Hi all
I currently have an auto only car license which I’ve had for about 15 years - I’m actually currently in the process of upgrading that to a manual one but the waiting time for tests is mad at the moment!
My question is in theory if I were to obtain (or at least start the process) of learning to drive a cat c in an auto would this get upgraded to a manual cat c license once I’d passed my manual car license or does it only work the other way around?
Sorry for the dumb question!
Nick
No only a higher category manual entitlement will upgrade a lower entitlement. If you do your class C in manual truck it will upgrade your B to manual.
Finding schools with manual trucks is harder these days.
Most trucks are auto these days at bigger companies where they are also replaced regularly. Smaller companies or specialised jobs might require a manual gearbox.
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As an aside if you pass your B manual entitlement then do your C entitlement after even in an auto you will also still get manual truck entitlement. But as you already have a licence it would be easier and cheaper to do manual C test if you can find a school that had a manual C truck.
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B auto then C auto then B manual = all in manual
ROG:
B auto then C auto then B manual = all in manual
Learn something new every day I always understood only a higher category would upgrade a lower category and not a lower category would upgrade a higher category.
Regardless I think it is surely easier to learn in a manual truck as it’s only 1 test etc as opposed to 2.
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Thanks for the advice guys, really appreciate it 
So just so I’ve got my understanding correct. It would be entirely possible to go ahead with Cat C training in an automatic and then take my manual car licence at some point (either before or after my HGV test) and that would upgrade the HGV to a manual even if it was after the Cat C test?
I see what simcor is saying about doing the cat c in a manual - the main thing I’m looking to avoid really is having to wait months for a car test and then having the possibility of something going wrong on the day and then the next test being months after that - all for a licence I don’t really require in my day to day life, so if doing it around the cat c process is an option that would be great!!!
nick12399:
Thanks for the advice guys, really appreciate itSo just so I’ve got my understanding correct. It would be entirely possible to go ahead with Cat C training in an automatic and then take my manual car licence at some point (either before or after my HGV test) and that would upgrade the HGV to a manual even if it was after the Cat C test?
Yes - I checked that a few months ago with DVLA
nick12399:
Hi allI currently have an auto only car license which I’ve had for about 15 years - I’m actually currently in the process of upgrading that to a manual one but the waiting time for tests is mad at the moment!
My question is in theory if I were to obtain (or at least start the process) of learning to drive a cat c in an auto would this get upgraded to a manual cat c license once I’d passed my manual car license or does it only work the other way around?
Sorry for the dumb question!
Nick
May I ask why you want a manual license?
I’ve never driven a manual truck up to this day. It’s very rare to find a manual truck and even if you do find one most people don’t want to drive them. I would just concentrate on your cat C and if a manual license is really important to you then you can also upgrade your car license at a later date. I wouldn’t recommend doing a cat C test in a manual.
Asad_uk:
nick12399:
Hi allI currently have an auto only car license which I’ve had for about 15 years - I’m actually currently in the process of upgrading that to a manual one but the waiting time for tests is mad at the moment!
My question is in theory if I were to obtain (or at least start the process) of learning to drive a cat c in an auto would this get upgraded to a manual cat c license once I’d passed my manual car license or does it only work the other way around?
Sorry for the dumb question!
Nick
May I ask why you want a manual license?
I’ve never driven a manual truck up to this day. It’s very rare to find a manual truck and even if you do find one most people don’t want to drive them. I would just concentrate on your cat C and if a manual license is really important to you then you can also upgrade your car license at a later date. I wouldn’t recommend doing a cat C test in a manual.
I was under the impression (I may well be wrong) that it may be more difficult picking up work if I was restricted in any way. I agree about doing the cat c in a manual - I won’t be doing that if I can help it.
Now I know that it’s possible to upgrade the car license at a later date in order to upgrade the lot that it definitely the route I’m going to take.
Asad_uk:
May I ask why you want a manual license?
I’ve never driven a manual truck up to this day. It’s very rare to find a manual truck and even if you do find one most people don’t want to drive them.
At which point the operater says “There’s the door driver…”
I have to disagree entirely: I’ve rarely found the vehicle I’m going to drive is an auto, manuals are far more common. And if the OP is brand new, they’ll be most likely starting at the bottom of the pile and most likely will have to cut their teeth with an agency and will therefore need to be an all-rounder: manaual gearboxes, analogue tachos, the lot.
Zac_A:
Asad_uk:
May I ask why you want a manual license?
I’ve never driven a manual truck up to this day. It’s very rare to find a manual truck and even if you do find one most people don’t want to drive them.At which point the operater says “There’s the door driver…”
I have to disagree entirely: I’ve rarely found the vehicle I’m going to drive is an auto, manuals are far more common. And if the OP is brand new, they’ll be most likely starting at the bottom of the pile and most likely will have to cut their teeth with an agency and will therefore need to be an all-rounder: manaual gearboxes, analogue tachos, the lot.
This is exactly what I thought which is why I’m looking to get the car license upgraded as well to cover the lot.
I’m going to be booking my medical and sending off for my provisional shortly (holding back til after the 15th so C+E is added although ATM I’m thinking of just doing cat C anyway - I know there is another thread on this topic). Plan is then to book a car test for the manual upgrade and crack on with the HGV theory in the meantime before moving onto the practical HGV stuff.
I’m hoping this will all seamlessly come together in terms of timings. I’m quite fortunate in that I’m not in a massive rush as I have a fairly well paid (boring!) office job which is WFH at the moment so is a doddle but I’ve been wanting to do this for quite a while but haven’t been able to due to personal circumstances.
Hopefully it all works out 