Tips & advice
HGV, Driver CPC and ADR training is an investment in your future. Like any investment it's wise to do your research before committing. Asking some basic questions can you save a lot of time and money so we have compiled some basic guidance notes below to help you find the right Training Provider.
Company history and background
If you can, visit the Providers training center. It's great to get an idea of what the company is all about. Any reputable training would welcome your visit. If the training company cannot accommodate your visit then ask yourself why? Are they trying to hide something? When it comes to HGV, Driver CPC and ADR training most people don't want to travel much further than 30-40 miles a day so it's important to find an HGV, Driver CPC or ADR Training provider close to you.
Your visit need not be a day out or anything. After 3/4 of an hour you should get a feel for the company and know if they are right for you. To help, here's a couple of useful questions you could ask:
- Are the Instructors DSA (Driving Standards Agency) or RTITB (Road Transport Industry Training Board) approved? (HGV training.) For Driver CPC training is the company JAUPT (Joint Approvals Unit for Periodic Training) approved. For ADR training is the company an SQA approved examination centre and a member of a consortium, e.g. NDGTC)(should be your 1st questions)
- How long has company has been operating?
- What is their average pass rate (HGV and ADR)?
- For HGV where are the training vehicles located if not at the center?
- What are the training times? (start and finish)
- What's the training ratio? (i.e. one to one, two to one etc.)
- Do they deliver the training themselves or outsource it? Go direct if you can.
- The test centres they use and for how long?
- Can you have a look at the vehicle you will be trained and tested in?
Training hours (HGV)
Different training companies operate different training times and Student ratios. Most tend to deliver HGV training at a ratio of 2:1:1 (two Students, one Instructor and one vehicle). In this instance you should be out in the vehicle all day driving alternately. Other companies deliver the training at a ratio of 1:1:1 (one Student, one Instructor and one vehicle). Normally in this instance you drive for 4 hours at a time (this may differ between companies).
Training times (ADR)
Most persons attending an initial ADR course will complete the 3.5 day Packaged Goods course (Core, Pack and all classes except 1 and 7), which is 3.5 days in duration from Monday to Thursday. Adding the Tanker (typical with class 1 drivers) element will add 1.5 days and make the course last 5 days overall. Most ADR training providers have invested in Driver CPC approval meaning attending a 3.5 day ADR can also count as 21 hours Periodic Driver CPC training.
Training hours (Driver CPC)
Most if not all Driver CPC periodic course will be 7 hours in duration. Times will vary between each provider but a 9am start and 5pm finish should be a good bet. You may also find some training companies start to deliver Driver CPC over weekends as demand rises
Which option you choose is up to you. Speak to your local Training Provider who will give you further advice.
HGV Training Vehicles
A well maintained training vehicle is an essential tool in HGV licence acquisition so you should ask any perspective LGV Training Company the following questions:
- How modern is the vehicle you will learn on?
- How often it is serviced and if it is maintained regularly>
Bear in mind. HGV training vehicles are Operator Licence exempt. This means the vehicle is legally only required to pass an MOT once a year (same as a car). There is no legal obligation to service and maintain LGV training vehicles. Training companies that subject there training vehicles to regular maintenance, inspection and service demonstrate investment in vehicle safety and reliability. Would you want to train in a vehicle that is mechanically unsound or likely to break-down?
Costs
HGV Training Prices can vary from Provider to Provider and area to area . To minimise your training costs it is always advisable to go direct to your Provider rather than a third party such as a Broker or middleman.
Brokers or middlemen will not tell you they are only facilitators. If they told you this then you would go direct.
Asking the above questions should help you decide what option is best for you This website only promotes Training Companies that deliver the training themselves and employ DSA/RTITB approved instructors. Find your nearest Training Provider by completing the search form on our Home Page.