HGV Licence - Have You Got Yours?

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armywag

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Hi

Im looking into getting my HGV Licence but havnt found much info on the net.

How long does training take and how much does it cost?

Any other helpful info appriciated!

Thanks x
 
I haven't done it personally as can drive up to 7.5T on my car licence (yep i am old! Lol) and don't have the need to drive anything bigger at this time. I do think it's worthwhile doing it though definitely.

It isn't cheap though as far as I am aware. I think you have to have a physical/health check and that has an expiring time on it so, if you haven't passed your test within the timescale you have to start all again (as far as I know anyway). I believe the cost of the licence is around the £1000 mark so not cheap.

I don't know where in the country you are but near us there is Tockwith Training - this website may give you some info and i am sure you can call them to ask about costs.

http://www.tockwithtraining.co.uk/vehicles.html
 
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Yes - I did mine, it was about 8 years ago. I needed to do an additional test to drive up to 7.5tonners, and it was the same amount of money to do the full HGV, so of course I did the full HGV - makes sense to me!!

I was only just 21 when I did mine, so they gave me extra days training, so I did 8 days training (with the test on the 8th day), instead of the usual 5 days (with the test on the 5th day).

I did my training with React Driver Training in Reading, and if you are in that area, I would thoroughly recommend them. TBH doing my HGV training were the best 8 days, and I enjoyed it so much, that if I could ever afford it I would love to do my Class 1 (artic lorries) training

Yes you will have to have a medical when you apply for the provisional (I think from memory) - this can cost anywhere from £40 to £140 I think. The cost will depend on your doctors, I think I paid about £80 for mine, and I was in the Ascot area at the time.

I paid about £1500 for my training - but as I said they did insist on giving me extra days training, purely because of my age (cheeky wotsits!! As it turned out I was really glad of those extra days, as I was much more confident about the test when I went into it).

And you will need to do another theory test for HGV - there's a few more facts and figures to learn than in the car theory test, but its nothing overly technical, and if you've done a little bit of work towards it, isn't difficult.

I would definitely say its worth doing - I'm really glad I did, as I wouldn't have my super yellow lorry now otherwise!! I do think that it improved me driving my car loads as well, as it made me so much more aware of the road and what is going on around me.

Get saving and do it :) :)
 
Yes I have mine but I didn't have to pay for it personally so sorry not much help.

What I will say however is that it is not as bad as doing your driving test as you already have basic knowledge of the road & it is just putting what you already know to use in a bigger vehicle.

It's worth doing imo so if you decide to go ahead good luck.
 
I did mine about seven years ago. It was quite straightforward.

First I had to have a medical then I did the theory test - you can buy books with test questions in addition to the theory book. I think now you may also have to do the hazard awareness test too.

I did four days of driving with the instructor and one other person from about 9.30 to 5.00 with my test on the 5th day.

I can't remember which company I did it with but it was one that was recommended to me as they were female horse lorry driver friendly! They were based at Enstone near Oxford.

I think it cost about £1,500.

Good luck - it wasn't as tough as I thought it would be.
 
Yes I've done mine about two years ago,
cost me £40 or the medical which you have send with your application for your provision, can't remember for the life of me what the cost of the theory test was. I then went on the 5 day long course, with training for 4.5 days and the test of riday afternoon, this cost me about £850. I just googled HGV training facilities in my area and phone and asked for quotes then booked in for a trail and then course. I was the only girl on my week long course and lots of the guys had been sent by their companies
 
hi I'm looking into doing mine at the moment. The average cost is £1000 this covers your theory test a 5 day course with your practical test at the end. You ahve to have a medical which i have been told is about £50-£60. I'm still phoning around to find someone more local as i don't really want to travel miles each day for the training.

I have been told do your Cat C which is to drive any ridig vehicle and costs the same as doing your 7.5 ton.

Good luck
 
I did mine last year. Medical was £50 (most training centres have a doctor they regularly use). I did LGV theory, 100 questions, mostly common sense, but the more specialist questions regarding drivers' hours, the vehicle itself and rules relating to weights, dimensions etc need to be studied and learned. Not overly taxing. The course was over 4days with the test on the last day. It IS very intensive - I did a one-to-one with the trainer - and I was exhausted at the end of every day. I was the only person to pass that week, so very pleased,esp.as I was the only woman! The cost came in at slightly over £1000, which included test fees and study material. There is also a hazard perception test, which (being old!) I hadn't faced before. The DSA guides are easily obtained via Ebay, at a fraction of the cost. Just make sure they are the most up to date - they are revised yearly. I am so pleased I took my test - it does make you more aware of what is happening around you, and served as a good revision of the car driving skills that we tend to allow slip a little as we get older! Go for it, and good luck!
I used Boston LGV training, and they were brilliant.
 
I want to do mine next. Did my trailer test a couple of months ago (£500 for the lessons and test) and the level of driving skill required is the same as an HGV.

I used CTTS in west lothian and they are excellent. They're about £1000, like most places.

When I'm rich and can afford it, i'll be doing mine, but go straight in to the full catC license (7.5 and over, ridged body lorries) rather than the catC1, which is the up-to-7.5t license most older drivers have.
 
The TA paid me to do my class one, and even my tracks licence, so if your horse wants to go for a ride in a tank....
 
I've been looking into doing this recently and all this info has helped loads too!
Thanks guys!
I can't think of anything better atm than getting my HGV licence - then i can get myself sorted with a box!
How cool would it be to not be restricted and just as Peter Kay would say...."book it, pack it and feck off!" :)
 
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