Commercial vehicles are built to carry passengers or payloads. It includes buses, big vans, and other heavy-duty vehicles.
Here are numerous steps you should follow if y
ou want to work as a commercial driver. The eight steps for becoming a licenced commercial driver in the UK are listed below.
Let’s see how to get a commercial driving licence easily.
Decide the type of commercial driver’s licence you want
There are numerous types of commercial driving licence. It includes:
- Class 1
- Class 2
- Class D1
- Class D
To get specific licences, the trainee should qualify for additional requirements and examinations. Therefore, knowing what kind of commercial driving licence you want is crucial for deciding what to do next.
Acquire a full UK driver’s licence.
Applying for provisional entitlement for the HGV category is the first step in getting a commercial driving licence. It is referred to as “staging.” But to accomplish that, you should first have a current UK driver’s licence.
The government’s website has all the details to get a commercial driving licence.
Register for provisional entitlement
You can qualify for a provisional licence for the following higher driving categories with a car driving licence:
- Category BE – for driving vehicles up to 3,500kg with a trailer up to 750kgs
- G – road roller licence
- H – Tracked vehicle
- C1 – for driving HGV vehicles weighing between 3,500kg and 7,500kg (with a trailer up to 750kg)
- C – for driving vehicles weighing more than 3,500kg (with a trailer up to 750kg)
- D1 – for driving minibuses and HGV vehicles. You can carry 16 passengers and the length of the vehicle should
- be up to 8m long (with a trailer up to 750kg)
- D – for driving buses with more than eight passengers (with a trailer up to 750kg)
It is also crucial to remember, you have to re-apply for provisional entitlement if you want a higher licence. For instance, you already have a C1 driving licence, but now you want a D1 driving licence. In this case, you will have to apply again.
Driver CPC Part 1 Theory test (CPC- Certificate of professional competence)
Depending on the type of commercial vehicle you want to drive, you can first apply for a provisional lorry or bus licence. Then pass the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) test.
As soon as you have your provisional licence, you can book the theory test that makes up the first part of the Driver CPC. The CPC theory test has two sections:
- Multiple choice questions
- Test of hazard perception
We advise proper preparation, just like you would have done before taking your driving exam for a car. Many study assistants cover the test’s subject matter and let you practise answering questions.
Part 2 of the Driver CPC: Case Studies
As soon as you get your provisional bus or truck licence, you can also book a spot for the case studies test of the Driver CPC.
The computer is used to manage the test. It consists of seven case studies with six to eight questions in every case study. It takes around 0.5-1 hour to complete all eight case studies. These questions are based on events you will experience in your regular job and personal life.
Driver CPC Third part: driving capability
You can only schedule the driving test of the CPC (Driver Certificate of Professional Competence test) after you pass the theoretical test (part 1).
This exam lasts approximately one hour and thirty minutes and consists of questions about vehicle safety, actual road driving, and off-road driving drills. You can receive training from numerous training organisations to operate a bus or a Class 2 lorry.
Part 4 of the Driver CPC: a practical demonstration
A practical demonstration test is the last test of Driver CPC. You need to have passed the case studies test to reserve it (part 2).
This test includes your capacity to load your vehicle following safety regulations, maintain it secure, and stop the trafficking of undocumented immigrants, among other things. It is made up of five themes from the Driver CPC syllabus.
Once you complete the practical demonstration you are good to go. You can drive with your licence. Try for international trips. You can earn more if you cover long distances. So now you know how to get a commercial driving licence.
Also Read: HGV Driver Training
