HGV to PCV

[DickyNick]

Hi all,

I’m new the forum. Hoping that I get some info here about coach driving.

I’ve been driving artics for some time and when I did my class 1 I was in 2 minds about whether to do that or PCV. So I’ve still kind of got an urge to at least have a go on coaches.

There are a few operators local to me who seem to do abit of all sorts, ie U.K. and European holidays, day trips, private hire, schools etc. There’s also an operator who does national express.

Let’s say I worked for a company who does the days out and holidays etc. How much are you away from home with that? Is it week in week out? Or might you do say a week Holliday, then the next week do day trips and schools so you’d be away for a bit, and then home every day, then away again?

Also what are the hours like and are you hourly paid or salary? On trucks if your away you do about 65 to 70 hours a week on hourly pay, plus you’d get about £110 tax free if your away all week. How does this compare to coaches?

Thanks!

 

[philthetube]

Every company is different, the only way to find out is to ask.

Days out and holidays, it depends on what proportion of work is that sort of thing, companies doing that mix tend to do school contracts and as a new starter you would end up doing mainly that, holidays would not start to come your way until you had more experience. Senior drivers often get the better work, and the better coaches. working for this sort of company you would initially spend very few nights away from home. Companies doing this mix tend to be the smaller ones, though this is not always the case.

Doing National express work you would normally be home either every night or every other, depending on routes, your company would probably accommodate you in bead and breakfast.

If you ended up working for one of the big tour companies such as shearings then you could expect to be away a lot of the time although when drivers live in appropriate locations such as Blackpool then they may end up with a regular tour allowing them to live at home.

I think you will find the money better on lorries, but it is a long time since I was in the game so again you will have to check.

If you see coaches parked up have a chat with the drives, you will fine many are happy to talk.