were in the corps
cheers
Steve
Oh No!!! I’m surrounded by dirty sappers!!!
Thought id left Service Police behind lol
We’re about. 
Eyes and ears everywhere.
Hi and welcome to the site.
Pete has given some sound advice in his post, as he said beware of brokers, there are plenty of good trainers on here who will willingly give advice and point you where you need to be.
All the best Rick
Thanks for the info chaps
i cannot wait tostart my new career as a driver! it’s in my families blood 
With reagrds to trainers i have yet to choose had a call from a local one in Surrey , after some digging around it’s a brokers 
pete i will PM you regarding some more advice and i expect some discount as i come from Worksop!!
Sapper: foul language like
discount as i come from Worksop!!
shouldn’t be allowed!!
Seriously, excellent training at a fair price. What more could you ask for?
Regards, Pete