It seems daunting now and, nothing I can say will change your minds, but once you’ve been in the job a couple of months you’ll be wondering what you were getting in a flap over.
TruckerGuy:
Fund it yourself, then go back your company and say “I’m qualified, now what?” and see what happens. If they still refuse the job then the problem was the job and not the training.The up-side is you can now go anywhere else!
Yeah I’ve spoken to DPD and they’ve said that if I wish to fund it myself that’s fine, but I’ll no longer be a priority for a job in linehaul. The only reason I’ve been happy to wait up until this point is that it was a guaranteed job within the company I work for, and I’d be able to gain experience.
Obviously now going down the self funded route I’ll have to leave my current company and compete with other people for jobs that probably have far more experience than me. Which is why a change is a bit of a scary thought, I’ve always had the job security and never had to worry about earnings but I’m not prepared to do another Christmas in the multi drop industry. It’s a heart attack waiting to happen!
HGV is definitely the way forward though for me, I’ve been driving vans for the past 15 years self employed, enjoy the freedom of being out and about by yourself, as long as the work is completed within the timelines given you’re generally left alone and I can see that being the same. I could not sit behind a desk!
Sorry to go on, I’m just venting a bit and giving people my reasons into moving into the HGV industry.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Morning all,
What stage: I passed my Class 2 in August '19, and my Class 1 in September '21.
Where: I live on the edge of Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, SW England. I did my training with Truck School Swindon, based in Wroughton just outside of Swindon.
Why: Coming from a Security background, I decided I had had enough of sitting in a guardhouse for 12hrs per day, and instead wanted something more challenging, more diverse, and more enjoyable.
I enjoy driving in general, enjoy meeting different people from all walks of life, and seeing different places - I feel this job will combine all three.
What work: So far I’ve had no luck with work in general. I had an assessment with Muller UK & Ireland two weeks ago in late January, done the induction last Monday and spent a few days out shadowing another driver. I done one shift out on my own last Saturday; this was daunting but very enjoyable and a great learning experience.
Sadly, I have since left the company on 05/02 due to a major discrepancy with pay. I worked a 45 hour week and received just £36.71, which I am currently in the process of getting sorted.
I decided that the job in question wasn’t for me, and where they screwed my pay up by a long margin, I wasn’t exactly too impressed with them.
I can’t afford to have my pay screwed up by HR, especially with a family to feed and provide for.
Alas, I am currently in the process of searching and applying for more work - I’m happy to fluctuate between both Class 1 and Class 2 work, as work is work and it pays the bills.
Hopefully the next job pays me more than £36.71 - you never know, I might just be able to retire!! 
P.S.
Did any of you find it difficult to find work - or your first job for that matter - when you first started out in the industry?
A lot of prospective employers today state that they want anything from 1 to 2 years experience, which can make it somewhat difficult for new passes to get started.
Thoughts?
TruckerWCS:
P.S.Did any of you find it difficult to find work - or your first job for that matter - when you first started out in the industry?
A lot of prospective employers today state that they want anything from 1 to 2 years experience, which can make it somewhat difficult for new passes to get started.
Thoughts?
Slightly different for me, as I still work full-time non-driving, so I was only looking for ad-hoc weekend work. When I passed my Class 2 in August 2021, I began looking for work, but got nowhere, so when I did my Class 1 last month I hadn’t driven Class 2 at all since. After passing Class 1, I managed to get an induction at Tesco within a few weeks, and did my first shift last week. Hopefully, this work continues fortnightly now and I can build up a bit of experience!
TruckerGuy:
rearaxle:
Since the rule change has anyone actually failed this off road 3a test I wonder?.Sent from my SM-N976B using Tapatalk
I’m hearing there are a lot of fails/potential fails for the direct-to-CE people to the point they are giving people extra tuition. Many have failed already.
I understand what you’re suggesting though.
Are there any public statistics for pass rate of direct to C+E tests yet? Got mine coming up soon. Already passed the 3a bit.
I am contemplating being a computer programmer or the President of the United States as I stuffed my Class 1 on the road test for the fifth time. I was just wondering if it will give me a complex lol !! Sorry I tell a lie the next one is the fifth attempt. Apart from ■■■■■■ embarrassing it just seems so flippin stupid. I also failed on the most obvious of crapola, roundabout and believe it or not - dare, I say it…the side of the road parking. Forgetting the most obvious rule of the car, van or 7.5t by blocking driveways like even a scooter rider knows that one.
So, I considered my options, marry Britney Spears, invade Russia in the dead of winter, move mount Everest to a safer location, where all the mountaineers can’t find it - and chose reschedule the training and attack it again delayed of course by the backlog of tests so that when I get back into it I will be as green as a new born 7.5t driver. Plus it will take a whole month of starving to death to pay for the necessary training. I have no idea what I’m going to do except do that test again. It’s b_---s and I feel so stupid. But hey, life’s for livin’ !
BedfordJ5:
TruckerGuy:
rearaxle:
Since the rule change has anyone actually failed this off road 3a test I wonder?.Sent from my SM-N976B using Tapatalk
I’m hearing there are a lot of fails/potential fails for the direct-to-CE people to the point they are giving people extra tuition. Many have failed already.
I understand what you’re suggesting though.
Are there any public statistics for pass rate of direct to C+E tests yet? Got mine coming up soon. Already passed the 3a bit.
The last time I saw it, I thought it was in the region of 50%
Does anybody know anything about cpcanddriver.co.uk? I’m looking to book my online 35-hour CPC with them at a cost of £195 (inclusive of DVSA upload fee) rather than with the company I am intending to use afterwards for the practical training.
Seems to make sense to me, unless I am missing something?
Newbie 1:
I am contemplating being a computer programmer or the President of the United States as I stuffed my Class 1 on the road test for the fifth time. I was just wondering if it will give me a complex lol !! Sorry I tell a lie the next one is the fifth attempt. Apart from [zb] embarrassing it just seems so flippin stupid. I also failed on the most obvious of crapola, roundabout and believe it or not - dare, I say it…the side of the road parking. Forgetting the most obvious rule of the car, van or 7.5t by blocking driveways like even a scooter rider knows that one.So, I considered my options, marry Britney Spears, invade Russia in the dead of winter, move mount Everest to a safer location, where all the mountaineers can’t find it - and chose reschedule the training and attack it again delayed of course by the backlog of tests so that when I get back into it I will be as green as a new born 7.5t driver. Plus it will take a whole month of starving to death to pay for the necessary training. I have no idea what I’m going to do except do that test again. It’s b_---s and I feel so stupid. But hey, life’s for livin’ !
Do you think you would have made the same mistakes on a Class 2 test? Curious to know your thoughts - as someone who is trying to decide whether to go straight to Class 1 myself, or just “play it safe” and do Class 2 first.
goiko:
Does anybody know anything about cpcanddriver.co.uk? I’m looking to book my online 35-hour CPC with them at a cost of £195 (inclusive of DVSA upload fee) rather than with the company I am intending to use afterwards for the practical training.Seems to make sense to me, unless I am missing something?
Hi,
I don’t know anything about cpcanddriver.co.uk but I did my 35 hours over Zoom with SimpleCPC.com and I would recommend them, their price is £216 all in and I spaced the 5 day courses over a couple of weeks but I see they now do 7 hour modules split over 2 evenings. Others on this site have also recommended traxiontraining.co.uk.
MacNic:
goiko:
Does anybody know anything about cpcanddriver.co.uk? I’m looking to book my online 35-hour CPC with them at a cost of £195 (inclusive of DVSA upload fee) rather than with the company I am intending to use afterwards for the practical training.Seems to make sense to me, unless I am missing something?
Hi,
I don’t know anything about cpcanddriver.co.uk but I did my 35 hours over Zoom with SimpleCPC.com and I would recommend them, their price is £216 all in and I spaced the 5 day courses over a couple of weeks but I see they now do 7 hour modules split over 2 evenings. Others on this site have also recommended traxiontraining.co.uk.
Thanks. Cpc and Driver is similarly flexible and I’ve had a very satisfactory and reassuring phone conversation with them, but I’ll have a look at these anyway. Useful to know.
So, I’ve just done two days of my Driver CPC - The Importance of Defect Reporting, and Distractions and Vulnerable Road Users and as a result I am now completely terrified of tyre blow outs, runaway tyres, bridge strikes and causing horrific accidents! I suppose that is the general idea. I’m a bit worried that my walk around checks are going to take me two hours!
I’m doing two days next week and the fifth day the week after. I’m using CPC Direct over Zoom, which is a bit more expensive than the others quoted here at £293.75 for 5 days. I would recommend them though based on communication, customer service and content. I feel like I’m slowly getting there. Hope everyone else is getting on well.
Goff118: all the best for your second shift this weekend, if you’ve got one.
Hey TrucketWCS
Did you get your pay sorted? 
driveress:
Goff118: all the best for your second shift this weekend, if you’ve got one
Thank you! Start at 8:45am tomorrow morning. Crossing my fingers for calmer weather than we’ve had over the the past few days in South Wales! Forecast for tomorrow is rain all day so we’ll see how it goes!
Thought I’d pitch in instead of just reading like I’ve been doing since last summer…
What stage are you at and how are you getting on?
Originally booked a course to go straight to C+E but did the Class 2 tests at the end of the first weeks’ training (end of Jan) so that I would have something to show if I failed my C+E test. Passed the tests… Got my C+E training and tests next week.
Where are you located and where are you doing your training? (If you want to say)
I’m in Reading and used Kim Driver Training. Trainer was brilliant.
Why do you want to be an HGV driver?
30 years in an office is plenty. Have done a few driving jobs (3.5 ton) since Covid started and really enjoy it.
What kind of work do you want?
I want… A decent employer, Hours that mean I get to see my kids, <20 minute commute, £35k+ a year, Decent working culture and work that is reasonably physical.
I have a job offer for Brakes driving Class 2. I’ve never set foot in a Class 1, so we’ll see how next week goes - have this little nagging doubt about what to do if I pass - local Tesco are recruiting Class 1 drivers…
What stage are you at and how are you getting on?
I’ve been meaning to add to this thread but I hadn’t because A) I had forgotten my login and B) due to the DVLA’s chaos and a health condition my provisional application was stuck with the medical section for bloody ages as they repeatedly claimed they hadn’t received evidence. Finally however last weekend after 7 long months they finally relented and gave me a provisional.
My Theory tests are now booked for next week.
Where are you located and where are you doing your training? (If you want to say)
I’m in West Lancs, probably going to go local with Town and Country.
Why do you want to be an HGV driver?
I’m sure I will enjoy driving lorries and I’m prepared to risk chancing whether it might work for me as a career when I need to make a change from my current work.
What kind of work do you want?
Probably not tramping. Ideally something with 4 on 4 off.
2nd shift Done!
Was in a rigid today. First time I’d driven one since my training last August! It was a new mirrorless Merc and whilst I like the Bluetooth and new tech, I wasn’t so sure about those mirrors by the end coming over the Severn Bridge in the wind and rain. Whole cars were disappearing in the rain on the in-cab mirrors.
The day was an interesting one. My run was 3 store deliveries, so I was out for the full day without having to do a 2nd run, which I prefer. In a way it was more tricky than delivering in an artic, because the stores are in tighter areas with smaller loading areas. I don’t know how to explain it, but I found that the driving and manouevring was actually a bit harder in the rigid, than in the artic. I’m definitely getting used to handling the cages and straps though so that’s good!
Managed to get my 3 deliveries done in decent time across the bridge and then all I had to do was get the empty lorry back over the bridge in a straight line, which was harder than I thought it’d be.
All good learning again though and happy to get a bit more experience in the bank!
My experience so far, passed C+E last week coming straight from car was an experience.
I all ready had a job lined up so didn’t have to worry about that.
Only problem I’ve ran into is I’m struggling with the reverse, not sure how I passed it.
Hello fellow Newbies
FatLarry68: Well done on your C pass and good luck for your C+E this week. How was your first day? Let us know what you end up going for job wise. This week sounds like it could be a life changing week!
jonathan_dyane: you must have been very happy to have finally received your provisional license after such a long time. Good luck with your theory tests. I found the questions harder than the practice tests - it was the wording of the odd question I think, making me think I hadn’t revised for it, and I found the hazard awareness easier than the practice, the actual clips are much shorter.
Newstart90: well done on your pass! What have you got lined up work wise?
goiko: did you get your online DCPC booked up. To answer your question properly, I was expecting to do my DCPC with my training company but they only do one course a month and I couldn’t get on the February one as it was fully booked, the March one clashes with my practical training and the April one clashes with a holiday. I didn’t want to wait until May, especially if I can get out on the road mid March.
Goff118: so good to hear about your second shift! Was it for Tesco again? All sounds very positive. Where were your drops this week? I saw your posts about weekly/daily rest etc. At least you’ve got 2 weeks to scour TN for advice on how to do an not mess up manual entries 
Hope you all have a good week.
Newstart90:
My experience so far, passed C+E last week coming straight from car was an experience.I all ready had a job lined up so didn’t have to worry about that.
Only problem I’ve ran into is I’m struggling with the reverse, not sure how I passed it.
That was my problem on my Tesco assessment at Reading.
I’ve since gone back for another lesson.
I find helpful the technique of putting your hands at the bottom of the steering wheel and lifting up the hand that you want the trailer to go to that side.
The other requirement is straightening up which is just pulling down on the hand that has the trailer filling the mirror.