Driving Academy

[Tinoblade]

I was going to go for it but the fact that I have to apply for a role up to an hour from where I live puts me off. I don't wanna be adding a 2 hour commute to my day

[crimson king]

Cheers ihatedogs and whinealot for the indepth and informative replies, they really help a lot

[blacov]

If they are going to train all people for class1 (c+e) and maybe stick us newbies onto 7.5t at first. If we were offered an achievable progression onto artics within a those initial required 2 years then I am all in. I would stick it out 2 years on whatever duty I’d be given. However if this sacrifice means you end up on 7.5t. Crap duty an hour away from home being paid less than a postie with a bit of overtime who works locally to his home and then you have strings attached then it’s a big NO from me.

[Dorset Plodder]

then it’s a big NO from me.

Maybe I'm just a cynic but you're probably right Blacov ... better the devil you know.

In the present climate I wouldn't trust RM as far as I can spit! We've been shafted so much over the last few years that facing a new role in a different area, with a whole new pecking order, is something I wouldn't consider.

I've not looked in depth at this subject (due to previous statement) but are RM saying they'll train you right up to HGV 1 (and then just use you for 7.5 Ton) or are they training you up in steps i.e 7.5 Ton and then HGV 1? I know a lot of people can already drive 7.5 Ton on the old style licences. I would have thought that was the way to go if I was RM.

[blacov]

then it’s a big NO from me.

Maybe I'm just a cynic but you're probably right Blacov ... better the devil you know.

In the present climate I wouldn't trust RM as far as I can spit! We've been shafted so much over the last few years that facing a new role in a different area, with a whole new pecking order, is something I wouldn't consider.

I've not looked in depth at this subject (due to previous statement) but are RM saying they'll train you right up to HGV 1 (and then just use you for 7.5 Ton) or are they training you up in steps i.e 7.5 Ton and then HGV 1? I know a lot of people can already drive 7.5 Ton on the old style licences. I would have thought that was the way to go if I was RM.

Grand dad rights are only applicable to posties who passed their car license no later than 1997 so the youngest ones would be now in early forties assuming they have passed as soon they were eligible. Younger generation who didn’t receive such rights would have to pass a test to drive 7.5t. Current legislation allows an individual to pass only 1test (c+e) in an artic or wagon and drag. People who pass it can drive anything from a car to an articulated 44t lorry. Obviously such training costs more money and the question is what Royal Mail plan to do. Is it getting those who can drive 7.5t straight to class1( c+e )and those with car license to c1 (up to7.5t) or maybe getting everyone straight to class 1. If they will choose to train car license holders to c1 only. It is a waste of time in my opinion as there are too many strings attached and it limits your your choices to vehicles up to 7.5t and beyond royal mail such license isn’t exactly useful. I am afraid this such a brilliant idea will be spectacularly wasted by the senior management.

[Dorset Plodder]

Obviously such training costs more money and the question is what Royal Mail plan to do. Is it getting those who can drive 7.5t straight to class1( c+e )and those with car license to c1 (up to7.5t) or maybe getting everyone straight to class 1. If they will choose to train car license holders to c1 only. It is a waste of time in my opinion as there are too many strings attached and it limits your your choices to vehicles up to 7.5t and beyond royal mail such license isn’t exactly useful. I am afraid this such a brilliant idea will be spectacularly wasted by the senior management.

Whatever costs the least ammount of MONEY is the way they'll go... you can bet on it.

There's no long term strategy in this Business. A more cost effective plan IMO would be to appeal to all those currently holding the older licences (and there's a lot of Old Gits in the business, my self included) and ask them if they want to drive the 7.5 tonners .... without the need for further costly training (apart from the assessment)? They might have to sweeten the pot with perhaps a guaranteed contract. In the long run I'm sure it'd save them money?

[xPandabear1992x]

Hello

Had email from ‘Driving Academy’ regarding training for MGV / HGV license. In proposed draft contract it says that you must take up vacancy when available regardless of hours.
I was under assumption that you would not *have* to change your hours if you dod not want to? For instance i would find it impossible to to night duties due to current family arrangements to do with childcare.

Any info would be appreciated

(Draft contract attached)

on the flip side, learning to drive a HGV/MGV is very expensive in terms of cost per head, man hours etc, so there's no point in them (or any other company in the same situation) paying all that only for people to not use it because of lack of attractive hours, or to leave for better climbs entirely with your new qualification.

[blacov]

Obviously such training costs more money and the question is what Royal Mail plan to do. Is it getting those who can drive 7.5t straight to class1( c+e )and those with car license to c1 (up to7.5t) or maybe getting everyone straight to class 1. If they will choose to train car license holders to c1 only. It is a waste of time in my opinion as there are too many strings attached and it limits your your choices to vehicles up to 7.5t and beyond royal mail such license isn’t exactly useful. I am afraid this such a brilliant idea will be spectacularly wasted by the senior management.

Whatever costs the least ammount of MONEY is the way they'll go... you can bet on it.

There's no long term strategy in this Business. A more cost effective plan IMO would be to appeal to all those currently holding the older licences (and there's a lot of Old Gits in the business, my self included) and ask them if they want to drive the 7.5 tonners .... without the need for further costly training (apart from the assessment)? They might have to sweeten the pot with perhaps a guaranteed contract. In the long run I'm sure it'd save them money?

This is what I am afraid they intend to do. Just put a patch on a hole in the wall instead of completely rebuilding it. Just because they can save a few quid and possibly have to deal with the same problem in a year or two again. We will see what’s gonna happen. I am happy to play the ball just to find out more about it and if necessary bail out before its too late in case I’d be eventually offered a spot.

[SpacePhoenix]

Obviously such training costs more money and the question is what Royal Mail plan to do. Is it getting those who can drive 7.5t straight to class1( c+e )and those with car license to c1 (up to7.5t) or maybe getting everyone straight to class 1. If they will choose to train car license holders to c1 only. It is a waste of time in my opinion as there are too many strings attached and it limits your your choices to vehicles up to 7.5t and beyond royal mail such license isn’t exactly useful. I am afraid this such a brilliant idea will be spectacularly wasted by the senior management.

Whatever costs the least ammount of MONEY is the way they'll go... you can bet on it.

There's no long term strategy in this Business. A more cost effective plan IMO would be to appeal to all those currently holding the older licences (and there's a lot of Old Gits in the business, my self included) and ask them if they want to drive the 7.5 tonners .... without the need for further costly training (apart from the assessment)? They might have to sweeten the pot with perhaps a guaranteed contract. In the long run I'm sure it'd save them money?

Would that be allowed? You've got to factor in CPC, which might involve a lot of the training

[xPandabear1992x]

Obviously such training costs more money and the question is what Royal Mail plan to do. Is it getting those who can drive 7.5t straight to class1( c+e )and those with car license to c1 (up to7.5t) or maybe getting everyone straight to class 1. If they will choose to train car license holders to c1 only. It is a waste of time in my opinion as there are too many strings attached and it limits your your choices to vehicles up to 7.5t and beyond royal mail such license isn’t exactly useful. I am afraid this such a brilliant idea will be spectacularly wasted by the senior management.

Whatever costs the least ammount of MONEY is the way they'll go... you can bet on it.

There's no long term strategy in this Business. A more cost effective plan IMO would be to appeal to all those currently holding the older licences (and there's a lot of Old Gits in the business, my self included) and ask them if they want to drive the 7.5 tonners .... without the need for further costly training (apart from the assessment)? They might have to sweeten the pot with perhaps a guaranteed contract. In the long run I'm sure it'd save them money?

Would that be allowed? You've got to factor in CPC, which might involve a lot of the training

it can't be any harder to pay for a few extra periodic CPC courses, they already do it for the current drivers.

[Bump20]

They have in house cpc courses at my mc

[sixfoottwo]

Obviously such training costs more money and the question is what Royal Mail plan to do. Is it getting those who can drive 7.5t straight to class1( c+e )and those with car license to c1 (up to7.5t) or maybe getting everyone straight to class 1. If they will choose to train car license holders to c1 only. It is a waste of time in my opinion as there are too many strings attached and it limits your your choices to vehicles up to 7.5t and beyond royal mail such license isn’t exactly useful. I am afraid this such a brilliant idea will be spectacularly wasted by the senior management.

Whatever costs the least ammount of MONEY is the way they'll go... you can bet on it.

There's no long term strategy in this Business. A more cost effective plan IMO would be to appeal to all those currently holding the older licences (and there's a lot of Old Gits in the business, my self included) and ask them if they want to drive the 7.5 tonners .... without the need for further costly training (apart from the assessment)? They might have to sweeten the pot with perhaps a guaranteed contract. In the long run I'm sure it'd save them money?

This is what I am afraid they intend to do. Just put a patch on a hole in the wall instead of completely rebuilding it. Just because they can save a few quid and possibly have to deal with the same problem in a year or two again. We will see what’s gonna happen. I am happy to play the ball just to find out more about it and if necessary bail out before its too late in case I’d be eventually offered a spot.

I was also thinking this. Would you get to find out what this 'new' job would entail before giving up on what you currently do??

Other points

1. Would annual leave be easier to book/more choice?? rather than jumping through hoops with swaps like in delivery? always found it an absolute nightmare

2. Would seniority apply at all or is this lost?

[Bump20]

Seniority kicks in after 12 months. and I have found it a lot easier to get the leave you want

[SpacePhoenix]

1. Would annual leave be easier to book/more choice?? rather than jumping through hoops with swaps like in delivery? always found it an absolute nightmare

2. Would seniority apply at all or is this lost?

I would have thought that there'd be less choice for leave in distribution. For night shifts for example if you assume 1 driver doing runs to a single office, there's going to be a lot less distribution staff than processing staff so probably half a dozen leave slots per shift at most

[sixfoottwo]

1. Would annual leave be easier to book/more choice?? rather than jumping through hoops with swaps like in delivery? always found it an absolute nightmare

2. Would seniority apply at all or is this lost?

I would have thought that there'd be less choice for leave in distribution. For night shifts for example if you assume 1 driver doing runs to a single office, there's going to be a lot less distribution staff than processing staff so probably half a dozen leave slots per shift at most

Seniority kicks in after 12 months. and I have found it a lot easier to get the leave you want

Cheers, bit hit and miss then by the sounds of it!

I'm still undecided really, sounds a bit grim but then what I'm doing now is very grim!!