New hgv test.

walesonline.co.uk/news/wale … m-21574471

the reversing exercise will be removed from tests to make them shorter - for vehicles with trailers, the uncoupling and coupling exercise will be removed

I’m not big on health and safety but this seems very dangerous.

Talking to somebody at local hgv centre.
You do reversing and uncoupling as part of your lessons.
Not on your test that’s all.
As long as your instructor is happy you can do it then that’s fine.

Also he’s heard rumours that goverment are maybe looking at funding/given grants to newly passed class 2 drivers to help them obtain there class 1. As say this is a rumour though .

the kit and locations that you use during training doesn’t really prepare you for the real world of spinning it around and blindside reverses between bays at full weight (vehicle not driver)

Wermy:
the kit and locations that you use during training doesn’t really prepare you for the real world of spinning it around and blindside reverses between bays at full weight (vehicle not driver)

All depends on who taught you. Spinning it around is not generally a good idea.

Next step: one year of class 2 licence, automatically upgrades the licence to class 1

edd1974:
Talking to somebody at local hgv centre.
You do reversing and uncoupling as part of your lessons.
Not on your test that’s all.
As long as your instructor is happy you can do it then that’s fine.

Also he’s heard rumours that goverment are maybe looking at funding/given grants to newly passed class 2 drivers to help them obtain there class 1. As say this is a rumour though .

Well the problem is HGV training is completely unregulated. You can get some really dodgy trainers just ask Pete Smythe or is it Paul now?
By saying it is down to the trainer to train the learner how to reverse… it could just mean reversing does not even get touched on. (Many don’t even have areas in which they can practice reversing. Same with uncoupling, why train the person on uncoupling when it is not part of the test? There are a lot of cowboy trainers out there who will see it this way.
Also unlike being a car driving instructor you dont need any training you can just jump straight into it if you have held you licence for a few years.

osark:
Next step: one year of class 2 licence, automatically upgrades the licence to class 1

Would not surprise me. I think that was how the old motorcycle test works. You spent a few years on a 250cc bike then you got your unrestricted bike. Then the government changed it to make extra money by making people take two tests if your under a certain age.

Either way I dont agree with this new HGV test.

Uh-oh. The seven shunts I saw an Eddie Stobart driver do trying to park diagonally at a motorway services a few days ago will be considered advanced driving in a few months.

adam277:

edd1974:
Talking to somebody at local hgv centre.
You do reversing and uncoupling as part of your lessons.
Not on your test that’s all.
As long as your instructor is happy you can do it then that’s fine.

Also he’s heard rumours that goverment are maybe looking at funding/given grants to newly passed class 2 drivers to help them obtain there class 1. As say this is a rumour though .

Well the problem is HGV training is completely unregulated. You can get some really dodgy trainers just ask Pete Smythe or is it Paul now?
By saying it is down to the trainer to train the learner how to reverse… it could just mean reversing does not even get touched on. (Many don’t even have areas in which they can practice reversing. Same with uncoupling, why train the person on uncoupling when it is not part of the test? There are a lot of cowboy trainers out there who will see it this way.
Also unlike being a car driving instructor you dont need any training you can just jump straight into it if you have held you licence for a few years.

osark:
Next step: one year of class 2 licence, automatically upgrades the licence to class 1

Would not surprise me. I think that was how the old motorcycle test works. You spent a few years on a 250cc bike then you got your unrestricted bike. Then the government changed it to make extra money by making people take two tests if your under a certain age.

Either way I dont agree with this new HGV test.

You don’t seem very well informed. There are decent training companies with properly qualified instructors. Some may be better than others but if you want lousy training go to someone with no qualifications. You will save a fortune but you won’t be taught properly. Some seem to forget passing the test is only the beginning. Then you start to learn hopefully the correct way and don’t learn bad habits or become complacent.

Regarding the old motorbike test which I did on a 250cc. You put in for your test on your 16th birthday if you were any good.

adam277:
Three driving licence changes that will affect thousands of drivers - Wales Online

the reversing exercise will be removed from tests to make them shorter - for vehicles with trailers, the uncoupling and coupling exercise will be removed

I’m not big on health and safety but this seems very dangerous.

Well ignoring the fact it worked fine for decades before 1997, that most of the lorry drivers on the road today took their test before the change in 1997 which was only brought in due to EU driving licence harmonisation (the same reason 18 year olds can now drive lorries)…

Nothing of any value is being lost. If the reversing exercise on the driving test was of any value then you’d not have new drivers struggling to back onto loading bays and into parking bays at truckstops etc. There’s also plenty who have passed their test in a wagon and drag, as driving schools prefer these due to the fact they don’t cut corners as bad as an artic trailer, who have never coupled up an artic and yet have Cat CE and no clue how to hook up an artic trailer.

Oh and you can already effectively go straight from car to Class 1 already. Go into driving school with car licence, week 1 take Cat C, week 2 take CE. Straight from car to artic with no lorry driving experience outside of a driving school in between so really no different to this.

I worked wae a guy that had a farm tractor licence that took his car test and class one all at the same time back in the day and was a ■■■■ good driver

adam277:
Three driving licence changes that will affect thousands of drivers - Wales Online

the reversing exercise will be removed from tests to make them shorter - for vehicles with trailers, the uncoupling and coupling exercise will be removed

I’m not big on health and safety but this seems very dangerous.

Being assessed before test from what I understand

Sent from my moto g(10) using Tapatalk

Conor:
Oh and you can already effectively go straight from car to Class 1 already. Go into driving school with car licence, week 1 take Cat C, week 2 take CE.

Incorrect
Pass C
Send licence to DVLA to get CE prov
Licence must be given to examiner again on CE test

I believe a bigger problem than the reduction in training standards is the training of the wrong people.
Having a valid licence does not make you a ‘truck driver’.
We will end up with lots of newly qualified money chasers trying the job & being incapable of ever doing it well.
To counter all the pressures our industry puts on us without resorting to driving your truck into the traffic office to vent your frustrations takes a special kind of person; someone who does the job for the love of trucks or a passion to be alone etc. Some hard desire that keeps you on the straight & narrow without going over the edge.
Without that something special a truck driver can easily become a stress time bomb waiting for the detonator; I know because I was in that building.