As long as the truck has a decent steering lock and a gearbox not a gear bag I would be happy. MUCH more important to me is the quality of the instructor, decent structured training with regular debriefs, and encouragement from time to time through what can be an expensive and stressful process.
The age of the vehicle isn’t always a factor either - I learned in a 2003 Merc rigid that was a lovely truck to drive, straight 6 box with a splitter and very forgiving in every way! My trainers still use the same truck, though they do now possess a newer Renault truck too.
The biggest change I can foresee is that when word gets around about the ability to pass in an Auto, trainers without Auto’s are likely to start losing out eventually.
Casting my memory back, as a pupil I remember doing my C+E in an Actross with an EPS box, pointless and time consuming trying to learn new technology that is not overly supported in the rest of the industry. Never used one since and probably never will.
The rigid was a bit of a shed too and I remember feeling somewhat underwhelmed at the time as it broke down in the middle of the city. But I passed and, like everyone else in the industry learned what’s what AFTER my tests and started working in the real world.
As an independent instructor I have worked for schools who have good vehicles; and bad ones. Took a rigid out one day with a pupil and it turned out the brakes were knackered, about 10% efficiency on the F/N/S…and that was the best brake on the wagon. If the fleet is old and knackered then it reflects badly on the school, regardless of the best efforts of the instructor.
As a pupil, I will look at the reputation of the instructor/school, feedback and word of mouth from others, how easy it is to get on with the instructor right from the off. I would look at the fleet, if the fees are high and the quality of the rolling stock low then it may putting nagging doubts in my mind, but it’s not as high a priority as the above.
I don’t believe it has anything to do with the truck age, spec etc. Whats important, is the instructor provides the best training possible to get you through your test.
To me, price and the reputation of the training company is what counts, regardless of what vehicles they use.
Like flying a plane. Less is more. But if regulations require you to fly twin prop instead of one to gain a licence to fly that particular plane then so be it.
As a relatively recent customer for LGV C & CE training, I was disappointed with the vehicles used by my trainer. Both the rigid (one gear unusable) and the artic (general old age) made the learning task harder than it should have been.
So, my answer is, if I had a choice, I’d go for a trainer with modern, well-maintained vehicles. The newer, the better. Any LGV learner is laying out a very large sum of money and if my experience is typical, any savings achieved by using older vehicles are not passed on in lower prices. Plus, I’d prefer to learn in the sort of vehicles that are in current fleet use, not the sort found in truck shows.
I was keeping my hand in the other day doing a couple of days truck driving. I had a 13 plate modern Scania which had a clutch saver. I would not want to take a test in that type. Trust me not good.
Personally think all trainers both on here and those that aren’t should look at the vehicles they operate against the trucks that new drivers are likely to drive in the real world.
To much emphasis on price, when in reality there is next to nothing between you all on price. If someone can invest £1000 in getting a licence then they can no doubt spend £800 or £1100 aswell.
I think you will find vehicle and reputation come before cost.
As an example in the north east 2 firms I looked at both same cost for cat c training over same duration both with good reputation. One used a Volvo FM with 4 over 4 gearbox on a 54 reg the other was nothing more than an upgraded 7.5tonner and older.
Which of these 2 trainers would the trainers on here choose??
The firm I work for are putting me through my class c+e and have looked at three firms in the area and guess what…they are keener on the one who operates a ‘real world full size artic’.
Sorry but dont think as a new driver that you will always get a new lorry to drive this is not always the case as I have said Have driven anything from a 54 plate up over some autos some not
The 3 main training companies in the North East all use real size Cat C 1 has a Scania as his full size artic ( 56 ft long ) the other has some Iveco ( yep sleeper cabs ) now have a full size DAF CF artic used to have a MAN the other has a full size MAN oldish but well maintained & only ever been used for training ( no offence meant but wouldnt call Darlington the North East
Never classed darlington as the north east but if you want to be pedantic about my statement feel free. Try looking at the training vehicles on the road from Newcastle down to darlington and you’ll see what i mean about some size vehicles that are used.
Boo9729:
Never classed darlington as the north east but if you want to be pedantic about my statement feel free. Try looking at the training vehicles on the road from Newcastle down to darlington and you’ll see what i mean about some size vehicles that are used.
Yep know what you mean mainly run by JSM I think
Depends who you are going with as can recommend a good trainer if you wish that do use full size vehicles
Surely the consideration is customer choice rather than saying that one vehicle/size/configuration is better than another. This is why I frequently suggest that folks have more than one assessment. Eg someone wanting to do CE could, with me, use a 15.5m drawbar manual. Or the same thing but auto. Or a full size (16.5m) auto artic.
Every trainer has his opinion on what should be operated and it’s up to each one to provide that. The customer will choose what he/she thinks is best.
I’ve said before on this thread, so forgive the repetition, but it’s the responsibility of every trainer to provide a vehicle that is safe, suitable, legal and drives properly. It’s close to impossible for trainees to establish these points but, by having an assessment drive, can find out if the gears change correctly (subject to their own ability of course) and indicators and the like work as you would expect.
A tired old truck is not a pleasant place to spend a stressful few days is my thinking.
I will also repeat that the trainer/contributors on this forum DO look after their trucks. Some are newer than others. Let the customer decide.
I went for reputation and just how the staff was when I went for an assessment drive. I passed my cat c in T reg volvo fm with 4 over 4 and about 800k on the clock, it was a bit of a shed but it drove great and was well maintained. Sadly it’s been shipped to Africa now and they now have a newer MAN tgs rigid auto and soon to add an auto artic to the fleet.
Brilliant that the decision was made on the staff etc. But I fail to understand why anyone would pay good money to be trained on “a bit of a shed”. If any of my vehicles was described in that manner, they wouldn’t make it to Africa - I’d set fire to them first.
