I have been toying with the idea of trying to get my C Licence for around a year now. I currently work in sales in South Wales and am happy in my current job, but would also really like to give driving a go as a job in the future.
I have done the medical and got my provisional C licence, so the next step would be taking the plunge and starting on the theory tests.
However, I am wondering whether it would be possible once passed, to stay in my current job to begin with, but use agencies to try to get weekend work to build up some experience and ultimately decide whether I’d like to pursue it full time.
My thinking is that this would allow me to get my licence sooner rather than later (probably saving money in the long run).
I just wondered what you guys think and whether this is a possible route.
I will assume you are currently working full-time (40 hours) 5 days a week?
With that assumption, the difficulty with your plan is in order to comply with the weekly rest rule, is that you’d only be able to work as a HGV driver 1 day per week every other week. So your number of days at work would look like this - 5,6,5,6 etc.(the 6th day being your day as a HGV driver)
This is because of the EU driver’s hours rules, specifically the weekly rest rule. A driver must take an unbroken rest period of 45 hours each week, think of this as your Saturday and Sunday off. However a reduced weekly rest period can be taken of a minimum of 24 hours every other week, so this would be like working Saturday and just having Sunday off.
I imagine most agencies won’t be interested in you if you can only work 1 day every other week. I might be wrong though, you have nothing to lose by making a phone call or a quick visit to an office.
Good luck with training if you choose to pursue it!
Trying to get experience for a FT jHGV ob whilst working in another FT job is a problem. I’m working 2 x shifts multi-drop a month with extra’s if I’m off my other job!
Thanks for that. How long did it take you to find that (through an agency I’m assuming?) and are you looking to leave your other FT job to try to go FT HGV?
Thanks for that. How long did it take you to find that (through an agency I’m assuming?) and are you looking to leave your other FT job to try to go FT HGV?
Yeah I signed up with 2 x agencies and started to get work from one of them.
Ive been looking for a FT job on class 1 since passing in June but getting a lot of ‘need a years experience’ responses. Stobart have just offered me a start so as long as I don’t [zb] up my assessment I should be up and running 25 years of Mental Health Nursing in the NHS and I can’t bloody wait to get in the Scania
I have been looking around online for local weekend driving jobs to see what is out there and have found a vacancy with a local brewery for casual weekend van drivers.
I think this might be a good chance to get an idea of what I can expect from a driving job, so am going to apply and see what happens.
8 hours a week on the weekend and a free crate of beer every month!
I sent in an application for the casual delivery van driver job and they have asked me to interview next week. It’s minimum wage but only 8 hours a weekend so I’m going to interview and see what happens.
My thinking is that if it goes well and I enjoy the driving as a job then I’m half way to knowing whether to push on and get a C licence and I could use the wage to save for the licence at the same time. The free crate of beer each month will be well received too!
Another thought is that they have HGVs on the road also, so do I mention that driving those is something I’d like to do in the future or not.
I sent in an application for the casual delivery van driver job and they have asked me to interview next week. It’s minimum wage but only 8 hours a weekend so I’m going to interview and see what happens.
My thinking is that if it goes well and I enjoy the driving as a job then I’m half way to knowing whether to push on and get a C licence and I could use the wage to save for the licence at the same time. The free crate of beer each month will be well received too!
Another thought is that they have HGVs on the road also, so do I mention that driving those is something I’d like to do in the future or not.
Any advice or thoughts much appreciated!
Paul
Congrats on getting to the interview stage.
I would absolutely mention you’re interested in bigger vehicles and already have your provisional C - Depending on the company, they might even offer you a deal to sign an employment contract for a set amount of time, in exchange for putting you through your Cat C + CPC. Even if they don’t, it would be worth asking how it works for CPC, if they provide training etc for the potential future.
Van drivers will work much harder in my opinion, as you wont be on a tacho so no need to take breaks by certain amount of time in to the shift etc.
As it is beer delivery, I would be asking if there is a driver’s mate, although you are looking at van level now, most Cat C driving jobs for drinks give you a driver’s mate. - My local brewery does, as well as DHL Tradeteam do anyway - I think K+N do too when deliverying to the customer?
Do you get a choice of what beer the crate is each month ?
OK cool, I will definitely ask about further training and mention the provisional C licence then, thanks.
Yes that makes sense regarding no tacho. The job description mentions that sometimes you’d be driving with a driver’s mate and sometimes on your own.
Not sure about beer choice but my research for the interview is going to be buying a crate of their beer this weekend so I have some knowledge of their product
Good news, the interview was positive and I have been offered the weekend work.
I think it will start as a 4 hour contract, which should suit me fine as it should give me an insight into the work, whilst not taking up my whole weekend.
I am just waiting for an induction date now, but in the meantime I just wondered whether there was anything else I should be aware of?
25 years of Mental Health Nursing in the NHS and I can’t bloody wait to get in the Scania 
