Lorry - intensive or weekly lessons?

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Stroppy Mare

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Been driving for 7.5 years now in a car. Are intensive lessons the best way to go when learning to drive category C or have a couple of hours a week?
 
Stroppy Mare said:
Been driving for 7.5 years now in a car. Are intensive lessons the best way to go when learning to drive category C or have a couple of hours a week?
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The majority do the LGV C course over 5 days with test on day 5

Those 5 days would be half days of 1 to 1 or full days of 2 to 1

A very tiny minority perhaps 0.05% do it over a number of weeks

Many LGV training schools cannot fit in a learner who wants to do a few hours a week but they will try if the trainee is insistant on doing it that way

To do it over a number of weeks perhaps at 4 hours a week would need a saturday morning so the price would be higher than a weekday
Weekdays are taken up by regular 5 day courses in most cases
 
Thanks, I better start looking around and getting ready to book in. Do they usually take care of booking your theory too or should I arrange that seperately? Do I need to do my CPC for just driving a horsebox for my horses only? Never to be used commercially?
 
Stroppy Mare said:
Thanks, I better start looking around and getting ready to book in. Do they usually take care of booking your theory too or should I arrange that seperately? Do I need to do my CPC for just driving a horsebox for my horses only? Never to be used commercially?
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No driver cpc required for any private LGV driving - that is only needed for commercial LGV driving

Most LGV schools will not only book it for you at the same price you can do yourself but the good ones will also let you use and practise on their PCs but be on hand for guidance/help

Medical if not done already ....
NEVER pay much more than £50 for it ... if you do then consider yourself fleeced ... most decent LGV schools will usually have a local connection for these at about that price

New medical rules mean that those under age 45 will need to self certify they are medically fit every 5 years until they reach 45 when the full D4 medical will be required every 5 years until age 65 when the D4 is required yearly
 
ROG said:
No driver cpc required for any private LGV driving - that is only needed for commercial LGV driving

Most LGV schools will not only book it for you at the same price you can do yourself but the good ones will also let you use and practise on their PCs but be on hand for guidance/help

Medical if not done already ....
NEVER pay much more than £50 for it ... if you do then consider yourself fleeced ... most decent LGV schools will usually have a local connection for these at about that price

New medical rules mean that those under age 45 will need to self certify they are medically fit every 5 years until they reach 45 when the full D4 medical will be required every 5 years until age 65 when the D4 is required yearly
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Thanks, did my medical about 2 years ago now, iirc I paid £75-80 or there abouts :o at my GP. Ahh well!

The closest centre to me does tests etc and will book theory but its considerably pricier at £275 but that includes £30 training, your medical (£85 through them seperately) - which I've already done, and both parts to theory test. Tbh I'm tempted to pay for the 2013 DVD (have a 2011 book) and do the MCQ/HP training myself and book the test solo.

They also charge £1350 for a category C week of training and final exam. This seems to me to be pricier than normal? But I haven't looked around much as of yet. Any of the other centres are a minimum 20-30mins away.
 
I did mine as an intensive course. 1.5 days one on one lessons with the test on the 2nd day in the afternoon. Was bloody hard work but worked well for me. good luck.
 
Stroppy Mare said:
Thanks will enquire on data academy.
I'm doing category C
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Scania 18 tonner with 4 over 4 gearbox OR mercedes 18 tonner with straight 6 and splitter

Merc splitter hardly used as it is empty so basically a straight 6

That will change later this year when ALL LGV C training vehicles will be required to carry 5 tonnes of ballast so using the splitter more will be needed
 
ROG said:
Scania 18 tonner with 4 over 4 gearbox OR mercedes 18 tonner with straight 6 and splitter

Merc splitter hardly used as it is empty so basically a straight 6

That will change later this year when ALL LGV C training vehicles will be required to carry 5 tonnes of ballast so using the splitter more will be needed
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Is it 18t that most companies use for their C? I haven't started revising for my theory yet (planning to get it booked for end of june) so ideally want that done, then I'll get booked on. Whats a splitter? :o

Found this guy who's about 30mins or so away from me, no idea on costing though but the lorries look nice :o
http://www.ian-markwick.co.uk/index.php
I also like it that he has the initial assessment so you drive the lorry first to make sure you'll get on with it.
 
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I initially did my training in a Volvo with a 4 over 4 box and hated the damned thing, certainly didnt help me in my test! Changed schools and loved the Merc with the six splitter. As ROG says, when the truck was empty I didnt use the splitter at all when driving it and it was basically a straight six which made the job much much easier! Definitely something to bear in mind when choosing who to go with!

In fact I liked the Merc so much that the truck I bought for myself is that make!
 
Ian Marwick has had various reviews - some good some not so good

Both schools I mentioned do assessments

A splitter is where each gear can be either high or low but with an empty truck its mainly left in either high or low for every gear
Set it to high and every gear of the 6 is in high

To change the gear already engaged form low to high or vice vresa then flick the switch, clutch pedal down and back up = changed
 
Having struggled to get prices from other local centres, is £1350 a reasonable price then for C? I've had a look where the other centre is you suggested and it would be over an hour away for me. Are there no others you'd recommend around Nottingham itself?

Are these any good? (Although still unsure of total price but they say it's £50 per hour)
http://www.rushtontransporttraining.co.uk/contact.html
Or this place?
http://www.diamonddrivertraining.co.uk/LGV-C_CE.html
Or -
http://www.trenttraining.com/lgv.htm
Or -
http://www.mb-ts.co.uk/

I've just googled and found some. No idea what they're like though.
 
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