Trailer licence or HGV?

WhisperLuna

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Hi , i am new to the forum so i hope I am posting in the right place. My partner who is in diary farming industry is actively looking for a job in South West, we are in Scotland at the moment. I am working as a groom but I am worried about job opportunities down south so i was thinking to boost my chances to get hired by getting additional driving license but I am not sure if I should rather go for trailer licence or C, C1... Can afford to do both. Any thoughts welcome :)
 

milliepops

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I did my C test when moving to a 7.5t lorry, not with job opportunities in mind but I've certainly seem grooms jobs advertised that say it's an advantage to be able to drive a lorry.... and when my (non horsey) job looked a bit iffy at the start of the first lockdown I was thinking it might give me other options! as you have to do the theory and an extra test anyway I didn't bother with the C1, it seems a bit pointless and lots of companies do the C1 in a large van whereas I wanted experience of driving a big lorry before trucking my horses around.

Honestly.... i sort of wish I'd then done the C+E while i was on a roll because I would have a proper fall back position then!
 

HufflyPuffly

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I think for job prospects I’d say HGV, if for personal use I’d say trailer test.

My thought process if that with a trailer test you only need to run one vehicle for transporting horses about, with a HGV you’d need to run two. But as I say that’s for leisure purposes not job purposes. You don’t tend to see jobs looking for towing as a requirement generally.
 

neddy man

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Take c&e covers everything for just a little more money, strangely don't think that they are allowed to teach at moment due to covid even though car driving instructors can most are a weeks 1/2 day courses, get on the internet and book a place for when they resume.
 

HufflyPuffly

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Take c&e covers everything for just a little more money, strangely don't think that they are allowed to teach at moment due to covid even though car driving instructors can most are a weeks 1/2 day courses, get on the internet and book a place for when they resume.

I took my trailer training and test mid restrictions, though it would e good to check the where you want to go.
 

luckyoldme

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I'm an hgv driver.
The actual test and training would be about £3,000 . At the moment as far as I understand they are just about to restart training.
Getting a start is the hard bit. Within the industry some firms will take new drivers and some won't.
Gross pay is around £40000 these days but you have to put the hours in.
You have to be happy with your own company and prepared to go ferral sometimes for amenities.
Hope this is of some use to you.
 
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