albion1971:
Yes I was the same,a Leyland Chieftan with a flat trailer.Were you not asked the coupling procedure by the examiner?
I think some of the changes are adavantageous, eg not using a flat trailer.I can also understand why they have now left the gear changing exercise out but why they stopped the breaking exercise baffles me.
As far as the theory test goes it is a complete waste of time.Candidates used to have to learn the highway code but now they learn what they need to learn for the theory test to pass and after that they seem to forget it all! Random questions from the HC were far better in my opinion.
Apart from all the exercises as I said the whole test is far too easy.I have done an examiners course and after doing that it is hard to believe how anyone can fail.I have also known examiners pack the job in because they despised having to pass incompetent drivers.
Rather than have a test they should have an ongoing assessment that involves all different types of roads and loads and the candidate has to cover so many miles to prove he or she is competent.
Of course this would never happen as the cost would be astronomical.
Looks like standards will not be improving in the near future!
I was asked about the coupling and uncoupling procedure on my test, but I think a practical demonstration is far better. I don’t understand why they stopped the braking exercise, although wasn’t it to show you could stop without locking up, not such a problem in these days of ABS braking.
The problem with all tests, whether they are driving tests or academic test, is much of the training becomes how to pass the test not learning the subject.
Ongoing assessment or apprenticeships like I said would no doubt be a far better way to train and weed out those who couldn’t do it and target training for individuals having trouble with some parts, but far to expensive to happen, our economy relies on the cheap movement of goods and this requires a surplus of driver to keep the wages down.
Yes muckles a practical demonstration is definitely far better.As I am sure you know some people can talk their way through things but when it comes to hands on they are lost!
Regarding the braking exercise it was a way to let the examiner see that the candidate was able to stop the vehicle safely and under control just in case anything happened out on the road and as you say without locking up.Even with ABS personally if I was an examiner I want to see the person could stop safely before going out on road because believe me there are some that do not react accordingly.
I agree the test could be improved a lot to add competence not only in driving techniques but loading etc as well.Sticking a few concrete blocks on the back will not really help.
albion1971
just got a bit of feed back from www.irishrigs.com…there seems to be a diffence’s in the test in the rep or ireland and northern ireland and uk.from what i’ve been told in the north and uk its a part of the test to hook/unhook.but in R.O.I you didn’t have to do it just explain.which i dont agree with…i think it should be a part of the test regardless where u do the test…hope this clears things up withus two…
milkchurns:
albion1971
just got a bit of feed back from irishrigs.com…there seems to be a diffence’s in the test in the rep or ireland and northern ireland and uk.from what i’ve been told in the north and uk its a part of the test to hook/unhook.but in R.O.I you didn’t have to do it just explain.which i dont agree with…i think it should be a part of the test regardless where u do the test…hope this clears things up withus two…
Own Account Driver:
What’s interesting, as far as training by companies goes, is do they have as much responsibility to train agency drivers, particularly if they have self-employed status? Point being, if you had a self-employed electrician round you wouldn’t be expected to train them on how your ring main is installed.
I think its as simple as…employee then you have to train them and the employer is responsible for what they do.
Self employed/contractor…should provide method statement and risk assesment (don’t laugh), and public liability insurance. And the employer is still responsible for what they do.
Own Account Driver:
What’s interesting, as far as training by companies goes, is do they have as much responsibility to train agency drivers, particularly if they have self-employed status? Point being, if you had a self-employed electrician round you wouldn’t be expected to train them on how your ring main is installed.
NO.
None whatsoever.
A company employing the services of an agency to supply a temporary driver needn’t worry about the training of that driver. Not one little bit.
In order to understand this, you need to understand the difference between an employment agency & an employment business.
There is a difference, there is a BIG difference, & most of you are fooled into thinking that there isn’t.
99% of ‘agency’ drivers think! they’re employed by an employment agency. They are wrong.
All the relevant info is on your Gov’m’nts website.
Incidentally, you have an equal duty of care to both the self employed electrician & the temp driver. AFAIK the self employed electrician enjoys greater protection in law.
It’s exactly this sort of stuff that TNUK should be debating.
Mucker1:
Even now at nights if I change trailers I still shine a light into the 5th wheel to make sure it’s secure. Other drivers take the mick but it’s water off the preverbial.
I do that too sometimes. If I’ve not coupled it myself its often part of my walkaround check. Glad to hear I am not alone!
martinviking:
I know we’ve all got to start learning somewhere, but-
Just filled up with diesel & an agency driver came over to me & asked why he couldn’t pull away from a trailer ?
I asked if he’d pulled the brake on ? “What brake” was the answer !
Now I’m concerned.
He’d managed to drop the legs, remove the number plate & pull all the Suzies off, but that was it !
He didn’t know about the brake or how to pull the pin !
I checked what he’d done so far then showed him the brake & how to pull the pin (letting him do it for himself)
I didn’t have time to go through everything/hooking up with him (it was 07.30 & I was supposed to be in Magna, Lutterworth at
He did the right thing in asking but the concerning thing is-why do the agency send drivers in who need training, they charge top dollar for ‘Experienced’ drivers but then expect the companies to invest in training ‘Their’ Drivers.
Surely it would be better for the agency to double up for a shift when new drivers are taken on, agreeing it with the company’s first, how else do they get the proper training before doing any damage !
But I suppose that would cost the agency ?
To top it all, he was given a 16ft high cube trailer to play with for the day, another fact that I pointed out to him as well & told him to be carefully with bridges !
I was just about to say ‘isnt it part of the test’… but come to think of it, no it wasnt, not 5 years ago anyway
Quite shocking really
Mucker1:
Even now at nights if I change trailers I still shine a light into the 5th wheel to make sure it’s secure. Other drivers take the mick but it’s water off the preverbial.
I do that too sometimes. If I’ve not coupled it myself its often part of my walkaround check. Glad to hear I am not alone!
I always do it, 1st, before I put the Dog Clip in.
martinviking:
I know we’ve all got to start learning somewhere, but-
Just filled up with diesel & an agency driver came over to me & asked why he couldn’t pull away from a trailer ?
I asked if he’d pulled the brake on ? “What brake” was the answer !
Now I’m concerned.
He’d managed to drop the legs, remove the number plate & pull all the Suzies off, but that was it !
He didn’t know about the brake or how to pull the pin !
I checked what he’d done so far then showed him the brake & how to pull the pin (letting him do it for himself)
I didn’t have time to go through everything/hooking up with him (it was 07.30 & I was supposed to be in Magna, Lutterworth at
He did the right thing in asking but the concerning thing is-why do the agency send drivers in who need training, they charge top dollar for ‘Experienced’ drivers but then expect the companies to invest in training ‘Their’ Drivers.
Surely it would be better for the agency to double up for a shift when new drivers are taken on, agreeing it with the company’s first, how else do they get the proper training before doing any damage !
But I suppose that would cost the agency ?
To top it all, he was given a 16ft high cube trailer to play with for the day, another fact that I pointed out to him as well & told him to be carefully with bridges !
I was just about to say ‘isnt it part of the test’… but come to think of it, no it wasnt, not 5 years ago anyway
Quite shocking really
I took my test early 90’s & I vaguely remember dropping the trailer & hooking up again during my lessons but didn’t do it on the test.
I do remember being told that one of the questions might be about dropping & hooking up & lots of people were caught out because they would forget about the number plate !
Most important part of the process ‘That’, You couldn’t possibly go Hurtling down the road with no rear number plate- So Dangerous !
Think of the Children & Anorak Stobbart Spotters, what would they do with their Pen’s & Note Books if the couldn’t see a rear number plate ?
martinviking:
I know we’ve all got to start learning somewhere, but-
Just filled up with diesel & an agency driver came over to me & asked why he couldn’t pull away from a trailer ?
I asked if he’d pulled the brake on ? “What brake” was the answer !
Now I’m concerned.
He’d managed to drop the legs, remove the number plate & pull all the Suzies off, but that was it !
He didn’t know about the brake or how to pull the pin !
I checked what he’d done so far then showed him the brake & how to pull the pin (letting him do it for himself)
I didn’t have time to go through everything/hooking up with him (it was 07.30 & I was supposed to be in Magna, Lutterworth at
He did the right thing in asking but the concerning thing is-why do the agency send drivers in who need training, they charge top dollar for ‘Experienced’ drivers but then expect the companies to invest in training ‘Their’ Drivers.
Surely it would be better for the agency to double up for a shift when new drivers are taken on, agreeing it with the company’s first, how else do they get the proper training before doing any damage !
But I suppose that would cost the agency ?
To top it all, he was given a 16ft high cube trailer to play with for the day, another fact that I pointed out to him as well & told him to be carefully with bridges !
I was just about to say ‘isnt it part of the test’… but come to think of it, no it wasnt, not 5 years ago anyway
Quite shocking really
I took my test early 90’s & I vaguely remember dropping the trailer & hooking up again during my lessons but didn’t do it on the test.
I do remember being told that one of the questions might be about dropping & hooking up & lots of people were caught out because they would forget about the number plate !
Most important part of the process ‘That’, You couldn’t possibly go Hurtling down the road with no rear number plate- So Dangerous !
Think of the Children & Anorak Stobbart Spotters, what would they do with their Pen’s & Note Books if the couldn’t see a rear number plate ?
That makes me the most crooked driver on the road then, all them times i’ve gone out on 2nd job to realise my plate is now trapped up against a bay being re-loaded
martinviking:
I know we’ve all got to start learning somewhere, but-
Just filled up with diesel & an agency driver came over to me & asked why he couldn’t pull away from a trailer ?
I asked if he’d pulled the brake on ? “What brake” was the answer !
Now I’m concerned.
He’d managed to drop the legs, remove the number plate & pull all the Suzies off, but that was it !
He didn’t know about the brake or how to pull the pin !
I checked what he’d done so far then showed him the brake & how to pull the pin (letting him do it for himself)
I didn’t have time to go through everything/hooking up with him (it was 07.30 & I was supposed to be in Magna, Lutterworth at
He did the right thing in asking but the concerning thing is-why do the agency send drivers in who need training, they charge top dollar for ‘Experienced’ drivers but then expect the companies to invest in training ‘Their’ Drivers.
Surely it would be better for the agency to double up for a shift when new drivers are taken on, agreeing it with the company’s first, how else do they get the proper training before doing any damage !
But I suppose that would cost the agency ?
To top it all, he was given a 16ft high cube trailer to play with for the day, another fact that I pointed out to him as well & told him to be carefully with bridges !
I was just about to say ‘isnt it part of the test’… but come to think of it, no it wasnt, not 5 years ago anyway
Quite shocking really
I took my test early 90’s & I vaguely remember dropping the trailer & hooking up again during my lessons but didn’t do it on the test.
I do remember being told that one of the questions might be about dropping & hooking up & lots of people were caught out because they would forget about the number plate !
Most important part of the process ‘That’, You couldn’t possibly go Hurtling down the road with no rear number plate- So Dangerous !
Think of the Children & Anorak Stobbart Spotters, what would they do with their Pen’s & Note Books if the couldn’t see a rear number plate ?
That makes me the most crooked driver on the road then, all them times i’ve gone out on 2nd job to realise my plate is now trapped up against a bay being re-loaded
