Dont be ripped off on your LGV training

Rolandtheroadie

londonTiger wrote: »

Out of curiosity what is the typical salary for HGV drivers for long haul journeys around the country?

I recently did a london to manchester trip - I can drive for long stretches of time listening to podcasts. Seems like ideal for me.

Don't know to be honest, I've heard of guys making 50k but they're never home and I've heard of guys making NMW.

I got the provisional entitlement put on my licence recently, but after hearing another couple of stories, decided not to bother with it.


£1000-£2000 is a bit too much to put out for what would ultimately be a hobby.

I'll still have my 7.5 tonner if it comes to it, once the grandfather rights go later this year, who knows, there might be money in it.

forgotmyname

If you find the right firm then the money can still be good. But most of those jobs are word of mouth.

If you think London to Manchester is a long drive you need to think again. Imagine that with 15 to 20 drops. Offloading 20 - 100+ items off pallets by hand. Making sure you get your breaks in on time and dont overdo your weekly driving hours.

I had no run one day so sitting in the warehouse. They come to me fancy a trip out. Midlands to Cwmbran (S.Wales) to Redruth (Cornwall) and back to the Midlands. I left at 1pm and even after stopping for tea and bikkies in Cornwall i still got back at Midnight.
Speed limits errr dont ask... Mercedes Sprinter. Imagine doing that at 56mph flat out.
I averaged 1200 miles a week and did anywhere between 10 and 29 drops a day. 100+ litres a day in fuel.

After driving all week i picked up a transit box van from the rental place before 6am. Drive across the city to pick my BIL up. Then another 20 miles to collect his sister and her furniture then all the way to the otherside of the lake district. All the furniture to her flat and had a walk around the town and see the brown murky stuff they called the sea. eewww...
Then drive all the way back get home about 4am.

Age is creeping in now though. Oh dear youve had my life story..

Herzlos

scotsman4th wrote: »

I'll still have my 7.5 tonner if it comes to it, once the grandfather rights go later this year, who knows, there might be money in it.

As in pre-97 license holders will lose the right to drive up to 7.5T fixed axle, and presumably dropping down to 3.5T? That's going to cause a lot of problems...

tight_scotsman

Herzlos wrote: »

As in pre-97 license holders will lose the right to drive up to 7.5T fixed axle, and presumably dropping down to 3.5T? That's going to cause a lot of problems...

You can keep your C1 (7.5 ton) if you complete 35hrs training to gain a driver CPC costing around £350 for 5 days at at training centre.

This is only if you want to drive for hire and reward.If you were to hire a 7.5 tonner to do a flitting for example then you wont need a driver CPC.

Herzlos

Ah, thanks

cheevers

hello can anyone please tell me if they have had any experience with a company called HGVtraining

forgotmyname

Lots of companies have HGV Training in their names.

wagga

has anyone had any dealings with HGV Express? I can't seem to find anything bad online which worries me a bit.

smjxm09

Just out of interest once you have the licence how easy was it to get a job? The reason I ask is that I had a friend who got his licence but was always turned down for a job because he had no experience. It was often mentioned that it was a condition of the company's insurance policies.

For him the training was a waste of money.

arcon5

I've seen recommendations that if you're in a stable job it can be worth getting the license then waiting two years before looking for a career change.