Just a quick intro and a question off the bat if i may.
After much consideration I’ve decided that I’m going to attempt the class2 hgv, being on the road appeals and apparently there’s a shortage of drivers so finding a job should be straightforward (?)
Only thing is that I have a nice little condition of the heart called atrial fibrillation and I don’t want to pay for a medical if I’m destined to fail (waste of money)
Is there anyone on here that can say with authority or experience as to what chance I actually have of passing this thing?
I’m on meds for it and it only happens every 5-6 months, no passing out etc…
If not then I’ll call it a day at this point but I really don’t want to pay out for nothing!
I also looked for similar posts and none really seemed to answer this question.
Best regards and thanks for having me on this forum.
Maybe a first step would be to get your hands on a D4 form, which is completely free. To be honest then you would know as much as me, but I have just had a quick look at a 2018 form and there are some questions specifically on the condition, which isn’t to say that any history at all would rule you out, just that the DVLA need information to be able to decide.
I know that some Post Offices carry the forms, not sure if all do.
Hi, and welcome to the forum. Your question makes lots of sense. I know of one driver who has a treadmill test each year as he has AF. However, he’d had his licence for many years prior to diagnosis and is of an age where he would have an annual medical in any case.
In the meantime, I’ve made an enquiry and I’ll pass on the outcome as and when I receive it.
Dogsbody101:
apparently there’s a shortage of drivers
That is fake news 100%
If there was a real shortage of drivers then those passing the test would immediately be recruited into full time permanent jobs and that is definitely not happening
Dogsbody101:
Thanks for the help guys, Peter any advice from someone on the inside will be most welcome too!
ROG odd that, everyone seems to be saying otherwise, if true it would alter my plans significantly.
I would ask where you’ve seen this non recruiting out of interest?
Just ask on the main PDF forum as this subject has been done many times recently
There is a shortage of experienced drivers willing to work for a low wage - seriously!
The reality is that if there a real shortage companies would be offering full time perm jobs but not many are - most of the LGV jobs are agency on the job sites - that says it all
If there was a real driver shortage then driver wages would be rising a lot so that companies could keep the drivers they have but that is not happening either
Where some so called experts get the driver shortage thing from is a mystery to those in the industry
There may be odd areas in the UK that do have a real shortage but nobody can seem to pinpoint those so far
Just a quick intro and a question off the bat if i may.
After much consideration I’ve decided that I’m going to attempt the class2 hgv, being on the road appeals and apparently there’s a shortage of drivers so finding a job should be straightforward (?)
Only thing is that I have a nice little condition of the heart called atrial fibrillation and I don’t want to pay for a medical if I’m destined to fail (waste of money)
Is there anyone on here that can say with authority or experience as to what chance I actually have of passing this thing?
I’m on meds for it and it only happens every 5-6 months, no passing out etc…
If not then I’ll call it a day at this point but I really don’t want to pay out for nothing!
I also looked for similar posts and none really seemed to answer this question.
Best regards and thanks for having me on this forum.
Hi,
I passed your question on to one of our senior Doctors (GP of 39 years). In summary he has advised that asymptomatic atrial fibrillation alone would not prevent you from being able to hold a group 2 licence (although it is worth bearing in mind that the examining Doctor does not tell you whether you have passed, DVLA make the decision). If you can drop me an email to ryan@d4drivers.uk I will forward his full response for you to read if that helps?
Kind regards,
Ryan.
Dogsbody101:
apparently there’s a shortage of drivers
That is fake news 100%
If there was a real shortage of drivers then those passing the test would immediately be recruited into full time permanent jobs and that is definitely not happening
+1 There is no shortage of drivers out there.
If anything, it’s the opposite. Many hauliers are going to the wall and there’s many experienced drivers out there currently looking for work. I’ve seen this myself with more and more drivers signing up to agencies, willing to accept any scraps of work. Unfortunately now there’s too many drivers at some agencies and there isn’t enough work to go around to keep everyone happy.
The coming Christmas season could be very telling of where things might be heading towards…
There is work out there for the willing, but there are jobs that are not for some. Examples being working with a driver’s mate, doing the bin lorries, pallets, physical work etc etc. Also add in the hours and possible weekend or 5 from 7 type work and it is easy to see why a lot of places have a high turnover of drivers and indeed why drivers head for the exit from the profession.
When talking about the driver shortage, I cannot say whether there is one or not. It is possible that companies don’t scale up or don’t take on contracts because they feel there isn’t a reliable supply of drivers. In this case it wouldn’t be so much there isn’t the drivers for the present work, it is just that there is potential for more work. An analogy might be that a house builder wouldn’t build houses in an area where there isn’t a ready supply of buyers.
As many people have pointed out before on the forums, making conditions, hours and financial reward better would go a long way to retaining drivers and give the potential for growth of the sector. The prevailing attitude seems to be if one driver isn’t willing to work in a certain way, get rid of him and get the next one in. On it goes like this ad infinitum.
On medical front, just to add yo the above - what happens is the doc does the tests such as blood pressure etc then fills in the form. You need a doc to ensure the details are legit and filled in properly.
However if they fill in certain parts, it might get sent to DVLA medical dept which can either decide all is fine or ask for other information, eg: from a specialist. It can delay getting the licence but not always.
Dogsbody101:
I would ask where you’ve seen this non recruiting out of interest?
Personal experience in my case. The headache is many companies and insurance companies want the magic 2 years experience.
Not saying its not possible to get work, but as mentioned its just quite a bit harder until you get experience. Took me 6 months and that’s without this Corona thingy. Just remember that there are a lot more people with class 2 than 1 so theres quite a lot of choice for the better employers.
If going for it, I would also get ADR (hazardous goods) as that is something which seems in short supply. Our place can never find enough with it.
Thanks again to all of you for your replies and for sharing your expertise!
Ryan, I’ve sent you an email as requested, very interested to see what he says.
I have often wondered why if there is such a shortage (which now appears to be a red herring) companies would not pay for new applicants to obtain a license if they signed on to stay at a firm for a set period, kind of like they do with apprentiships etc.
Very odd as to why anyone would therefore put such a story out there when its not true but misinformation is everywhere nowadays, even in this field!
I really dont care what work I do, delivery, bin man whatever I would just like to be back on the road again and be earning somewhere in the late 20k salary, these are the jobs I’ve been seeing out there.
I cannot stay sat at a desk anymore, cabin fever is setting in and so is weight gain! So a little sweat for some decent cash is not unreasonable.
Saying all that if I can’t pass this medical its all academic, even if I do there seems to be no guarantee of work at the end of it as such meaning I have a 2 grand debt round my neck and no way to pay it off.
Whether you have had a “true” picture of the situation remains to be seen. I have to be careful as it could easily be construed that I have a vested interest in folks coming for training. Of course I have!
But I am not known for telling lies. And in the E. Midlands, there is a demand for drivers. Those who dont get the work are either too idle to look for it, too shy to knock on doors or haven’t got a clue how to present themselves.
The FACT is that new drivers are getting work having put in a bit of effort.
I’ve always said this is a geographical issue and I’ll stick to that. I know it’s difficult in the NE and SW but that is far from nationwide.
Peter Smythe:
Whether you have had a “true” picture of the situation remains to be seen. I have to be careful as it could easily be construed that I have a vested interest in folks coming for training. Of course I have!
But I am not known for telling lies. And in the E. Midlands, there is a demand for drivers. Those who dont get the work are either too idle to look for it, too shy to knock on doors or haven’t got a clue how to present themselves.
The FACT is that new drivers are getting work having put in a bit of effort.
I’ve always said this is a geographical issue and I’ll stick to that. I know it’s difficult in the NE and SW but that is far from nationwide.
Good luck all, and stay positive!
Pete
I agree that new drivers CAN find work but often that is agency work with no fixed income guarantee in that way that a full time permanent job does
As I have always said Peter, the moment that the newly qualified are snapped up into full time perm jobs within days of passing then we know there is a real driver shortage
This was the whole idea, getting info from those that are in the know, this place seems great for that with people involved in training and many many others also with genuine experience of actually driving an HGV.
I am not under the impression that anyone here is anything less than honest, it’s a matter of perception maybe.
I’ve booked in for a medical and decided to let fate decide, once I’m past that hurdle I can see where I stand. Till then like I’ve said it’s all a tad academic!
I know now that getting a job is not impossible but will need more work than first thought.
Everyone here has been so very helpful and I can’t help but reiterate my gratitude for this
Not wishing to argue with ROG, but many drivers in our area are going into full time perm work as new starters. But I can only speak for what I know and that certainly isn’t nationally.
