I want to provide a warning to wannabee drivers on here.
I took training with an organisation which seemed to be reputable, just after Lockdown 1 and was shocked to discover extremely filthy CPC training classroom conditions (students had to clean their desks before sitting down, it was so dirty) and poor standards of training with an instructor smoking in the cab, and turning up late for lessons, and no facilities at my practical training location (not even a toilet)
So apart from all of the above. I failed my first test about 8 weeks ago on the reversing exercise (nerves !) and then did a retest today.
I got 3 minors and one major. Without the major i believe i would have passed.
When i turned up at the training location the instructor (who had been there 2 weeks and had already resigned) told me that the vehicle had a “loss of power” issue.
The loss of power is the reason why i failed, as i was unable to move away safely at a roundabout,
When i complained to the company, and requested a free retest due to the vehicle defects they told me i “needed more training” - I don’t - I think my test results on the test today show some minors but i would have passed without the loss of power issues.
If you want to know who this company are - I will happily tell you. PM me.
if anyone from the company is reading - you know who you are.
I’m not being bitchy. But, to the best of my knowledge, it’s fine to name names provided the info is true. It’s important to stop other folks making the same mistakes.
It is a shame companies like this still exist when some take such pride and care in what they do, and others will rob peoples money and potentially ruin peoples dreams of a new career
Pete S:
I’m not being bitchy. But, to the best of my knowledge, it’s fine to name names provided the info is true. It’s important to stop other folks making the same mistakes.
Best of luck next time, Pete
The name of the company is called J Coates (HGV Services) Ltd, HQ address is 46-50 Great Central St. Leicester LE1 4NF
I have unfortunately had to lodge a complaint with VOSA against them yesterday for supplying a defective vehicle for my test, which they , of course, deny.
it’s very difficult to “move off safely” on a roundabout when the vehicle completely loses power halfway across the roundabout, and the tester shouts “move move” and your foot is to the floor.
The DVSA instructor warned their instructor not to bring the vehicle back until for further tests until it was remedied, or the test would be stopped immediately.
They have refused to pay for a retest for me, telling me they would happily sell me more training . i only had 3 minors apart from the move off safely issue.
So if anyone knows of any companies who would be willing to accompany me to a test, without requiring me to do more “training” where some fat bald bloke smoking cigarettes shouts “look in yer mirrors more mate” then please let me know, because this company is abysmal.
The guy that accompanied me to the test had been with them 2 weeks, had never been an instructor before and was training people. He had already resigned after two weeks because of vehicle maintenance issues.
ROG:
Odd being that company as previous reports albeit some time ago had been good
Perhaps things have changed recently
Well it’s definitely not a good experience from a students perspective now.
Particularly when they vehemently deny (on the phone) that there is anything wrong with the vehicle after a DVSA tester told them about it, i told them about it, and I had just stood beside the employee calling up his manager to request that he drive his car to a next job because of the state of the vehicle that i had to do the test in.
They have refused to discuss it further with me, which speaks volumes to me, at least.
They are charlatans.
Very strange J coates have been going a long long time. Never been to them myself but always thought they would be a fairly reliable established provider of training. Whether it would have been truck or fork lift truck training. Started in 1970. You don’t normally stay in business that many years if conditions were as described generally. Motors I’ve seen do seem to be on the older side though of theirs but an old motor doesn’t mean it’s bad necessarily if it’s well maintained.
simcor:
Very strange J coates have been going a long long time. Never been to them myself but always thought they would be a fairly reliable established provider of training. Whether it would have been truck or fork lift truck training. Started in 1970. You don’t normally stay in business that many years if conditions were as described generally. Motors I’ve seen do seem to be on the older side though of theirs but an old motor doesn’t mean it’s bad necessarily if it’s well maintained.
Well I don’t know what to tell you. This isn’t sour grapes on my part. It’s just facts.
simcor:
Very strange J coates have been going a long long time. Never been to them myself but always thought they would be a fairly reliable established provider of training. Whether it would have been truck or fork lift truck training. Started in 1970. You don’t normally stay in business that many years if conditions were as described generally. Motors I’ve seen do seem to be on the older side though of theirs but an old motor doesn’t mean it’s bad necessarily if it’s well maintained.
Well I don’t know what to tell you. This isn’t sour grapes on my part. It’s just facts.
Didn’t suggest it was anything of the sort buddy. Just seems very odd for such an established training business to be as bad as you describe. They come over as a well run business as far you can tell from website and Facebook etc and seem to have plenty of decent reviews from lots of people.
Unless they have rapidly gone downhill very recently but to let standard slip like that is purely down to bad management if that’s the case.
Obviously you can comment on your personal experience, having never been to them I can’t comment on experience just on what I can see from the obvious.
Tbh I did my class 2 in 2003 with a bloke and wife team which my boss paid for. The truck was a G reg Mec unit that had been stretched and downplated to an 18 tonner. It was frankly an awful vehicle to learn in and the gearbox was awful to use but it drove fine for what it was. Training was also 2:1 and yet they did a decent enough job for me to pass the test back then.
There were very little facilities because they were a small training school but the training I felt was decent enough. Using the test centre reversing area etc and I wouldn’t say it held me back in any way. Just to say facilities etc is great but a lot comes down to the trainers and the attitude of the staff.
With the forum sponsor Peter Smythe you actually do get the best of both worlds, some decent enough facilities ans trucks and instructors and staff. I got the opposite with my class 2, horrid truck and no real facilities but yet decent instruction.
I realise now that I was at cross purposes and probably had two threads on the go. So, yes, J Coates and Doctors on Wheels ARE linked, unlike Mansel Davies which is another argument.
DVSA have far reaching powers from operator licensing and mot to type approval.
DVLA can also make life hard with medical issues and renewals.
One point I will mention though is that since the new EC rules of LGV rather than HGV the vehicles have changed to sided box vans with automatic gearboxes, good mirrors and comfortable. Many of us if we even took a test used an old TK Bedford, flat trailer and these were normally past their use before date! [emoji39]
Wheel Nut:
I don’t see the correlation either with what I said or why Doctors on Wheels would turn up at a ministry testing station. I certainly cannot find Ms Eburne on Mansel Davies list of directors and vice versa.
DVSA have far reaching powers from operator licensing and mot to type approval.
DVLA can also make life hard with medical issues and renewals.
One point I will mention though is that since the new EC rules of LGV rather than HGV the vehicles have changed to sided box vans with automatic gearboxes, good mirrors and comfortable. Many of us if we even took a test used an old TK Bedford, flat trailer and these were normally past their use before date! [emoji39]
I cant imagine any company knowingly turning up for anything at a DVSA Testing Station with a dangerous or faulty vehicle.
Sadly, it’s far from unheard of. The training industry is in a mess - and has been for years. With no qualifications required for instructors and blanket exemption from Operator Licencing, it’s common for training vehicles to be checked prior to MOT and that will be the only time (unless they break down) that they go near a spanner.
Naturally, with any generalisation, there’s loads of exceptions and I’m not suggesting this is the case with every trainer.
Speaking for PSTT, the fleet is operated in exactly the same way as if on O licence. ie all the preventative maintained checks carried out, strict multiple daily check routines in place. Add this to 1st class facilities, modern fleet and fully qualified and registered instructors, and this is why not all training is the same.
Having said all that, stuff will go wrong. Years ago, it was mechanical faults. Nowadays it’s more likely to be electrics/electronics. Folks will accept that any vehicle can throw up a fault at any time. But reputation rests on how this is dealt with. eg in the case of PSTT, a faulty vehicle would be replaced prior to test. If the fault arose on test then a further test would be provided free of charge with no question.
I cant imagine any company knowingly turning up for anything at a DVSA Testing Station with a dangerous or faulty vehicle.
Sadly, it’s far from unheard of. The training industry is in a mess - and has been for years. With no qualifications required for instructors and blanket exemption from Operator Licencing, it’s common for training vehicles to be checked prior to MOT and that will be the only time (unless they break down) that they go near a spanner.
Naturally, with any generalisation, there’s loads of exceptions and I’m not suggesting this is the case with every trainer.
Speaking for PSTT, the fleet is operated in exactly the same way as if on O licence. ie all the preventative maintained checks carried out, strict multiple daily check routines in place. Add this to 1st class facilities, modern fleet and fully qualified and registered instructors, and this is why not all training is the same.
Having said all that, stuff will go wrong. Years ago, it was mechanical faults. Nowadays it’s more likely to be electrics/electronics. Folks will accept that any vehicle can throw up a fault at any time. But reputation rests on how this is dealt with. eg in the case of PSTT, a faulty vehicle would be replaced prior to test. If the fault arose on test then a further test would be provided free of charge with no question.
Pete
Glad to see the whole Doctors on Wheels story validates my post . I’m not kidding about them. Awful company.
So anyone fancy accompanying me to a test for a reasonable fee ?
I’m in Oxfordshire.
So anyone fancy accompanying me to a test for a reasonable fee ?
Be very careful. The chances of passing a test in a different vehicle, especially if it is in a different area, are not good.
Your best way forward is to contact a couple of GOOD trainers (you can establish this, to a point, by checking reviews and a personal visit) and book assessments. Any trainer who simply offers you a test should be avoided like the plague as this is 100% unprofessional and the chances of a pass are very low.
So anyone fancy accompanying me to a test for a reasonable fee ?
Be very careful. The chances of passing a test in a different vehicle, especially if it is in a different area, are not good.
Your best way forward is to contact a couple of GOOD trainers (you can establish this, to a point, by checking reviews and a personal visit) and book assessments. Any trainer who simply offers you a test should be avoided like the plague as this is 100% unprofessional and the chances of a pass are very low.
Pete S
Therin lies the problem.
On the face of it, j Coates were “good” been around for ages etc.
There is simply no way of knowing. It;s the wild west out there.
I’ve done my training. i’ve done 2 tests, and i have been driving agricultural and normal vehicles since the 80’s.
Not sure how to proceed right now, but I am loathe to pay ANY trainers at the moment after this experience.
Pete S:
But reputation rests on how this is dealt with. eg in the case of PSTT, a faulty vehicle would be replaced prior to test. If the fault arose on test then a further test would be provided free of charge with no question.
Pete [emoji38] [emoji38]
Totally agree with you Pete, how a business deals with an issue is extremely important when issues do arise as no one is exempt from issues not matter how good your business is run or how good staff are. Things will sometimes occasionally go wrong.
It seems that J coates have not dealt with this very well from what the poster says, also the fact they are also the same company providing medicals and recent issues with that side of the business it makes it even clearer they probably should be avoided.
Riddlemethis:
Therin lies the problem.
On the face of it, j Coates were “good” been around for ages etc.
There is simply no way of knowing. It;s the wild west out there.
I’ve done my training. i’ve done 2 tests, and i have been driving agricultural and normal vehicles since the 80’s.
Not sure how to proceed right now, but I am loathe to pay ANY trainers at the moment after this experience.
Not sure on the legalities of the situation have you got anything recorded like documented evidence of what happened and any correspondence with them?
I wonder whether with enough evidence you could try the small claims court aka online money claim, cheap to instigate and with enough evidence they probably wouldn’t have a leg to stand on and you’d get your money back and then could spend it at a reputable trainer like Peter’s.
Having trained with PSST I can vouch that they are 100% and Pete cares deeply about his business and its reputation, that can be seen on here many many times over in his posts and the feedback they get on here as well.
