HGV Training in the Borders Region

COURSE IN Borders

The Borders area of Scotland acts as a gateway between Scotland and England for commerce moving in both directions. And because rail transport is so limited in the region, businesses rely on the HGV industry to move cargo back and forth. On any given day, you will see a large volume of articulated lorries and other HGVs traversing main arteries such as the A1, A7, A68, and A72. All of the drivers operating on these roads possess commercial driving licences that they obtained after undergoing training.

We offer HGV training in the Borders in addition to dozens of other locations throughout the UK. Our training is just what you need if you have been thinking of becoming a professional HGV or PCV driver. It is convenient, fast, and affordable for most budgets, making it possible for you to become a professional with a minimal investment of your time and financial resources. We can get you started as soon as you are ready.

Three Reasons Training Is Necessary

It is almost impossible to become a professional driver in this day and age without comprehensive training. Just as with any other profession, commercial driving requires a unique set of skills and a broad body of knowledge to do it safely. And as you know, safety is important to just about everyone. Without proper training, a commercial driver cannot be the best he or she can and should be.

If you are not entirely convinced of the necessity of professional training, here are three reasons every professional driver needs it:

• Legal Compliance – The law now requires all HGV and PCV drivers to undergo a minimum of 35 hours of Driver CPC training every five years. That training is also needed to obtain a commercial driving licence. That means every driver is legally required to participate in at least 35 hours of classroom work.
• Passing Tests Is Not Easy – Above and beyond the 35 hours of CPC training, our training prepares students to take and pass the required tests. There are four tests in the regimen: the theory test, a case studies test, the driving skills test, and the practical demonstration test. Trust us when we say it is not easy to pass without undergoing comprehensive training first.
• Professional Driving Is Not Easy – Professional driving is not an easy thing to do. You are not qualified or prepared for a career as a driver just because you possess a Category B licence. There is a lot to learn in terms of both driving theory and practical skills that can only be successfully acquired through training.

The good news about our HGV training in the Borders is that it does not take long. While your friends may be spending three to four years in university preparing for their careers, you can be trained and licenced as a professional driver in a matter of weeks. Just months from now, you could be embarking on your new career that pays well and offers plenty of long-term employment stability.

Our Five-Step Training Process

Our HGV training in the Borders is designed to get you in and out as quickly as possible. We do not believe in saddling our students with long and cumbersome classes that can take months to complete. Instead, our fast-paced and intense training approach gets right to the heart of the matter with no wasted time or energy.

Training for your HGV or PCV licence is a five-step process as follows:

Step #1 – Get Your Medical Exam and Apply for the Provisional Entitlement

All professional drivers must be in reasonably good health to work. Before you begin training, you will have to undergo a routine medical exam that can be conducted by any licenced doctor in the country. We provide our students with the necessary medical paperwork and the names and contact information of physicians offering the exams at good prices.

Along with scheduling a medical exam, new students must also apply for the necessary provisional entitlement. It takes between five and ten business days for the entitlement to arrive by post. During that time, our students generally undergo preparations for the theory test.

Step #2 – Take and Pass the Theory Test

The theory test is a two-part exam that involves 100 multiple-choice questions and 19 hazard perception videos. Both parts can be taken at the same time or separately, but both must be passed within two years of each other to remain valid. Most of our students take them together for the sake of convenience.

We provide our students with software that they can use to prepare for the theory test. The software includes real test questions and practice tests. Students who desire to may take a theory test preparation class at any one of our more than four dozen training facilities.

Step #3 – Commence Classroom Training

Passing the HGV theory test enables the student to begin classroom training. In the classroom, students learn the most important principles of commercial driving. They learn about driving theory topics such as correctly balancing loads, how to account for changing weather conditions, and all of the government regulations that determine how the logistics industry operates.

Classroom training also includes practical demonstration topics that will be tested during the final exam. These topics include all the same things contained in the Driver CPC syllabus. They are things such as conducting walkaround checks and assessing an emergency situation.

Step #4 – Undergo Driver Skills Training

Students eventually leave the classroom to begin driver skills training using real commercial vehicles. This gives students the opportunity to apply some of the knowledge learned in the classroom as well as practising the skills that will be necessary to pass the final driving skills test.

This training includes all of the things you might expect: conducting controlled stops, successfully completing reversing manoeuvres, accelerating from a dead stop, safely turning corners, and so on. We give students plenty of opportunity to practice their skills until they are comfortable they are ready to be tested.

Step #5 – Take and Pass the Final Two Tests

The last two tests in the four-test regimen are often taken during the same session. They are the practical demonstration and driving skills tests administered at an approved testing facility. Although we do not conduct the tests ourselves, each of our students is accompanied by an instructor on the day of their exams.

The practical demonstration test is a 'show me, tell me' exam that includes at least five topics taken from the Driver CPC syllabus. Candidates are asked a number of questions that they must answer through a combination of oral explanation and physical demonstration. As for the driving skills test, it should be self-explanatory.

Test and Career Preparation

The five-step training process we utilise for our HGV training in the Borders will prepare you to take and pass all of your tests on the first try. Even more importantly, they will prepare you to be a productive member of the workforce upon your completion of training. You will have all of the knowledge and skills you need along with a healthy dose of confidence that you can drive an HGV or PCV for a living.

Should you consider becoming a professional HGV or PCV driver? Only you know the answer to that. If you are looking for a career that pays well and offers excellent stability, professional driving is a strong candidate. If you are the kind of person who does not enjoy being confined to an office or warehouse for 8 to 10 hours per day, professional driving could be right for you. The choice is ultimately yours. If we can help you in your decision, do not hesitate to contact us for more information about our HGV training in the Borders.