Wed, August 07, 2024
Online HGV Brokers or Real Training Companies
In today's digital age, if there's anything you need to know, all you have to do is "Google it." With a plethora of information available online, it might seem unnecessary to ask around or phone for recommendations. If you want to learn how to drive an HGV, simply turning to Google can provide you with all the answers, right?
Wrong.
When it comes to HGV driver training, or any other type of training for that matter, Google will only show you what companies want you to see. Let's be completely honest: there's a lot of misinformation and false claims out there on the internet.
Personal Experience with an HGV Training Agency
Recently, I decided to test this myself by searching for HGV training on Google. I came across a company, which I will refer to as 'An HGV Driver Training Agency' for legal reasons. Let me share what happened...
Discussion with a salesperson named Steve
Playing the part of a mystery shopper, I decided to give them a call. I spoke to Steve, one of their salespeople, who was pleasant enough. Steve seemed genuinely curious about my interest in driving lorries, the class of lorry I wanted to drive, whether I had a job lined up, and my wage expectations. He correctly pointed out that earning big money would require putting in the hours.
However, when I started asking questions, one of the first was, "Do you offer a driving assessment?" Steve responded, "They are a complete waste of time. All we offer is six days of training plus one day for the test, and that’s all you need." It seemed he said this because, as an agency, they wouldn't have their own vehicles. Instead, they send you to a local driver training centre, and even they won’t know which one until you’ve paid. Once you've paid, they will send you to whichever local training centre can fit you in.
Issues with agency operations and lack of driving assessments.
I asked Steve where he would send me for training and initially, he said “we have two training centres near you, I’m in Bracknell by the way, one is in Aldermaston and another is in Reading” he then corrected himself and said “no it’s three, we have another in Basingstoke which I’d forgotten about” in fact he kept correcting himself until he eventually reached five different training centres, all of which of course are ‘local training centres’ in other words, driver training centres in their own right and knowing this you could of course do business direct with them and cut out the agency
As there wasn’t an assessment on offer, I asked Steve if I could at least see the vehicles I’d be training in, once again he was reluctant only this time, he used the Health and Safety at Work, 1974 Act saying that I wouldn’t be allowed on the premises as I wouldn’t be insured and that I would only be covered if he sent me down there, which he wasn’t prepared to do because I hadn’t booked a course with him. Even asking for the address of their training centre proved to be fruitless for the same reason, though he did say “you can look it up yourself and have a mooch about and see what you come up with” He also used the excuse that as all the calls to his office are recorded, if he were to say anything he could lose his job
Cost Comparison
There are several reasons why an agency wouldn’t want you to see the vehicles before you’ve paid in full:
- The size of the vehicles may put you off training in them.
- They could be using old, outdated rust buckets.
- The name on the training vehicles wouldn’t match the company you called.
Finally, I asked Steve how much a course of training would cost me for a C+E license, without the need for a provisional application or theory tests. He quoted me:
- £2,998.00 for a 7-day course (6 days of training + one day for the test)
- £399.00 for the Module 4 Driver CPC
- £50.00 discount since I’d already completed my theory
Total: £3,397.00 including VAT.
In comparison, an 8-day course on the same category of vehicle at EP Training Services Ltd would cost:
- £2,500.00
- £285.00 for the Module 4 Driver CPC
Total: £2,785.00 including VAT.
That's a difference—a profit of £612.00—just for answering your phone call.
Comparison with EP Training Services Ltd
Steve didn't mention having a centre near Guildford because EP Training Services Ltd refuses to work with agencies, so we'd never be on their suppliers list. As an HGV instructor for over 30 years, I've noticed that the quality of driver training began to decline as soon as these agencies started popping up. This decline is primarily because agencies tend to send you to the local driving centre that charges them the least, thereby maximizing their profit.
Conclusion
Always ask for an assessment. They’re not a complete waste of time; after all, everyone has a different level of ability. At EP Training Services, the assessment is free and only takes 30 minutes to help you determine if HGV driving is truly for you. One of the best ways to avoid an agency is to visit and see the vehicles you’ll be training on.
Whether it’s £2,785.00 or £3,397.00, it's a significant amount of money to hand over without knowing how it’s being spent. You need the assurance that the vehicles are well maintained and insured, so please do your due diligence.
Avoid agencies and use a local driver training centre. If you decide to do a Google search, look for a local driving centre in or near your town and support your local business. When you call them, ask, “Are you a local driver training centre?” Remember, any internet-based agency offering HGV driver training could literally be based anywhere in the world. It’s your money that you’re spending, and if things go wrong, trying to get a refund from a faceless company can be very difficult indeed.
As a final note, I have been an HGV instructor for over 30 years and first became aware of the agencies in the 2010s. During this time, I've met many people who have done business with training agencies, and their experiences often involve feeling wronged. So please be careful with your choices.
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