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Perth & Kinross · Training & driver hire

HGV Lessons, Training & Driver Hire in Perth

Coming soon

Perth HGV training depot — coming soon

We are expanding into Perth at Balboughty Farm, Perth PH2 6AA. Our dedicated training depot is coming soon, bringing Class 1, Class 2, C1, bus and CPC training closer to Perth and Perthshire drivers. You can book and start now — training continues at our Kirkcaldy yard, around 40 minutes down the M90, and Perth DVSA on-road tests can already be booked. Register your interest and you will be first to hear when the Balboughty depot opens.

Balboughty Farm, Perth PH2 6AA

Perth is the gateway between the central belt and the Highlands, and the A9 traffic through it keeps local hauliers, agricultural operators and distribution firms permanently short of Class 1 and Class 2 drivers. Perth and Perthshire drivers train with us at our Kirkcaldy yard while our Perth depot is being set up, with the on-road test booked at the Perth DVSA test centre and the Category 3a reversing test and Module 4 CPC conducted in-house by our Delegated DVSA Examiner.

Looking for HGV lessons in Perth? Our DVSA-standard instructors run Class 1 (C+E), Class 2 (C), C1 7.5-tonne, bus and CPC courses for Perth drivers every week, with one-to-one lorry driving lessons, flexible start dates and finance from £79/month. Most Perth trainees meet us at a convenient local pick-up point and train on the same roads and test routes used by the DVSA examiners.

Need drivers rather than training? We are also an HGV driver agency, so employers in Perth and across Perth & Kinross can hire Class 1, Class 2, 7.5-tonne and PCV drivers from us — every one trained and assessed in-house by our Delegated DVSA Examiner, available for short-notice cover, holiday and sickness absence, seasonal peaks or long-term and temp-to-perm placements.

Book Your Training Hire Drivers in Perth 0333 577 3368See full prices
5.0★ from 221 Google reviews 10 HGVs · 2 coaches · 1 minibus Delegated DVSA Examiner
Direct HGV branded training lorry used for HGV lessons for Perth driversHGV training yard in Kirkcaldy, Fife, serving Perth trainees

Perth expansion · Coming soon

Our Balboughty depot

Balboughty Farm
Perth PH2 6AA

The location for our upcoming Perth depot is now confirmed. The red outline on the site plan marks the allocated hardstanding.

Please call before travelling — the depot is not yet open. Training continues at Kirkcaldy, and Perth on-road tests can already be booked.

View Balboughty Call us
Balboughty site plan supplied by Scone Estates, with the allocated hardstanding outlined in red
Balboughty · Allocated hardstanding

Getting to us from Perth

Perth to Kirkcaldy is around 40 minutes down the M90, or a direct ScotRail service if you prefer not to drive. Kinross, Milnathort, Bridge of Earn and Scone trainees all use the same route — and your test itself is booked locally at the Perth test centre.

  • M90 southbound → junction 3 → A92 (approx. 40 minutes)
  • Direct Perth–Kirkcaldy rail services run through the day
  • Kinross and Glenfarg drivers are around 25 minutes away

Michelston Business Centre, Mitchelston Drive, Kirkcaldy, Fife KY1 3NB

Tests and how they work

  • Perth DVSA LGV test centre

    Your Module 3b on-road test is booked at Perth — we handle the booking and prepare you on the local test routes.

  • Category 3a reversing (in-house)

    Run on our own site — no DVSA reversing slot to wait for.

  • Module 4 CPC (in-house)

    The practical demonstration test is delivered at our yard as part of your programme.

Courses available to Perth drivers

Class 1 (C+E)from £1,595Class 2 (C)from £1,395C1 7.5 tonnefrom £995Bus & Coach (D)from £1,395Minibus (D1)from £895Category 3a reversingin-house test

Need your 35 hours instead? Driver CPC periodic training runs from the same yard, and funding and finance options can spread the cost.

Which licence suits Perthshire work?

Perthshire splits neatly into two driving markets. The A9 trunking operators and the distribution firms feeding the Highlands want Class 1 artic drivers and pay accordingly. Agricultural haulage, timber, livestock and the smaller local hauliers around Blairgowrie, Crieff and Coupar Angus run a lot of rigid work where Category C is entirely sufficient.

If you are unsure which way to go, start with Category C. It is the mandatory stepping stone to C+E anyway, so nothing is wasted, and it gets you earning while you decide whether artic life suits you. Drivers who already know they want tramping should book the combined C then C+E programme and finish the lot in one run.

Training from Perth without taking a full week off

Our new training depot at Balboughty Farm, Perth PH2 6AA is coming soon. Until it opens, training continues at Kirkcaldy, around 40 minutes down the M90, with a direct rail service if you would rather not drive. Perth DVSA on-road tests can already be booked. Most Perth trainees do standard five-day blocks and go home each night rather than paying for accommodation.

For drivers who cannot clear a consecutive week — common in agriculture, where the calendar is dictated by the season — we split the block. Two days one week, three the next, or weekends only. It costs no more; it just needs booking further ahead so the vehicle and instructor are held for you.

Theory, medicals and the paperwork most people get stuck on

The single biggest delay for Perth trainees is not the driving, it is the D2/D4 paperwork. You need a Group 2 medical from a doctor, the D2 application, and then the CPC theory (multiple choice and hazard perception) and Module 2 case studies before any practical test can be booked.

We walk you through the forms before you commit to a training date, and our theory app covers the DVSA multiple choice and the Module 2 case studies so you are revising the right material rather than guessing. Getting this in order first is what makes the difference between a smooth eight weeks and a frustrating four months.

What Perth and Kinross drivers earn

New Class 1 drivers in Perth and Kinross generally start around £32,000 to £40,000 depending on shift pattern, with night trunking on the A9 corridor and tramping at the upper end. Rigid work is typically a few thousand lower but with better hours and predictable home time.

Seasonal agricultural and timber haulage pays well at peak and quietens off-season, so many Perthshire drivers hold Class 1 and take agency shifts through the winter — something our driver agency can help arrange once you are qualified.

Driving work around Perth

Perthshire agriculture, timber haulage, the A9 trunking operators, McCain and food distribution around Perth, and Highland-bound general haulage all need licensed drivers. New Class 1 drivers in Scotland typically start around £32,000–£40,000, with tramping and night work paying more.

Our HGV driver agency

HGV driver hire in Perth — cover for employers

If you run vehicles in Perth or anywhere across Perth & Kinross, we also supply drivers. Direct HGV is both a training school and an HGV driver agency, so the Class 1 (C+E), Class 2 (C), 7.5-tonne and PCV drivers we send you are people we have trained, assessed and licensed ourselves. That means we know how each driver reverses, couples, handles a tacho and treats your vehicle before they ever turn up at your gate.

We cover short-notice sickness, holiday cover, seasonal peaks, long-term placements and temp-to-perm hires for hauliers, builders' merchants, waste operators, tipper fleets, agricultural contractors and passenger operators around Perth. Every driver is checked for a valid Driver CPC card, in-date digital tachograph card and clean licence category before placement, and we can run a practical driver assessment on your own vehicle type if you want proof of standard first.

Class 1 & Class 2 cover

Artic and rigid drivers available for day, night and trunking work in Perth.

Assessed, not just CV-checked

Every driver is assessed by our Delegated DVSA Examiner before we place them.

Short notice and long term

One-day sickness cover through to ongoing weekly placements and temp-to-perm.

Hire drivers in Perth 0333 577 3368

Perth HGV training questions

Are you opening an HGV training depot in Perth?
Yes — our depot at Balboughty Farm, Perth PH2 6AA is coming soon. It is not open yet, but you don't need to wait: book now, train at our Kirkcaldy yard around 40 minutes away, and book your Perth DVSA on-road test. Call 0333 577 3368 to register your interest.
Do you cover Perth and Kinross?
Yes — Perth, Kinross, Milnathort, Scone, Bridge of Earn, Crieff and Blairgowrie trainees train with us regularly. It's a straight run down the M90.
Can I do Class 2 and Class 1 in one go?
Yes. A combined programme takes you from a car licence to an artic licence in one continuous block and usually works out cheaper and faster than doing them months apart.
How much does HGV Class 2 training cost for Perth drivers?
Pricing is the same wherever you live — there is no Perth travel surcharge. Course fees include the training vehicle, the in-house Category 3a reversing test and Module 4 CPC. Finance is available from £79 a month; call 0333 577 3368 for a current quote.
Where would I sit my on-road test if I live in Perth?
Perth has its own DVSA LGV test centre, and many Perthshire trainees sit their Module 3b on-road test there. We prepare you on the roads you'll be tested on and handle the booking for you.
How quickly can a Perth driver get an HGV licence?
From a standing start — D2/D4 medical, provisional entitlement, theory and Module 2 — most Perth trainees are licensed in roughly 8 to 12 weeks. If your theory is already done, the practical block is usually 5 days.
Is there HGV work around Perth once I'm qualified?
Yes. The A9 corridor, Perthshire agriculture and timber, food distribution and Highland-bound general haulage all recruit. Our driver agency also places newly qualified drivers with local hauliers.
Can you help with Class 2 training in Perth if I'm unemployed?
Ask us about funding routes — some Perth & Kinross residents qualify for support through local employability schemes. We'll talk you through what applies before you book.
Do you cover Crieff, Blairgowrie and Auchterarder?
Yes. Anywhere in Perth and Kinross is comfortably within reach — Crieff and Blairgowrie add about 25 minutes to the M90 run, and Kinross and Milnathort drivers are only 25 minutes from the yard in total.
Is there a maximum age for an HGV licence?
No upper age limit, but from 45 the Group 2 medical is renewed every five years and annually from 65. We train plenty of drivers in their fifties and sixties changing career.
Can I train for tractor and trailer agricultural work instead?
Agricultural tractor use on the road falls under Category F, which is separate. If your work is genuinely lorry-based — grain, livestock, timber on the public road — you need Category C or C+E, which is what we deliver.
How many attempts do I get at the practical test?
There is no limit, but each retest carries a DVSA fee and vehicle hire. Our pass rates are high precisely because we do not present people before they are ready — if you need an extra half-day we will tell you honestly.
Can I hire HGV drivers in Perth?
Yes. Direct HGV supplies Class 1 (C+E), Class 2 (C), 7.5-tonne and PCV drivers to operators in Perth and across Perth & Kinross. We train and assess our own drivers, so every placement has been checked on a vehicle by our Delegated DVSA Examiner before they arrive. Call 0333 577 3368 to discuss cover.
How quickly can you cover a driver shortage in Perth?
Where we have an available driver we can often cover same-day or next-day sickness and holiday absence in Perth. Longer bookings, seasonal peaks and temp-to-perm placements are arranged in advance so you get the same driver each week rather than a different face every shift.
Are your agency drivers CPC and tachograph compliant?
Every driver we place is checked for a valid Driver CPC qualification card, an in-date digital tachograph card and the correct licence categories, with licence checks repeated during longer placements. We can also assess a driver on your own vehicle type before the first shift.
Do you supply drivers as well as train them?
Both. We are an HGV training school and an HGV driver agency, which is unusual in Scotland. Employers in Perth can hire assessed drivers from us, put their existing staff through Class 1, Class 2 or Driver CPC training, or use us for driver assessments and fleet checks.

Other areas we cover

Perth drivers sit their theory and Module 2 CPC locally, then take the reversing and practical elements with us — our Kirkcaldy driving test centre guide explains exactly where each test happens. You can also browse all of our HGV training locations across Scotland.

HGV training FalkirkHGV training DundeeHGV training BathgateHGV training EdinburghHGV training GlasgowHGV training StirlingHGV training DunfermlineHGV training KirkcaldyHGV training AberdeenHGV training InvernessHGV training AyrshireHGV training Midlothian