prawnabie
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| posted on 2/6/16 at 08:46 PM |
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Career change to HGV?
Hi all,
I've been thinking of taking my HGV licences for the past 10 years but something has always taken priority money wise (marriage/house/kids etc).
My current job up till now has been good to me but it looks like towards the end of the year I am going to have to take on more responsibility for the
same amount of money, so I have decided now I am financial able to I am going to put more consideration into going for my CPC and HGV tests.
I have done a fair amount of research and I have been looking a taking both my CAT C and C+E tests at the same time as this will save my a fair amount
of cash+time but is this advisable? Should I be doing the Cat C and getting some experience or is it common for people to do them both at the same
time?
Thanks,
Shaun
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emlyno
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| posted on 2/6/16 at 09:12 PM |
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Hi Shaun
You will be unable to take C and C+E at the same time. The tests are staged, ie. you need to pass Cat C and then apply for a C+E test. You should be
able to find all the info on the DVSA website.
Good luck with your change of career.
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r1_pete
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| posted on 3/6/16 at 07:30 AM |
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Can't answer the specific question, but, I would say just go and do it if it leads to something you want to do, I wish I had done something
similar a few years ago but its a bit late for me now, I got stuck in the IT rut - fur lined rut, but a rut just the same.
I do agree with the saying - you only regret what you didn't do.......
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nick205
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| posted on 3/6/16 at 07:55 AM |
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Coozer (IIRC) on here is an HGV driver and may be able to give you first hand advice/knowledge on this activity. I'm considering taking a fork
lift test (which my employer has offered to pay for) purely because I can and it would be a useful thing to have.
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Irony
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| posted on 3/6/16 at 08:10 AM |
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Sound like the normal relationship between employer and employee. Employer wants to give the employee more responsibility at the same wage to see if
the employee can do the job. Employee won't take on more responsibility without a wage rise. Stalemate. I'd take on the extra
responsibility and do the HGV training. If a wage rise doesn't appear when you've proved yourself then leave.
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coozer
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| posted on 3/6/16 at 09:41 AM |
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OK, after many years of getting my nuts chewed off at Ford and Jaguar as a qa engineer I did my C just cause I wanted to drive a truck.... 3 months
later I did my CE and started work through an agency.. Then one year later went LTD and have not looked back, in fact, wish I'd done it years
and years ago...
You need to have a D4 medical first, apply for a provisional HGV licence then find a good driving school. You normally get five days tuition then
your test.
Then for the CE 3 or 5 days then another test.
Before you can drive you need a CPC driver card. The actual tests count towards it but you might want to do it after your cat C so you can go out and
do some work.
Now the work is varied from multi drop to tramping.. With the cat C I got a lot of supermarket delivery work (coop) which I quite liked but now I do
nightshift trunks. There are millions of parcel trucks on the road every night....
I have some rules for the 4 agency's I use, no days, no multi drop, trunks only, no nights out and £12 an hour minimum.. The further south you
go the more per hour. Just turned down a 3 month job driving the F1 trucks through Europe cause Stobards only pay a flat £125 a day. That works out
about £5.50 per hour.... One direction tour last year paid £220 a day with a 5 star hotel every night...
I am not interested in a permanent job, like I said I'm ltd company and work when I want. My accountant takes care of my payroll and dealings
with hrmc.
Go for it!!
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
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chris
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| posted on 3/6/16 at 11:46 AM |
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I have had my class one for 20years its great for picking up extra work when you want it I have been plumbing for last ten years and when work was
short just called driving agency and yes night trunking is the way to go I have actually stopped plumbing at the moment cos was offered a 4 on 4 off
night trunk good money and a long weekend every week well 4days off anyway
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ian996
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| posted on 4/6/16 at 12:30 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by emlyno
Hi Shaun
You will be unable to take C and C+E at the same time. The tests are staged, ie. you need to pass Cat C and then apply for a C+E test. You should be
able to find all the info on the DVSA website.
Good luck with your change of career.
I don't think he meant that though.
You can pay to take them both at once (one after the other) as a course - which is a lot cheaper and presents a saving.
You can also do Hi-AB, HAZ-MAT and any other components, tailoring a course to suit your requirements and budget.
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coozer
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| posted on 4/6/16 at 02:04 PM |
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Has the rules changed? As far as I'm aware you cannot apply for the CE test until you have passed your C....
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
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big_wasa
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| posted on 4/6/16 at 04:34 PM |
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It pays the bills but I can't help feeling I should be using my brains to earn a living. I would love to retrain as an electrician.
Around here we have huge imergration but it is a job where I could walk from my front door and get several differant jobs with in a couple of hours.
Doesn't mean I would like them but they would pay the bills.
I have c+e ie class 1 + ADR but I only ever do ridgid work ( 32 ton 8 wheeler ) and I am happy, No nights out and very few week ends but will often do
50~60 hours a week. I get to do some interesting stuff and see differant things. Yesterday I refuelled a Dutch boat putting up a wind farm on the
east coast. Last year we supplied the fuel to a power station that was being serviced and got a quick tour. A few years back I got six weeks on an
artic running in to the refineries and loved this but to get on it full time I would have to move nearer the refinery. Some of the old contracts there
are £45k / year and a very steady.
So to sum up it's an honest living, wage will depend on area and around here it's not the best but I have very little worry of not being
able to pay the mortgage and that's why I took my Lgv in the first place.  that and I can tow what I like 
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emlyno
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| posted on 4/6/16 at 07:20 PM |
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As I said in my original post the tests are staged. You will be unable to train in a C+E until you have a full Cat C licence so you can't
combine the training courses.
HI AB etc training and tests are a separate issue.
As I said, check out the DVSA website, it's quite helpful.
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prawnabie
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| posted on 5/6/16 at 07:44 AM |
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Thanks for all the info guys - advice from people already in the industry is really what i am after. I can pay for both tests and lessons up front and
take them both in one block and save a lot of money - sorry if I confused anyone!
The job I am in now is not going to be worth it for the money soon and I know if I don't get out soon I am going to be there on the same money
for the next few years at least I will regret not taking the chance... I don't have enough annual leave to take the lessons whilst I am at work
(I estimate 3 weeks worth of training) so I will have to leave to do it.
There are a few things to weigh up, loss of company car, probably having to sell the Westie for back up cash in case it all falls through etc but I am
really hoping it all falls into place!
Thanks again,
Shaun
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chris
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| posted on 5/6/16 at 09:57 AM |
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as long as you have the cash to carry you through the training and test costs and assuming you pass .you will get work straight away so no need to
sell the mans toy !!!!!!
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steve m
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| posted on 5/6/16 at 04:55 PM |
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personly, I would get the medical done first, as I failed my class1 for Civil aviation
however a class 2, for PPL use is fine, so the PPl was done, and many years of expensive enjoyment ensued
but in reality, what a waste of money !
steve
Thats was probably spelt wrong, or had some grammer, that the "grammer police have to have a moan at
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chris
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| posted on 5/6/16 at 05:35 PM |
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It pays the bills but I can't help feeling I should be using my brains to earn a living. I would love to retrain as an electrician.
I wish I had trained as an electrician the only tools you need are a screw driver and wire cutters
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