A thread on the adult part of this site got me thinking about coaches.
However… I have had a class 1 licence for a while. And a class 2 licence for a bit longer. And I’ve used the class 2 since. I’ve done loads of supermarket work - where even the class 1 boys need to take the 18ters and 26ters out regularly.
So… If I wanted to get a D licence would I really need the same level of training as a rank amateur? I’m asking as I reckon if I am confident on a rigid truck a bus shouldn’t be a big drama. However I might be missing something obvious. Even the pulling in every 2 mins (if you do that on test) would come naturally to me as I have to pull over all the time doing delivery/supermarket work.
Cheers to anyone who knows.
Yes you would need to do the full course but may get away with one or two less practical training days
Take an assessment with a PCV training school 
A bus company trained me up (I just had a car licence), and another student I was with, was a lorry driver. We both got exactly the same amount of time behind the wheel despite him being far more competent.
That was their policy, everyone gets the same time behind the wheel before test, then if someone fails they may get more.
But that’s a bus company, they are paying for everything so they can do what they want.
If you are paying for your training yourself, you should go with a school that is willing to be flexible, who only charges you for what you need, and with your truck driving experience you are going to be a bit ahead of a car driver newbie, even if you may have developed bad habits and still have some things to learn.
It might be just a day’s less training you need but that’s what, £200 minimum if “a day’s training” is 4 hours driving, so worth saving
You would need to get the provisional Cat D on your licence and then take the Theory tests.
We would normally then do an assessment drive where one of the trainers would take you out for an hour and then recommend from there how much training they think you would need before taking a test, I’m guessing other companies do this too.
You would also need to do the Initial CPC for the bus
Tracey
( replying in Pete’s absence, while he’s sunning it up somewhere in France )