HGV Training (C+E License)

ogo123

Hello everybody,

I am interested in qualifying a HGV Training course so I may obtain a C+E License.

I have heard that there are many scams on the internet, and am wondering if someone here knows of some legitimate companies which offer training around Leicester-Peterborough area. I am interested in knowing roughly how much this will cost me and how long is the course.

Thank-you very much!

Ogy :j

gilbert_and_sullivan

I haven't used them and have no connection, but J Coates have been training lorry drivers for decades, but there are lots of others to choose from.

The important thing is to choose a trainer and not a middle man who pockets a fee (or all your cash) for finding you a trainer of sorts.

If you don't have a lorry licence at all expect going through the whole hog to artic test to cost you anything from £2.5 to 3.5k, assuming you pass both road tests full time.

You won't believe how many hoops you'll have to jump through, but best of luck if you decide to try.

Worth joining trucknetuk.com. a lorry drivers forum with specific forums for newbies, some very good trainers post there and there is a wealth of lorry experience to learn from....obviously you'll get your leg pulled in good fun but all in all you'll get genuine advice there...and they absolutely hate the scammers in the game.

Iceweasel

I suggest you start by putting your postcode in here:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/fyn/lgv.php

ogo123

Course Pricing (Ex VAT)

Driver CPC Initial Qualification £180
C Licence (Rigid) £995
CE Licence (Artic) £1045
Combined C & CE Licence (Rigid & Artic) £2040

What is Rigid and what is Artic? Will I require both of them?

gilbert_and_sullivan

ogo123 wrote: »

Course Pricing (Ex VAT)

Driver CPC Initial Qualification £180
C Licence (Rigid) £995
CE Licence (Artic) £1045
Combined C & CE Licence (Rigid & Artic) £2040

What is Rigid and what is Artic? Will I require both of them?

Yes, you first take a course and test in a rigid C, then take a further course and test in an artic +E.

Rigid doesn't bend in the middle, articulated (or rigid plus trailer) does.

edit, to add to those costs you have a vocational drivers full medical and the licence and digi card fees to pay.


Please don't go on trucknet and ask whats a rigid and whats an artic, they'll never let you forget as long as you live..;)

colino

Get on one of the many truck drivers forums and find out how many skilled, experienced, truck drivers are having it tough finding decent work. It's an industry hugely oversubscribed in terms of labour.

Jo_F

Also don't forget the hazard perception and theory test.

moneybuster

depending on your licence you may have to take a test with a trailer and car first before moving onto LGV's

kevin0410

moneybuster wrote: »

depending on your licence you may have to take a test with a trailer and car first before moving onto LGV's

You will not have to do this.

Paradigm

moneybuster wrote: »

depending on your licence you may have to take a test with a trailer and car first before moving onto LGV's

Unless it's changed very recently you only need to hold a full car licence (Cat .

Paradigm

colino wrote: »

Get on one of the many truck drivers forums and find out how many skilled, experienced, truck drivers are having it tough finding decent work. It's an industry hugely oversubscribed in terms of labour.

^^^ This.

At my local LGV test centre there are 5 LGV examiners working full time + Sat morning if busy.

Working on the bare minimum let's say they each take 3 tests per day, that's 75 tests per week. Now assume a low pass rate, say 30% & that's still 25 passes... each week!

This will, of course, be split between new class C (rigid) & class C upgrades to C+E (artic) but the jobs just aren't there to sustain this.

Add the complication that many companies require at least 2 years experience before they will even consider taking anyone on & these "new" drivers are facing an uphill struggle to find work... they are also competing against out of work guys with years of truck driving behind them.

The end result for many new drivers is that agency work is the only option resulting in agency pay rates (in my area at least) now dropping to just above the minimum wage.

It takes a long time to pay back your 2 grand on £6 odd an hour!

To the OP, & anyone else interested in becoming a "trucker", I'd be seriously thinking about whether it's worth the investment.

On the negative side the jobs carp anyway