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Tests early in the day

Discussion and advice for new and wannabe Truck drivers

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Tests early in the day

Postby stu675 » Sun Jan 23, 2022 7:03 pm

I'm in the middle of my 8 day course. So I'm learning how that translates into hours of tuition.
It's 7am til 3pm, 2 trainees to an instructor, so 64 hours total in theory :roll:
I'm not trying to whinge too much, because I'm happy with my progress so far, happy with my instructor, happy with the price I've paid.
But things to be wary of before booking or paying for your training.
My trainer was on holiday the first day - so we had someone else the first day - could be a good or a bad thing, different perspective so I'll leave that as neutral.
2:1 training - you might need to stand up for yourself to ensure you get your fair share. Depends on the trainer how well they divide the time.
I was paired up with someone doing a 5 day course, so I get a new person next week - so that'll be 2 Reversing tests that I'll not be getting tuition during (I guess thats back to the division of time and can easily be accommodated.
What started me off was, my co-trainee had an afternoon test (passed) - so I get the remaining hour of the day to myself, whereas my test is 9:30 so the remaining 4.5 hours will be lost to me.
I guess it's the luck of the draw?
Thanks for putting up with my stream of consciousness!
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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby BishBashBosh » Sun Jan 23, 2022 8:25 pm

There is nothing wrong with 2-to-1 training (when done properly!) but it sounds like you aren't being treated fairly whatsoever.

Last week I heard of a school completing the off-road 3A reversing/coupling training for cat CE on a 5-to-1 ratio: 5 trainees, trained by 1 instructor, using 1 vehicle. I'm not saying its impossible, but I wonder how many of those trainees queried the duration and ratio before handing over their hard earned, and subsequently saw it as good value for money?
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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby ROG » Sun Jan 23, 2022 8:40 pm

When I was teaching 2 to 1 I was very aware to split the time evenly between the trainees
That could mean giving one trainee more reversing time than the other but letting the other trainee have more on road time which is what happened to me when I was the trainee back in the 80s
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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby trevorking1964 » Sun Jan 23, 2022 8:58 pm

I ensured 1 to 1 for my training.
Couldn't be doing shared instruction.
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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby TruckerGuy » Sun Jan 23, 2022 9:45 pm

No way I could do more than 1:1 as a trainee. I'm paying to learn and do, not watch.
Cat. B
Cat. C - PASSED! 8)
STILL waiting for licence to return (since Feb - 3 months and counting)! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby ROG » Sun Jan 23, 2022 10:26 pm

TruckerGuy wrote:No way I could do more than 1:1 as a trainee. I'm paying to learn and do, not watch.

Lots of learning whilst observing
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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby stu675 » Sun Jan 23, 2022 11:27 pm

ROG wrote:
TruckerGuy wrote:No way I could do more than 1:1 as a trainee. I'm paying to learn and do, not watch.

Lots of learning whilst observing
Agreed.

But my main point, might have gotten lost I know, was you get your test on your last day, and it could be very early in the day ( regardless of 1:1 or 2:1).
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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby Pete S » Mon Jan 24, 2022 10:18 am

It's well documented that I, as an instructor, prefer 1:1. As said, 2:1 done properly is absolutely fine. But, done badly as above, it's dreadful.

The most important thing I take from the OP is how vital it is to be clear on what you're buying. You would with a 3 piece suite, why not with driver training?

Pete S :lol: :lol:
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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby Roymondo » Mon Jan 24, 2022 10:51 am

Pete S wrote:It's well documented that I, as an instructor, prefer 1:1. As said, 2:1 done properly is absolutely fine. But, done badly as above, it's dreadful.

The most important thing I take from the OP is how vital it is to be clear on what you're buying. You would with a 3 piece suite, why not with driver training?

Pete S
Most of us know what we want from a 3-piece suite as we have years of experience using them. When purchasing a training course we are in the same situation as an Eskimo buying a suite when he's never even sat on one in his life!

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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby Pete S » Mon Jan 24, 2022 9:06 pm

Fair enough. But it's not hard to ask how many hours spread over what period. It's also easy to ask to visit the training centre. And then visit 2 or 3 others.

I suppose I'm encouraging folks to do some research.

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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby stu675 » Mon Jan 24, 2022 11:50 pm

Pete S wrote:Fair enough. But it's not hard to ask how many hours spread over what period. It's also easy to ask to visit the training centre. And then visit 2 or 3 others.

I suppose I'm encouraging folks to do some research.

Pete S

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How does that save you from a test on your final full day of training at 8am?
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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby TruckerGuy » Tue Jan 25, 2022 12:11 am

ROG wrote:
TruckerGuy wrote:No way I could do more than 1:1 as a trainee. I'm paying to learn and do, not watch.

Lots of learning whilst observing

If the person you're watching is proficient, then yes, but if they're a newbie making lots of mistakes?
Cat. B
Cat. C - PASSED! 8)
STILL waiting for licence to return (since Feb - 3 months and counting)! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby TruckerGuy » Tue Jan 25, 2022 12:13 am

stu675 wrote:
Pete S wrote:Fair enough. But it's not hard to ask how many hours spread over what period. It's also easy to ask to visit the training centre. And then visit 2 or 3 others.

I suppose I'm encouraging folks to do some research.

Pete S

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How does that save you from a test on your final full day of training at 8am?


Plenty of rest the night before! Treat the final day of training as part of the test, so when the test actually happens, you're already in the mind-set.
Cat. B
Cat. C - PASSED! 8)
STILL waiting for licence to return (since Feb - 3 months and counting)! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby ROG » Tue Jan 25, 2022 7:47 am

TruckerGuy wrote:
ROG wrote:
TruckerGuy wrote:No way I could do more than 1:1 as a trainee. I'm paying to learn and do, not watch.

Lots of learning whilst observing

If the person you're watching is proficient, then yes, but if they're a newbie making lots of mistakes?

Then it would be similar to swatting for an exam where you go back to the start
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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby Roymondo » Tue Jan 25, 2022 9:28 am

TruckerGuy wrote:
ROG wrote:
TruckerGuy wrote:No way I could do more than 1:1 as a trainee. I'm paying to learn and do, not watch.

Lots of learning whilst observing

If the person you're watching is proficient, then yes, but if they're a newbie making lots of mistakes?
You can learn just as much by observing someone making mistakes as you do by observing a good drive. Of course if you just sit and admire the scenery you'll learn SQR(FA).

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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby Noremac » Thu Jan 27, 2022 1:01 am

Post removed as posts being edited by admin.
Last edited by Noremac on Tue Mar 01, 2022 10:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby Newbie 1 » Mon Feb 14, 2022 9:40 pm

trevorking1964 wrote:I ensured 1 to 1 for my training.
Couldn't be doing shared instruction.



I am the same, does my head in except, we did that on the buses and that was actually fun and I passed. Unlike my Class 1 because I'm an idiot!!
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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby k110 » Wed Feb 23, 2022 1:13 pm

Done mine on 2:1 ratio, was great. I think id find driving for long periods trying to concentrate on how to drive for the test really difficult.
We done 4 test routes per day, 2 each with some reversing and coupling at the end of each day. was great,

if I done first route then could jump in and watch the next guy with less pressure and actually take a bit more in then visa versa. on one of the days the other fella couldn't come in to the afternoon as he'd a funeral,

I done 2 routes back to back and was mentally draining and found myself making stupid mistakes. Instructor pointed out to me that on the test it'll be one route and he feels thats the most he likes you to do in one go and to be fair after that I agreed with him (even if he was just trying to make me feel better bout a not great 2nd drive!)

Anyway, got through the class 2 and class 1 both doing 2:1 not a bother at all with the same instructor at the time
Last edited by ROG on Wed Feb 23, 2022 5:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby driveress » Wed Feb 23, 2022 2:14 pm

I’ve got my 2:1 Cat C training booked and my test is at 0815 on the last day :shock: The way my training company do it is, on the last day, they give each candidate 2h 1:1 prior to the test, so it will be a 0615 start for me on test day, instead of the usual 0830 start on the previous days.
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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby stu675 » Wed Feb 23, 2022 9:14 pm

driveress wrote:I’ve got my 2:1 Cat C training booked and my test is at 0815 on the last day :shock: The way my training company do it is, on the last day, they give each candidate 2h 1:1 prior to the test, so it will be a 0615 start for me on test day, instead of the usual 0830 start on the previous days.
Sounds good! At least you'll get a lay in compared to working in transport with 4am starts!
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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby Franglais » Wed Feb 23, 2022 9:26 pm

driveress wrote:I’ve got my 2:1 Cat C training booked and my test is at 0815 on the last day :shock: The way my training company do it is, on the last day, they give each candidate 2h 1:1 prior to the test, so it will be a 0615 start for me on test day, instead of the usual 0830 start on the previous days.



Get yourself out of bed early all week if you can. Get into an early bedtime all week rather than just on the eve of your test.
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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby stu675 » Wed Feb 23, 2022 9:27 pm

k110 wrote:Done mine on 2:1 ratio, was great. I think id find driving for long periods trying to concentrate on how to drive for the test really difficult.
We done 4 test routes per day, 2 each with some reversing and coupling at the end of each day. was great,

if I done first route then could jump in and watch the next guy with less pressure and actually take a bit more in then visa versa. on one of the days the other fella couldn't come in to the afternoon as he'd a funeral,

I done 2 routes back to back and was mentally draining and found myself making stupid mistakes. Instructor pointed out to me that on the test it'll be one route and he feels thats the most he likes you to do in one go and to be fair after that I agreed with him (even if he was just trying to make me feel better bout a not great 2nd drive!)

Anyway, got through the class 2 and class 1 both doing 2:1 not a bother at all with the same instructor at the time
I'm a firm believer in 2:1 training.
My issues were a mismatch of candidates (t'other was on a 5 day course to my 8, resulting in another 8 dayer starting part way through, also my trainer having a days leave, also someone elses retest using the lorry). Lucky I passed or I'd be upset
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Re: Tests early in the day

Postby driveress » Wed Feb 23, 2022 11:41 pm

Sounds good! At least you'll get a lay in compared to working in transport with 4am starts!


Yep, I’d decided not to complain about the fact that I have an hour’s journey to the test centre which will mean I’ll have to get up at 4.30am - it will be good practice :)

Get yourself out of bed early all week if you can. Get into an early bedtime all week rather than just on the eve of your test.


Good advice. I will start earlier than that I think. I need to try and become a morning person!
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