I've had enough in my current career (structural engineer) and I am looking to move into a professional driving career.

Where do I start ?
having had a UK licence for 11 years, I am allowed to drive up to 7.5 tonne...correct?
I know the regulations have changed over the last few years and know I cannot now jump straight into class 1.

which class should I be looking at learning?
Any recommendations on companies able to teach me?
What are the likely costs?
Is it a good living ?....your experiences !!

Thanks for your valued comments
Andy

 

welder=structural engineer quick change your profile.

seriously though,
one of our guys @ work did this apparantly....he was very technical & packed it all in to be HGV1!!

good luck to you if that's what you fancy doing.

shunty

[Edited by shunty - 10/17/2002 7:16:24 PM]

 

Fuzz, there is a company near me in Stonehouse called C&G Services C&G they offer various kinds of training (HGV etc..), we have only used them for fork lift traing but they are well regarded locally.

simon

 

design, fabricate, weld and erect, structural steel.
That's me
Just seems I was lazy when it came to the registration form

It does seem most of my time is taken up in the workshop welding...
The reason I blame on having a month off work with a chest infection !!
Had time to mull over where my life was going you see.
Picking up my kit at the end of the first day back (this monday) and looking back into the haze that is the workshop, I thought what AM I doing here.....
the catalyst I hope !

Andy

edited: spaces and spelling

[Edited by Fuzz - 10/17/2002 7:49:02 PM]

 

how about taking class one hgv before you give up your job.it is
something to fall back on,you will also have time to think
which sort of drivig suits you(sir)((couldnt resist)).
are you suited to the rigures of multi-drop,driving on the uks
****,over-crowded roads,or are you looking to go into europe??
these may sound like the questions you are already asking yourself

 

(damn,i hit the go button to early)make sure in your own mind
what you want,maybe get some experince with ageny work,eves weekends time permiting.just a few thoughts regards neal

 

Simon,
Thanks for the link, great to see a company on the door step so to speak

Bob,
I wouldn't dream of leaving UNTIL i got the quals in HGV / LGV.
1. I couldn't afford to.
2. gives me chance to hunt down a good JOB in the driving game.

have been mulling over what I can "actually do" and driving as a profession seems to jump out at me more than anything else in the jobs section of the local rag.
Unless of course there is a job with Prodrive, building / maintaining rally cars going spare
Now THAT would be my dream job....
Hey Mr Wood....you listening

Andy.

 

fancy welding a bike stand

 

I'm not sure if you would be able to go straight to C+E (HGV1). The rules changed recently such that you had to get class C (HGV2/3) first then get C+E.

Even if you can only get C, it's probably a good thing anyway. Firstly you get used to driving a large vehicle (to see if it actually suits what you want) and secondly it's much cheaper (not to mention easier!) to get C rather than C+E. Many C+E lorries have complex gearboxes that take a while to get used to for instance, not to mention their turning circles.

Another thing to bear in mind if you decide on this career path, is that driving a lorry carries with it a significant responsibility. You would not believe some of the things that other road users get up to around lorries. You will have to get used to the fact that big lorries can do a lot of damage - just because you are in the right will not make you feel better if you've mangled an entire family.

Anyway, enough of the downers, I personally love driving big vehicles. Although I only get to do it part time (through the TA), I could quite easily do it for a living if it paid as well as my current job. If you're prepared to do the continent it gets even more interesting. My brother is a multi-drop lorry driver and he loves it. In terms of stress, my job is off the scale, my brothers job probably doesn't register on the scale.

 

I've just 'fell back' on LGV 1 driving ,not done it regularly for 3 years plus. Been a Transport Supervisor in between. Currently working for an Agency who are giving me mainly work with the likes of Safeway,Booker,Burtons(biscuits)Tesco tomorrow, & I'm loving it.....Tescos/Asda/Safeway are good companies to work for (not thro agency ,.. direct)I've a mate who makes 30k plus at Tesco ,remember thats Scottish wages , more down south...cost o livin an all that. Depends greatly on shifts ,weekends etc.
As previously mentioned it takes a bit of getting used to ,it's all about anticipation and looking way,way up the road...they don't stop too sharpish!
Try and get a shotgun ride with someone , see what you think before shelling out big bucks on training.

 

Jerome,
Re: first Paragraph;
I know

Cj,
Yes I often find it easier to sit in with our "driver" out to sites when delivering the finished steel, not an artic tho
(it's easier than trying to describe the route or draw a map)
and it makes room for the other "pie men" in the Cabstar

Andy

 

Ah yes, I did just about repeat word for word what you said. I meant to say (but patently didn't) that you may have grandfather rights which will enable you to go straight to C+E...

 

According to my current car licence I have entitlement for.. (big breath )
B, BE, C1, C1E, D1, D1E, f,k,l,n,p

provisional entitlment for
A, GH

.... yep, totally

anybody exlain these in more detail or point me to a link ?


Cheers
Andy

 

I went and got class C, b4 leaving my last job.
I do enjoy it, and the stress levels are MUCH lower.
Downside? Despite there being 40,000 drivers short in the UK (apparently), NO-ONE wants to take on a driver full time with less than 2 years experience. It's something to do with their insurers.
That leaves you working for an agency, and round here that's £6 an hour.
Doesn't sound too bad? When I was in Milton Keynes 2 weeks ago, they were advertising for cleaners for the big mall they've got there, at £5.93 an hour. What price the £1000 it cost me to train? (I've got ADR too-that's a doddle to get, and worth having, ONCE you get a job!!!)
Alcazar

 

God ! this must be community spirit gone mad. completely different attitude to some answers i'm getting in a driving newsgroup.

Not that I'm knocking it in any way, I like to hear both sides of the story, so please carry on...

(newsgroup is uk.rec.driving)
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=uk...=Google+Search

Cheers

Andy C

Edited to add : seems google is a little slow on the uptake of the most recent posts, in OE (where I normally reads em )there's a few more than four :rollseyes:

[Edited by Fuzz - 10/18/2002 6:53:49 PM]

 

A friend of mine does long distance (Europe). I used to drive 7.5t myself, altho' no HGV. It certainly seems the money ain't what it was or should be for the job, but there is a lot of good camaraderie with the long distance drivers. Very long hours. I think you need a calm mind set to do the job well and not get frustrated (eg regular multi hour queques thru Paris, or waiting to get into dover)

Charlie.

 

You will make more money driving a taxi, and it will be A LOT less stressful, belive me...

Matt

 

Hmmmm? Taxi driver? Been there. Done that.
Don't know about no stress there. When you have to go out to the local wharf to pick up a 6 foot between the eyes coloured dude who is being sent to a bail hostel in order that he can be deported the next day for holding the captain of his ship at knife point for 4 hours, AND PLOD GAVE HIM THE KNIFE BACK!!!! you know a bit of stress.
All those drunks barfing in the back of the car on a saturday nite are a bit stressful too.
And don't mention runners!
: Alcazar

 

I think I can safely count taxi driving on the big NO, NO list


Andy
keep the comments coming

 

I do know of someone who works for a Logistics company that holds a contract with a large supermarket chain and their drivers are prety well paid for what they do. I think he said he is on £27K a year for a 48 hour week over 6 shifts. He said there is talk that the supermarket may decide to not renew with the Logistics company and take the drivers on directly, he is hoping for this, as then he would be on about £34K a year with company pension and bonus scheme etc, but worked over less shifts and having to only do 16 Saturdays a year or something like that.
ian

 

well I've taken the first step, got my "information pack" through.

Ok what do I have to do ?

get a medical £60:00

apply to DVLA for provisional C licence £29:00

Buy a book (the official theory test for LGV's) £14:99

Do theory training course £55:00 +vat

Take theory test £15:50

Then take an "assessment" drive £30:00 inc vat

which determines what length of course is required

3 day course £ 441:63 inc vat
5 day course £ 734:38
7 day course £1028:13

Then take the test.....£76:00
unless it's on a Saturday.....£94:00

so by this stage I will be as skint as a skint thing, that's feeling exceedingly skint, on a very skint kinda day......

Oh and just to rub my nose in it

THEN I have to send the provisional off to DVLA to get a FULL licence
and yes you guessed it....£12:00 please <££££££ ching, ching £££££>

[img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img][img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img][img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img][img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img][img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img][img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img][img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img][img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img][img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img][img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img][img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img][img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img][img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img][img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img][img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img][img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

Andy <SKINT>

 

And how many pass first time in your area? I think the average is well below 50%!! Sorry for bringing more bad news, but in the end its a job whenever and wherever you might need it!

Smug look - Passed my car test(in Wales), HGV3 (in Germany),bike test (in Scotland), HGV1 (in England) all first time :-)

Soory for that couldn't resist it!

 

OK, a bit of advice is in order here.
Medical: Ask around, especially the companies that do the driver training. They keep lists of "tame" doctors who do the medical MUCH cheaper than that. Mine was £20 a year ago.
Official theory test book: Again your chosen training provider can help. Mine loaned me the book for £15, then refunded it when I booked with him and returned the book!
Theory training course: Who on earth told you you'd need one of these? You must have a valid license, so I assume you passed a UK test? Read the book, which is interesting, do the questions in it, and you'll pass easily. Most of it is common sense. I got 100% first time. You need to score more than 35 out of 40.
Assessment drive: Cost should be refunded if you book lessons. If not, don't go with them! There are loads of training providers out there, it may be worth travelling. I did a round trip of 80 miles a day for 4 days, including test, to get mine.
I paid about £700, but that included the assessment drive, and the test.
Passing first time: No reason why you shouldn't. Someone has to, why not you? I got the "stroppy" chief examiner for mine, he was nice as pie, and yes, I did pass first time.
New license: Do you have a photo license? Youll need one to get the provisional. You can apply for it at the same time though.
You also don't need the theory test BEFORE you have the assessment. You DO need it before you can take the test, however.
Ring round a few more training providers: some will be booked up well into the new year, others not. The non-booked up ones are NOT necessarily bad. The one I went with was a great guy, got me in within 14 days, and my test at the end of it. Ask whoever you go with what their test dates are. They should have dates booked, otherwise you'll do the lessons, then have to wait an age for the test.
Hope this is of use.
BTW: I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of my learning experience, even the test!
Alcazar