Sadly I failed my Class 1 test today.

Before Monday this week I had never driven anything other than my standard car…
So the 1st day of driving an artic was an extremely ‘unsettling’ experience (not helped at all by my trainer / although following me speaking to the training company about this they were extremely helpful in swapping me to a different trainer - Who was literally the best I could’ve dreamed of having as my trainer!)

Whilsy day 2# was also pretty unsettling in terms of the feel of driving artic… By day 3# + 4# I had gotten an understanding about ‘the theory’ of how to operate the handling of such an extrmemely elongated vehicle (*despite it still feeling so horrible to drive vs a car due to the massively higher centre of gravity in a lorry | Thus basically constantly feels to me the same as how it’d feel ‘‘trying to drive a bus while sitting on the top deck!’’)

*I was awarded a pass for my Class 1 reversing-test | Although I am extremely crap at reversing (even in a straight-line), so know for 100% certain that I wouldn’t actually be upto the required standard to reverse a lorry in a commercial depot.

I doubt anyone wants to read an essay though - So will try keeping this as short as possible now:

• I failed my Class 1 test today (with 3 majors).

• 1 was for forgetting to turn-off my indicator after setting-off from 1 of the ‘‘please pull-up by the side of the road’’ elements.

• 1 was for when I was driving down a dual carriage-way, approx 5 cars were merging onto the road from the left :: I saw them all in-advance, and so dropped my speed to approx 48/50mph (down from 56mph), to ensure they all had a gap to merge in infront of me (as they were set to do based on their speed vs my limited-max)… However when the final of the ones who was able to safely merge infront of me did, for 1-2 seconds the gap infront of me/behind them wasn’t the unsual large gap I like to keep | But I got a major for not ensuring a safe gap was kept.

• The real major was the mini blindspot-mirror (*attached sticking off the edge of my driver-side main mirrors) clipped the same mirror of a static drainage-lorry by the side of the road, snapping my mirror off.

#

I spoke with the training centre upon my deturn to the depot, as they suggested I could try Class 2 instead.
(They have offered me 8-hours training in a Class 2 lorry + test :: For just under £850 total)

The issue I am having though is deciding the best route to progress from here…

As the only reason I went for Class 1 (rather Class 2) was purely because it seems that only 1-2% of Class 2 jobs are ‘‘Minimal drops RDC/trunking’’ type work :: With the other 98-99% of the jobs being ''Multi-drop/With lots of heavy manual-labour involved).

The reason I personally am seeking to become a lorry driver is purely because I deeply enjoy driving around the country.
I do currently have very cushy job (work security for the NHS | 30k per year salary for a 28.5 hour week /12-hour shifts) :: But quite simply have lost all interest in the security industry, however do have a massive passion for driving.
I don’t however have a passion for ‘‘hours per day of manual-labour and/or having to stop every 20-minutes for a delivery’’.
*Thus am very cautious about quitting a highly-paid 2-3 days per week, ultra-secure job, that I have no passion for anymore :: Just to end-up in lower-paying, very insecure job, which also wouldn’t be something I actually enjoy.

(My ultimate dream job would be driving the highways traffic officer cars or cash-in-transit vans | But sadly both of those require a manual driving-license, which I don’t have + I found manuals horrendously tedious to drive when I did lessons & attempted the test, thus I had to branch-out to the HGV sector instead)

As things stand I have:
• Passed all my theory exams + CPCs… ect
• Got my Class 1 reversing-certificate passed (although I’m utterly useless at actually reversing an artic).
• Done 4-days (20-hours) of Class 1 on-the-road training.

~ Paid-out £3,000 for the above ~

But I am now really unsure how would be best for me to proceed from here??

Have I got this right
5 days training from car to artic
Hang on - was that 5 full days or 5 half days

ROG:
Have I got this right
5 days training from car to artic
Hang on - was that 5 full days or 5 half days

4, half-days.

Monday - Thursday (4-hours per day)
Friday (morning test)

Anonymous86x:

ROG:
Have I got this right
5 days training from car to artic
Hang on - was that 5 full days or 5 half days

4 half-days.

Monday - Thursday (4-hours per day)
Friday (morning test)

Bloody hell - no wonder you failed because that is way too short a time
Double that would have been more like it unless you already had say a bus licence so were used to driving large vehicles

The training company I used was Chevron (in North Wales) :: Although my personal trainer is predominantly based at Peter Smythe (I was just extremely lucky that he happened to be covering this past week at Chevron).

That trainer, who I had for Tuesday / Wednesday / and Thursday, honestly was absolutely brilliant in terms of the training he gave me in how to operate an Artic…

But like you say, the sheer adjustment from driving a standard regular car :: To sitting 3-meters up in the air / controlling & steering a vehicle moving at 50mph round winding roads from that centre of gravity (with the ultra-sensitive steering artics have) / and ofcourse having to handle every single corner + roudabout in such a concerted way…
Is alot to master in just 4-days.

Firstly I cannot tell you what to do. I can only say what I’d do if it were me, and I’d do my Class 2 to get used to driving a larger vehicle, even if it’s just for a couple of months.

If I wasn’t comfortable with the size of an artic I might want to take the advice from my training centre. Then as soon as I feel like I’ve nailed it, revisit Class 1, taking into consideration all of the aspects I failed on and how I could do better next time. The experience I would gain might be enough to reduce smacking mirrors, not cancelling indicators, or being able to react differently to drivers merging onto a carriageway in front of me.

Getting used to those things would probably get me a pass providing I am okay with other aspects of driving an artic, EG navigating tight corners, getting around small islands. (remembering it is okay to use hill start assist to prevent and rolling).

What really matters is focusing on a perfect drive under test conditions. I think we have to be somewhat confident at the wheel and comfortable with the size of the vehicle.

I failed my artic first time but put in for a retest the same day and passed a week later. I thought my examiner was a bit unfair but he went by the rules so I didn’t grumble. Even with class 2 experience I still had to compensate for the difference even though those differences were nowhere near the scale of those between a car and an artic.

As for the types of class 2 jobs out there, you might be pleasantly surprised at the roles you can get driving a rigid. Granted, some jobs are crap, but there are some decent gigs out there, and having Moffett or HIAB tickets can give you a few more options

Hello mate, and thankyou very much for your measured response.

I am gonna take your advice and try-out Class 2 training + test | See how that goes | And then take things from there.
(Hopefully will pass my Class 2 ~ Gain a few months experience ~ And then decide upon revisiting Class 1)

I have also viewing my position with abit more perspective, and realised that given I’m only in my early/mid 30s currently, just because I (hopefully) start on Class 2 & doing Class-2 work now… Doesn’t mean I have to commit to doing nothing except that for the next 30-years of my working life! lol

But so hopefully I will find the handling + manouverability of ridgids much easier vs artics (*specifically when turning right on busy multi-lane roundabouts)…
As even though I navigated all of them (without my trailer wiping-out any cars on my left) during my training + test :: The ‘sensation’ while pulling an artic around a roundabout to take a 3rd/4th/5th exit on busy roundabout is a horrible feeling, as I constantly feel (fear) that my trailer swing may wipe-out a car coming around on my left side / when I have to dift left to get into lane for my own exit, that I may knock-out cars who are in that lane already!

-But so hopefully I will find these elements (while driving a ridgid) much more similar to driving a car, and thus left ‘constantly daunting’, as they are when trying to drag an artic around!

It sounds like you’re half way there to getting your Class 1 licence.

Four half days is far too little training hours to go from car to Class 1.

No wonder you didn’t pass.

£3,000 for such a short course, seems well overpriced.

Do the Class 2 first, then get some real world work. Probably at least 30 shifts doing Class 2, before going back to Class 1 training.

I don’t agree that class 2 is necessarily the correct route now. If you’re worried about what happens on your lefthand side when you turn right, I’d much rather be in an artic that bends than a rigid with all that tail swing. If you start on rigid now you’ll have to learn them from scratch, or you could build on what you’ve learnt already.

Can’t believe you paid 3 grand for 20 hrs. How come everyone posts after the fact instead of asking advice beforehand?

Hello guys, and thanks for the replies.

In regards to the pricing (just under £3,000 for 4-days training + tests), that is the price of Peter Smythe/Chevron… The sponsor of this forum + the training company most people on this site recommend.

*I personally am based in London, where all the providers (within 1-hour drive of here) charge £3,600+!

Anonymous86x:
Hello guys, and thanks for the replies.

In regards to the pricing (just under £3,000 for 4-days training + tests), that is the price of Peter Smythe/Chevron… The sponsor of this forum + the training company most people on this site recommend.

*I personally am based in London, where all the providers (within 1-hour drive of here) charge £3,600+!

Peter Smythe was bought out and has become a group of companies, my personal thoughts…its just not the same.

Sent from my SM-T976B using Tapatalk

Did you make use of the forum discount? Or the pass protection insurance?

I would say that the £850 offer probably isn’t available to the general public, so take the offer if you can afford it and if you are serious about a career driving. The training provider probably wants you to walk away with something rather than nothing and your instructor must believe you can do it.

The comment about rigids not bending is very appropriate when driving the big rigids.

They will stick you in a shorter rigid for class 2 lessons, the one i had an assessment in was a lot shorter than the 7.5t rigid i drive at the moment.

Remember with class 2, the width doesnt change, sure the cab may be narrower, but the overall is basically the same.

You need to feel comfortable driving, and reading the post, it sounds like youve already convinced yourself you cant do class 1.

My car to class 1 was 6 half days, which isnt enough. That said, Im an advanced biker, so road planning, traffic readnig etc. is far more in mind that most car to class 1 people will be.

When did you pass you car licence? it may be you already have grandfather rights, so you ‘could’ do some multidrop on 7.5t. its a slog, but it will get you used to large vehicles, on tight roads, and spatial awarenss, tacho, etc etc.

Hi mate. Sorry to hear you didn’t pass Class 1 first time but seems like you are thinking everything through rationally and with a bit more practice I would expect you to pass.

Is there an option to stick with the class 1 training and get it done? That’s the option I’d go with.

Your current job would be perfect to work around with agency shifts, in order to build up the experience and move to driving full time. That could even be a van driving job for a bit. Unless you hate it that much that you want out now…

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I can’t get my head around 4 half days to go car to c+e. Seems really short on time. The price feels a lot as well.

Just to point out that the course is 20 hours HAVING COMPLETED THE REVERSE/COUPLING test (3a). The price is not just the course. It includes

Medical
Online theory training
Classroom theory training
Theory tests x3

5 hours off road training - 3a
3a test

20hrs practical on road training
3b test

Mod 4 training
Mod 4 test

Hope this provides a little clarity, Pete S

My trainer is the same price over 8 days.

Ep training

The question to ask is whether or not training is 1:1. And remember to halve the number of hours if the training is 2:1.

Dont forget quality of training, instructor qualifications (NO LEGAL REQUIREMENT!), site facilities (will your test take place on site?), quality of training vehicle. Outstanding recommendations going back many years. Is the centre approved? Or is it a space in a lorry park? Find out.

And then make your choice.

Pete S

Hello guys, and thanks for all the replies.

In regards to the pricing, all I can say is:
Yes, paying nearly £3,000 to simply do the various tests + 20-hours driving training (*so literally the equivalent of just 2 shifts working as a lorry driver), is extremely expensive, plus not even remotely long enough to make someone an actually competent + confident HGV driver…
However that quite simply is the industry-standard cost (in 2023) to become a HGV driver | Regardless of which company you go to, in any part of the country.

I personally found my trainer (who works for Peter Smythe training) to be extremely good, and thus do feel very happy that I selected Chevron/PSS as my training school.

I ofcourse know that all they are gonna try to do is train you upto the standard of passing the 1-hour test | The ACTUAL training would subsequently come by doing the job of a lorry driver day-after-day, for 6+ months.

And in regards to my plan of how to proceed from here:
I am gonna try doing the Class 2 training + test (within the next few weeks)

If I pass 1st time, awesome | I will try getting a job doing Class 2 driving :: Then decide upon re-trying the Class 1 test in the future months/years.
If I fail 1st time, I will just keep re-taking the test (the Class of test would depend on how I find the experience of handling a Class 2 lorry), until I eventually do pass!

*I did send an email to Peter Smythe training regarding doing 2-days of Class 2 training + test via them | But so just awaiting their reply now.