Have they stopped doing the uncoupling and coupling up on the Class 1 test.
The company I work at have had 3 newbie agency start this week all green and 2 of them didn’t know what a 5th wheel was or how to couple or uncouple up to a trailer.
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Some people get training using draw bar combination. Not proper artic and trailer… That’s the reason
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Luke81:
Some people get training using draw bar combination. Not proper artic and trailer… That’s the reason
It is strongly recommended that those passing LGV C+E in a W&D get a little training on artics ASAP because most C+E jobs in the UK are artic not W&D
ROG:
Luke81:
Some people get training using draw bar combination. Not proper artic and trailer… That’s the reasonIt is strongly recommended that those passing LGV C+E in a W&D get a little training on artics ASAP because most C+E jobs in the UK are artic not W&D
+1
I believe a lot of trainer encourage Newbies to do W+D on the grounds that it MIGHT be easier.
Now that’s fine as long as they also advise what ROG says above…
Disclaimer: I don’t know if doing your test in a W+D is easier, it’s just what I was told and encouraged to do…
So I trained in an Artic instead! 
I will train next month for class 1 but in a artic as Rog says there is more artic jobs than w+d. I think you should have a little training in a artic to prepare you
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Sports Direct, just a few miles from us, takes many new drivers and their fleet is mixed about 50/50. And newbies tend to be put on w+d. So difficult to generalise.
Pete 
I have booked my class 1 in w&d (as is supposed to be easier)
Once passed (hopefully) I will be going back to have a go in a “proper” truck though
I won’t apply for any class 1 job until I have done it as can’t imagine turning up for an assessment and having to ask how to couple/uncouple will do my prospects much good!
Peter Smythe:
Sports Direct, just a few miles from us, takes many new drivers and their fleet is mixed about 50/50. And newbies tend to be put on w+d. So difficult to generalise.
In the case of Sports Direct, then yes it would be hard to generalise if they have a mixed fleet of similar percentages.
But how many firms are like that, as I’ve never worked at a firm that have had a single W+D…
I’d have guessed that Artic work counts for over 90% of C+E jobs, but I could be wrong.
Passed my class 1 on Wednesday at the tender age of 20 and I can confirm I had to do the uncoupling and coupling procedure.
Where I am we use wag and drags. Chucked in at deepend and taught myself to reverse it.
Funnily enough I never have to reverse the artic or drop the trailer on it so I’ve kinda forgot how so I must remember the word Brake from what I remember from my training/test.
My next job sees me having to reverse and drop trailers haha.
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Luke81:
Some people get training using draw bar combination. Not proper artic and trailer… That’s the reasonSent from my LG-H850 using Tapatalk
I got my head bit off last time I said that, got called every name under the sun if I remember right
I totally agree that the vast majority of British fleets operate artics over and above w+d. But the rules allow anyone to train and pass a test on either and achieve the same result. For some, an artic can be overwhelming whereas a w+d can be a little less daunting. Without question, w+d is the easier method overall. But it would be foolish to go from w+d to artic without any further tuition - and that, of course, has a cost.
I have no axe to grind as we run full size artics as well as some manual w+d and auto w+d. Personally I prefer artic, but that’s really nothing to do with it. It’s up to the candidate to select the route that they feel will serve them best.
Pete