Course Duration

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Ok before I start this is not a sly way to advertise but I thought it would be a good guide to trainees.

Right then folks I thought I would start a post about the length of time of a course, my standard C course which is ideal for just about every new driver is based on 4 days and test on the 4th day, it enables the candidate to get familiar with all the test routes and enough time to train to test standard including the reverse.

Category CE is based over 3 days and this is enough time to fine tune the driving skills and master the reverse and uncouple and recouple procedures.

A day is based on 4 hour blocks and I find this method works well.

It would be interesting to hear from trainees on there experiences and also other trainers on there methods.

Of course an assessment drive is best but at the moment I have suspended doing these as I’m out of action recovering from a badly broken leg and don’t want to put to much on my instructor Garry who is doing a sterling job keeping the training side going. Once I’m back in action I will be doing assessments again hopefully in a month.

Paul

2

I did my C course at PSTT in early January. As am residential was 3 days with test on the 4th day. Passed with 1 minor so guess it worked. Don’t feel I needed any longer. I went in with no experience other than a couple of assessment drives.

I have started C&E today and think that 4 days will be enough. (Watch me fail and make an idiot of myself now) but it feels easier this time as I am familiar with the routes and some of the habits I had to break last time are still not reformed.

So personally I can see why people may want a fifth day if they are nervous but I think 4 should be enough

3

I was happy enough with the model of training you describe, and think 4 hours in about the Max a Newbie can handle before they get too tired and drive like crap. So all good in that respect! :smiley:

However, to me this brings up a potential issue on your last day of: How much practice do you want test day?

I’d suggest that Newbies in this specific scenario probably give their best maybe a couple of hours in to that 4 hours, so shouldn’t that be the time you’d target for the test? :open_mouth:

Hence I think 4 hours on the last day is too much, and was lucky enough to have a trainer that accommodated my preference by giving me a bit extra the previous few days…

Don’t ask, don’t get! :grimacing:

4

Evil8Beezle:
Hence I think 4 hours on the last day is too much, and was lucky enough to have a trainer that accommodated my preference by giving me a bit extra the previous few days…

:

Totally agree I give 1 hour road drive b4 test and at least 1 reverse.

Paul

5

My thoughts are very simple. It’s more important to look at the quality of training being delivered rather than number of hours alone. The duration is part of a complicated equation and should not be taken alone.

My courses are amongst some of the shortest in the industry and constantly produce one of the highest pass rates in the UK. Other factors, apart from duration, will include candidate ability, skill of trainer, facilities available, quality of vehicle. Get ALL these in place and the duration is a relatively minor issue.

We constantly surprise new corporate clients with our model who will often “give it a go” and then continue to send steady streams of candidates for more of the same. A distinct advantage is having the driving test centre on site. This saves 100% of the time spent travelling backwards and forwards to the test centre. And, of course, the same applies to the reversing area. Being the area that is used for test, it’s correct in dimensions and markings and some believe it’s an advantage to test on the same bit of concrete used for training. ie no surprises when it comes to test.

As for the time before test, I don’t believe there is an issue there. Most of our candidates complete their training the day before the test and then go straight in for test - and pass.

Similarly, we train at the weekends doing 7 hour sessions with test (normally with no training beforehand), on the Monday. Cant remember the last fail on that system.

But we also have courses that run to allow for 2 hours immediately before test.

Every way works; there’s no difference. It’s simply up the the candidate to choose the option that suits them. This is why we never tell them what’s going to happen. We listen (as per the post above from EB) to what the customer wants and, as long as it’s physically possible, that’s what they get.

Out of interest, our office recently did a survey of who was offering what. One trainer insisted that it takes 31 hours to complete a CAT C course. Demonstration, if it was needed, that duration is not the be all and end all.

Pete :laughing: :laughing:

6

I did my C and C+E with Stobart, and found them excellent.

It was done 2-1, which I was on the lookout for when selecting trainers. Between the two trainees, we did about 4-4.5hrs driving each per day. Personally, I found it very valuable to be able to learn whilst not in the driving seat, as well as in it. 4 days training, test on day 5.

To be honest, I’d not fancy a 4 day course. I felt 5 days was right (I’d actually have taken one more day, but I passed first time, so there we go!).

The only part that I would have changed was the “warm up” drive before the test, got a warm up reverse in, then went out on the road. I had an hour for it and if I was doing it a second time, I’d push for a 2hr warm up drive.

7

I did my C recently and only had about 8 hours training split between 2 days. My test was at 8am on the third day and I drove myself to the test centre 40 miles away where my trainer was waiting with the truck.
I was a bit apprehensive to say the least as I’d expected at least 3 days training but thankfully I passed first time.
I guess I had a bit of a head start as a PCV licence holder though.

8

I did my C recently and only had about 8 hours training split between 2 days. My test was at 8am on the third day and I drove myself to the test centre 40 miles away where my trainer was waiting with the truck.
I was a bit apprehensive to say the least as I’d expected at least 3 days training but thankfully I passed first time.
I guess I had a bit of a head start as a PCV licence holder though.

Sounds like a bit of a rough deal. But well done on getting the result.

Pete :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

9

Peter Smythe:
Every way works; there’s no difference. It’s simply up the the candidate to choose the option that suits them.

:

I personally disagree with the above quote (but that’s not to say it’s wrong) because the candidate doesn’t know what will suit them, it’s down to us as trainers to recommend a course by talking to the candidate and convincing them what we recommend works.

Regarding the day of the test I’ve always worked on the principal of giving a hour warm up before test which works for me. I know it’s different but footballers, tennis players, jockeys, racing drivers etc have a little warm up before starting.

Generally there is no right or wrong way but as I trainer I tend to always stick to a procedure that is tried and tested and the proof is in the pudding on results.

Paul

10

You’ve said the same as me - just a different way around. Because we offer all the options, which will often be determined by the candidate’s availability, I can say with certainty that it makes no difference whether or not there is time before test.

43 years of practice backs that up.

Pete :laughing: :laughing:

11

Peter Smythe:
43 years of practice backs that up.

:

Can’t argue with that so what do I know?

Paul

12

I done 4 days training with test on the 5th day with c+e.
Passed first time, so I’m happy. It was also Wed, Thurs, Fri with weekend break and Mon with test on Tuesday. I think this worked great as that break helped sink things in a bit.
I did have the chance to take a shorter course but if there is an option of an extra day I think its worth taking; which I did.

Also when I went out on test I got a completely different route from the one my instructor took me down. I think that extra day helped me a lot in dealing with it.

Basically, I think a weekend break between training is great if you can do it. Doing 4 days training without a break would definitely drain me a bit.

Also I took my test at Roadtrain (They are fantastic) which like PSTT has the same onsite reversing area that you take your test on. I found this helped a lot. Although I did notice a lot of the instructors from other schools were driving the vehicles in for the candidates though. Obviously the candidate should be able to drive into the yard even if it’s a little tight but it did seem to me a little unfair that I had that extra advantage of using the reserving pad and going in and out of the yard. IMO it should be like a car/bike test where you go into a DSA/VOSA testing centre and do the test there to make it more fair but I know that wont happen due to costs.

13

Peter Smythe:

I did my C recently and only had about 8 hours training split between 2 days. My test was at 8am on the third day and I drove myself to the test centre 40 miles away where my trainer was waiting with the truck.
I was a bit apprehensive to say the least as I’d expected at least 3 days training but thankfully I passed first time.
I guess I had a bit of a head start as a PCV licence holder though.

Sounds like a bit of a rough deal. But well done on getting the result.

Pete :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

Thanks Pete. The trainer said He had other trainees who’d failed the week before and they needed more practice. He had faith in Me that I’d pass easily based on my assessment drive. I still felt pressurised though but managed to negotiate some cash back as I’d paid for a 4 day course.

14

Have to ask why they sold you time they then decided you didn’t need based on your assessment drive. Sounds like a strange set-up. Pleased you got a part refund, but I just don’t understand the basis of the course booking to start with.

But you’ve passed - and that’s the prime objective so congratulations. And you’ve brought to light an issue that is not as uncommon as I would like it to be.

Pete :laughing: :laughing:

15

The company I went with (PJE Driver Training in Hereford) did it as a 4 day course including the CPC practical

I was concerned when I went in on Monday there wouldn’t be enough “bum in seat” time, especially as I was only doing afternoons (apart from the CPC test Tuesday morning) but as my instructor said (paraphrasing) “You can drive already, this is just to get you ready for the bigger stuff”.

I had Graham take me out on Monday for an assessment and Phil on the Tuesday. Both gents were experienced instructors and got the measure of me quickly and helped me get used to the size of the vehicle with no drama at all (well 1 squashed traffic cone :wink: ). Had Graham again Wed and for an hour before my test on Thurs. By this point he had more confidence in me than I did! It paid off and I passed 1st time with 2 minors (both of which I spotted as I did them :blush: )

As Peter said it’s quality of instruction not quantity and I couldn’t praise PJE enough for it.