Whats involved in taking the over 3500kg test? (1 Viewer)

[kevofcov]

Hi

Has anybody any experience of taking another test to enable driving over 3500kg. Whats involved, costs etc. Its not for me but for my tin pot lids.

 

[glenn2926]

I think it is the same as doing HGV but in a smaller truck.

 

[Alistair33]

........ for my tin pot lids.

Tin pot lids driving ....... Well I never

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[Minxy]

From what others have said it costs about £1000+ to do it so not a cheap option.

 

[Wildbill]

Thay will need to do driver CPC that's anything from 400/600
Thay will then have to to driver training abut a week's driving another $1000
There probably better doing the hgv 1 but bare in mind that will if thay want to tow a caravan or trailer over 800 kg thay will still have to pass a towing test
My nice is HGV 1 and can't tow a caravan crazy I know but that's the law
Bill
@Gromett will know the full cost of it as I only had to site CPC

 

[mpdcymru]

Agree with @airwave, no need for Driver CPC but the rest of the test is similar to LGV test just with smaller vehicle. if you have to go to a driving school for this, then you are better off taking the full Cat C test as they cost about the same.

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[Wildbill]

OK no problem though my mistake
Cheers Bill

 

[EX51SSS]

Hi

Has anybody any experience of taking another test to enable driving over 3500kg. Whats involved, costs etc. Its not for me but for my tin pot lids.

The sooner they do it the cheaper it will be although cost is relative to time.

 

[GWAYGWAY]

I think they still need to do the full medical renewal thing, same as a professional driver does to keep the licence going.

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[Gromett]

I took my C1 quite a few years ago now. But I believe I paid about £600 but I only need a day and half training and passed on the afternoon of the second day.

You don't need the CPC, although I took mine because I was considering driving jobs as a new career. You do need to take a medical though.

The price varies quite dramatically depending on who you take it with.

One quick point. MAKE SURE, when you are looking for a provider you don't go through an agency. They are rip off merchants. Go direct with a training school.
don't look for guaranteed passes, no reputable school will offer this.

The two places I have used are our very own @motor roamin Rick down in Leicester. Data Academy http://www.dataacademy.co.uk/
They have some very nice trucks to learn in. The place I took my C1 was in York. They are called Tockwith training and are also excellent.
http://www.tockwithtraining.co.uk/

For the C1 most places use a panel van with a larger than 3.5T GVW. So it is just like driving a motorhome. There is quite a bit to learn and they do give you reversing training for the reversing test which is taken at a dedicated location.

Hope this helps.

 

[Gromett]

Mine was for 1 and a half days excluding test fees etc.

 

[Puddleduck]

I'm trying to persuade my daughter to do the C1 or even the C. I think it would open up opportunities for her and if she had the C1 / C for leisure driving her employer would pay to make it up to "hire and reward". She drives panel vans less than 3500 kg for them already.

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[pappajohn]

I believe Rick (data academy) will tell you, as a learner, if you are competent enough to even attempt to pass the test in the first couple of lessons......some folks will NEVER get the hang of it and his guys can pick such learners out in a very short space of time..
He also has a very good pass rate.

 

[rrusty]

Is the eye test more stringent, I have a lasy eye but ok in the other.

 

[Gromett]

I believe Rick (data academy) will tell you, as a learner, if you are competent enough to even attempt to pass the test in the first couple of lessons......some folks will NEVER get the hang of it and his guys can pick such learners out in a very short space of time..
He also has a very good pass rate.

Absolutely correct. The 2 hour evaluation is well worth it.

I just wanted to add that the C1 and C test are exactly the same. However driving the heavier panel van is pretty much like driving a motorhome, the gearbox is the same, the size is the same (or smaller). The C test is taken in a much much larger vehicle and the gearbox (either 4 over 4 or straight 6) can be tricky to learn.

The C1 training I did in a day and a half and passed first time. This led me to be over confident on my C training and partially due to this and partially due to me being ill and losing a days training I failed my first attempt at the C test. The C1 was however very straight forward if you have panel van or motorhome experience already.

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[Badknee]

When I did mine last year there were a bunch of scaffolders there that didn't understand why they needed it as they loaded up with gear, drove to site, erected said scaffold, no hire or reward involved.
It was explained if they took some gear out to another job because the lads there were short or something then it was completely different and they weren't carrying for themselves.

 

[EX51SSS]

I think they still need to do the full medical renewal thing, same as a professional driver does to keep the licence going.

Not at 45 and every 5 years. Don't need a medical at inception of licence.

 

[Badknee]

Having read through this thread it seems the cheapest way to do this is to buy a fake birth certificate to make you much older. I got mine free because I'm an old git.

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[Gromett]

When I did mine last year there were a bunch of scaffolders there that didn't understand why they needed it as they loaded up with gear, drove to site, erected said scaffold, no hire or reward involved.
It was explained if they took some gear out to another job because the lads there were short or something then it was completely different and they weren't carrying for themselves.

I think you are wrong there. If you are being paid and drive for the person paying you then it requires the CPC.

Not at 45 and every 5 years. Don't need a medical at inception of licence.

I think this is wrong as well. I had to take a medical for my C1 in 2007. Just had to do another medical to renew it on my 45th Birthday.

 

[EX51SSS]

I think you are wrong there. If you are being paid and drive for the person paying you then it requires the CPC.



I think this is wrong as well. I had to take a medical for my C1 in 2007. Just had to do another medical to renew it on my 45th Birthday.

For non vocational?

 

[Gromett]

For non vocational?

If you have to take your C1 test now (post 97 license) then you need the medical.

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[EX51SSS]

When I did mine last year there were a bunch of scaffolders there that didn't understand why they needed it as they loaded up with gear, drove to site, erected said scaffold, no hire or reward involved.
It was explained if they took some gear out to another job because the lads there were short or something then it was completely different and they weren't carrying for themselves.

If it's their job and they're getting paid, it's hire and reward. They're getting paid

 

[EX51SSS]

If you have to take your C1 test now (post 97 license) then you need the medical.

Now possibly but as I took mine pre 1997 then medical only required for acceptance of licence and every 5 years after 45 then yearly after 65. That's not the case with non commercial HGV

 

[Puddleduck]

Is the eye test more stringent, I have a lasy eye but ok in the other.

Yes, eye sight test is more stringent.

From the government websight:

Standards of vision for driving
You must be able to read (with glasses or contact lenses, if necessary) a car number plate made after 1 September 2001 from 20 metres.

You must also meet the minimum eyesight standard for driving by having a visual acuity of at least decimal 0.5 (6/12) measured on the Snellen scale (with glasses or contact lenses, if necessary) using both eyes together or, if you have sight in one eye only, in that eye.

You must also have an adequate field of vision - your optician can tell you about this and do a test.

Lorry and bus drivers
You must have a visual acuity at least 0.8 (6/7.5) measured on the Snellen scale in your best eye and at least 0.1 (6/60) on the Snellen scale in the other eye.

You can reach this standard using glasses with a corrective power not more than (+) 8 dioptres, or with contact lenses. There’s no specific limit for the corrective power of contact lenses.

You must have a horizontal visual field of at least 160 degrees, the extension should be at least 70 degrees left and right and 30 degrees up and down. No defects should be present within a radius of the central 30 degrees.

You must tell DVLA if you’ve got any problem with your eyesight that affects either eye.

You may still be able to renew your lorry or bus licence if you can’t meet these standards but held your licence before 1 January 1997.




If you don't meet these standards you should not be driving. Something I feel very strongly about. In fact I think it should be a REQUIREMENT for EVERYONE to submit an optician's statement when renewing their photo driving licence.

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[pappajohn]

When I did mine last year there were a bunch of scaffolders there that didn't understand why they needed it as they loaded up with gear, drove to site, erected said scaffold, no hire or reward involved.
It was explained if they took some gear out to another job because the lads there were short or something then it was completely different and they weren't carrying for themselves.

Don't understand......
Don't they get paid when driving?...only get paid to erect said scaffold on site.
If they do then that, to me, is 'reward'....they are getting paid by an employer to drive no matter where they go.

 

[Badknee]

If it's their job and they're getting paid, it's hire and reward. They're getting paid

Just saying what they were told at the time.

 

[Gromett]

Now possibly but as I took mine pre 1997 then medical only required for acceptance of licence and every 5 years after 45 then yearly after 65. That's not the case with non commercial HGV

There is no such thing as non commercial HGV now. Not sure what that means.
Now you take your car test which gives you B.
If you want to drive anything bigger then it is a medical.. This is for any of the C(1) or D(1) cats.

The only difference for C1/C license is you need the CPC now if it is part of your work. You don't need it if not.

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