shuttlespanker:
as i have always said, they don’t teach you to drive, they teach you to pass a test
Agreed.
Kansas, you’re at the start of another learning curve - enjoy it mate.
Dave55:
shuttlespanker:
as i have always said, they don’t teach you to drive, they teach you to pass a testAgreed.
Kansas, you’re at the start of another learning curve - enjoy it mate.
^^^^ This
BTW who taught you to ride a bike prob your parents but did they then teach you to do it with 1 hand /no hands the list could go on
Just think about the drivers on here who have never taken a HGV/LGV test the poss only remember
No tacho
No speed limiters
No driver hours
They had to learn as they went along the way sorry we cant hold your hand through your life you have to learn
As has been said if in doubt ask & take your time better late than never
As my driving instructor said when I passed my car test “now go and learn how to drive”
Best way to learn the ropes fast is to be-friend an experienced driver that has done it all before. Buy him/her a pint and a curry and pick their brains…you’ll learn more in an evening than you would in weeks on the road…and wherever you get sent they’ll have been already if they’re working at the same firm… 
Good rule of thumb re downhill descents, go down in the same gear you would use to go up it. Hold the speed using exhaust brake\retarder.
wouldn’t it be better if truck driving was a apprentership rather than a test? like brick laying or plastering? or would this just not work?
terriers:
wouldn’t it be better if truck driving was a apprentership rather than a test? like brick laying or plastering? or would this just not work?
it used to. to be a driver at my grandads firm, you either had years of experience, or started as an apprentice/drivers mate.
terriers:
wouldn’t it be better if truck driving was a apprentership rather than a test? like brick laying or plastering? or would this just not work?
best idea ive heard in a long while.
the blokes that go for their test now have to get the cpc with no knowledge of the industry so an apprentership sounds like a great idea.
lizard:
terriers:
wouldn’t it be better if truck driving was a apprentership rather than a test? like brick laying or plastering? or would this just not work?best idea ive heard in a long while.
the blokes that go for their test now have to get the cpc with no knowledge of the industry so an apprentership sounds like a great idea.
Or go back to the old day of drivers mate ( but dont think firms will do this due to cost )
lizard:
terriers:
wouldn’t it be better if truck driving was a apprentership rather than a test? like brick laying or plastering? or would this just not work?best idea ive heard in a long while.
the blokes that go for their test now have to get the cpc with no knowledge of the industry so an apprentership sounds like a great idea.
thing is you wouldn’t send in a lad to fit your boiler with just a bit of paper to say he can do the job… so why send a lad out in a truck to do a job? yes he need to lern but wouldn’t it be better if it was over a set time and set stages? say over this month we will be learning how to secure various loads ect… not saying that this will cure all problems with new drivers cause yes there will come a point when they will have to do thing for them selfs but at least they stand a fighting chance
Done my uk class 1 12 years ago and just re took in in Canada. Obviously it wasn’t the same as starting from scratch but I’d say the Canadian test is much easier. You do a pre trip and a air break test which is very different to what we do in the UK but the reverse is easier basically its like driving off a bay and backing on to the next one. And a 15 minute drive round the block and no coupling excersize.
No driver training is going to prepare you for everything but I’d say the UK test is a pretty good assessment of the basics.