How many days training for lorry driving test?

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
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Questions for drivers who have done practical training for their category C lorry driving test (module 3) and taken the test whether passed or otherwise.

Question 1. How many days training would you have preferred for your C category lorry driving test (don’t include the day of the test)?

Question 2. How many hours per day would you have preferred to do, eg. 3 hours, 3.5 hours, 4 hours, etc.?

Question 3. Would you have liked a tea break during each day’s training? If so, how long, eg. 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes?

Question 4. Would you have liked one or two days off during your training? For example, 4 days solid without a break, or maybe 1 day off 2 days on, etc.

Question 5. On the day of the test, would you have preferred training or no training? If yes to training on the day of the test, how many hours?

Question 6. Was the lorry park near the driving test centre? Would you have preferred the lorry park to be near the test centre? Bear in mind, that time spent driving on non-challenging roads to get to practise on the driving test centre test routes could be time wasted out of your precious hours.

Question 7. Was the driving test centre route too difficult, ie. having lots of parked cars with oncoming traffic on your side of the road and difficult roundabout layouts including double roundabouts and ridiculously tight hairpin bends and narrow roads with lorries and buses coming the other way, each just missing each other’s mirrors?

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Hi, as someone who has just passed their class C i will answer your questions based on my own experience and opinions.

Q1. A 4 day course with test on the 4th day was just enough for me.

Q2. 3-4 hours a day i think is plenty

Q3. A coffe break would always be a good idea IMO

Q4. 4 days solid training without a day off suited me

Q5. A couple of hours before the test i think is a good idea

Q6. Yes, training base pretty close to test centre is better as you will often train on the test routes.

Q7. The test route i went on was very good, the roads were quite clear and the traffic was kind to me.

Hope that helps

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Jacks99:
Hi, as someone who has just passed their class C i will answer your questions based on my own experience and opinions.

Q1. A 4 day course with test on the 4th day was just enough for me.

Q2. 3-4 hours a day i think is plenty

Q3. A coffe break would always be a good idea IMO

Q4. 4 days solid training without a day off suited me

Q5. A couple of hours before the test i think is a good idea

Q6. Yes, training base pretty close to test centre is better as you will often train on the test routes.

Q7. The test route i went on was very good, the roads were quite clear and the traffic was kind to me.

Hope that helps

As above!

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Question 1. How many days training would you have preferred for your C category lorry driving test (don’t include the day of the test)?

This is dependent on your own ability surely? I had 10 hours training for my C, 7 Monday and 3 Tuesday before test, but then I’d been driving buses a few years and the time was spent mainly getting back into good habits.
Whereas somebody who may never of even driven a transit van would probably want double that.

Question 2. How many hours per day would you have preferred to do, eg. 3 hours, 3.5 hours, 4 hours, etc.? If I was going for full weeks training is like 4 hours a day really.

Question 3. Would you have liked a tea break during each day’s training? If so, how long, eg. 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes?

Having a rest during trading is invaluable. Everyone requires a little recuperation.

Question 4. Would you have liked one or two days off during your training? For example, 4 days solid without a break, or maybe 1 day off 2 days on, etc.

I don’t believe a day off would be advisable personally.

Question 5. On the day of the test, would you have preferred training or no training? If yes to training on the day of the test, how many hours?

I think a few hours recapping things before test would always be a good idea.

Question 6. Was the lorry park near the driving test centre? Would you have preferred the lorry park to be near the test centre? Bear in mind, that time spent driving on non-challenging roads to get to practise on the driving test centre test routes could be time wasted out of your precious hours.

I don’t think it’s a big issue, as long as you cover the most awkward parts of each test route. Every instructor should be able to train a candidate to drive on any road.

Question 7. Was the driving test centre route too difficult, ie. having lots of parked cars with oncoming traffic on your side of the road and difficult roundabout layouts including double roundabouts and ridiculously tight hairpin bends and narrow roads with lorries and buses coming the other way, each just missing each other’s mirrors?
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All test routes are specified to be relatively easy, with the odd challenging section. They are not routed to trip trainees up, they are there to evaluate your ability to negotiate hazards safely and competently.

I hope this helps

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All test routes are specified to be relatively easy, with the odd challenging section. They are not routed to trip trainees up, they are there to evaluate your ability to negotiate hazards safely and competently.

Whilst I agree with most of the comment above, I must take issue with the “relatively easy” bit. Certain test centres, typically those that are city based, don’t know what “relatively easy” looks like! Whereas those centres that are a little more out of the way are definitely higher in the “relatively easy” stakes.

In my particular case, I’m located rougly midway between Sheffield and Nottingham. I’ve used both centres for many years before having our own and the difference in difficulty is startling.

Pete :laughing: :laughing:

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Hi Pete, apologies for my misinformation above, I guess I made the assumption based on my personal experiences with Bristol and Swindon test stations.

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My test center and test routes were a nightmare! I did both mine at bredbury (manchester) really difficult test routes, but if you can pass in bredbury it sets you up for the future madness