Hello everyone,
Can somebody answer this question for me please,
If you passed your L.G.V. test in an automatic vehicle, does this mean you can then only go onto drive automatics in the future, as it is for a car licence…■■? 
If you have passed your car in manual then you can drive manual lorry even if you pass in an auto lorry.
slapstick:
If you have passed your car in manual then you can drive manual lorry even if you pass in an auto lorry.
+1 
But read up on the section on this forum (it’s buried somewhere) about the different types of gearbox. If you get given a diddy 7.5 tonner, it’ll just be a 6 speed exactly like your car, but anything bigger normally has something like a 4 over 4. It’s useful to at least know in theory how they work, if you turn up to a job and you get given one, you can’t really hope for anything more than ‘cycle through those gears then press that button’.
More companies are using autos (they react differently to standard auto, as they’re AS-Tronic/ishift, etc, but you’ll know that from training), but I’ve been agency for a little while now and I more often than not get a manual.
The main thing to remember is you can’t just put your foot on the brake and cover the retarder stalk as you do in an auto - an auto manages engine braking and gear selection for you. When you are approaching a tight bend or a steep gradient sign, you want to knock it down 1 or 2 gears and get your speed under control a few seconds before you negotiate the hazard - in a manual if you leave it halfway down the hill to decide you’re too fast, it takes a few seconds to knock it through the gears and find the engine brake button, and in the rush to sort it out, you’re sitting on the service brake and not paying attention to the road.
iomex:
But read up on the section on this forum (it’s buried somewhere) about the different types of gearbox
It is contained within the link in my signature below
iomex:
if you turn up to a job and you get given one, you can’t really hope for anything more than ‘cycle through those gears then press that button’.
Turning up to a gig having never driven a 4 over 4 manual, is like turning up to a gun fight holding a knife! 
Excellent advice as usual from peeps on here, I will take a look at the gears,… thank-you 
Devon67:
Excellent advice as usual from peeps on here, I will take a look at the gears,… thank-you
You’ve got 2 options. Take your test in an Auto and do a lesson in a manual after your test, or do your training in a manual…
My train of thought is why make life harder for yourself?
Yes you’ll save a few quid, but you are probably making things harder for yourself…
Whether you choose a lesson in a manual or try and blag it is down to you, but don’t whine when you fail an assessment due to it.
When you book some assessment drives to find the best school for you even if you take you lessons in a auto it’s worth while booking an assessment drive with a different school in a manual as it’s a cheap 30-60 mins to give you an idea about manuals .
So when you do get a job assessment drive least you’ve had a bit of time in a manual .
Or do what I did and wing it with an agency - idk if it’s normal but I’ve never had an assessment drive. Just some keys given to me “here you go now ■■■■ off”.
Evil8Beezle:
iomex:
if you turn up to a job and you get given one, you can’t really hope for anything more than ‘cycle through those gears then press that button’.Turning up to a gig having never driven a 4 over 4 manual, is like turning up to a gun fight holding a knife!
I can vouch for that 
The main point here is that no matter what you learn in the likelyhood of getting the same type of gearbox again is slim
Many of us passed in a straight six then we had to learn as we went when we came across all other types - that includes both autos and manuals
Evil8Beezle:
iomex:
if you turn up to a job and you get given one, you can’t really hope for anything more than ‘cycle through those gears then press that button’.Turning up to a gig having never driven a 4 over 4 manual, is like turning up to a gun fight holding a knife!
Long as you dont change gear until your out of the yard it doesn’t matter
Many of us passed in a straight six then we had to learn as we went when we came across all other types - that includes both autos and manuals
And this was the case until just over 20 years ago. I believe there’s far too much made of the subject. We all coped then so why not now?
In fact, it’s so much easier now as the info is all over Google etc so it’s not hard to do the homework.
Obviously, anyone doing an assessment will feel more comfortable if they happen to get exactly the same gearbox as they learned in; but what’s the chances of that?
I would say that, in a year or two, it will be almost unheard of to train in a manual.
Bear in mind that the vast majority of 2 axle rigids are either 6 speed or auto. And this is where most of the newbie work is. More interesting gearboxes on 3 and 4 axles - if not auto again. Artics mainly auto with a variety of other boxes still kicking about.
Truthfully, there’s better things in life to worry about!
Pete
Passed my class2 just over 2 years ago and class1 not long after, both tests were in auto’s and since then the rigids I drove were were either a 6 speed manual or an auto whereas all the antics I have driven have been autos . There are some firms out there who still have manuals but as you now have to pay extra for a manual most firms have autos .
At the end of the day the choice is yours .
Whatever you are most comfortable in! I passed C in manual and C+E in auto. In the year I’ve been driving C I’ve driven countless different manuals and autos and in the few months I’ve been driving C+E it’s been all auto and only a couple different types but I’m lucky we’ve got a very mixed modern fleet at my place and I’m more then happy to drive whatever keys get chucked in my direction. As long as it’s legal [emoji6][emoji846]
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