CPC card

jimbob12

I passed my rigid licence in 2012 and have a cpc card. I want to get my artic licence now. So two questions my provisional licence for the artic is out of date, can I just renew it or do I need to do the theory test again, secondly is about the cpc card, I have one and on it it has 4a 13-3-12 to 4b 13-2-18 so do I just need to do the other modules?

Silvera

I passed my rigid test in 2003 and my artic in July 2014 (I did my EC test in a wagon-and-drag set up). You dont need to take another theory test for the artic....once your learner permit isnt over 5 years expired.

As regards the cpc, cant help there as I havent taken any steps towards getting a card (as yet) - I dont plan on driving professionally in the near future. (I didnt have to do the practical or written cpc tests as I passed category C before 2008, and therefore I qualify for cpc 'inherited rights').

jimbob12

Jesus was that not really hard doing your test in a wagon-drag unit?? An I want to drive professionally. I'm a qualified electrician but I just want to try something different. Sure if it doesn't work out at least I tried it. Plus childhood thing has always been to try trucks so.

Del2005

jimbob12 wrote: »

I passed my rigid licence in 2012 and have a cpc card. I want to get my artic licence now. So two questions my provisional licence for the artic is out of date, can I just renew it or do I need to do the theory test again, secondly is about the cpc card, I have one and on it it has 4a 13-3-12 to 4b 13-2-18 so do I just need to do the other modules?

AFAIK CPC the modules are the same for C and EC, it's only D and ED that requires more, so as you keep doing the modules you should be OK. To be sure give the RSA a call and they will tell the tell you what you need to do.

Jumping from a sparks to a truck driver, out of the pan into the fire!

Silvera

jimbob12 wrote: »

Jesus was that not really hard doing your test in a wagon-drag unit?? An I want to drive professionally. I'm a qualified electrician but I just want to try something different. Sure if it doesn't work out at least I tried it. Plus childhood thing has always been to try trucks so.

No, I preferred the wagon-and-drag set up tbh. I tried a couple of lessons before that in an artic and found it a little tricky to get used to (If I kept at it I'm sure I would have gotten the hang of it after time). I just found the wagon-and-drag suited me better. (I also did some research before taking EC lessons and it seems that many drivers in the UK also find it easier to do the lessons and test in a wagon/drag, and then take some artic lessons after the passing the test). The probelm in Ireland is that there are only a few (two?) schools who provide a wagon-and-drag for lessons/test. Where are you based?

I'm kinda the same as you in that I just wanted to get more categories on my licence...EB in particular. I thought when I got 'C' I might have also qualified for EB, but thats not the case. So it was then a decision (in 2014) whether to do EB or EC lessons/test...I'm glad I went for EC as it qualified me for several extra categories too....(EC), EB, EC1, ED1 ( I passed D1 in 2008).

donkey balls

The CPC modules are the same sh*te regardless of licence held apart from one module for both bus & truck,I know that there is not much work going around sparking at the moment and if you do go ahead with getting the artic licence you could be working very long hours.
Also the money is absolute crap sometimes less than the min wage (Due to the way some companies pay) then there is companies wanting at least 1/2 years experience.
If it has been a dream go for it but as a full time job I would stay well away from it,There are only a hand full of companies paying a decent living wage and the majority of agencies have really f**ked it up with bringing the rates down.
I might come across as a bitter aul f**K:P but I am working in the transport & aviation industry 20 years now,And I have experienced personally what I posted above and to be honest I don't think that I would go back driving on the road full time again.

jimbob12

It's good the hear from you donkeyballs but I'm young single and want to try it. I've travelled and since coming home after a few years travelling I'm back watching trucks and wanting to drive them. It's something I want to get out of my system and get to see more of this country or even Europe. It's just one of them things I guess. I read truck mags no interest in cars just trucks.

donkey balls

Go for it then if it is something you would like to do I know years ago I had the travel bug/itch and I am glad that I did it,The school you did the ridgid lessons with do they teach people on the artics.

jimbob12

donkey balls wrote: »

Go for it then if it is something you would like to do I know years ago I had the travel bug/itch and I am glad that I did it,The school you did the ridgid lessons with do they teach people on the artics.

They do yes, but that was back in Dublin I now live up the country a bit so I'll do lessons locally. Plus give a local lad or woman a bit of business. You might no my artic provisional is out of date a year, can I just renew it or do I need to do the theory test again?

donkey balls

To be honest I haven't a clue regarding the new rules best bet would be to either ask some of the lads here or contact the RSA,I did my tests back in the 90s

Silvera

jimbob12 wrote: »

They do yes, but that was back in Dublin I now live up the country a bit so I'll do lessons locally. Plus give a local lad or woman a bit of business. You might no my artic provisional is out of date a year, can I just renew it or do I need to do the theory test again?

How long is your provisional/permit out of date?
Where are you based (county)?

I did my EC lessons with a school who are based in Roscommon (I did the lessons and test in Athone). The instructor (John) is sound and very easy to take instructions from (not like a couple of previous EC instructors I tried!).

This is the school I used - http://www.aclearsteerdriving.com/?page_id=46

Del2005

jimbob12 wrote: »

They do yes, but that was back in Dublin I now live up the country a bit so I'll do lessons locally. Plus give a local lad or woman a bit of business. You might no my artic provisional is out of date a year, can I just renew it or do I need to do the theory test again?

IIRC it's 5 years expired before you need to redo the theory test again.

AllGunsBlazing

Just gonna crash this thread to give you a bit of warning to check your CPC card has all the driving categories on it that you are entitled to. I'm sending mine back today with a photocopy of my licence after the dullards didn't include the DE or D1E categories.

Apparantly they have no record of me having those categories even though I have both on my Driving Licence.:rolleyes:

So once you receive your card give it a good scan to make sure nothing is missing.

Silvera

Del2005 wrote: »

IIRC it's 5 years expired before you need to redo the theory test again.

Correct (as stated in my first reply above).

jimbob12

Silvera wrote: »

Correct (as stated in my first reply above).

That's good news, don't want to go do that stupid theory test again. Such a pointless test.

roofer1988

defo go for it if you want easy fall back on sparking if you want. Driving is a hard racqet though and not easy get work wit no experience

jimbob12

roofer1988 wrote: »

defo go for it if you want easy fall back on sparking if you want. Driving is a hard racqet though and not easy get work wit no experience

I have experience driving rigid trucks alright. I hate been a sparks and have always wanted to drive trucks so why not. I'm not going to leave my job or anything untill one I have the licence and 2 until I actually get a job. No harm in trying.