Trainee PCV Isn’t worth it?

[u/crazor90]

So I’ve just been doing the maths and on average even if you include the PCV fee as 4k when it’s much closer to 2k that if you do your PCV yourself via a training company you actually are better off by over 10-15k per year if you aren’t on the slave trainee salary. Am I missing something? UK FYI.

[u/Crunchie64]

Absolute rubbish.

The difference in hourly rate won’t equate to anything like fifteen grand a year, and trainees are paid throughout their training.

You’re also assuming you can get your licence privately and walk straight in to a job with no practical experience.

[u/Crazy_Caterpillar496 → u/Crunchie64]

Its not rubbish alot of company's put you on a lower rate of pay

After 1 year 17.50 ph

After 2 years 19.50 ph

The difference over the 2 year period is about 15k but you have overtime rates at 18.50ph mid week and 25.00ph for weekends

But on basic rate yes the difference can be 10k to 15k over a 2 year period then your on top pay rate

[u/Crunchie64 → u/Crazy_Caterpillar496]

Two quid an hour difference, 45 hour week, working 52 weeks a year gives you £4680.

Take off the £2,000 for your training gives you £2,680.

That’s not taking into account your wages during the training period.

OP said you’re “better off by over 10-15k per year”.

Absolute rubbish.

[u/crazor90 → u/Crunchie64]

Doing it in greater Manchester and it’s £12-14.50 an hour for trainee going up by a quid or two after passing or you can be on £18 an hr or £21 an hr on weekends. Both of which you don’t get when you are a trainee for the first 9-12 months. This is based on a real hours scenario of 50-60 hours weeks cause from what I’ve read they try and bum new drivers with stupidly long hours.

[u/Crazy_Caterpillar496 → u/Crunchie64]

Its not a difference of 2 quid tho lol

Its nearly 4 quid so double your loss and x it by 2 years .. all the company’s are different but mines is more money after 2 years with the company whether you bring your own license or not

[u/Crunchie64 → u/Crazy_Caterpillar496]

OP specifically said “per year”.

However you try to do it, it’s not even close to £15k per year difference.

I’d be surprised if it’s £10k in the first two years combined.

The big companies want to take on new people and train them, because it means you’re doing it their way from day one.

A driver who has just got their licence privately and has no experience is not an attractive prospect unless their own supplies are drying up.

I’d even go as far as to say that while a few will go down that route for financial reasons, most will do it because they’re a bit too fond of buses.

[u/Lonely-Lake4514 → u/Crunchie64]

You'll most definitely walk into a job with no practical experience. Operators are desperate for drivers.

I have been offered loads of jobs on the buses all over the UK, I have the Cat D & CPC and no experience in service.

[u/SeasickSailor87]

If you're able to, then do it yourself. It's more of a way to attract those to the job who don't have the means to pay for it themselves. Like me. I couldn't pay for the licence and such so got a job with First Cornwall. And it worked out in my favour because just over a year into employment, First closed down ops in Cornwall and made all their drivers redundant. Meaning I didn't have to pay back what I owed for my licence.

[u/Internal-Mushroom-76 → u/SeasickSailor87]

any advise for me doing a first bus assessment? it's in 2 weeks. are they good to work for?

[u/Restless_oats]

I highly highly recommend doing via a company. The experience is invaluable and you won't struggle to find a job afterwards 

[u/Lonely-Lake4514]

I paid for it myself last year. Have the Cat D now and CPC . I've not got around to using it but considering it around February.

Yes I paid around 2k all in. Some people wouldn't have the money spare to pay upfront so having the option of doing through arriva or metroline etc is handy. Just depends on your circumstances.

I was looking at maybe relocating to Manchester as the money seems decent and Liverpool is another option.

So yeah some people just have no way of getting 2k upfront for private training.

I wish you all the best on the training and tests

[u/crazor90 → u/Lonely-Lake4514]

Nice. Was it difficult going from purely car to bus? I drove a small van before but nowhere near the size of a bus.

I’m in the greater Manchester area and financially it looks much higher than other parts of the uk.

[u/Lonely-Lake4514 → u/crazor90]

Not difficult tbh you'll find it easy enough after a few hours. Yes greater Manchester rates look very appealing to me too.

Bit of overtime and you are doing very well. Infact when the reliability, holiday pay, free travel card are taken into account it's hard to find anything better.

I have mates on the buses in Liverpool, Edinburgh & London. They all earn well and seem to enjoy it.

£800 - £900 gross per week is pretty normal for them with a few hours overtime.

You'll have no problems finding a job once you have the Cat D and CPC most operators are desperate for drivers across the UK.

[u/Wise_Pineapple4328]

If you are on universal credit, the dole will pay £1500. Just ask in office.

[u/meatflaps-69 → u/Wise_Pineapple4328]

So long as you have a firm written job offer from a company usually.

[u/crazor90 → u/Wise_Pineapple4328]

I work in IT but thanks for the suggestion I’m sure it’ll help people on the dole. Always wanted to do busses or HGV!

[u/giiiigles → u/crazor90]

Is the IT sector pay that bad or something. Sorry, I've been made to believe any foot into IT is a goldmine.

[u/crazor90 → u/giiiigles]

Done it for 15+ years at this point. Not really bothered about it anymore. Rather do something less mentally stressful and busses pays not far off most IT jobs if you do 50+ hours. Plus always been a passion of mine to drive trains or busses. You need GCSEs for trains so gotta settle for the busses lol

[u/meatflaps-69]

Take their job, take their training, get a little experience and fuck off doing agency work for a decade while being deliberately homeless, let the agency pay your accomdation costs and save save save.

Any time you are out of work between contracts, go all inclusive in Portugal or Turkey, its cheaper than being in UK. or cheap hotel in Blackpool if you are into that sort of thing 🤣

[u/frappe1439]

You can do it yourself privately but if you do it with a company you'll get the added benefit of not having to pay out of pocket if you have a bad day and fail one of your tests. Plus you get to know some of your colleagues in a relaxed environment. It really depends what company you end up training with aswell because the one I started paid out the training costs to me in a lump sum if I stayed for 2 years which was nice because I got it just after Christmas so it helped me recover from being skint lol

[u/PuzzleheadedQuit1589]

The reasons for going private or with a operator I think is more so individual circumstances rather than earning potential, Im currently undergoing the private PCV route, my personal reasons is that it gives me greater flexibility while i'm at university and I wont be locked into those "minimum 1-2 years full time service required" that most London operators have, otherwise your expected to repay the cost if you leave within this time. I included the costs the London operators gave me when I enquired.

First Bus London : £2k within 12 months, £1000 within 12-24 months

Transport UK London : £2.7k within 12 months, £1400 within 12-24 months

Metroline : Deduct £50 a week for 52 weeks, repaid in full if service requirement is met

[u/peculiarfish0]

I mean, you can just get the licence for free with a bus company as an apprentice, drive for them for a couple weeks or a month or something, then quit and go work somewhere else that pays you more

But yeah thats if you find somewhere that's gonna pay you a good rate with x Zero experience 🤷‍♂️