3 day 1 to 1 course on C - well, 2 days and test at 1pm on 3rd.
Been driving C1 but not for last 3 months and said he needed to learn 4 over 4 box and DSA procedures as well as the reverse & gear exercise.
took him local on friday to ind est where we did start/stop gear ex and kept u-turning at 2 RBTs. Then off to a local town with a good inner ring road with all sorts of hazards.
Not one kerb hit, always in the right lane, slowed just nice on every hazard approach, kept in own lane without deviating into others at RBTs, read the road well, anticipated the actions of others…I could go on
On saturday he went to “get a feel” of the gloucester test area and today he only drove for a little as he said he did not want to overtire himself for test.
passed - 8 minors
Please, I want some more like him! - DRIVERS, not people who can move a lorry from A to B!
I can daydream I suppose…
Whoosh - there goes another flying pig!!!
If they were all like this I would be happy but sadly they are few and far between. The majority just seem hell bent on killing me on the first day 
I take it that Life Insurance premiums for your kind of jobs goes up? 
Well, in the hope of making you relax a little bit, at least the training vehicles from now on (July 1st officially) will now all feature ABS…so that’s 1 less thing to worry about, just gotta hope they hit the Brake pedal now!!
I’ve always been surprised that LGVs that are used for driving instruction are not equipped with Dual Controls as found with Car Instructors’ vehicles…some people will say that there’s a higher risk of having an accident when learning from the beginning, but I don’t really agree as my 1st accident I ever had was in a PCV Coach because I was driving it like a car. My instructor was very pleased to see my Driving Test Report at the end of the 2nd week with the “Pass” box marked!
Richard
The Lyonator:
I take it that Life Insurance premiums for your kind of jobs goes up?Well, in the hope of making you relax a little bit, at least the training vehicles from now on (July 1st officially) will now all feature ABS…so that’s 1 less thing to worry about, just gotta hope they hit the Brake pedal now!!
I’ve always been surprised that LGVs that are used for driving instruction are not equipped with Dual Controls as found with Car Instructors’ vehicles…some people will say that there’s a higher risk of having an accident when learning from the beginning, but I don’t really agree as my 1st accident I ever had was in a PCV Coach because I was driving it like a car. My instructor was very pleased to see my Driving Test Report at the end of the 2nd week with the “Pass” box marked!
Richard
No dual controls - just a loud voice that yells STOP 
I have not had a trainee yet that did not know where the brake pedal was
As for insurance, it is not me that I am concerned about but all the other road users as during normal driving there is usually only two things that will stop a truck - reinforced concrete or another truck
I have not had a trainee yet that did not know where the brake pedal was
I have!!
The guy had only ever driven auto car and asked what the middle pedal was for on his assesment drive. Needless to say I did not asses him for the shortest course on offer. 
As an instructor, what is the worser kind of trainee to try and pass:
a) Someone starting from scratch with no previous knowledge, or
b) Someone who has an automatics only licence upgrading to manual?
Some people find the formation from only being able to drive an automatic to having a full licence easy, and some people just can’t get the hang of it!
Richard
Give it a year and a bit, ROG, I’ll be a star student. Maybe.
The Lyonator:
As an instructor, what is the worser kind of trainee to try and pass:a) Someone starting from scratch with no previous knowledge, or
b) Someone who has an automatics only licence upgrading to manual?Some people find the formation from only being able to drive an automatic to having a full licence easy, and some people just can’t get the hang of it!
Richard
Unlike Mothertrucker, I have never had an “auto only” car driver wishing to take the C course but if I did, then I would first seek advise from those who have. I would imagine the advise would be to get a car manual licence first!
Whast is the worse kind of traineee to have??
One that just wont listen I believe.
Some have only held a car licence for a year or two and they are usually the best as they are still driving to the rules and have not developed bad habits.
Some who have been on the road in a Cat C for years and trying to upgrade to a C+E are often very hard to re-train as they are stuck in their ways.
Also drivers from ‘other countries’ are often very difficult to train as the standards are so different.
Some just think they know it all and that the test is just a formality - Boy are they in for a shock!!
PeteG:
Give it a year and a bit, ROG, I’ll be a star student. Maybe.
This might be worth a read:-
trucknetuk.com/phpBB2/viewtopic. … highlight=