HGV License

[wilson_sri]

Thinking about paying to get my HGV license, both rigid and artic. Used to be in the army, where i was cut short off my course when had to go away on a tour. Spent a lot of time thinking about getting it. But looking for advice if its really worth it?
Looks expensive to do a training course. Anyone here done it? Is it worth the money, will i make it back? And whatis the availability of jobs like?

:thumb:

[General Baxter]

my company paid for mine,

well over ?1.5k

i think its great driving big things lol

[draper]

my mates looking at doing one he's been qouted between 1800 and 2500 with a job at the end of it

[wilson_sri]

Yeh iv looked at a few training places, aint cheap! Is it worth paying all that cash for it?

[draper]

i wouldnt personnaly but you'll always be in work i suppose, my mates only doing it because he got made redundant and had 7k in his pocket so thought he may aswell go for it

[General Baxter]

i dont think its worth it, due to fuel prices, most haulage company WILL start having to make people redundant, just to turn a little profit

[chrisj_88]

im 19, need a c1 hgv license to be a paramedic, so ive passed my theory and booked my training course and test for the 15, 16, 17th april. its damn expensive tho, ?750.

but theres loads of jobs advertisments for c1 drivers, so my aim is to get a devlivery job on completion of the course until a paramedic training job comes up

[mowgli]

look at it like this, if you get a hgv licence, you always have an employable skill. if you have a class 1 hgv, you will always be employable pretty much anywhere.

[Ricky G]

im 19, need a c1 hgv license to be a paramedic, so ive passed my theory and booked my training course and test for the 15, 16, 17th april. its damn expensive tho, ?750.

but theres loads of jobs advertisments for c1 drivers, so my aim is to get a devlivery job on completion of the course until a paramedic training job comes up

by c1 im guessing you mean class 1, as in artic lorry's?? you cant do that untill you are 21???

my company are paying for mine and i have had quotes around the 1k mark for class 2. plus i will need hiab which is 550. but after/ if i pass all that i will be paying for my class 1. i would say its worth it. but i think driving is something you have to be good at and also have a good knowledge of roads ect. most haulage company's wont keep on a bloke that cant deliver the good's. pardon the pun.

[mowgli]

by c1 im guessing you mean class 1, as in artic lorry's?? you cant do that untill you are 21???

my company are paying for mine and i have had quotes around the 1k mark for class 2. plus i will need hiab which is 550. but after/ if i pass all that i will be paying for my class 1. i would say its worth it. but i think driving is something you have to be good at and also have a good knowledge of roads ect. most haulage company's wont keep on a bloke that cant deliver the good's. pardon the pun.

I borrowed this off the dvla website. the class C1 is the old 3.5 - 7.5t class
which us old gits got for free





In general, the minimum ages for driving on British roads are 16 years for invalid carriages and mopeds, 17 years for agricultural or forestry tractors, small vehicles and motorcycles, and 21 years for medium/large sized vehicles, minibuses and buses.

Listed below are vehicle category descriptions for driving tests passed after 1 January 1997 and the minimum ages for driving them. All weights refer to maximum authorised mass (MAM) unless stated otherwise. This is the total weight of the vehicle plus the maximum load it can carry.

Vehicle weights explained (http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&siteId=en&ssTargetNodeId=284&ssDocName=DG_4022708)
Motorcycles

DescriptionCategoryMinimum ageMopeds with an engine capacity not exceeding 50cc and a maximum design speed not exceeding 50km/hP16Light motorcycles with a cubic capacity not exceeding 125cc and a power output not exceeding 11kW (14.6bhp)A117Motorcycles up to 25kW(33bhp) and a power to weight ratio not exceeding 0.16kW/kg. Motorcycle combination with a power to weight ratio not exceeding 0.16kW/kgA17Any size motorcycle with or without a sidecarA21** Age 21 if the rider passed the test for large motorcycles as part of the Direct Access scheme, or two years from the date of test pass if the rider passed the test on a standard A motorcycle (power output up to 25 kW (33 bhp) or a power to weight ratio not exceeding 0.16kW/kg.)

Three or four wheeled light vehicles

DescriptionCategoryMinimum ageMotor tricycles / quadricycles, three or four wheeled vehicles with an unladen weight not exceeding 550kg
B1
17*

Cars with and without trailers

Description
Category
Minimum age
Motor vehicles with a MAM not exceeding 3500kg having not more than eight passenger seats with a trailer up to 750kg. Combinations of towing vehicles in category B and a trailer, where the MAM of the combination does not exceed 3500kg and the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen mass of the towing vehicleB
17*
As cars, but with automatic transmission
B
17*
Combinations of vehicles consisting of a vehicle in category B and a trailer, where the combination does not come within category BB+E
17
*Age 16 if you are currently getting Disability Living Allowance at the higher rate (mobility component)

Medium sized vehicles with or without trailers

Description
CategoryMinimum ageVehicles between 3500kg and 7500kg with a trailer up to 750kg
C1
18*
Combinations of vehicles where the towing vehicle is in subcategory C1 and its trailer has a MAM of over 750kg provided that the MAM of the combination thus formed does not exceed 12000kg and the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen mass of the towing vehicle. (If you passed your category B test prior to 1.1.1997 you will be restricted to a total weight not more than 8250kg)
C1+E
21*
*Age 18 if combination weight is under 7500kg

Large vehicles with or without trailers

DescriptionCategoryMinimum age
Vehicles over 3500kg with a trailer up to 750kg
C
21*
Vehicles over 3500kg with a trailer over 750kg
C+E
21*
*Age 17 if member of armed forces
*Age 18 if member of the young drivers scheme

Minibuses with or without trailers

Description
Category
Minimum age
Vehicles with between nine and sixteen passenger seats with a trailer up to 750kg
D1
21*
Combinations of vehicles where the towing vehicle is in subcategory D1 and its trailer has a MAM of over 750kg, provided that the MAM of the combination thus formed does not exceed 12000kg, and the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen mass of the towing vehicle
D1+E
21*

Buses with or without trailers

DescriptionCategoryMinimum ageAny bus with more than eight passenger seats with a trailer up to 750kgD21*Any bus with more than eight passenger seats with a trailer over 750kgD+E21*Age 17 if member of armed forces
*Age 18
a) while learning to drive or taking a passenger carrying vehicle (PCV) test
b) after passing a PCV test when:

driving on a regular service where the route does not exceed 50km
driving a PCV constructed to carry no more than 16 passengers
the vehicle is operated under a public service vehicle (PSV) operator's licence or permit



c) not engaged in the carriage of passengers

Other categories

DescriptionCategory
Minimum age
Agricultural tractors
F
17*
Road rollers
G
21**
Tracked vehicles
H
21
Mowing machine or vehicle controlled by a pedestrian
K
16
Mopeds
P
16
*Age 16 for tractors less than 2.45m wide, it must only pull trailers less than 2.45m wide with two wheels, or four close-coupled
**Age 17 for small road-rollers with metal or hard rollers, they must not be steam powered, weigh more than 11.69 tonnes or be made for carrying loads

Driving licence information codes

Your licence may include information codes which indicate what (if any) restrictions your driving entitlement is subject to. A list of the full descriptions of the information codes which appear on your driving licence can be found on the link below.

Information codes on your driving licence (http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&siteId=en&ssTargetNodeId=284&ssDocName=DG_10022623)






Additional links

See also...


How to tell DVLA about a medical condition (http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&siteId=en&ssTargetNodeId=282&ssDocName=DG_4022415)
The driving licence you need to tow a caravan or trailer (http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&siteId=en&ssTargetNodeId=287&ssDocName=DG_4022564)
Do it online


Take an official practice theory test (opens new window) (http://www.dsa.gov.uk/mockpaper/theoryintro.htm)
Book a theory or practical test online (opens new window) (https://pt.dsa.gov.uk/tests/online_booking_1.asp)
Motoring services available online... (http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&siteId=en&ssTargetNodeId=21&ssDocName=DG_10031642)
Order a driving licence application form (opens new window) (http://www.dvla.gov.uk/onlineservices/order_forms.aspx?ext=dg)
Useful contacts


Driving Standards Agency (DSA) - Customer Services (http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&siteId=en&ssTargetNodeId=359&ssDocName=DG_10011318)
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) contacts (http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&siteId=en&ssTargetNodeId=387&ssDocName=DG_10012974)

[Dave]

i work for a haulage company doing transport planning an when the drivers get back to the yard all they do is moan about how bad it's getting!
it depends what you want to do with the licence tbh, with the 48hr working week now in place and the lack of hgv drivers you should always have a job so it's good for the security,
but as said it's expensive, the government did offer places through companies on a training basis so might be worth a bit of investigation to see if they still do an if you can apply.

[white2lSR]

PCV is where its at:thumb: