Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Kate on 29 November 2013, 12:09:49
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Does anyone know where you can do category C LGV training that doesn't cost a fortune? Most places seem to charge over £1000. I'd really like to do C+E too but that doubles the cost.
Is it even worth doing? I don't know if there any any decent jobs. All you here about are people being laid off these days.
I've already got my provisional from when I did some bus driver training.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm sick of not working but I can't go back to teaching. It's 'orrible. ;D
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Taxi Al to the forum, please. ;)
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Does anyone know where you can do category C LGV training that doesn't cost a fortune? Most places seem to charge over £1000. I'd really like to do C+E too but that doubles the cost.
Is it even worth doing? I don't know if there any any decent jobs. All you here about are people being laid off these days.
I've already got my provisional from when I did some bus driver training.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm sick of not working but I can't go back to teaching. It's 'orrible. ;D
That's about the going rate these days I'm afraid Kate - my (any type) HGV training cast almost 800 quid nearly 20 years ago. That was for a 5-day course which included the actual test :o
Most truck drivers earn little more than minimum wage (pro rata per hour) and whilst they'll claim to be grossing several hundreds of pounds per week, that's usually due to the fact that they drive to the limit of the drivers hours regs each day. A 15-hour spread-over of duty from memory?
Given your stated situation, why not contact your local bus company?
Many now offer paid training to obtain the necessary licence, and the hourly rate's usually well above minimum wage level. Regular work and often a company pension/sick pay scheme too!
Sod being a lorry driver these days ... ;)
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Word from the wise.
DONT become a hgv driver shite hours,treated worse than sh***, facilities non existent, and if you start delivering to the supermarkets, be prepared to sit in a freezing cold,room on a plastic chair for 2hours minimum, then there's multi drop, try putting a 45 footer down a double parked industrial estate road then blinded it into a gateway, then there's tramping, that's even worse. European is now not much good,as the eastern Europeans have carved it right up, and ruined all the goodwill across Europe.
And any one who says "you going to earn £800 pw" that's for 80 odd hrs a week doing 5 and 6 days.
yes some supermarket drivers are earning good money,but they are old contracts,
Don't do it.
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It sounds like an awful job so that's put me right off. It would be interesting to hear if anyone likes the job? Surely there must be some good things to say about the job?
I did think about bus driving but I've just found that I'm over the weight limit to work for my local company. >:(
I think I'll just stay at home. :'(
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O and did i mention the jobs "f#####"
it might look good when you watch trucks n trailers on ch5 or ice road truckers, they just show the glory not the real job.
then there's the driver cpc,
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Be positive missus! :y
Found this: http://www.metrobus.co.uk/about-us/vacancies/
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Where to start...
From experience, I had the opportunity to do my hgv test, was summat I always wanted to do, so put myself through my C, C+E and driver cpc.
Agency work looks plentiful but there's a mahoosive difference between signing on for an agency position and actually working. As said above, it really isn't what it's cracked up to be. Sure it's nice to be on the road and when the day goes well then great, but when it doesn't...
Forget getting a propper, full time job without two years experience. That's two years full time driving, not two years agency membership.
Best advice I can give is do your driver CPC and assuming you have a C1 licence, apply to UPS or TNT for multidrop full time work. Both are the best two firms in that industry. If you only have a B (upto 3.5t) then Tesco/Waitrose home delivery, again two of the best employers in that area.
Seths' suggestion is also a sound one, big depot in Godstone :y
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we use 7.5 box vehicles (C1) which we have agency drivers for but although they get sat and sunday premiums, the base rate isnt too good.With our standard 45 footers, 5 yrs ago we had a lot of contract HGV drivers who used to brag about the money they earnt but those days are long gone. Working for a supermarket as an HGV driver isnt so bad either wages or conditions wise but these days there is a lot of talk about them using contractors instead. Depending on the area you live in-Northampton way for eg remains reasonable because of its central location and number of distribution centres-will also affect job opportunites. By DEC next year you will need a CPC qualification whether you do agency work with small box vehicles or HGV.
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we use 7.5 box vehicles (C1) which we have agency drivers for but although they get sat and sunday premiums, the base rate isnt too good.With our standard 45 footers, 5 yrs ago we had a lot of contract HGV drivers who used to brag about the money they earnt but those days are long gone. Working for a supermarket as an HGV driver isnt so bad either wages or conditions wise but these days there is a lot of talk about them using contractors instead. Depending on the area you live in-Northampton way for eg remains reasonable because of its central location and number of distribution centres-will also affect job opportunites. By DEC next year you will need a CPC qualification whether you do agency work with small box vehicles or HGV.
All well and good, but no experience = no employment :'(
Driver CPC applies to any vehicle over 3.5t driven commercially, if you don't have C1, then might as well do C test :-\
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got my class 1 in the early 70,s 73 to be exact(seventeen and knew it all in the army)lol been driving class 1 ever since,earnt very good money all me life,however now being told i have to
take a drivers cpc before net september >:( when i started it was all flat beds and roping and sheeting,no satnav,just a box of maps and if you couldnt firnd your way to the droips you got the tintack,same for maintenance on the truck,so over 30years of experience and now i need to take a test to get a piece of paper saying i know what im doing? countrys gone mad!!
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I was a Lorryist for a while and as Al has pointed out the agencies are pretty much your only employment option as a new driver. Expect the shitty jobs and shifts that no one else wants to do. So 3am starts and at least a 13 hour day are pretty routine. ::)
I think I was lucky as I got in with an agency that had a good contract with a national transport company that did chilled food, there was usually plenty of work and it was mainly trunking work so it wasn't too taxing. Every so often it would go quiet and I'd get a 3 day week which wasn't ideal. :-\ However I was renovating a run down house at the time so I could generally work as much or as little as I liked. :)
I havn't used my HGV licence for a few years now, but have always regarded it as my 'safety net', but I'll probably let it go next year as I'm not going to fork out for a CPC! >:(
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got my class 1 in the early 70,s 73 to be exact(seventeen and knew it all in the army)lol been driving class 1 ever since,earnt very good money all me life,however now being told i have to
take a drivers cpc before net september >:( when i started it was all flat beds and roping and sheeting,no satnav,just a box of maps and if you couldnt firnd your way to the droips you got the tintack,same for maintenance on the truck,so over 30years of experience and now i need to take a test to get a piece of paper saying i know what im doing? countrys gone mad!!
I know the feeling, same here!
Joined the RAF and took all my licences except motorbike which I took in Cyprus whilst on deployment :)
Years later, working part time driving coaches I'm told I had to do cpc! WTF? What the hell did I do when doing my training courses???
Bloody jobs worth t##sers. Told them to keep the job and changed trades after 24 years
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I was a Lorryist for a while and as Al has pointed out the agencies are pretty much your only employment option as a new driver. Expect the shitty jobs and shifts that no one else wants to do. So 3am starts and at least a 13 hour day are pretty routine. ::)
I think I was lucky as I got in with an agency that had a good contract with a national transport company that did chilled food, there was usually plenty of work and it was mainly trunking work so it wasn't too taxing. Every so often it would go quiet and I'd get a 3 day week which wasn't ideal. :-\ However I was renovating a run down house at the time so I could generally work as much or as little as I liked. :)
I havn't used my HGV licence for a few years now, but have always regarded it as my 'safety net', but I'll probably let it go next year as I'm not going to fork out for a CPC! >:(
Same here, but + PSV shame cos unless I take the CPC no early retirement yet loads of part time bus driving round here........ :( >:( :(
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Bus CPC is already in force :-\
It's a bit of a waste of time, but a useful refresher for things like the Working Time Directive and Drivers Hours. Typically £75 per 7 hour session, so, whilst not exactly cheap, it covers you until 2019, (or 5 years from completion if after September 2014).
You might even get work to pay for it if you have even a vague possibility of needing it for your job :y
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I drive a truck, I love it.
Money is not the best but trucks are 100%
Given up doing Europe now just UK work, between 2 and 4 nights out per week.
Would love to retire but finances don't allow.
Don't knock it till you've tried it, it's not for everyone but anyone that has done it will have an opinion.
CPC is a waste of time but compulsory.
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I drive a truck, I love it.
Money is not the best but trucks are 100%
Given up doing Europe now just UK work, between 2 and 4 nights out per week.
Would love to retire but finances don't allow.
Don't knock it till you've tried it, it's not for everyone but anyone that has done it will have an opinion.
CPC is a waste of time but compulsory.
Sadly yes, I can see me biting the bullet and doing it as some point in the near future...... ::) ::)
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The driving is fine :y It's all the shyte that goes with it :'(
CPC, do one day a month, and you'll be done by Easter :y
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Aberdeen is where the money is at the mo for hgv drivers a former work mate left a driving job with the council to drive from Stonehaven to Fraserburgh on Saturday and Sundays and he's clearing £600 a weekend :o (Shell paying the wages,meals and digs)
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I'm a driver for the local bus company National Express, if you join a large company they will pay for your licence(auto only) and also do the necessary CPC training. This is normally covered by a period of time tied to the company. If you leave before this you sign to say you will repay the company for the training. (I think this is two years with NXWM)
Driving a bus is not as bad a job as some people make out, you do have to be thick skinned to put up with the low lives (joys of working with the public!) but you know what time you start and finish, no bus cleaning or fuelling (if you are with a big company) but you do have early starts (4am) and late finishes(1.30am) and the famous split shifts (maybe a 4 hour break between 1st and 2nd part of duty).
There are jobs with smaller companies but most would not put you through the test and you may end up paying for your CPC training. This would be the same with most coach companies, the one good side of PCV driving is the driver side of the industry is not flooded with Agencies trying to muscle in.
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I think I need to do my CPC so my licence stays current. I regret letting my ADR lapse but never mind :-\ :-\
I need to look into Transport Manager's CPC too for something I have in the pipeline :-X ::)
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I think I need to do my CPC so my licence stays current. I regret letting my ADR lapse but never mind :-\ :-\
I need to look into Transport Manager's CPC too for something I have in the pipeline :-X ::)
That'll test the grey cells... International only now, and all in one hit apparently...
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I think I need to do my CPC so my licence stays current. I regret letting my ADR lapse but never mind :-\ :-\
I need to look into Transport Manager's CPC too for something I have in the pipeline :-X ::)
That'll test the grey cells... International only now, and all in one hit apparently...
I'd done most of it in the past as I was running Transport and Distribution under someone else and was preparing to take over before I moved on ;)
To the OP: I was lucky... I started driving 7.5T multidrop at 19 and then did my C whilst working in the garage (to do HIAB recoveries and HGV recoveries), then went into a skip hire company for a few years. In fact, had I not left my Ex and gotten divorced (moved away as well) I'd probably still be there as the money was very good :y That's the benefit of a family run company ;)
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I've always fancied learning for a bit of fun, that's why I learned to ride motorbike. The challenge of leaning :)
That was until I saw course prices ::)
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I did full LGV / PCV licences as part of my military resettlement ... both courses paid for by HMG .... plan was to supplement the pension by driving.
However getting a sensible job was nigh on impossible .. and by sensible I don't mean exorbitant pay .. I mean sensible hours for a realistic wage.....
multidrops .... as I was "inexperienced" (ie potentially gullible) the number of drops proposed was impossible within the driving hours limits .. answer .. "everyone ignores them to get the job done.. if you don't get all the drops done you don't get paid" .. yeah right .. a touch illegal methinks
Coaches ... yup they wanted me all right ... for saturday/sunday football/rugby coaches, or school runs .. "only paid for hours actually driven, not for time spent waiting whilst the match is on/kids at school ... any damage/cleaning required comes out of your wages" .. yeah right ...
Anything else required 2 years "experience" .. and the only way to get the "experience" was to be shafted.
In 4 years I think I drove a total of about 18 hours, and that was mostly a farmers horsebox as a favour, the rest was "trials" before the con artists companies stated their "terms".
As soon as I needed the medical after 5 years I let them both lapse.
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There are some proper cowboys out there :'(
My main reason for suggesting either TNT or UPS is simply the long term prospects, I know of a few people at the TNT depot I worked at for a couple of years who were put through their Class 2 and Class 1 tests. Now that anything over 3.5t is limited to 56 mph, there are alot more rounds per depot than there used to be.
TNT did have a decent pension scheme as well as paid overtime, weekend and bank holidays off.
Both also have upto date vacancy lists on their respective websites. I wouldn't recommend working for smaller firms running vans, as that's where you find most of the issues Entwood has referred to.
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The only advice I can offer to Kate is to go for N/X as I was their senior driving instructor up to a few years ago and what dad1uk says is correct and if you are interested in taking it further then I still have all my training contacts there and can put you in touch with them.Unfortunately their driver training centre is at Sipson near Heathrow :-\
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Thanks for all the advice guys. I would really like to do the training as I love driving but there are a lot of hurdles for me to overcome. Then at the end finding a worthwhile job seems impossible.
I've never mentioned it on here before but a few years ago I was diagnosed with BPD. This is a constant problem for me and makes any job a problem.
http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/borderline-personality-disorder/?gclid=CL_Pm-ubjbsCFfLHtAodqHoA9g#.Uo_P6_v6Tkc (http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/borderline-personality-disorder/?gclid=CL_Pm-ubjbsCFfLHtAodqHoA9g#.Uo_P6_v6Tkc)
I've also got hashimoto's thyroiditis so that's another big issue for me.
http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/hashimoto-disease.html (http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/hashimoto-disease.html)
The result is that I think time is running out for me so I wanted to achieve this one goal before it's too late. Even passing my test and not getting a job would be a massive achievement to me.
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I've applied for 2 bus driving jobs now. :y
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I've applied for 2 bus driving jobs now. :y
Good Luck Kate!!! :y :y :y
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I've applied for 2 bus driving jobs now. :y
Good Luck Kate!!! :y :y :y
Thanks very much! :-*
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I've applied for 2 bus driving jobs now. :y
Good Luck Kate!!! :y :y :y
Thanks very much! :-*
Yes, good luck....... :y :y
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I've applied for 2 bus driving jobs now. :y
Good Luck Kate!!! :y :y :y
Thanks very much! :-*
Yes, good luck....... :y :y
Thanks Mike! :-*
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She who dares..wins :y
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She who dares..wins :y
Yes, no guts, no glory. :y
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Good Luck Kate :y
I'm a PCV Driver so if I can advise you in anyway let me know :y
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Good Luck Kate :y
I'm a PCV Driver so if I can advise you in anyway let me know :y
Thanks Paul. I remember you telling me when we met.
Are you still living in Wolverhampton?
(http://smileys.smilchat.net/smiley/vehicles/busvacances.gif)
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Yes I am Kate ;D ::)
I'm still thinking of moving to London but that's all I seem to do is think..........?? :-\
Let me know how you get on with your applications :y
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Why do people think London is the centre its a dam toilet. Wish the Luftwaffe. Had raised it to the ground, then they could have started from scratch again.
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Why do people think London is the centre its a dam toilet. Wish the Luftwaffe. Had raised it to the ground, then they could have started from scratch again.
I agree. I couldn't stand it any more. I had to leave. Some of the things that irratated me:
Joggers everywhere
Noise
Being surrounded by cyclists when in my car
Yummy mummies on kiddy scooters
Noise
Motor bike and scooter riders riding like they are clinically insane
Car drivers that pull out in front of you
Rude people
Noise
Chicken takeaways every 100 metres
Getting honked at for no reason
Packed shops
Tourists that talk really loudly in foreign languages
People on the bus shouting on phones
No such thing as a queue
Noise
Cameras watching your every move
Parking tickets
Yellow box tickets
Noise
Crime
Getting attacked while walking your dog
Hooray henry's
Having wealth shoved in your face
Terraced houses that cost 40 million
Noise
Extortionate parking charges
Car journeys of 5 miles that take 2 hours
Traffic jams
Paying £120 so you can park outside of your own home then there isn't a space
Getting hit with suitcases
Everyone smoking
Paying 50p to go to the loo
Rip off tube fares
The threat of being bombed
Rents of £1000 a week or more
Snobs and snooty people
Attractions that cost the earth
People who invade your space
Ferrari's and Lamborghini's in Chelsea
Miserable people
Noise
Chelsea tractors taking 1 spindly kid to private school
Whole areas that look like India/Iran/Bangladesh
Litter
Oh and did I mention noise?
Please feel free to add to this list.
Never getting a seat on the tube
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Museums that make your feet hurt then there's nowhere to sit
Exciting events that you can't afford
Getting thrown out of Ikea due to rioting
London councils that have staff that can't speak English
Being under the flight path of that big Airbus
No jobs due to mass immigration
Foreign criminals
People that hang about at traffic lights waiting to wash your windscreen
Traffic wardens on every corner
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Getting thrown out of Ikea due to rioting
You're supposed to go to IKEA for a bit of shopping and the meatballs, not for a bit of rioting!! ::) Can't say I blame them really! ;D
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Ok I'll stay where I am then ::) ;D
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Ok I'll stay where I am then ::) ;D
You know it makes sense!
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An accurate rifle and some selective breeding/culling would take care of 95% of that list ::)
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An accurate rifle and some selective breeding/culling would take care of 95% of that list ::)
Several thermonuclear weapons would also help. Aimed at SW1.
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An accurate rifle and some selective breeding/culling would take care of 95% of that list ::)
Several thermonuclear weapons would also help. Aimed at SW1.
Sorry Lizzie it was just a joke.