With the class 2 in the bag I’m now faced with the decision whether to take a family members kind offer of a loan to go straight back and do my class 1 or try and get into a company with the class 2 and hope they will put me through my class 1.
Something is nagging at me to do it now whilst the test situation is fresh and try and open up more avenues.
Any suggestions? Straight in about it or get some driving experience with the rigid first?
I would do 12 months on class 2 before you venture into class 1. It simply gives you loads of large vehicle driving experience,which I personally have found has really helped when you start driving artics.
Once you have passed one LGV test,you know what to expect to pass another,so the advantage of ’ striking while the iron is hot ',is in my opinion negligible.
If I was you would take the offer and do my class 1 for a few reasons.
The offer of help might not be there in the future
Just because you have class 1 you don’t have to go in straight away you will feel when it’s right to make the jump
Tests are fresh in your mind and you won’t get any bad habits,all done it and easier to learn fresh than trying to forget bad habits.
Jeff.
Good point Jeff.
Pro’s/con’s for both scenarios. If the cash offer is likely to ’ disappear ',I would agree. GRAB IT LOL!
I would suggest if you have just passed your class 2 to drive them for a few months to see if you actually like the job before going down the route of lending a grand to get through your class 1. I see so many posts on here from new drivers being chuffed they’ve passed ( and rightly so) but passing your test and doing the job is two different things.
However if you do it for a while and enjoy it then my advise would be to do your class 1 ASAP and if your offer from family is still there then grab it. If you get with company who pay for it then you are tied for a period of time, normally 2 years. That means they’ve then got you for 2 years so all the cr@p runs, nights out etc could come your way. If you don’t like it you’ll either have to stick it out or owe them the money for your training. If you pay for it yourself you can walk away at any time 
Also don’t be lead by the fact because you’ve passed your class 2 that the class 1 will be easy. Driving a rigid and driving an arctic are also two different things.
I was driving an 8 wheeler years ago before going for my class 1. 8 wheelers need quite a lot of steer due to the twin steer on the front. When I went for my class 1 i kept over steering on the reverse because i was used to driving the 8 wheeler day in day out. So like I said dont fooled by the fact that you might drive a rigid so you are used to big vehicles, its not always helpful depending what you drive.
Good luck whatever you decide
Get the feel of the rigid first, quite easy to get work, and it gives you hours in the seat and gets you used to the road, I think all this hopping from 1 licence 2 the next is a recipe for disaster, take your time or are you in a hurry to get in the big rig? Any wonder men are complaining about not getting Class1 work, it’s like anything else work your way up, like you say hit a company with both and show willing it paid of for me as I got put though both tests and I started pushing barrows of tar lol
my advice is accept the kind offer,while it’s still there,and go for your Class 1.as has been said,you don’t have to go for a Class 1 job straight away,just because you have the licence.
Take the class one, as long as they aren’t in a rush for their money back 
IMO there’s no set answer to this.
If you go for CE straight away, you go with no experience and also no bad habits. You also saddle yourself with debt; personally I never encourage folks into debt unless there is a definite job offer at the end of it. You make yourself more employable - and don’t get the idea set that you have to do CAT C work first, though this may be the case.
Reasons for not doing it: debt, lack of experience and comfort in driving large vehicles.
Under the circumstances the OP describes, I would talk to the person with the funds and see if there’s a deal to be done so that payments start once you’re in work. Then, if you’re happy with the lack of experience in CAT C, have a couple of assessments to see how you feel.
If you train on drawbar, I suggest you have 2 or 3 hours in a “real” artic so that you’re more confident when going for work.
All the best, Pete
Yeah, pretty much seems to me that this is one of those real ‘personal’ decisions that you just can’t ask others the, ‘what if you were in my shoes’ question.
The pros and cons have been put forward by the earlier posters, so it is now down to you to put them into your personal circumstances ‘equation’ 
IMHO I would do the next stage asap.
If someone has offered the loan, I would assume it means that they are comfortable giving you the money and the fact that you will repay it. As others have said, take it now while on offer and you avoid the ‘what if’s’ of the future.
On a purely financial level, do also consider that prices of everything really only tend to go up (OK, let’s not get so deep and talk about relative values due to inflation etc.) and you never know, the test may change format in the future, perhaps requiring you to do more.
At least you know what you are in for at the moment.
And, as others have said, just because you have passed Class 1, doesn’t mean you HAVE to take a job there first.
It’s funny, but I was in the same position to you in a way, and so I asked my two cousins (with whom I am going to work when qualified) who run a medium-sized haulage firm that they took over from their father.
Their answer was to do both back-to-back.
Reason being - while you are in exam mode, get all the exam-type things you need to do, done.
Overall, I think coming up with the correct answer requires a good element of honesty with yourself when asking the relevant questions.
There is pretty much always going to be a pro-argument, as well as a counter one.
So, for example, the idea that working Class 2 gains you experience and gets you used to driving a LGV is countered by the notion that you may be the type of person that ‘relaxes’ when working and so picks up bad habits that need to be ironed out at test time.
So, if you know you can be honest with yourself, then you are in a solid position to make the correct decision.
If you know that is not so much the case, or even if you don’t, but others around you are always telling you different - then do take their input on this as you really do want to make the best choice you can.
Interesting question whatever you decide
GL,
Jon
I can’t speak for other trainers but in our experience the class 1 pass rate is higher than the Cat C. Why is this?
You already know how to pass a test
The routes are the same so you know the area
You know the vehicle (drawbar)
The pressure to pass is not as high
Examiners know you have already proved yourself
It’s a no brainer. Get booked in with the same trainer. Thank the sponsor and come back on here for some of ROG"s fireworks
Good luck with it
Simple = GO FOR IT
Go straight for class 1. I wouldn’t bother doing class 2 for x amount of months, that’s how you pick up bad habits, and then your class 1 training could require more hours to iron those back out.
As others have said, that opportunity may not be there in the future straight away.
Go for it, it gives you much more job opportunities.
Thanks for all the advice so far guys. The loan is obviously a great offer repayable over time when I’m earning enough to repay it. It’s also coming from a fellow trucker with plenty of experience in the bag. His 25-30 years experience can be passed onto me. It would be great on the job training for me that the 4 days training can’t do. Ideally I’d get through this class 1 and we would look at trying to do a double man shift together. (No jokes)
It’s a great offer and one I don’t think I can turn down.
Hope it goes well for you. With the added context I agree it makes sense.
Pete
I’d go Class 2 first. If nothing else you’ll learn the job. And if you’re lucky you’ll experience different gearboxes (the biggest thing by far).
That said if getting into a company is more likely with your Class 1, go get that. I’m agency (que the abuse Yes I do drive in my hi-viz), and if I hadn’t seen the job done before I’d never have managed it. Things like straps. If I hadn’t worked retail and watched all the delivery drivers putting the hooks behind the cages, and being shown to turn the hooks the other way so they can’t pop out, center buckle straps, all that fun stuff, I’d have been absolutely ■■■■■■ when I started working. Doing my first shift in a 7.5t (which was probably bigger than the 12t I passed in :L (taller for definite)), was a good thing. Harder to get stuck somewhere (I managed it. And still do in an 18).
And yes there is pros and cons. The “you can have it now but just do rigid work” argument is null because if you have your class 1 you bet it’ll get used (even
with class 2 they’ll send you to fetch a unit from another yard, right when you’ve told the missus you’ll be home in half an hour…).
But that’s transport.
EditL
H4L:
Ideally I’d get through this class 1 and we would look at trying to do a double man shift together.
This would be a very good idea for you.
Personally I did my class 1, even though I was relatively happy where I was, and they were never going to have any artics on their books. I thought while I still had my redundancy left from my previous job, and had the learning mentality, I’d go for it.
Don’t regret it one bit. Local company decided to change its stance on giving inexperienced drivers a whirl. I applied started in January and am currently taking home over a grand a month more than I was before, I’m not killing myself multidropping, and feel more more relaxed and better thought of.
And I drive a big F off artic every day 
i did my class 1 straight after passing my class 2 loads easier to get a job on class 1 than 2. class 2 could only get agency but it was january time lol. stuff class 2 join the big boys on class 1.
Cheers for all the advice guys. Today I booked my Class 1 with Ritchies and start the course a week on Monday.
Hopefully by June sometime I’ll be in a position to start looking for work and park the taxi up close to a cliff and push it over the edge.
Guy did ask if I was ok with 4 days test on 5th. Hopefully be ok with it as that’s how I did my class 2.
Just passed my Class 1 at Ritchies today, Done Class 2 about 8 weeks ago.
4 days with test on 5th is plenty off time mate