Ok so I thought I’d start a diary for people on here to have a look at, basically I plan to keep it updated but I get bored easily…
So as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to drive for a living and always looked at the artics telling myself that one day I do it. I have alot of ■■■■ jobs and some good ones mostly doing van driving and thats what im doing now. But one of the last jobs I had I got lucky got a decent wage and managed to get some money saved up. And from speaking to wagon drivers (one of here) that I know from places I’ve worked and grew up with, that just made me want to do it even more.
So after having my provisional for a year I bit the bullet and had a assessment drive with commercial transport training with a bloke called bob nice chap in a V reg daf with 8 speed box with a splitter. I’ve got to say I really enjoyed it and the assessment went great with plenty of time to actually get used to the vehicle. I drove it from their leighton buzzard industrial estate grovesbury road kind of area up the a4146 dual carriageway to milton keynes then back through stroke hammond then actually through leighton buzzard town centre This gave me a serious buzz sad I know lol. A few days later I got a assessment report through the door, now in general I was quite pleased with it and recommended 5 days possibly 4 however each day is 4 hours? What do you think I should go for? (p.s i dont work for ctt)
Last week I took the theory test multiple choice and got 97/100 so I was chuffed to bits with it. But now I’ve got my hazard perception tomorrow morning I still think this test is rigged because to me nearly everything could cause a hazard or is a hazard (revunue generating in my opinion) So has anyone got any advice on the hazard perception thing?
I would opt for the 5 days of 4 hours 1 to 1 or 8 hours of 2 to 1 - assume one day is likely to be a numpty day where it all seems to go wrong - usually day 3 of 5
HPT - that is to be treated as a VIDEO GAME and not as though you were really driving so practising on the CD ROM is recommended
You can book the initial Dcpc module 2 at the theory test center yourself and get that out of the way if you choose to
Some on here have done all three theory tests on the same day !!
i dont think the hazard cd rom is worth buying because after you have done it once it is the same clips so you know where the hazards are going to be. I was worried about the cpc mod 2 but to be honest there is no need, you just need common sense and a good knowledge of the rules and regs and you will fly through. definatly get the DSA guide to driving goods vehicles it really is a good book, Ive done all my theory tests now but will still keep my copy in case I ever need to remind myself of anything in the future. The other thing about he cpc mod 2 test after doing it I thought it was a joke you get asked the same sort of questions as you do in the theory test just put on a case scenario situation. Just make sure you read the questions properly and the scenario.
Congratulations on your passes and good luck with the rest I start my training on Wednesday with my test on the 22nd. I got a 10 day course which I feel was a bit unfair because my assesment was only 10 mins long but at least I get a good few hours to learn.
Big Brummie Macca:
I got a 10 day course which I feel was a bit unfair because my assesment was only 10 mins long but at least I get a good few hours to learn.
As yours is funded then they probably do a 10 day course as standard - more money for the trainers
Ok so just a breif update and thats the 2nd training day over got few more to go then test on the Monday fingers crossed.
Yesterday
So yesterday went ok kept riding the clucth so got told off for that, mostly it was just getting used to which gears to use as and where needed and getting used to the size and weight and the way daf acted. We had to take another lad for his test in the artic so we jumped in that the lad arrived and he drove the artic to the test centre we wished him good luck and got picked up to be taken back to the training depot, then out for another run in the rigid quite a good run went well i thought apart from when we were going up a hill and I just natrually changed down a gear and got told off again The daf would of quite happily carried on up the hill in 7th. So back to the depot again and in the car to go and pick up the lad who done his artic test. The fella really didn’t looked pleased sitting in the cab then we climbed in and happy days the fella had passed with only 4 minors so well done to him. Then back to the yard for one last spin around leighton buzzard. So far so good
Today
Wow what a day serious learning curve! First run through some nice tight bends and streets where you wouldn’t get a van and car past each other let alone a wagon and anything else. Then on to the reversing excercise after being shown a couple times by my instructor im getting there just got keep a eye on that front wheel and the yellow line. Then came the braking exercise after I kept going for the clutch to soon and slamming the brakes instead of pressing slowly but firmly and off course alot of swearing im starting to get the hang of it. And so finally on to run 2 all was going well doing hill starts up and down pulling over setting of etc, we were going through a high street with cars parked about and I went to overtake a parked car and just seriously messed up the gears but managed to get the right one again after alot of swearing.
I can feel myself starting to get the hang of it mainly thanks to a good instructor, but now im off for a couple cans as my head feels like its about to explode.
Well what can I say about today I thought it went really well apart from some major cockup with some lights then the gears and steering all at the same time lol. Went through Luton today great fun then everywhere in between. Got to say I like Dunstable downs really nice area just got watch the speed lol
One more thing, I thought I was quite a good driver but I haven’t got anything on all you hgv drivers seriously, and the artic drivers how you get round some of them roads im really quite impressed!
Its sounding good mate. All you have to do is learn from the errors that you make and you will no doubt be ready for the test on Monday.
I remember my very first day out on training in the rigid, must have hit every single kerb around Stafford and nearly threw in the towel. But came back the next day and learnt from it. No more kerbs (well apart from the test morning but hey that down to nerves )
Keep up the diary its good to read.
I have to agree mate it is a totally different level driving a truck. I never thought it would be easy but when I used to go with Dad he made it look easy but that is what comes with experience. I had three days where things wasnt going right, 1 day it was clutch control, next day got the clutch control okay but was forgetting my blind spots, then I got them both ok and was not judging islands properley and causing other drivers to slow down. Then the next day it all just seamed to come together and 3 days later I passed.
My examiner always used to say you will make mistakes during the training but the last couple of days you should be driving it confidently also it makes a massive difference how you recover from those mistakes.
Good luck mate just take your time and it will all come together nicely.
Ok so today went as usual quite good how ever I seem to putting on the indicators to early or to late for some reason today and my lane discipline in Luton wasn’t great for the first run and I turned right at a mini roundabout when I should of went straight on. I swear he said right lol. So after a break cold drink and a sandwich off we went again I’ve got the hang of the tight bends now just bloody stop and let them pass. We done more reversing exercises, think I’ve got it now. Then on to the controlled stop “Just imagine you got a sponge under the brake and your trying to get all the water out” straight from the instructors mouth and its works a treat
I’ve got one more day to go and I am really really starting to get nervous, I’ve got work lined up if I can just get through the test. The instructors keep telling me that I just got to hold it together for a hour thats it! Lol well im going to try my hardest tomorrow for the last day of training and god willing will get me through Monday.
Then on to the controlled stop “Just imagine you got a sponge under the brake and your trying to get all the water out” straight from the instructors mouth and its works a treat
Ok so today it was test day left home for the training school at 11:20 still haven’t ate a thing to nervous. So get to the yard have a little chat told to go and get in the wagon and warm it up. Instructor jumps in I try to dump the air from seat so as to lower it soon as I do it pushes me back up again with my legs against the wheel 5 mins later still not working so instructor jumps out comes round drivers side manages to sort it out. Then we do the walk round by the back axle we hear a hiss great a airline leaking oh well that wagon can’t go out for test, great this is when i start swearing and thinking great this a omen. So into the wagons sister same vechile but oviously diffirent biting point lol. So off we go get test center, by this time I am actually shaking badly my legs, hands and knees are going like my instructor trys telling just drive normally and you’ll be fine. So off we go on our little journey…
1 hour later pull back into the test centre I kill the engine and look to the examiner…
" Well Mr Melville thank you for that…and I’am glad to say you have passed"
Seriously you do not know how happy I am right now there was some points where during the week where I thought how am I going to this yet thanks to a great instuctor Mick from Commercial transport training in Leighton Buzzard and thanks to a good old Daf I’ve done it! My jaw hurts from smiling so much! So come on Rog show me that pass wagon that I have been waiting for so long to see. Oh and much thanks to everyone off here it has been so helpful
Ok so after the pass I was still smiling firing off my cv to anyone that would read it whilst booking my cpc case studies. Sent a email to the transport manager where I used to work, got called in to for a interview with the managing director the next day. Couple days later he offers me the job as a class 2 driver starting the 19th this month. So obviously im over the moon this is still with the case study and practical demonstration for the cpc to do. I promise him I wont let him down and im going to stick to my word. So I book a case study test soonest one I can get is the 22nd july so I book it but keep looking every day, sure enough I find one for the 9th in Northampton so change test dates. Now I read the cpc book, the driving hours rules and regulations, the guide to driving large vehicles and anything else I could get my hands on! So test day arrives, as usual im bricking it and come out thinking I’ve failed but the receptionist hands me my letter smiling and…Happy days I’ve passed it!
So basically I’ve got a job lined up got to do weeks training when I start like hiab and like a safed thing but it all goes on the cv…
So now all I’ve got to do is get through this last cpc thing, module 4 again any advice is greatly appreciated. I just need to get it booked and sorted!
WOW what a diffirent 6 months make, so I thought I’d update this as i know what help these things are to newbies as they were helpful to me. I been driving class 2 for chamberlains transport now for 1/2 year and so far so good getting to know the road network much better and just generally enjoying it well apart from some places in London ain’t much fun. Now im back training again for my class 1. So any pointers or advice will be greatly appreciated Im learning in t reg volvo fh12 (I think thats what its called). I’ve got 4 days training and test this Friday so fingers crossed I can do it.
Day 1 Monday 28/02
So we start the day of with literally me jumping straight in the drivers seat, told to pull forward and reverse it round the parked cars, “eh ok right need remember turn the other way to get trailer go where I want it” kind of pulled it of well with Mick the instructor telling me lol. We go out on the roads through dunstable and around Leighton Buzzard just getting a feel for the vehicle but im brushing kerbs now and again. But all in all a good productive day. We had to drop a fella off doing his test in the artic and fair play to him he passed so well done Tim.
Day 2 Tuesday 01/03
2nd day and we’re off to the test centre first thing drop a lad off taking his class 2 we then get picked up and taken back to the yard and we’re off out in the artic so abit more of nice tight country roads and pulling up and moving off safely we go back to the test centre to meet the chap whos been on test, and would you belive it he has passed aswell so well done again. “Right you drive the rigid and I’ll drive the artic back” says Mick (instructor) ok no drama I learned to drive in this, so back to the yard drop off said chap then we’re off out again. We go to the old air strip that ctt own to practise reversing. Now im starting to get the hang of it but I really need to be getting closer to the first cones that you line up with to allow me more room and also im over correcting my steering at times but 4 times we did it and I got it in the box all 4 but 3 of them I had shunts. More training on that probarly thursday But all in all a good day.
This gave me a serious buzz sad I know lol. A few days later I got a assessment report through the door, now in general I was quite pleased with it and recommended 5 days possibly 4 however each day is 4 hours? What do you think I should go for? (p.s i dont work for ctt)
I still think this test is rigged because to me nearly everything could cause a hazard or is a hazard (revunue generating in my opinion) So has anyone got any advice on the hazard perception thing? 
then everywhere in between. Got to say I like Dunstable downs really nice area just got watch the speed lol 
