Truck or bus driving licence

BrianD3

Has anyone here done their category C (truck) or D (bus) driving test. Are there any lorry or bus drivers here. Also is there anyone who has done their test without intending to go into driving full time. I know some here got their licence due to an interest in driving and vehicles and in the hope that a higher category licence "might come in useful" someday.

I was thinking about the latter scenario myself but I work out that it would cost at least a grand between applications, medicals, theory tests, lessons. And it'd be more still if I didn't pass the test full time. If there was the chance of getting some part time driving work at the weekends I might go for it. I read in the weekend papers that larger trucks are being proposed for the UK, one reason being that there is a shortage of drivers. Dunno how true this is.

Anyone have any opinions on this topic?

Squirrel

Would you get a reduction on insurance if you got a small weekend job because you're a "professional driver", a very naive question really considering the Irish insurance industry.

Personally it's something I'd like to do when I'm old enough but I want to get a licence for as many vehicles as possible (I've been obsessed with anything moving since I was about 2 )

I'm sure there'd be a few places that would require a driver every once in a while, check with supermarkets and see if you can become a back-up driver, or some air-conditioning companies I know can have a hard time getting drivers to move the completed units, I did a work-experience in an air-handling unit manufacturer so heard this complaint quite frequently

seamus

Mate of mine did the cat. C test recently enough (last month). He'd never really driven a truck before - he drove a rigid about 150m on a summer job once - and did two lessons the week before the test.

Hit a kerb when he was turning, but still passed. So it can't be all that difficult

BrianD3

Squirrel wrote:

Would you get a reduction on insurance if you got a small weekend job because you're a "professional driver", a very naive question really considering the Irish insurance industry.

Don't know, but one thing I do know is that when a friend of mine got his artic licence and got a job as a driver his premium on his car INCREASED :rolleyes: Apparently the insurance company regarded lorry drivers as a high risk occupation. He got the impression from the insurance company that they thought he'd be carrying around goods in his car :rolleyes:

Squirrel

BrianD3 wrote:

Don't know, but one thing I do know is that when a friend of mine got his artic licence and got a job as a driver his premium on his car INCREASED :rolleyes: Apparently the insurance company regarded lorry drivers as a high risk occupation. He got the impression from the insurance company that they thought he'd be carrying around goods in his car :rolleyes:

It really was a naive question then

cormie

Think of the fun you could have with a double decker bus:D How much would a Double Decker set you back? Would it really cost about a grand to get a license? :eek:

murphaph

I'd love to get a cat C and EC licences too. Just to have. I'd seriously consider spending a grand on a cat C, but like you say-that assumes you pass first time.

murphaph

cormie wrote:

Think of the fun you could have with a double decker bus:D How much would a Double Decker set you back? Would it really cost about a grand to get a license? :eek:

You'd be better getting a D licence in a coach with manual gearbox! The test the dublin bus drivers do will leave ya with a restricted (to automatic) licence!

BrianD3

It would probably cost more than a grand to get a coach licence as the lessons tend to be dearer than truck lessons There are far fewer driving schools offering coach lessons so this may explain the price difference.

I used to think that when you did your coach (D) test you got C (or C1 depending on the weight of the coach) awarded automatically. But according to John R who posts here, this is not the case. Two separate tests would be required to get both licences.

It's actually possible to get an ED licence - coach towing a trailer. I wouldn't fancy reversing that combination into a restricted entrance

unkel

BrianD3 wrote:

it would cost at least a grand between applications, medicals, theory tests, lessons

Is that all? In the Netherlands it would be many, many times that. A lot of young lads who aspire to be artic drivers join the army so they get their license and can convert it to a civvy one after their army contract expires after 4-6 years

BTW they get the lot afaik: B all the way up to E

BrianD3

According to the ISM website the approximate rates for lessons are
10 car lessons - 340 quid
10 truck lessons - 400 quid
10 artic lessons - 420 quid
10 coach lessons - 630 quid

I'd say 10 lessons wouldn't be enough, would probably need at least 15. Then there's the cost of hiring the vehicle for the test which seems to be around 180-200.

DoctorEdgeWild

A grand seems a little high but imo it's worth it. I'm a truck driver myself, when I was doing my test (couple of years back), lessons were about 70 bucks each (2 hours). I did them with ISM who I found to be very good. I wouldn't recommend them for car lessons though.

I was lucky because I have been around trucks my whole life and took 5 lessons before sitting and passing my test.

I do know that as a truck driver, my 'skill' is always in demand - the pay isn't as good as what most people think, compared to other so called skilled labour. I have been lucky enough to have travelled the world and any time I was short on money, a driving job was almost always available.

I say go for it if you have the time and interest. Best of luck if you do.

AlienGav

If i were you, (which i was) I'd get my Cat C theory test, and apply somewhere like Dublin Bus for a driving job.

They send you to a driving school in Phibsboro for a month and you undergo some crazy driving lessons! BRILLIANT!!

As soon you get their licence, (which will be all be paid for by the company) jack the job in and do something else! Being a bit sneaky i know...

Also, Someone was asking about it being cheaper having a Cat C and Cat D licence?!

It's not true, Bus drivers and truck drivers get loaded on the premiums. Something to do do with them being used to driving something so big all day, and then transferring back to a car is reguarded as being a dramatic change! :rolleyes:

John R

AlienGav wrote:

If i were you, (which i was) I'd get my Cat C theory test, and apply somewhere like Dublin Bus for a driving job.

They send you to a driving school in Phibsboro for a month and you undergo some crazy driving lessons! BRILLIANT!!

As soon you get their licence, (which will be all be paid for by the company) jack the job in and do something else! Being a bit sneaky i know...

Also, Someone was asking about it being cheaper having a Cat C and Cat D licence?!

It's not true, Bus drivers and truck drivers get loaded on the premiums. Something to do do with them being used to driving something so big all day, and then transferring back to a car is reguarded as being a dramatic change! :rolleyes:

That is correct, I know of several people who had premium hikes when changing occupation to professional driver.

There is not a huge amount of other work you can get with a D licence acquired through Dublin Bus, and certainly not anything that pays better.
As already mentioned they only have automatic transmission buses so the licence would be restricted to that. Alot of hire coaches are still ordered with manual boxes.

For private coach lessons at least a grand would be a reasonable amount to budget on, for a rigid truck a good deal less. 5 to 10 2-hour lessons for a truck and at least 10 for a coach would be typical.
Because it is a licence specifically to carry passengers a higher standard is required to pass the D test.

A EC or ED provisional licence requires a full C or D licence so to get to drive an articulated truck means two sets of lessons and tests.

BrianD3

On the topic of driving schools, does anyone know if this crowd are any good?
http://www.hynesquinn.com/hgvtruck.html

Their rates seem reasonable (50 quid for a 1.5 hour lesson in a rigid, 65 quid for bus lesson)

murphaph

Does anyone know if the wait time is the same for a truck test as a bike or car test?

John R

murphaph wrote:

Does anyone know if the wait time is the same for a truck test as a bike or car test?

No, wait times are very short. Under a month would be common.

murphaph

Thanks a lot John. That has raised my curiosity about it I must say!

BrianD3

murphaph wrote:

Thanks a lot John. That has raised my curiosity about it I must say!

Me too If the waiting times are as short as John R says it would be very handy. You wouldn't feel under as much pressure to pass the test first time as you'd know that if you failed you'd get another chance soon afterward as opposed to sitting waiting for a year, forgetting stuff, losing enthusiasm, getting bad habits etc.

Squirrel

Is 21 the age for bus and truck licences?

BrianD3

18 for trucks, 21 for buses.

Squirrel

BrianD3 wrote:

18 for trucks, 21 for buses.

Cool, I'll look into them when I'm 18 and 21

Silvera

I passed my C test back in 2003.

I never really intended going driving full time, it was just something I wanted to do/achieve. (Perhaps it was because my father has ALL the categories on his licence (got them free years ago! :rolleyes: ) and this got me interested in getting more categories on my licence.)

I definitely plan on taking the EB test (....and perhaps the EC test) at a later date.

IIRC, it cost me c.500-600 for 8 hours of tuition, and the test proper.
I'm glad I passed first time and didn't have to do more lessons !


......I think the driving examiner was particularly impressed with my driving when I noticed a car starting to pass me - with another vehicle oncoming - and I rapidly eased off the accelerator to let the (idiot!) get past me in time :mad:

fitzer45

BrianD3 wrote: »

Has anyone here done their category C (truck) or D (bus) driving test. Are there any lorry or bus drivers here. Also is there anyone who has done their test without intending to go into driving full time. I know some here got their licence due to an interest in driving and vehicles and in the hope that a higher category licence "might come in useful" someday.

I was thinking about the latter scenario myself but I work out that it would cost at least a grand between applications, medicals, theory tests, lessons. And it'd be more still if I didn't pass the test full time. If there was the chance of getting some part time driving work at the weekends I might go for it. I read in the weekend papers that larger trucks are being proposed for the UK, one reason being that there is a shortage of drivers. Dunno how true this is.

Anyone have any opinions on this topic?

fitzer45

Hi I am a bus & truck driver with 23 years behind me in the game.
it will cost you about €3000 to get the truck + bus and your CPC.
For about €10 an hour. and some insurance co. will load your insurance because
of your job.

biko

Thread is from 2005...
Please don't drag up old threads but do stick around to share of your knowledge, just keep it in recent threads.