Motoring Discussion > Advantage of being older - C1 licence costs Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Bobby Replies: 18
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New Mon 4 Oct 21 21:31 
 Advantage of being older - C1 licence costs - Bobby
Laddie has been successful in applying for a job as an ambulance technician. As he is is only 23 he does not automatically have C1 on his license which he needs to have.
Lots of forms to fill in, medical from GP (£125), optician report , 2 or 3 day driving course (£720ish) driving test.

Looks like bank of mum and dad are not going to get change out of £1000.

Ouch!
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New Mon 4 Oct 21 21:44 
 Advantage of being older - C1 licence costs - Bromptonaut
Is C1 >3,500kg?

If you had to pass the test before 1997 for that to be included you're going to be in your forties now to have grandfather rights. In the current labour market are Scottish Ambulance seriously expecting folks starting their careers to pay for the test etc?

My daughter's first NHS job, at similar age, was on a peripatetic team for blood donations. Driving the truck was a staff duty - there wasn't a career driver for the task.

Her eyesight (keratoconus) may have been an issue at the initial suitability test but I don't think she was expected to pay for medicals and training.

In the event she never did; the blokes hogged the job anyway.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Mon 4 Oct 21 at 21:47
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New Mon 4 Oct 21 21:54 
 Advantage of being older - C1 licence costs - Bobby
Yeah its 3500-7500kg I think.

My son had applied and was offered the job a week before the proverbial hit the fan up here with ambulance problems, army being called in etc etc. There is an intake in Nov time and another in Feb or Mar. He has been earmarked for the Feb/Mar one due to everyone needing to have the C1 before they start. Apparently they used to start people who then had to obtain the licence within a set time but that seems to have changed.

I was kind of hoping with things being so bad they would be keen to "progress" the process quicker but I guess the reality is they only can accomodate a certain amount of trainees at one go to go through the structured training process.

He does get his blue light training quite quickly into the program though.
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New Mon 4 Oct 21 21:56 
 Advantage of being older - C1 licence costs - sooty123
I'm surprised the NHS are looking to get employees pay for their own driving tests?
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New Mon 4 Oct 21 22:00 
 Advantage of being older - C1 licence costs - Dieselboy
Congratulations to your son; it's not an easy job to get into.

Most ambulance services still expect applicants to pay for their own C1, although some will pay for it then allow the cost to be deducted from salary over 12 months. They don't use the cheapest providers, though.

I've been in the ambulance service for nearly 12 years now, I don't think I would want a different job.
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New Mon 4 Oct 21 22:21 
 Advantage of being older - C1 licence costs - Bobby
Thats good to hear Dieselboy - must be a very difficult job both currently but also over the course of the pandemic.To hear that you still wouldn't want another job is reassuring.

There can't be many jobs that give more job satisafaction that those in the medical field who, literally, save lives and to know withourt your intervention, that person would not be here.

I am just far too squeamish for it, I don't like blood, and I also don't have the patience to deal with a drunk who has fallen out a nightclub at 2 in the morning ! Apart from that I think I'm well suited :)
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New Tue 5 Oct 21 09:57 
 Advantage of being older - C1 licence costs - Terry
A large part of the shortage of HGV drivers is the failure of the industry to train sufficient numbers over the last two decade.

Expecting ambulance drivers to pay for thier own training will lead to a shortage in the future - even if we don't already have one.

The service could either pay up front for their training in the hope they stick with it as a career, or the trainee could pay upfront with the cost refunded over the first 12/24 months of work
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New Tue 5 Oct 21 10:28 
 Advantage of being older - C1 licence costs - Manatee
Apparently the driver shortage was part of a plan to raise wages for British workers who were being undercut by foreigners. This will of course be non-inflationary, because the extra money will motivate the drivers to work harder.

What a genius Boris Johnson is, and how lucky we are.
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New Tue 5 Oct 21 10:47 
 Advantage of being older - C1 licence costs - Kevin
>This will of course be non-inflationary,..

dilbert.com/
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New Tue 5 Oct 21 10:50 
 Advantage of being older - C1 licence costs - Dieselboy
>>ambulance drivers>>

Ahem. When you call 999, a crew will arrive who are highly trained. The paramedic is a registered healthcare professional who will be degree educated, sometimes to masters level; and will maintain continuous CPD. If you want me to pitch up and beep the horn until you sort yourself out and get in....I'm happy to be an 'ambulance driver'.

:-)
Last edited by: Dieselboy on Tue 5 Oct 21 at 10:51
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New Thu 7 Oct 21 10:00 
 Advantage of being older - C1 licence costs - Bobby
Maybe Lyogonos can advise?
Laddie went for his medical today at his GP.
£125.
Wouldnt accept a card, had to be cash. Not sure if he was given a receipt.

This normal practice?
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New Thu 7 Oct 21 10:48 
 Advantage of being older - C1 licence costs - Lygonos
Would always give a receipt (has to go through the books anyway).

Most practices can't take cards, thought most will take a cheque (we know where you live if it bounces...)

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New Thu 7 Oct 21 10:52 
 Advantage of being older - C1 licence costs - Bobby
So not into the back pocket of the practice manager then???
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New Thu 7 Oct 21 11:05 
 Advantage of being older - C1 licence costs - Falkirk Bairn
Cash is KING and it is not just joiners, painters, car mechanics etc that like cash in hand jobs.
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New Mon 10 Jan 22 23:22 
 Advantage of being older - C1 licence costs - Bobby
So as an update, he has his theory test tomorrow.
Two parts. A 100 question multiple choice and then a hazard perception test.

There are an awful lot of questions aimed I feel at the further end of the scale ie tacho rules, connecting brake lines, vehicle sizes before escorts needed etc etc.

None of which will be relevant to driving an ambulance.

He’s not very confident but fingers crossed he gets the right questions on the day!
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New Tue 11 Jan 22 00:03 
 Advantage of being older - C1 licence costs - smokie
Good luck to him!
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New Tue 11 Jan 22 18:07 
 Advantage of being older - C1 licence costs - Bobby
Failed the multiple choice by one mark! :(
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New Tue 11 Jan 22 18:20 
 Advantage of being older - C1 licence costs - smokie
Oh... that must be frustrating... how long till retakes?
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New Tue 11 Jan 22 18:38 
 Advantage of being older - C1 licence costs - Bobby
4 weeks but means he is going to miss the cutoff date for being in this intake for the ambulance job which is annoying.
No idea whether that means he has missed the job completely or whether there will be another intake or what.
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