# Those of you with an HGV licence / lorry  help please!



## BYR (23 January 2012)

I am looking to take my HGV test this year. I would like some advice from those of you with the licence please! 

How long was the course you took ?  Different companies are saying between 5  10 days , I know it depends on the individual, but what would you say the average time would be? 

With regards to the medical, how often do you have to have one? Does it have to be renewed every so many years, or does it just last until you get to a certain age? 

How much did it cost? PM me if you prefer but I would just like a rough idea, Im thinking it will be around the £1200 mark, but does that include the theory test and the medical as well? 

When I have passed (presuming I do ! ) and we buy a lorry what are the advantages / disadvantages of having a 7.5 tonne or an HGV. How do things work with regards to tachograph`s and driving hours? 

Thank you and sorry for all the questions!


----------



## ecrozier (23 January 2012)

I did mine about 5 years ago now.  Total cost was around the £1250 mark I think?  I did 5 days training monday - friday with test on friday afternoon.  Loved it 
I think the medical lasts a fair while - not sure how long exactly but someone will know.
I have a 7.5t so can't answer re the tacho/driving hours I'm afraid.  Would poss look at 10/12 tonners if we trade up at some point but tbh we will probably have kids in next few years so am more likely to end up transporting one horse and maybe a pony at some point than multiple large horses!


----------



## stencilface (23 January 2012)

I did my test last year,  I did four days training with the test on the thursday, but then i failed (d'oh!) so had to take an extra day so 5 days in all really.

And yep, it works out about £250 a day I think, the medical lasts for a few years at least, so no stress after having that.  I did a 15 mins driving assessment so they could recommend how many days I woudl need - but I think pretty much everyone needs 5 days 

Theory test was not expensive, and not hard either


----------



## measles (23 January 2012)

I passed my HGV on Friday so am pretty up to speed on the costs etc. I did 4 days training and the test on the morning of the 5th day but didn't have a preliminary assessment, perhaps as already driving a 7.5t with grandfather's rights. 

The 4 days plus pre-test lesson & use of lorry for test was £950. If you resit the test it is £280 on top. 

The medical was £80 - the training company we used gave us the name of a private neurosurgeon (!) who does them in his spare time. He came out the next day to our house to do it as our GP was going to take a month to give us an apt. 

The theory and hazard perception tests cost about £100 combined so all in it was £1130. My OH did his at the same time do we are eating beans from now on!

An HGV lorry will use more fuel and things like tyres will cost more. The tax is the same as for a 7.5t lorry as was our insurance.  We have had to extend our driveway to get access for the HGV we bought as it takes 6 horses so more cost. 

If you work full time you need to be careful about total work & driving hours but a quick google of HGV driving hours will explain that better than I can here. You also need to run a tachograph which is straightforward as well on a bigger lorry. 

We took the plunge getting tests and going bigger as we regularly wanted to take 3-4 horses out and we couldn't with the 7.5t lorry we have. I'm hoping that making one journey with more horses rather than going to two shows with smaller numbers will balance the cost out but perhaps I am deluding myself. If I am honest part of me has always wanted to be a trucker and when my friend said she wanted to part with her middle aged Oakley I was fulfilling a number of lifetime dreams.


----------



## Mrs Pink (23 January 2012)

Firstly, good luck with it, it's not that bad

Secondly as Measles said, yes things are slightly more expensive but in the greater scheme of things, it's better than being stuffed for being over weight 

I work full time, Mon - Fri, so technically, to accomodate the 45 hours rest period, I can only drive every other weekend, however, if you can take time off during the week then you can work around it! You also need to take into account your breaks at work ie: lunches

Sometimes I drive after work, if I've got an indoor booked for something, so sometimes I have to start work an hour late to accomodate that. 

Basically you're allowed 90 hours over 2 weeks, so your work hours and your driving hours combined must not go over that

The link below explains this better than I can but ROG (on here) is also a good person to ask about anything

http://www.hgvcity.com/Regulations/regulations.htm

I have been escorted off the M-way by VOSA and I have to say they were helpful and they were using it as a training exercise. I had to e-mail my last 3 weeks of work hours to them so now keep a note of everything I've done in a diary, just to be safe

Hope that helps


----------



## claire_p2001 (23 January 2012)

I did mine about 5 years ago and it cost £1000 including 2.5hours training mon-thurs, theory test, actual test and medical.  I took my test on the friday morning after training all week.  To be honest I was confident after 3 days and could have done the test on the 4th day but it all depends on how you take to it.  I took my full HGV test but only have a 7.5t lorry, it is nice to know i could upgrade if i needed to.  Good Luck


----------



## BYR (23 January 2012)

Thanks all thats very helpful  

Pricing sounds pretty much as I thought, I`ve only just taken my trailer test, so thought I would get the HGV done while the basic training is fresh in my brain! 

I think for the moment we will only need a 7.5 tonne lorry but everyone has advised me that I might aswell do the HGV as opposed to doing the 7.5 tonne test then having to go again if we ever got an HGV ! 

MrsPink - re the driving hours, I work a 37.5 hours week with only a 10min commute each way, so over 2 weeks I would only be working 75 hours, so I would still be allowed to drive for 15 hours ? Is that correct, or am I totally getting the wrong end of the stick here!


----------



## Mrs Pink (23 January 2012)

That's right, but you need to take into account the statutory breaks which is the problem 

You need to take a continuous 45 hour break over a two week period so if you drove say every Sat you wouldn't be taking your full allotment which is the problem and is the lack or rest they will sting you for unfortunately

Hope that helps


----------



## BYR (23 January 2012)

Ahh I see, yes I understand now! 

Thanks


----------



## jess_asterix (23 January 2012)

I did mine last year when I was 18 and went straight in for my LGV cat C as didnt want to pay twice! 

It cost around £1200 in total, I got my medical for £30 through a friend who is a GP, theory test i paid for separateley as did this before I had booked my training. 
For my training I had an assessment on the Saturday and then we decided to do 5 days training which was 3.5 hours a day with my test in the Friday afternoon. I felt this was plenty of time for me and I had never driven a lorry or trailer before. 

If driving a hgv you need to run on tacho regardless of whether it is private or not whereas if 7.5 tonne you don't have to run on tacho. Also running costs ate higher of a HGV and if it through a company you have to have checks every 6 weeks which are costly as well as a CPC and operators license ( you also need the latter 2 for a 7.5 tonne if commercial) 

Obviously access needs to be considered to as measles said about altering her driveway for us if we were to have a Hgv here regularly we would have to alter ours to as currently they have to reverse on from one way only which on a busy cut through lane can be a nightmare!  

I live my little 7.5 t iveco eurocargi it is really nippy and runs well. Still have listing power when we have 3 on the one with living or 4 on the work lorry. 

Sorry if there is lots of spelling mistakes I'm on my iPhone!


----------



## Super_Kat (23 January 2012)

Wheres the best place to get the theory test cd-roms? I've tried ebay but everything on there is 'valid until Jan 2012' so I'm assuming they will be changing some of the questions?


----------



## measles (23 January 2012)

The theory for HGV and also car license was until the end of '11 a bank of questions and you were asked a random sample - 100 of them with 4 multiple choice answers for HGV and you had to get 88 correct.   I now understand that the bank of questions won't be published so you cannot mug up on them and have to actually learn the theory.   A is just 17 and sat his car theory in December to get it done while he could mug up in this way.


----------



## showjump (23 January 2012)

Ive got my medical, done theory and hazard perception. But do i have to do a CPC test?? Also im thinking im better doing my HGV rather than LGV as the price is similar.
Can anyone advise further? Thanks.


----------



## ROG (23 January 2012)

BYR said:



			I am looking to take my HGV test this year. I would like some advice from those of you with the licence please! 

How long was the course you took ?  Different companies are saying between 5  10 days , I know it depends on the individual, but what would you say the average time would be? 

With regards to the medical, how often do you have to have one? Does it have to be renewed every so many years, or does it just last until you get to a certain age? 

How much did it cost? PM me if you prefer but I would just like a rough idea, Im thinking it will be around the £1200 mark, but does that include the theory test and the medical as well? 

When I have passed (presuming I do ! ) and we buy a lorry what are the advantages / disadvantages of having a 7.5 tonne or an HGV. How do things work with regards to tachograph`s and driving hours? 

Thank you and sorry for all the questions!
		
Click to expand...

LGV instructor from 2005 to 2008 so I may be able to help the most

The general course time is 5 days with the test on day 5
An assessment, especially if free, is a very good idea
Visit more than one LGV school
DO NOT NOT NOT NOT go through a BROKER (middleman)
*Always visit the training school before parting with any money*

D4 medical - if taken before age 40 then the renewals will be at ages 45 50 55 60 65 66 67 68 ....
If taken after age 40 then they will be every 5 years from the date of the first one until age 65 when they will be yearly
*NEVER pay more than about £50 for a medical* 
D4 medicals do not have to be done by your own GP

Cost of a 5 day LGV C course is likely to be around £1000 - the further south = dearer. the further north = cheaper ..... generally speaking

You can book and take your own theory tests but most schools will assist you with that for FREE
Schools may also have access to a cheap doctor for the medical


LGVs under 7.5 tonnes driven PRIVATELY (not for commercial purposes) are exempt from the tacho and driver regs

LGVs over 7.5 tonnes whether private or not must adhere to all the driver regs - *NEW VOSA EU DRIVER REGS GUIDE GV262-03*

The size of LGV you choose to operate may depend on what weight of horses you wish to transport

More info can be found on a very big thread I compiled -  HERE


----------



## ROG (23 January 2012)

Super_Kat said:



			Wheres the best place to get the theory test cd-roms? I've tried ebay but everything on there is 'valid until Jan 2012' so I'm assuming they will be changing some of the questions?
		
Click to expand...

From Jan 2012 the DSA will not be producing the old style theory Q&A books but will instead be producing books etc with just the info required

Try the link below for all LGV theory material at very reduced rates
http://www.desktopdriving.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=52&products_id=311


----------



## ROG (23 January 2012)

showjump said:



			Ive got my medical, done theory and hazard perception. But do i have to do a CPC test?? Also im thinking im better doing my HGV rather than LGV as the price is similar.
Can anyone advise further? Thanks.
		
Click to expand...

LGV is the new HGV - cannot refer to both as it gets confusing

Driver CPC is only required if driving LGVs commercially not privately

If you are referring to LGV C1 as opposed to LGV C then there are a few things to consider...

If the training schools is using a 7.5 tonne lorry for C1 then you might as well do C because the price will be virtually the same - the difference will be the gearbox - usually a straight 5 or 6 (car type) for C1 and either a range change or splitter for C
Day 2 of a course usually has the range/splitter box sorted

If the C1 course uses a 4 or 5 tonne VAN then that will be easier and cheaper than doing a C course
All the rest such as medical theory etc is the same as for C


----------

