Any HGV/LGV drivers on here?

[Bane]

I can't remember if it's this forum or another one,but I know one of the ones I frequent had a couple of members who drive rigs for a living.
I have a couple of questions as I'm looking to change jobs and getting an HGV licence is on my shortlist of career options.
TIA.

[JJ]

There are definitely some truckers on here! damo666 is one and there's another gent who I think drives for Nestle but I can't remember his name, sorry. 

[v2brett]

good mate of mine is, if you need any help just say and ill ask him for any info/help

[bakili]

I passed my HGV category recently and
I am doing my Operator License as I am running transport office

If you need any help or tips please feel free to ask.

[ConeKiller]

I have also considered this! But I heard there arnt many jobs about for rooky drivers?

[Nodz]

I have also considered this! But I heard there arnt many jobs about for rooky drivers?

It's the same as any job, they want you to have experience it's just finding somewhere where you can get some. With HGV jobs you normally have to be at least 25years old and 2 years experience. Only thing with the job that some might not like is long hours, nights out ad wages vary greatly depending on the company and whether you've got ADR, HIAB etc

[BeezerDiesel]

I work in a transport office.
The easiest way to get a bit of experience under your belt is to sign up for an agency and take some of the real rubbish jobs that nobody else wants to build up your driving hours. You would be best doing this before leaving your current job as the hours will be 'if and when' but you'll also have to work it around having your correct rest periods etc. so it ain't going to be simple!

Depending on what part of the country you're in will affect it quite a bit, nearly all of the drivers around the home counties and bits of the Midlands seem to be of Eastern European descent and mostly Polish and nearly all of them are pretty good blokes (and the occasional girl). Their driving standards do vary a lot so I guess some of them take their tests in the army or whatever and some just pay for their own. The big difference between them and local drivers seems to be that these guys can actually drive pretty will in snow unlike us Brits!!!

So expect a lot of competition from non UK nationals for jobs is all I can say!

[Bane]

Cool chaps,thanks for the replies.
All I wanted to know really,were the costs involved,what kind of training you get as regards to tacographs and driving hours and for a complete novice(okay I drive a 2.5 tonne flatbed at work,but it's hardly the same!) how challenging did you find driving an articulated unit on public roads?

[BeezerDiesel]

Costs will vary depending on where in the country you are. A quick few phone calls will tell you all, it will run into thousands anyway.
How long have you been driving? Do you have Class C on your licence?
Tachographs and Drivers hours are easy enough and can be looked up on the internet.
You will also have to sit the Drivers CPC (very different to the Operators Licence CPC) which is easy enough but is another 35 hours in the classroom. This will also go through drivers hours, tachographs, types of tachographs, health and safety and all sorts of other things that you will forget as soon as you walk out of the door again 

[Jamminjim]

I drive class 2 vehicles for a living, i passed quite a few years ago now and am having to do the CPC classes each year pointless as it seems!

Anyway, A lad i work with has recently started his class 2 licence and he just had to do a simple test which covers him for the next 4 years (ish?) CPC so dont worry about the classroom bit... Its costing him around a grand for the week intensive course and test and the biggest thing hes ever driven is a box transit so we'll see how this goes! 

On the other hand i no lots of people who have passed doing only a weeks training so its do-able 

Im not sure how it stands nowadays but i thought mabey you have to pass the class 2 test first before you can move onto class 1?