OT - HGV Licence

Been thinking for a while now about getting a HGV license. I think that it would be useful to have as a fall back for the future - One of those just in case jobbies. I suppose there is always going to be work of some kind.

Does anyone know how i go about this? Ive got a full driving licence, and passed a theory test.

Just something ive always wanted to do!

Reply to
Mark Solesbury
Loading thread data ...

Don't know the details, but I do know it's a couple of grand to do the training and tests. There are multiple classes as well.

Another 'always in work' kind of licence to consider is forklift training.

Reply to
Tim Hobbs

dont you have to keep renewing the thing or paying for medicals or simlar every year or so?

Reply to
Tom Woods

"Mark Solesbury" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@mid.individual.net...

You would think that all this info would be readily available on a Govt website (pass the soapbox) but these are little better than adverts for what a lot ( of bollox) Tony's gang are doing. You will also need a medical ( £40-50) a digital tacho licence (£40ish ) plus £100-200 for the course the LGV practical test £80-107 plus cost of hiring vehicle. Do all this pass the tests and find out that barely sentient eastern european drivers are already doing the work.

Derek pay peanuts and you get..................

Reply to
Derek

The best course, if you're seriously thinking about it, is to approach a training company, who will be able to advise you fully on what is required.

Firstly, you need to apply for a provional category C Licence. This will also require you to get medical, and a form D4 filled in by a medical practicioner (ie a GP). This should cost you around £65. Then you can apply for the provisional Category C licence. DVLA will charge you for this too. You can then commence your training. In order to obtain a full licence you need to take a Theory test for Large Goods Vehicles, which will also involve a Hazard Percecption test. Passing this and the Practical Test will enable you to apply for a Category C licence, driving rigid HGV lorries. Training on the road will take anything from a week (if you're *very* good) to 4 weeks. Companies who pay you to train to drive lorries (or bus companies) will expect you to gain your licence in 4 weeks.

Cost of training will obviously depend on how long you take. Some training companies (reputable ones) will have some form of assesment available, where if you are seriously enquiring they will send out out in a car or van with one of thier instructors to give them an idea of your current driving standard and how much training you will need. They may ask you to obtain a provisional C entitlement before they will do this, in order that they can take you out to assess you in a truck.

If you wish to drive articulated lorries, or rigid lorries with trailer (also known as Wagon & Drag) then you will need to apply for a provisonal C+E licence, and take the test on such a vehicle. You cannot do this without having first obtained a full Category C licence.

Once you have obtained your licence you will also require a Digital Tachograph card in order to drive vehicles built after May 06 which have a digital tacho fitted. This costs £38 from DVLA and is valid for

5 years. The training company may require you to obtain one of these before you commence training, if they have to train you on such a vehicle.

I dont know how old you are, but bear in mind that conditions such as epilepsy, diabetes (insulin) and high blood pressure will prevent you from either obtaining a HGV/PCV licence, or renewing one. A medical every 5 years from the age of 45 to 65 is required in order to keep your HGV/PCV licence. After 65 a medical is required every year.

Alex

Reply to
Alex

"Mark Solesbury" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@mid.individual.net...

Where are you? I just did mine with Coopers Transport at Winsford - they have a training school and I recommend them. Many training establishments have a policy to badly prepare you for the test so that you have to pay more for further tuition and a re-test. I'd be looking for some independent recommendations - the tests are nearly £200 a pop so each re-test + training will be close on £500!

If your serious about driving artics then find a school that trains with a proper one - many seem to stick a trailer behind their rigid, that's a cheat really because they don't compare to an artic around tight bends and roundabouts.

Julian.

Reply to
Julian

I hadn't realised high blood pressure was one of the problems that could stop you driving such vehicles. Still, considering the potential side effects of some of the drugs, I can see why they'd be concerned.

Reply to
David G. Bell

Like diabetes, it depends on the severity of your condition. A mild case of high blood pressure will not stop you driving HGV/PCV but your doctor will be required to inform DVLA that you have such a condition. If it becomes worse then you will either be required to take a DVLA medical in order to prove your fitness or if the condition puts you at risk of heart attack then you will lose your licence.

The DVLA can also temporaily suspend your licence for a period of up to 2 years if you suffer from an episode of serious illness, ie a stroke or a fit. You then have to wait the required time without having another incident before re-applying with a medical certificate from a Doctor. I've known this happen to driver who for some unexplained reason have suffered an epiliptic type fit, possibly as a result of an impact, with no previous history of the condition. A one-off incident but it meant he had to go a year without another fit before they would re-issue his licence.

Alex

Reply to
Alex

On or around Sun, 31 Dec 2006 09:15:26 +0000 (GMT), snipped-for-privacy@zhochaka.org.uk ("David G. Bell") enlightened us thusly:

probably stricter limits for PCV and LGV, but last time I had a medical for a hackney carriage licence the blood pressure limits were pretty high, and even I, overweight and underfit as I am, passed easily. If my BP were as high as the limit I'd be worried.

Reply to
Lord Austin the Ebullient of Happy Bottomshire

"Mark Solesbury" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@mid.individual.net...

I passed my cat C in april 05, would have cost £6-700 ish but I failed twice (not good at tests) so it cost near £1600 in total.

Medical for provisional, then theory which is hazzard perception which I hated, its like a crap video game so just scraped through that bit, and 35 questions (I think) which are from the theory book which was easy I got em all right.

Just did it coz I could afford to and I fancied a go, but I'm still a mechanic-MOT tester, but it's something to fall back on :) . Didn't fancy the C+E as the C cost enough.

-- Jon

Reply to
jOn

Don't feel bad about failing. The centres all have a % pass rate that they work towards and it's not that high. If they up the pass rate then the testers gain less overtime!

Julian

Reply to
Julian

I am an HGV driving instructor and will echo the earlier comments with regards medical and theory test for cat C and cat C+E. One point to note, please make sure you have the correct provisional entitlement for cat C on your green counterpart licence, if not apply to DVLA. I have never heard of any %age passes for a given day or week or month given that I take students to test on a weekly basis. The test is not easy and there are many, many reasons why a student could fail and on occasions have know an examiner fail a student on a non specific item as he was not 'ready'. Do not feel bad about failing thought.

AlunP

Reply to
Alun P

The last time I took it I thought I'd failed before I got out the test centre on the braking exercise as the back wheels juddered to a halt (unloaded flat back). So I thought sod it and just went for it, and was surprised to pass.

Reply to
jOn

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.