Hi folks!
I’ve been lurking as a guest for a while but finally decided to sign up and post! Long story short all I’ve ever done is crap jobs for rubbish pay, I’m in my mid 20s and it’s time for a change. I decided I want to get my HGV licence and drive trucks for a living. My dad has been a truck driver for over 25 years and whilst he doesn’t love it, he earns a good wage and doesn’t completely hate it. I know it’s not all sunshine and rainbows but I think on the balance I will enjoy it. 
I can’t start training until the beginning of April at the earliest so I am trying to get whatever I can done in the meantime to speed up the process. By that I mean get my medical done and paperwork sent off for provisional, and practice for theory tests, perhaps book the theory test if I feel ready? Any more ideas or is that about it until I start training?
Hoping to go to the open day with Peter Smythes, and do my licence with them, it is only about an hour away from me…
Cheers all.
Can you do some trailer reversing be it car and trailer as that will help ?
I look forward to meeting you. Open Day offers will be on Trucknet soon. So you may have a pleasant surprise!
Pete 
Hi Rog and Peter,
Good suggestion: I am going to attend Peter’s open day and hopefully have a go reversing the artic!
Cheers
Just noticed you are in Leicester ROG, me too. 
Pete, great offer. Just to be clear, that does not include the medical/theory tests, correct? I’m going to get my medical and licence sent off, study for the theory tests and book them once my provisional comes back… then I should be ready to go!
TommyT8:
Just noticed you are in Leicester ROG, me too.
Pete, great offer. Just to be clear, that does not include the medical/theory tests, correct? I’m going to get my medical and licence sent off, study for the theory tests and book them once my provisional comes back… then I should be ready to go!
D4 MEDICAL LEICESTER £48 = gettingamedical.co.uk/locations/leicester/
Tick C & D only on D2 form
It doesn’t include medical and theorys cos there’s some folks (like the OP) who sort their own. But we have a package - the Starter Pack - which includes medical, online theory training, 1 day classroom theory, 1 day Mod 2 and introduction to Drivers’ Hours and Tachos, all 3 theory tests booked and paid for at your local centre. Cost of this is £250. There’s often a discount on this on the Open Day as well.
Pete
Just read this thread more carefully and have a question - did you know you have to pass C before going for CE 
ROG:
Just read this thread more carefully and have a question - did you know you have to pass C before going for CE
Yes, sorry if I wasn’t so clear. From what I understand I need to…
- Pass medical, send off D2 and D4 forms with current car licence to DVLA
- Once it’s returned, pass theory tests (Module 1 and Module 2)
- Begin driver training for cat C, do practical test (Module 3)
- Do Module 4 (practical knowledge test)
- If successful, do training for C+E and another practical test for artic
Does that look about right?
Just booked my medical for Wednesday, I wear glasses all the time and they want me to bring my prescription which I don’t have… I’ve booked an eye test for Monday so I can ask for my current glasses prescription and I haven’t had them tested in a year so that won’t hurt to do that (although my eyesight is fine with glasses).
Hopefully nothing will mess up…
Looks spot on. You haven’t mentioned hazard perception test but I’m sure that’s an oversight.
Pete
Peter Smythe:
Looks spot on. You haven’t mentioned hazard perception test but I’m sure that’s an oversight.
Pete
I lumped it altogether in Module 1 as it’s two parts if I’m not mistaken, 1a 100 questions, 1b hazard perception.
Thanks for confirming!
You’re right again! Just trying to avoid any hiccups as you’ve put the effort in to get it right.
Pete
Peter Smythe:
You’re right again! Just trying to avoid any hiccups as you’ve put the effort in to get it right.
Pete
Thanks Pete, appreciate it! I like to make sure everything is in order before I do something…
Will update this thread as I go along… see you on the open day!
Medical done and everything sent off today… blood pressure was on the high side but under the limit for lorry licence. Let’s see how long it takes to get back.
Going to practice for the theory tests now and hopefully book them once my licence returns.
You say that all you have ever done are crap jobs for rubbish money.
You are gonna love truck driving mate.
eagerbeaver:
You say that all you have ever done are crap jobs for rubbish money.
You are gonna love truck driving mate.
A read of the OP tells me that this chap is going into this with his eyes open and has guidance from his Dad who has a similar length of experience to mine.
You’re not wide of the mark, but at least he’ll know what to expect!!
eagerbeaver:
You say that all you have ever done are crap jobs for rubbish money.
You are gonna love truck driving mate.
I know it’s not all sunshine and rainbows, my dad hasn’t buttered it up one bit, in fact usually when I call him while he’s driving he’s swearing at some idiot in a car that’s cut him up… and the joys of the transport planners…
The jobs I’ve done previously were pretty crap, cleaning on a kids cancer ward and A&E department, literally mopping up crap, blood from miscarriages, sick, being spat at etc. for less than £8 an hour and more recently doing a job in the same environment but doing a stupid on call system which meant you could end up working for 19 hours straight without going home (which happened multiple times), getting into bed and recieving another phonecall… and being expected to come back in first thing in the morning… did plenty of shifts that started at 0830 and didn’t go home until 0400 the following morning… back in at 0830 the same morning… all for just under £9 per hour.
So yeah in comparison I’d rather be sitting in a truck… even if it means boring stretches of motorway, waiting 4 hours to be unloaded, early starts, late finishes, whatever… better pay than what I’ve done before and at least there’s some legal limit to working hours!
Everyone thinks their job is crap but there’s always something even ■■■■■■■■ out there
Went to the Peter Smythe training open day early this morning to have a look. Great place and super friendly staff. Had a go in three trucks, the rigid and two artics… loved it! Deposit paid, now to wait for my licence to come back and do the theory tests! Excited to do my training here with a good group of people!
Highly recommend going to the open day when the next one comes round.
Didn’t have a ■■■■■ as I’m on a diet 
I prefer donuts to diet. But that accounts for a lot haha!
Thanks for the recommendation.
Pete