Trying for PCV

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Gooday folks,

I know this is a truck forum but I can’t find anything to match it.
I was thinking about doing my LGV C+E however since I have no experiance I decided to apply to Stagecoach and see if they will put me through my PCV, I see either job as equal because its the driving I enjoy and have no problem dealing with the public.

I now have an interview with Stagecoach and I was hoping some of you would have some advice for me, I have only just started reading the official DSA guide to driving buses and coaches and have 3/4 of it left to read.

Any advice is very welcome.

Thanks,

2

Welcome RiscOS :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:
If you click the link in my signature it will lead you to an index where you can access a lot of info which may be of use to you :smiley: :smiley: and although most of it relates to LGVs, I think you may also find it useful for PCV.

I do not train for, or have a PCV licence, but there are other instructors on here that do. :slight_smile:

3

Hi RiscOS,

I would personally recommend First Bus UK to get your foot in the door with regard to PCV training from Provisional Entitlement.
First Bus UK does have a very good training setup, in addition, all their training is in-house (inc. Delegated (Company) Driving Examiners).
However, their best part is the Bonding Agreement (should you gain your Full/Automatic PCV Licence) is only £600, which reduces by 1/12 every month, so after 12 months you’re free!

Stagecoach Bus charge a Bonging Agreement of around £3,000 - if you decide to get your PCV through them you’ll be commited for a much longer period.

I speak from experience as I joined First Bus UK 4 days after my 18th birthday and passed my Automatic PCV Licence 10 days later finally upgraded to Full PCV 10 months after that! I would recommend First Bus UK “To Start Off With” - after that however it’s adviseable to move on!

Richard
:slight_smile:

4

Hello RiscOS and welcome.

Love the name :smiley: -reminds me of my programming days on the old Acorns I used at college!! :blush:

Anyway I digress, are we to take it that the main reason for going down the PCV route is the guarantee of work afterwards?

If so, I’d urge you to think carefully. I am the first to admit that getting that first job may be tricky if you put yourself through the LGV test. Certainly more so than letting Stagecoach or First put you through your PCV with a guaranteed job at the end of it. But please remember the financial gain after passing will reflect this.

Speaking as someone who has strong family links in passenger transport and road haulage, I would say that historically and up to this day, an LGV licence gives you the potential to earn considerably more than a PCV.

In addition Stagecoach and First will demand you work some crazy shift patterns, whereas most road haulage firms will give you a more regular pattern. Not saying driving a truck gives you all the time you want at home - far from it. But I reckon that driving a bus - particularly on service work - will probably be less sociable and perhaps not so consistent.

There are road tranpsport companies out there willing to give newbies a chance. You will not be earning the very best money, but I’d bet you it would be as good as anything you’d earn working for Stagecoach.

Have a good long think. Driving trucks has many niche areas that you might like to get involved with, whereas bus driving is pretty much a standard theme.

I’m not trying to persuade you either way (though I can see it may look as though I am :laughing: ), but think long term career rather than just getting a driving job.

I just wanted to introduce a few issues you might want to think about if you hadn’t done so. :wink:

Whatever way you decide to go, I wish you the very best of luck. Don’t hesitate to ask any questions you may have either on the forum or via PM. :wink:

5

Thanks for the advice chaps, I will phone around some other places and see what they have to offer. I just hope that whatever I do I can be out of the manufacturing industry as soon as possible, being locked up inside all day not using my grey cells is driving me mad.

On the subject of hours and shifts, I am a young chap of 21 so working weekends or craxy shifts goes without saying really :wink:

I know of two LGV firms that have depos very close to my house these are Knowles and Swannell, any opinions on these?

Thanks again,

6

Bus companies are an ideal way to get a vocational licence, although as is said they try to tie you into some form of contract. However there is some debate as to whether if you leave that they can enforce the contract, they would have to take out a county court summons to get the money and I doubt that they would.

I guess you mean Knowles in Wisbech. Like most companies drivers will have differing opinions. I did hear that the ministry had taken them and several drivers to task about speeding to and from their depot.

At 21 it’s not easy to get a job driving an LGV, so a couple of years on the buses seems logical. True there is more money to be earned in a truck, I’ve done coaches and trucks, and enjoy both drives - not sure about fare stage bus work though.

If you need to fund your training yourself then you might want to consider a Career Development Loan (CDL), which you can find out information about online. You don’t have to pay anything back until the training is finished,

7

Just a bit of info for you - if you pass the auto PCV then the manual LGV, the LGV manual will upgrade your PCV to manual as well.

8

I’ve worked for First and Stagecoach and in my opinion Stagecoach are the better of the 2.
Stage carriage work isnt pleasant on a weekend late shift with all the drunk idiots wanting to get home. Its a bit like taking a dog for a walk, stop at every 3rd lampost for a pee :laughing:
I was working for the Megabus arm of Stagecoach on express intercity work which was OK, but still silly shift patterns.
Always plenty of overtime if you want to bump the wages up :wink:

9

Having worked on the buses with what ended up as First for 10 years and now on the road in an HGV capacity, i would say that the latter is by far the best option. I know you have to lay out the cash but it will pay itself back within a few months. There is obviously a long future in buses but i think that lack of overtime and WTD hours will probably mean your take home will not be as much as you would like.

10

Having had 6 years experience of bus driving and now moving on to Class 1 (only 8 shifts left to work :smiley: ) I would advise anyone thinking of getting their pcv instead of going down the hgv route to SHOOT YOURSELF IN THE FACE !!! :smiling_imp: -

this would be less painful in the long run :laughing: :laughing:

HGV all the way - forget the PCV is my advice :wink:

Oh and hello and welcome to the crazy gang :slight_smile:

11

Smart Mart:
I guess you mean Knowles in Wisbech.

I don’t think so. But I reckon it does begin with a ‘W’. And I don’t mean Wimblington either. :wink:

I think there is an airfield not far away.

I also think you can see windmills from your window. :laughing:

Am I close?

You’re just up the road from me, I reckon.

Knowles did get into bother a few years back, and that was to do with speeding offences, but to be fair from what I can gather, the drivers whose licences were suspended were ‘looked after financially’ ( :wink: :wink: :wink: ) for the duration of the suspension so long as they returned afterwards.

Lots of Knowles drivers I talk to like it there. I’d think about them if I was looking. That said, I am good mates with the TM’s son, but he won’t work for them. Take from that what you will. :confused: Personally I think it’s mostly to do with the fact they’d row all the time!! :laughing:

Don’t know much about Swannells, but I’ve never heard anyone slate them.

Loads of companies to think about in Huntingdon too. :wink:

12

The Lyonator:
Stagecoach Bus charge a Bonging Agreement of around £3,000 - if you decide to get your PCV through them you’ll be commited for a much longer period.

:slight_smile:

2 years.

13

Fenman, Very close indeed about 1.5 miles south in fact, the village near the grove cafe.

I gave Knowles a call, they were helpfull and basicaly said “give us a call back when you have got the C+E, you never know”.

I have yet to ring Swannell and will keep looking out for local firms.

Depending on bonding terms I may well only be driving for around 15 months, everything revolves around a HM Forces application (long story). If however that did not work out I would like to continue as a career driver.

Thanks again for all your advice,

Happy driving :smiley:

14

Well I guess I should update this for those people searching google like I was a couple of years ago.

After 2 and a bit years working for Stagecoach I can say that the shifts are rubbish; time to do my own thing was very limited indeed, in fact I spent most of my time feeling tired and a little bit despondent. City work leaves the driver dealing with nasty people a lot of the time, and the vehicles leave a lot to be desired.

If I had my time a again I would have to think very hard about going the same route. Having said that the licence has put me in a pretty good positition for getting work during hard times (the SDSR is the reason I am still driving) and equally important, a good amount of experience. Looking back its clear how little I knew about safe driving, although stagecoach seemed to want us to like nutters most of the time.

I am now working for a local coach sompany which is much more plesent, with the option of longer distance coaching once they get to know me.

I am also considering getting my C+E to open up more doors, and perhaps a bit of ad-hoc work during the slack season.

Drive Safe :slight_smile: . (ly)

15

Sorry if this is abit of a thread hijack, but if you’ve already got a cat c license and want cat d prov do you have to do another medical?

16

Few years back i was considering selling my sole to Stagecoach!!! I’m so glad i didnt though, would never have gained my C and C+E, probably would of been stuck at stagecoach forever!!

17

if you’ve already got a cat c license and want cat d prov do you have to do another medical?

If you’ve had a medical in the last 12 months you’re fine. If not, you will need a medical. However, I know of more than one case of people sending in a D2 licence application with their existing licence and it’s come back no problem although they haven’t had a medical in the last 12 months. So I think DVLA make it up as they go along!! If you’re not in a rush, just send it in without a medical. If they want one I’m sure they’ll let you know! And there’s no fee so nothing to loose.

Good luck

Pete :laughing: :laughing:

18

Saaamon:
Sorry if this is abit of a thread hijack, but if you’ve already got a cat c license and want cat d prov do you have to do another medical?

A lot of drivers ticked the for cat D provisional when they applied for cat C provisional so the medical that was done will always count for both LGV & PCV

It is always a good idea to do this and it costs no more than just ticking one catagory

19

Cheers for that. Typical dvla then lol, dunno why i just didn’t just tick the box in the first place, not that i want to be a bus driver, just want to have a go in one.

20

Peter Smythe:

if you’ve already got a cat c license and want cat d prov do you have to do another medical?

If you’ve had a medical in the last 12 months you’re fine. If not, you will need a medical. However, I know of more than one case of people sending in a D2 licence application with their existing licence and it’s come back no problem although they haven’t had a medical in the last 12 months.

Thanks, I was told by the DVLA that I needed another medical to add Cat C, I will have a go at just sending the form off without it. Seems a bit silly really since I don’t need another medical for my PCV untill I am 45.