Please help- trailer/ LGV or HGV liscence conundrum!

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alidegg

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Hello- this is my first post in a long time as I tend to be a full time lurker in here! Some of you might know me as Lolo's sister (rider of Reggie the racehorse!) but as she's banned at the moment :o I've had to put my brave pants on and go for it! Any help would be greatly appreciated :)

I passed my driving test this summer and it's been a massive help getting to and from various neddies I'm lucky enough to be riding. However it would be really handy if I could drive them around the country myself to give my long suffering mother a break!

The lorry we use for eventing is an LGV (but quite a 'full up' 7.5 tonnes :o), so the obvious option would be to take my LGV test... but I'm hoping to step out into the world of Working Pupil-ship and grooming after A-Levels so perhaps I should wait (and save!) until I'm 21 and take the HGV test? But it would be great to be able to drive Larry (the lorry!) sooner than then as I'm only 17 now:rolleyes:

Alternatively I could take my trailer test and cram them into that until later notice, though I'm not sure what Reg would think to that idea :cool:

If anyone can give their opinion/ advise on the matter it would be much appreciated and some scrummy millionnaire shortbread and a cuppa to any helpful replies :D
 
Cost difference between lgv and hgv is very small so hgv every time as it allows you if I'm correct to drive lgvs afterwards. Also age limit for hgvs is 18 now not 21 I do believe. Only reason I did my lgv was I was 18 and at time hgv was 21 then I got really annoyed as about 2 years later they changed it to 18!!
 
Yes agree re others, I went straight in at HGV (Cat C) aged 19. I was just going to do LGV as we have a 7.5ton lorry but the company I used for my training course said costs/course etc worked out exaclty the same for LGV and HGV but in the end I would be better qualified hence went straight to doing HGV.
 
As it seems you are going to be transporting more than one horse and already have use of a lorry then it seems logical to pass the LGV test at age 18

You can tow on your current B licence but that virtually restricts you to one horse in a vehicle and trailer that conforms to B licence towing - see the link in my signature

The future downside with LGV is that the medical must be kept current to retain current use of the licence so you will need medicals at age 45 50 55 60 65 and every year after that

A B+E test pass will last for as long as the B licence is valid so generally for life and that involves a one off financial commitment of around £650 for a first time pass
You already have the provisional for that
 
One more important thing if you do go for the LGV and are considering letting your parents supervise you in the lorry you have ....

In April 2010 new laws came into force for those supervising category C1 drivers

Those supervising drivers MUST have passed the DSA test in that category

This means that if mum or dad only have a pre 1997 C1 they cannot supervise you in your lorry with L plates on it
 
I am going to go against the rest of the replies! I took my lgv test last month and yes there is little difference between that and the hgv test, but I still went for lgv as the hgv seemed that little bit scarier - silly I know. Yes, you can do hgv at 18 but you will also have to take your cpc as well which would not be needed if you just took lgv. One other thing to mention is whichever lorry test you end up taking it might be worth taking your trailer test at the same time. Much easier taking them together as pretty similar tests. I took both of mine within 2 weeks last year.
 
I thought you only need CPC of you drive professionally? You are exempt if you only drive in a non-commercial capacity aren't you?!

I looked into this recently because I was going to do some professional driving. If you own a private goods vehicle and don't drive as a business you don't need CPC is my understanding.
 
IIWY and you can afford it I would do both HGV and Trailer test as the trailer test will always come in handy even if it isn't in a horsey capacity!
 
Go HGV they are no more difficult to drive, in fact I think much easier on motorways.
1. The tram lines caused by so many HGV's make the smaller waggons zig zag slightly.
2. They are much better in windy weather especially when a large artic comes past. You really do not feel it any where near the same.
I also think the horses travel better & you wont have to worry about weight limits & overloading.
 
FRESHMAN said:
Go HGV they are no more difficult to drive, in fact I think much easier on motorways.
1. The tram lines caused by so many HGV's make the smaller waggons zig zag slightly.
2. They are much better in windy weather especially when a large artic comes past. You really do not feel it any where near the same.
I also think the horses travel better & you wont have to worry about weight limits & overloading.
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No Just the fuel bill, drivers hours and the tachograph to worry about !!!
 
SpottedCat the OP would have to take the CPC if she took the hgv test as she is under 21. My sister had to take hers as she took her test at 19, but my brother at 21 did not, although he will have to take it at some point as he does want to drive professionally.
 
The first part of the CPC is included with the HGV test now I believe. However, it is my understanding, that if you are driving non commercially then OP wold not need to complete the CPC training.
 
Thank you everyone so much for your replies- it looks like HGV is the way to go, especially if the cost works out about the same as the LVG anyway! Hopefully it will make my CV more attractive to employers too. Now for the saving and learning... Wish me luck! :eek:
 
perfect11s said:
No Just the fuel bill, drivers hours and the tachograph to worry about !!!
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Depends what size LGV in regards to the last two points

If under 7.5 then no tacho or drivers hours issues


As someone else rightly mentioned - no driver cpc required for private LGV driving

If the driver wishes to take up commercial LGV driving later then they can take and pass the initial dcpc modules 2 and 4
Better that way than doing them when they do the test because it delays the ongoing 5 year periodic dcpc requirements
 
ROG said:
HGV and LGV are generally the same thing

HGV being the old terminology and LGV being the new
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To some extent but I think OP is asking if they should take C1 test (i.e. could drive upto 7.5 tonne, OP referring to this as LGV), whereas if you passed your HGV (formerly class 2 now Category C) you would also get the C1 qualification. Agree though re no CPC needed if private use irrespective of age, I was under 21 at time of taking HGV test and didn't need to do CPC.

Thats probably highly confused things but the route I took was straight in to get C and C1 on my licence by taking one test which seems what would be best for OP. You could just do the test for C1 but as others already said training/costs etc works out same so you may as well go straight in for C then if you do need it in the future you have it.

Good luck, and enjoy trucking. It's not half as scary as you would think once you're behind the wheel.
 
ROG- from the various bits of paper my family have printed off about it, the catagory C /class 2 would cost the same to take as the catagory C/E but I would be able to do more with the C/E? Or have I got the wrong end of the stick? :confused: Thanks again for your help everyone!
 
Alidegg C+E is for arctic lorries (i.e trailer/tractor unit not a solid lorry), to do this you do need to have passed the C. Most horseboxes are rigid, seen very few arctics so I wouldn't worry about needing this. Or you would need this if you wanted to tow a trailer on back of horsebox, like some carriage driving folk do.

Like B + E (= car + trailer). Hope that makes sense.
 
horseywelsh said:
Alidegg C+E is for arctic lorries
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And rigid trucks with a trailer over 750kgs


alidegg said:
ROG- from the various bits of paper my family have printed off about it, the catagory C /class 2 would cost the same to take as the catagory C/E but I would be able to do more with the C/E? Or have I got the wrong end of the stick? :confused: Thanks again for your help everyone!
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As someone else said -
Category C must be passed before a category C+E test can be taken
Category C covers C1 because C1 is a subcategory of C

Categories above B have different but simple towing rules
Any trailer over 750 kgs requires the driver to have the +E for that category
 
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ROG said:
You can tow on your current B licence but that virtually restricts you to one horse in a vehicle and trailer that conforms to B licence towing - see the link in my signature
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how?!

i passed in 2005, and i was under the impression I had to do a trailer test to tow ANY trailer.

I have no points, im a good girl :D but i still cant imagine they would let me loose on the roads towing !! :D
 
noodle_ said:
how?!

i passed in 2005, and i was under the impression I had to do a trailer test to tow ANY trailer.

I have no points, im a good girl :D but i still cant imagine they would let me loose on the roads towing !! :D
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That is why this site did the towing clinic - just click the link in my signature at the bottom of this post :)
 
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