Truck licence - worth doing?

[Ploddit]

I remember a few truck licence holders here so I'll ask:

I'm 42 and looking for something to do until retirement, truck driver is appealing as I like driving, like trucks and I'm a lazy #######.

It just worries me about the work availability after spending a rather large amount of cash to get the ###### licence.

In France in supplement to the driving bit you've got to do 2 month €2000, theory bit too....

Love to here the POV of any old truckers here

Thanks guys.

[muddle]

I have a friend that not long passed its worth it but the only issue is that a lot of companies ask for 2 years experience before hand, which is crap, how do you get experience if no one will employ!?

[stormforce]

I did my class2 2 years ago.There are companies out there willing to give you a job with no truck experience.I did 8 months with Mercedes commercial and then finished there this year and have been driving 7.5t up to 32t 8 wheelers for a local skip hire company.
My driving was done by Steve Robertson of Exeter and would highly reccomend him.Over the last 2 years he has had a massive trainning centre built to cater for all types of vehicles from hgv to forklift

[woodwarm]

have you thought about bus driving pcv
many uk bus operators will pay you during training which also includes cpc training only snag is you have to remain in their employment for 12 months


also french bus drivers retire early 55 ? on full pension

[woodwarm]

I have a friend that not long passed its worth it but the only issue is that a lot of companies ask for 2 years experience before hand, which is crap, how do you get experience if no one will employ!?

agency work

[fbnss]

I was lucky, passed my class 2 and got a job with a local company two weeks after passing. I'm still there 2 years later and I love it. Long days but I like driving. The cost of the training paid for itself in the first couple of months. Good luck.

[SJM]

I got my PCV then my LGV, 11 yrs ago, bus companies want a year of your life in payment for the licence, but allot of people just do the license and leave, go get private jobs with coach companies, there is a good job.....don't go down the agency route, you'll get all the crap no one wants, multi-drops etc, and its not as glamorous as you think, you get really bored doing just 56mph, I gained a stone in 3 months ....but things may be different where you are....!!

[Ploddit]

Thanks guys for the responses.

I don't want to drive a bus/coach as I'd prefer to avoid contact and the extra stress people would bring.

I live in France but I'm doing the tests on my UK licence as its easier, quicker and cheaper.

I'd be happy to do interim as hopefully I could do a week here or there when I'm in the UK, because as I said in the OP in France once you have the licence you must do a FIMO (Formation initial minimum obligatoire - Compulsory initial minimum training) which takes a few months and cost's €2K, so it'd be nice to raise some cash in UK to pay for that. Plus after being on Dads holiday looking after a baby for a year I'd like the flexibility to have less cash but more holidays.

Again here there are many Eastern European drivers and many large companies set up a satellite office in East Europe with local registered trucks to be able to employ and use cheaper drivers in France, as a French long distance driver is very (perhaps too) well paid once all the allowances and extras are taken on board.

I have a friend who does the fuel bowser at Nice airport and is very well paid and has a very untiring job with the real french 35hr week too, obviously that needs the dangerous goods extra course.

Where I live in Nice there isn't alot of log distance HGV jobs but it being an area full of people ther are loads of LGV multi drop work, but I spend most summers near Nancy and that area is covered with big HGV depots.

So any of you guys want to move to France to drive the licence swap is no problem it's just that crazy FIMO thing which you'd need french to be able to do....

Oh SJM I drive my cars at 56 anyway....

[stormforce]

The guy i posted up about does the week intense trainning
http://www.lorrydrivertraining.co.uk/
this is the link to his website and looks like he has a good offer on at the moment

[Ploddit]

Thanks stormforce, the company I spoke to called React near Reading quoted £1500 for each part all inclusive, I see your guy is quite a lot more reasonable.

The problem is I stay with my dad in Newbury (near Reading) and although I'd prefer your guy after your recommendation I'd have to get a hotel and train sorted, and I know how crazily expensive trains are in the UK.

[stormforce]

Thanks stormforce, the company I spoke to called React near Reading quoted £1500 for each part all inclusive, I see your guy is quite a lot more reasonable.

The problem is I stay with my dad in Newbury (near Reading) and although I'd prefer your guy after your recommendation I'd have to get a hotel and train sorted, and I know how crazily expensive trains are in the UK.

It may pay to send Steve an email and ask if there's any decent b&b's local
Even if you had to pay for a b&b it would still work out cheaper

[s car go]

Swop your UK driving licence or certificate of entitlement for a French one and tell them you must have 7.5t!
As you probably know the French don't have this category,so they give you full entitlement to drive all the classes of "HGV"! The wife lost her UK driving licence,and contacted DVLA for a certificate of entitlement,basically a piece of paper saying you have passed your driving test and the groups of vehicles you can drive. Our licences seem to confuse the Prefecture as they are not harmonized with the rest of Europe,so on the basis they can't give you less entitlement they have to give you more! My wife is now entitled to drive up to 12000KG and buses with up to 17 passengers!

Good Luck

Mark

[Ploddit]

Thats true Mark,

I lost my grandfather 7.5T entitlement...but I wouldn't like to weedle a licence like that imagine if I had an accident?

Pat

[stormforce]

How did you lose the 7.5t entitlement,was it due to driving ban or something cause i thought as you had it you'll always have it

[s car go]

Thats true Mark,

I lost my grandfather 7.5T entitlement...but I wouldn't like to weedle a licence like that imagine if I had an accident?

Pat

7.5 T is'nt that difficult as you know.If you had an accident your licenced to drive!!!


Yeh,how did you lose your 7.5????