I had a lot of help in compiling and formatting this post - thank you to those that helped 
DRIVING ASSESSMENTS
This post refers to the in-house assessments that are carried out by companies. Hopefully some of the answers here will alleviate drivers’ more common concerns.
darkseeker:
I must admit, I find the prospect of being assessed quite un-nerving.
gogzy:
bloody annoying, you past the test why do you need to be assessed?
TOMLEWISWD63DW:
I dont think you should be you pay all that money to pass your test surley thats enough and the law states that you are able to drive all types of vehicle stated on your licence
“I am a good driver”
This is the view a lot of drivers have . One thing most forget is that since their last test they have been their own assessor so how does a driver really KNOW ?:?:
Let’s start with what a driving assessment is and what it might entail.
dieseldave:
My best advice to a driver who’s worried by a driving assessment is that they should embrace it and take it as an opportunity to show a qualified person just how good you really are in just the same way as you did when you took your original LGV driving test.
Some drivers welcome assessments. The assessors are seeing things through a fresh pair of eyes and from a different perspective - that view can be priceless.
There are a number of possible areas to an assessment, such as:
1 - Knowledge of basic Tacho & WTD rules.
2 - Knowledge of Highway Code
3 - Theory of safe & economic driving
4 - Pre drive vehicle safety check
5 - Drive on the public highway
6 - Manoeuvring
7 - Un/coupling
Examples : -
Possible questions-
How many hours can you drive without taking a break?
How long can you work for without taking a break?
You see a bridge weight sign that says 10 tonnes, your vehicle is empty & weighs 8 tonnes - can you go over that bridge?
You anticipate that you will arrive at a merge point at the same time as another vehicle - what is your safest course of action?
You are cruising on a long flat road with very few hazards - for fuel economy, where should the rev counter reading be?
Vehicle safety check - Assessor observes to see if the driver checks for -
Height indicator
Wheel nut security
Tax disc, in-date? & correct vehicle registration?
The road drive-
Over-revving?
Smooth gear changes?
Confident driving?
Considerate driving?
Keeping within speed limits?
Plenty of observations.?
Economical driving?
Manoeuvring -
Is the driver safe and proficient?
Un/coupling -
Is a good procedure used to ensure it is done safely?
The road drive is the part most drivers have reservations about.
Smee:
I said to the guy - Do you want me to drive as per the book or as a professional driver and yes there is a difference…
There are various styles of driving -
The LGV training & test style
The way you drive in your everyday job
The advanced method
None of these styles are either the right or wrong way, they are just different.
The style you choose makes no difference. The assessor should be looking for a SAFE drive, incorporating as much as possible of what has been mentioned above.
Smee:
I am not having a go at anyone its just that when you have been driving artics for 25 years and a DSA qualified instructor its bloody annoying…
What do you think the other guys would say if you were given some sort of exemption? Would the impression be that you are better than them? You have to be assessed to become a DSA qualified instructor, so it’s just another confirmation that you’re still up to standard.
The assessor should make clear to the driver what their credentials are, what they are looking for and how they wish the drive to go. If not, then ask. A good assessor will not take offence but if they do, seek advice from your management.
The tone of the assessment
renaultman:
I had to do an assessment a couple of years ago, …
… I made a couple of daft mistakes on the way over, normal everyday misjudgements. Stopping at a roundabout when I was clear to go, the most annoying one being going to pass a car doing well under 50mph, for him to accelerate away, I pulled back in. Both of which I got a bit of a bollocking for, neither of which I thought were particularly serious, and told him so, in no uncertain terms.
Looking at the assessment above it seems that the assessor has not found any unsafe issues to mention so has decided that they ‘must say something’ and made totally uncalled for remarks.
This is not the way an assessment should be done as it clearly alienates the driver. The assessor should give advice - not “you did that wrong!” or “what the hell did you think you were doing?” Friendly discussion on a point produces far better results.
Example of how a good assessment might be done: -
Artic driver enters a generous two lane roundabout with a car on the right about half way down the trailer and part way onto it the artic driver has to brake because the room available is not quite enough to accommodate both - well, there would have been if the car had kept well to the right but the car didn’t 
Discussion at the end of drive debrief -
Assessor - do you remember that roundabout where that car took the space you intended to use?
Driver - yes
Assessor - did you consider that action by the car to be a possibility?
Driver - err, I think so
Assessor - OK, what would have been OUR best course of action on the approach for that particular scenario so that WE did not get into that situation? (note that the assessor and the driver are in the same context - not a YOU one)
Driver - to ease off slightly and let the car go first.
Assessor - I would agree with that - SMILE
The assessor has, by the use of questions, got the driver to THINK about the situation and come up with the SOLUTION all on their own. It does help if the assessor is pleasant and makes it enjoyable.
Lets now move onto one of the most emotive subjects - The qualified person issue.
The driver being assessed may have 30 years experience, but that does not necessarily mean that their driving or their tacho knowledge is up to a required standard or cannot be improved upon.
The assessor does not have to be as ‘experienced’ as the driver, but they do need to know what to look for in regard to the task being assessed. In the case of job assessment, they might have to answer as many questions as they are asking. If the prospective employee has never driven this model of truck, they will need some information as to how things work. Not all drivers have had experience of all truck models, so that should be taken into account.
For aspects such as tacho testing, then the assessor must have the relevant knowledge.
If the assessor is not being checked on a regular basis by at least another assessor or preferably someone higher from a recognised driving body or organisation, then their credentials would lacking in weight.
The implementation of a recognised standard would solve a lot of problems if it were afforded national accreditation, and allowed for regulated check-testing.
Although assessments might differ slightly from company to company, the basic format could be the same.
dieseldave:
IMHO, once drivers actually realise that they aren’t in an adversarial situation, what problem could possibly arise from being assessed by a person who can actually demonstrate that they are more qualified in a driving sense than the driver being assessed?
