Driving a bus or coach professionally requires the possession of valid Category D driving licence. This licence is similar to the Category C+E licence in some regards but quite different in others. The good news is that you can train to take your Category D test through the HGVT Training Centre. Our training programme encompasses everything you need including theory, practical skills, and initial CPC driver training.
What goes into comprehensive bus driver training? It is essentially a three-step process that teaches new drivers the practical skills they need while also imparting the knowledge necessary to pass several exams. We will outline the process in just a moment. But first, we want to explain why you should choose the HGVT Training Centre for all of your bus driver training needs.
The HGVT Training Centre is one of the most respected names in the professional driver training arena. We have been training individual and company drivers for decades here in the UK, contributing to an efficient haulage and transport sector that all of us can be proud of. At the HGVT Training Centre, we offer you:
- more than four dozen convenient locations
- experienced instructors with real-world experience
- convenient scheduling of classes
- individual support throughout the training process
- all of the materials and software necessary for classes
- full training and testing facilities
- affordable classes and financing options
- a 92% first-time pass rate
- job placement assistance.
As an approved CPC training centre, all of our classes meet or exceed government and industry standards for bus driver training. In other words, we do not do just enough to help our students ‘get by’. We go above and beyond to make sure every driver who graduates from one of our programmes is a top-notch driver worthy of employment.
The Driver Training Process
In order for bus driver training to begin, the student must first take and pass the PCV theory test. But in order to take that test, two other conditions must apply:
- Students must already possess a valid car licence
- Students must be in reasonably good health, as demonstrated by a routine health exam.
Every new student who signs up with the HGVT Training Centre is given two information packs. The first pack contains medical information and the paperwork the student will need to take with him or her to the medical exam. We even offer a complete list of UK doctors offering medical exams at the lowest prices. We help our students prepare and submit this paperwork accordingly.
The second pack contains information about the provisional entitlement necessary to begin practical skills training. Again, we help students complete the provisional entitlement application and send it to the appropriate office. We then provide the student with theory test preparation software that can be used to start studying for the exam. Any student wishing to take a preparation class can do so at the HGVT Training Centre.
With the health exam and theory test out of the way, the rest of the training process is as follows:
- CPC Training – Before a student can book and take the practical skills test, he or she must first complete initial CPC training. We provide that training in-house. The training is followed by an exam that presents the student with seven computer-based case studies, each accompanied by a series of multiple-choice questions. The driver reviews the case studies and answers the questions accordingly. A passing grade of 80% is required.
- Practical Skills Training – CPC training is followed by practical skills training. This training occurs in the classroom and behind the wheel of an actual coach or bus. We believe there is no better way to accomplish bus driver training than putting the student through a series of hands-on experiences.
- Final Test – The final test required to become a bus driver is taken at an approved testing facility. It is divided into two parts: driving skills and practical demonstration. The driving skills portion involves driving an actual bus with a tester on board. The practical demonstration requires a working knowledge of at least five topics taken from the Driver CPC syllabus. A passing grade of 80% is required.
What Our Customers Say
After Obtaining a Licence
We take great pride in the fact that our bus driver training enables students to become bus drivers in a very short amount of time. Our fast-paced and intense training process that focuses on learning and retention makes it possible to complete training in a matter of weeks rather than months. And once training is complete, we provide our drivers with employment information and job placement assistance. But then what happens? What do drivers do after they go to work?
Our drivers go on to be safe and productive employees providing the kind of quality driving bus and coach operators are looking for. But continuing to be the best employees in the business requires ongoing CPC driver training. That means the HGVT Training Centre can be an important part of a driver’s career from start to finish.
The same low-cost, high-quality strategy we have developed for initial bus driver training is also applied to our ongoing CPC training courses. If you have succeeded in becoming a bus driver with the HGVT Training Centre, why not continue by receiving your five-year CPC training with us as well?
We taught you to be one of the best drivers in the business, and we would appreciate the opportunity to continue your training throughout your career. We hope to have that opportunity with you.
How We Do It
It is no secret that the demand for bus driver training in the UK is significant. What’s more, there are a fair number of bus and coach companies that handle all their training in-house. So how do we do it? How do we remain one of the UK’s leading providers of professional driver training amid such stiff competition? We do it through quality, price, and individual support.
The quality of our training courses is derived from a combination of experienced instructors and knowledgeable course developers. Our instructors have all worked as professional drivers before coming to work with us. They know what it is like to be behind the wheel of a bus every day. As for those who develop our courses, they are experts in the field. They are continually researching, developing, and creating new CPC courses that meet the needs of our clients.
In terms of cost, we are able to keep the price of our CPC training courses low through volume. Because of our size – we operate more than four dozen training centres around the UK – we can make better use of all of our resources in order to offer low prices.
Lastly, our individual driver support is second to none. Each of our drivers is given the personal attention he or she needs in order to succeed. That includes extra instructional aid, advice about taking tests, answers to all questions, and all of the learning materials and resources students need to succeed. Furthermore, any driver demonstrating a need for extra help is given it without question.
We do what we do because we believe bus driver training is about more than just physical skills. We are fully aware that bus drivers transport human beings, not consumer goods or other sorts of inanimate cargo. The fact that passengers trust drivers with their lives means we have an obligation to train drivers more than capable of handling the responsibility that comes with operating a bus or coach.
Whether you are an individual driver or operator, we know you have many different choices for obtaining driver training. We believe our bus driver training programme is among the best in the business. We encourage you to find out for yourself by enrolling in one of our classes. We promise you will be satisfied every step of the way.
Additional Reading about CPC
If you would like to read more about the benefits of the HGVT Training Centre’s CPC courses please click on any of our other article titles below:
- What You Need to Be A CPC Qualified Coach Driver
- Get Certified Fast With Our Intensive CPC Courses
- Find Low Cost – Top Quality – CPC Driver Training Courses
- The Road to Your CPC Qualification Begins Here
- UK Wide – Low Cost Professional CPC Training Courses
- Driver CPC Certification Training – Top Quality UK Wide Courses
- What Is CPC Driver Certification and Who Needs It?
