DVLA & Driving

[Matt]

Got a bit of an odd one hoping someone here can answer the question.

A friend of mine has joined ambulance and has to do Class C license to drive ambulances.  Medical and provisional was done sometime ago before she joined, we booked the theory tests the other week and gave driver number and address etc.

Come Saturday morning when checking in to do the test they turned around and said oh you will be driving ambulances then.  A little bit taken back as at no point has this been mentioned and from doing mine last year I don't think there was a bit to specify a job just wondered if anyone knew if DVLA were informed when working on 999 response roles?  I've spoken to a driver training friend of mine within Fire and they said they don't do anything just wondered if anyone was aware of if it was a very lucky guess?

[Br9mp81]

the answer i dare say is with the medical, was it letterheaded.

[Matt]

No just the DVLA D4 form, it has a space where the Dr stamps it but that is it.  All that was done ages ago.

Just odd more than anything.

[Br9mp81]

DVLA had form for odd, a mate had his renewal come back with no LGV, they wanted him to re test, but another had LGV1 and PSV added.

Then there was the copper who had his bike ticket lost at DVLA, he took his re test on his works bike.

[Matt]

Yeah know a few that had lost bits and bobs off their license when gone away for renewals.

[Keith]

8 hours ago, Matt said:

A friend of mine has joined ambulance and has to do Class C license to drive ambulances.

Matt do they give a reason why you need a Class C for driving ambulances? Can't see there being too many ambulances weighing in over 7.5 tonne. I would have thought Class C1 was the correct group as the yare essentially large vans well within the 3.5 to 7.5 tonne range.

I know that during the ongoing Covid pandemic, with firefighters carrying out additional roles to assist the Ambulance Service we sought expression of interest to work on the ambulances and one of the criteria was you needed a Class C1. Its actually surprising to find that the majority of people don't have this as when you pass your car test you only get Class B, unless you were old enough to claim "grandfather" rights.

999 response doesn't appear on your licence so won't be anything to do with the DVLA.

[Matt]

Sorry Keith it is C1, I forget which way around it is, I refer to my HGV as class 2 still!  All the local firms to me don't both with C1 and just do C as means you can drive a bigger range for the same cost in lessons/test.

I believe it has changed again in 2013 but not 100% sure but I know of a youngster who passed but cannot driver bigger vehicles but never looked into as not been an issue.

I didn't think the DVLA would be bothered just found it odd that they knew more than anything, still cannot explain it unless it was a pure guess.