Claire Johnson
I can not recommend this company enough, from the first contact till I passed my test they have been amazing. Booking my medical, theory tests and CPC and practical for me made the process very easy.
They made me welcome from day one and always been very supportive and encouraging. Thankyou so much for all your help and on going support. I will definitely be back for CPC courses when needed.
Moses Mungai
Massive thanks to Gary Williams, great instructor. Did my class 2 with him in a different company and passed first time. And now did class 1 with him as well and passed 1st time.
Great guy, great instructor, made me feel relaxed and talked me through every step and answered every question I had. Also thank you to Harry for his help on the test day. Much appreciated.
Asad Ali Khan
I’ve just passed my HGV practical test and I want to say a huge thank you to Andy Swan and the whole team for their great support throughout my training. A special thank you to my instructor Dan Jones, who was absolutely brilliant — patient, knowledgeable, and always encouraging.
He explained everything clearly, helped me build confidence, and made sure I was fully prepared for the test. I really appreciate all the effort and guidance from start to finish. Highly recommended to anyone looking to start their HGV journey!
Stu Cotton
I decided to change my career in October 2021 and to become a HGV Class 1 driver. I set about booking my medical and adding the entitlements to my licence. I then looked around for a training provider, and Andy Swan Driver Services came highly recommended. I called them up, and within no time at all, I had my 1st lesson booked. They told me they could have organised my medical, driving licence entitlements and CPC training too.
I was able to pass my class 2, class 1 and my CPC with Andy Swan Driver Services and would happily recommend them to anybody thinking of training to become a HGV driver.
Initially concerned about obtaining work after I passed my test as there are a lot of companies that will not take on newly passed drivers; however, this is where Andy Swan Driver Services excel.
They are also an agency that can provide work after you have passed. I was sent out on a buddy day to learn the ropes and see how the job really works and found that vital in gaining experience.
I then went on to work for the agency full time and became 1 of the family; everyone there is so helpful and friendly that it made fitting into my new career with ease.
After several months of HGV work and gaining experience, a full-time position became available, and I made the hard decision to leave. Andy was more than happy that I was able to get full-time work and said there would always be work at the agency if I needed it; this gave me a sense of security.
To summarise, the experience I gained from Andy and all the team was invaluable to me. I can confidently say that should you decide to go with Andy Swan Driver Services; you will not regret it.
James Isgar
My journey started when a colleague who had already begun their training with Andy Swan Driver Services suggested their services to get my Class 2 licence and CPC. Together we went to their offices, where the team explained step by step what I needed to achieve and how they would train and support me. As an anxious person, it reassured me how calm and welcoming their office was. I was given a date for my theory, hazard perception and case study tests, and revision resources. All tests went according to plan.
Next was the practical CPC test run in-house by the Andy Swan team. I had a long training session beforehand that definitely kept us immersed. This session prepared us fully for the test.
After this was the Class 2 driver training with calm, funny and knowledgeable instructors. I was impressed with Andy Swan’s reversing centre, which allowed me to practise the manoeuvre in my own time. The breaktime visits to Greggs were appreciated. With their support, I passed my Class 2 and went back to book my Class 1 training. I went to a Periodic CPC course about driving hours; I found this invaluable as a new driver.
The Class 1 training mirrored the experience of the Class 2 training and was faultless. It was helpful that I had videos of challenging manoeuvres and an explanation of how to get the truck through them. As I am an anxious person, the team organised an extra couple of hours of training on a Sunday.
Once I had passed my Class 1 test, I asked to go out with an agency driver to gain some experience. This was possible as Andy Swan Driver Services also run a driver agency.
I jumped at the chance and went out with a great guy, who talked me through an average day of truck driving, how to open a curtain sider trailer, securing loads, coupling and uncoupling, refuelling and filling up the AdBlue. It really was invaluable.
I asked to go out again but this was interrupted by a driving assessment I was offered by a company looking to recruit a Class 1 driver. I am happy to say that through channelling everything I was taught, I have a new job that I start in less than a week’s time.
James Blackburn
I was considering changing careers and was initially very nervous as it was a big decision and would be something completely different to what I was doing (Business Insurance).
Having called a couple of the national training schools, I asked for recommendations from people I knew, and they said to give Andy Swan Driving Services a call. I ended up speaking to Andy, who invited me in for a chat the next day.
As soon as I went in, I could see there was a great team of people who cared about helping me get through the process. They even had an agency I could work for at the end of my training to gain experience.
Nikki arranged my medical, provisional application, theories, CPC and test dates within a few minutes.
Andy, Steve and Nikki all helped greatly in getting me through my Class 2 and Class 1 in quick succession. I have been working full-time at the agency ever since. It’s a great, friendly team who cares about supporting every candidate. Always wanting the best for them, whether that’s helping them to pass and get into employment, agency work, or just their tests.
The support doesn’t stop once passing, as the team understands there’s still a lot to learn and are always on hand to answer questions.
I’d highly recommend Andy Swan Driver Services Ltd, and I can’t thank them enough for supporting me through my career change.
Philip Bosworth
Summer 2020 and COVID was tearing my industry apart, and I decided to train as a HGV driver. I avoided the nationwide operators and went looking for a local LGV training provider.
Andy Swan replied promptly to my enquiry and provided me with some essential guides and application forms. I liked the guy from the start, and once I’d acquired CPC Mod 1 & 2 passes, I enjoyed the initial Cat C training. Andy created a relaxed and friendly training environment, but his no-nonsense approach to driving standards meant I was well equipped to achieve a good pass. Andy also provided CPC Mod 4 examination, after which I acquired my CPC driver card and digital tacho card.
I spent a short period doing some Cat C driving for the Royal Mail and then returned to Andy Swan for Cat CE conversion training. It’s quite a leap, but Andy imparted the skills and knowledge to achieve a pass at my first attempt.
Through his agency service, he was able to place me into a general haulage environment where I received on-the-job coaching and tips before being let loose on my own.
There’s a lot of learning to do on the job but Andy’s offer of a 24/7 telephone assistance service helped to smooth the process. I also returned to Andy for further training when I felt that was appropriate; he provided a bespoke package to address what I perceived to be a weakness. As I gained experience and Andy’s trust, the jobs got better, and the lorries got nicer. I was able to develop good relationships with Andy’s client hauliers and became a trusted driver.
Throughout all of this, I’d roped a few colleagues into the idea of LGV driving. They all came to Andy for training and thoroughly enjoyed the process. Most of them went on to acquire a Cat CE licence and drove articulated lorries for the agency clients. Andy’s operation has grown significantly. He has moved his office and CPC training facility to grander premises, taken on additional trainers and vehicles, and introduced office staff to manage the training itinerary and offer support. The driver agency has also grown significantly.
