artic lessons

yes14

Anybody know what price they are at now?

donkey balls

Really depends on what school you go to and you are better off doing 2 hour block lessons,I know of a very good school where I actually did all my lessons from car up to artic many years ago.
And the school is a lot cheaper than some of the competition around without compromising on tutoring,I also work in the transport industry and the majority of lads I know driving or who went in to mgmt did their lessons with this company.

yourpics

Between 55 and 65 euro per hour, some deals also available on block booking a number of lessons and the hire of the lorry for the test.

Its all the other costs which really add to it aswell ie learner permit, fee for adding category to full licence, CPC, medicals etc

jimgoose

Most truck schools will recommend two-hour slots at a time. Most seem to charge about €120 for that.

HeidiHeidi

Holy moly, this caper sounds very expensive :eek:

The HGV licence (or whatever it's called these days) is something I've always wanted to do for myself - I briefly considered a career in haulage as a young 'un, but got sidetracked into something else entirely, but still have a hankering to be able to drive and reverse an artic or a large rigid with aplomb!

Could anyone guesstimate how much it would cost from start to finish, supposing I turned out to be a pure natural? Is there a minimum number of lessons to be taken? And what might a hobby truck driver like me do for practice, seeing as I don't have one parked out front (and nor does anybody I know)?

Is it really a practical aspiration/dream at all

(apologies to the OP for hijacking his thread, if it gets at all sidetracked I'll start a different one!)

jimgoose

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Holy moly, this caper sounds very expensive :eek:

The HGV licence (or whatever it's called these days) is something I've always wanted to do for myself - I briefly considered a career in haulage as a young 'un, but got sidetracked into something else entirely, but still have a hankering to be able to drive and reverse an artic or a large rigid with aplomb!

Could anyone guesstimate how much it would cost from start to finish, supposing I turned out to be a pure natural? Is there a minimum number of lessons to be taken? And what might a hobby truck driver like me do for practice, seeing as I don't have one parked out front (and nor does anybody I know)?

Is it really a practical aspiration/dream at all

(apologies to the OP for hijacking his thread, if it gets at all sidetracked I'll start a different one!)

I'm doing exactly that, over time. If it's just for shíts'n'giggles you don't need the CPC, and there is no set number of lessons to be taken, your ADI will advise you on where you're at. I can't see anyone doing the category "C" (rigid HGV) for less than €1,000 all-in, to be honest.

HeidiHeidi

jimgoose wrote: »

I'm doing exactly that, over time. If it's just for shíts'n'giggles you don't need the CPC, and there is no set number of lessons to be taken, your ADI will advise you on where you're at. I can't see anyone doing the category "C" (rigid HGV) for less than €1,000 all-in, to be honest.

That describes it exactly

Jaysus.

And supposing I wanted to add the artic licence as well? Is that a whole other set of lessons and test to be done?

Think I'd better open a piggy bank :eek: Or start doing the Lotto.

jimgoose

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

That describes it exactly

Jaysus.

And supposing I wanted to add the artic licence as well? Is that a whole other set of lessons and test to be done?

Think I'd better open a piggy bank :eek: Or start doing the Lotto.

Adding artic to that would be about the same, I should say. A bit less - you wouldn't need to re-do the theory test, and hopefully you wouldn't need as much training. Although this blasted trailer-reversing is tricky!

yourpics

Im doing the truck licences myself mainly for the craic/interest in trucks. The way I see it someone who goes cycling would easily spend 5K on a bike and accessories etc and that is their interest.
At the end of it you have a practical skill and something which can be used to earn

jimgoose

yourpics wrote: »

Im doing the truck licences myself mainly for the craic/interest in trucks. The way I see it someone who goes cycling would easily spend 5K on a bike and accessories etc and that is their interest.
At the end of it you have a practical skill and something which can be used to earn

Quite so indeed. And don't forget, trucks are fun, dammit!

yes14

jimgoose wrote: »

Adding artic to that would be about the same, I should say. A bit less - you wouldn't need to re-do the theory test, and hopefully you wouldn't need as much training. Although this blasted trailer-reversing is tricky!

Iv never reversed an artic
must b tricky at first
backing them up on to the ferry must be som craic

jimgoose

yes14 wrote: »

Iv never reversed an artic
must b tricky at first
backing them up on to the ferry must be som craic

You get the hang of it. Actually, a car with a small trailer is a bigger pain in the arse.

HeidiHeidi

yourpics wrote: »

Im doing the truck licences myself mainly for the craic/interest in trucks. The way I see it someone who goes cycling would easily spend 5K on a bike and accessories etc and that is their interest.
At the end of it you have a practical skill and something which can be used to earn

trouble is, I already have a money-pit of a hobby (sailing), can I really afford another one?!

jimgoose wrote: »

Quite so indeed. And don't forget, trucks are fun, dammit!

But this!!!

yes14 wrote: »

Iv never reversed an artic
must b tricky at first
backing them up on to the ferry must be som craic

I reversed the boat on a trailer through a yacht club once without hitting anything, was very proud of meself! Good practice I reckon

yourpics

I prefer dry land myself haha

Doing the rigid at the moment and hopefully do the artic after that.

Silvera

I did the rigid C test in 2003. Doing the C+E lessons atm,
on a 'wagon and drag' set up. I did a few lessons on artics
but much prefer the truck-and-trailer set up.

Driving school I'm using / their truck and trailer -
http://www.aclearsteerdriving.com/?page_id=46

donkey balls

Depending on your aptitude for driving you might get away with doing the ridgid & artic for around 2/2.5k,Also while reversing an artic everything that you have done in relation to the ridgid is the totally opposite for an artic.

yes14

donkey balls wrote: »

Depending on your aptitude for driving you might get away with doing the ridgid & artic for around 2/2.5k,Also while reversing an artic everything that you have done in relation to the ridgid is the totally opposite for an artic.

Doney rigid in 06.done one lesson before my test
same with the car.doubt id get away with one for the artic test

Silvera

Well I finally did it ...passed my C+E test on Thursday!!:D

I did it in Athlone in a Sania truck+trailer combination operated by this school -
http://www.aclearsteerdriving.com/?page_id=46

Great to finally be able to add B+E/C1+E/C+E categories to my licence!

Bus test next for me?? Perhaps!?;)

Del2005

Silvera wrote: »

Well I finally did it ...passed my C+E test on Thursday!!:D

I did it in Athlone in a Sania truck+trailer combination operated by this school -
http://www.aclearsteerdriving.com/?page_id=46

Great to finally be able to add B+E/C1+E/C+E categories to my licence!

Bus test next for me?? Perhaps!?;)

Licence looks much better with no blanks. Get the D and then go A:D

yes14

Congrats.how many lessons did u do?

Silvera

Cheers guys.

I did 12 hours in total, split into 6 x 2 hour sessions.
On the week of the test I did 2 hrs on Mon, 2 hrs on Tues and 4 x hours on Weds (and took the test on Thursday).

A few things I have learned -

- Get an instructor who you get on with (The instructor I had was sound and very easy to get on with and learn from. No bull**** like other instructors I know of).

- Be well-rested before taking the lessons. It's heavy going driving an artic/truck and trailer - especially when you are not used to it.

- Read up on trucks..I bought the RSA 'Learning to Drive a Truck' but didnt read it in enough detail...as a result I had to think-on-the-spot when asked questions at the test.

- Most of all - enjoy it! I've wanted to do the artic test for about 20 years - so it's great to finally have it done!

Pics of the truck I used....