I heard on the grapevine that the DSA are talking about abolishing the gear change excersise on test by 2008.
After all the fuss about making driving schools use 8 speed boxes instead of 6 speed they now say that because there are enough gears for the driver to use in normal driving then they will do away with the gear change on test.
Now hold on a mo 
Our FL6 had six gears. We pulled away in 3 so used gears 3,4,5,6 during normal driving.
Our Daf rigid has 8 gears (of course) that is 4 over 4.
This truck pulls away quiet happily in 5 high so technically we never need to use the lower range so we only need to use gears 5,6,7,8 unless practising for the gear change exersise. So âŚto recapâŚ
We had a truck with six gears of which we used four in normal driving lessons.
Government told us six gears were not enough so we had to buy another truck (expensive) with eight gears.
So now we have a truck with eight gears but we only need to use four of them - and the government is so happy with that they say we wont have to demonstrate use of lower gears in the future at all.
Well done the DSA 
Mothertrucker:
Our Daf rigid has 8 gears (of course) that is 4 over 4.
This truck pulls away quiet happily in 5 high so technically we never need to use the lower range so we only need to use gears 5,6,7,8 unless practising for the gear change exersise.
I think I read somewhere that by something like 2010 though the truck will have to have a load on it for the test and so I would think that would force people to use low range.
Presumably your other option to meet the requirement for at least 8 forward ratios is a 6 speed with a splitter, then just ignore the splitter and drive it as a straight six.
Paul
Presumably your other option to meet the requirement for at least 8 forward ratios is a 6 speed with a splitter, then just ignore the splitter and drive it as a straight six.
Or we could use four low for pullaway gear then click up and go for the other four - but my original point was that the DSA has defeated itâs own object by doing away with the gear change exercise.
Was talking to 2 examiners at glos dtc this afternoon about this. It is only a proposal at the moment.
Why get rid of it though? Itâs a 1.5hour test, the gearchange excercise takes 2minutes, whatâs the point of removing it? Is someone who makes these decisions in the process of taking his LGV test and having trouble with the gearchange excercise or something? 
Kiowan:
Why get rid of it though? Itâs a 1.5hour test, the gearchange excercise takes 2minutes, whatâs the point of removing it? Is someone who makes these decisions in the process of taking his LGV test and having trouble with the gearchange excercise or something?
from what I could gather from the examiners that I spoke to, the current thinking is that the gears are used often enough during the normal drive and doing the exercise is a waste of time. they are also scrapping the signing of the declaration at the start of the test.
Mothertrucker:
I heard on the grapevine that the DSA are talking about abolishing the gear change excersise on test by 2008.
After all the fuss about making driving schools use 8 speed boxes instead of 6 speed they now say that because there are enough gears for the driver to use in normal driving then they will do away with the gear change on test.
Now hold on a mo
Our FL6 had six gears. We pulled away in 3 so used gears 3,4,5,6 during normal driving.
Our Daf rigid has 8 gears (of course) that is 4 over 4.
This truck pulls away quiet happily in 5 high so technically we never need to use the lower range so we only need to use gears 5,6,7,8 unless practising for the gear change exersise. So âŚto recapâŚ
We had a truck with six gears of which we used four in normal driving lessons.
Government told us six gears were not enough so we had to buy another truck (expensive) with eight gears.
So now we have a truck with eight gears but we only need to use four of them - and the government is so happy with that they say we wont have to demonstrate use of lower gears in the future at all.
Well done the DSA
It will be scrapped on 01 Jan 2008, most drivers will use most of the gears and with all LGVâs on test having to use a range change or splitter now, the thinking is that good use of the gearbox is being demonstrated.
Another reason is in a lot of places it is getting harder to find somewhere to fit the exercise in.
Who syas you have to have 8 gears, thats bull. Volvos (FLâs I think) have only 6 gears, 3 over 3, and thats fine for test purposes. Its all about the range /splitter change.
gpc273:
Who syas you have to have 8 gears, thats bull. Volvos (FLâs I think) have only 6 gears, 3 over 3, and thats fine for test purposes. Its all about the range /splitter change.
It needs âat least 8 forward ratiosâ according to this (official) link:
gpc273:
It will be scrapped on 01 Jan 2008, most drivers will use most of the gears and with all LGVâs on test having to use a range change or splitter now, the thinking is that good use of the gearbox is being demonstrated.Another reason is in a lot of places it is getting harder to find somewhere to fit the exercise in.
Who syas you have to have 8 gears, thats bull. Volvos (FLâs I think) have only 6 gears, 3 over 3, and thats fine for test purposes. Its all about the range /splitter change.
So who are you ?
You state,
It will be scrapped on 01 Jan 2008
as if you have proof.
You then state,
Who syas you have to have 8 gears, thats bull.
A very quick look at Minimum test vehicle requirements for lorries from the Transport Office proves that this is Bull.
Why should we pay any attention to your first statement, when your second is proved to be wrong?
gpc273:
Mothertrucker:
I heard on the grapevine that the DSA are talking about abolishing the gear change excersise on test by 2008.
After all the fuss about making driving schools use 8 speed boxes instead of 6 speed they now say that because there are enough gears for the driver to use in normal driving then they will do away with the gear change on test.
Now hold on a mo
Our FL6 had six gears. We pulled away in 3 so used gears 3,4,5,6 during normal driving.
Our Daf rigid has 8 gears (of course) that is 4 over 4.
This truck pulls away quiet happily in 5 high so technically we never need to use the lower range so we only need to use gears 5,6,7,8 unless practising for the gear change exersise. So âŚto recapâŚ
We had a truck with six gears of which we used four in normal driving lessons.
Government told us six gears were not enough so we had to buy another truck (expensive) with eight gears.
So now we have a truck with eight gears but we only need to use four of them - and the government is so happy with that they say we wont have to demonstrate use of lower gears in the future at all.
Well done the DSAIt will be scrapped on 01 Jan 2008, most drivers will use most of the gears and with all LGVâs on test having to use a range change or splitter now, the thinking is that good use of the gearbox is being demonstrated.
Another reason is in a lot of places it is getting harder to find somewhere to fit the exercise in.
Who syas you have to have 8 gears, thats bull. Volvos (FLâs I think) have only 6 gears, 3 over 3, and thats fine for test purposes. Its all about the range /splitter change.
FL s have allways been 4 over 4
Very interesting, Iâve not heard anything about removing the gear exercise from the driving test. Its possible to argue either for and against its usefulness. With modern vehicles its not very hard to find the lower ratios, so some might say its pointless. But it does prove to the examiner you have the ability to select the right speed for changing to 1st gear which might be required on a steep hill, off road/site driving or in slow moving traffic.
We have had many a Volvo, as standard they came with 5 or 6 gears, our âEâ reg artic had 5 with a crash gear 1st. Then 6 gears on our later volvos 1990âs sort of time and an 8 speed 4 over 4 was on the option list. All FL7 FL10 or FL12 had a range change gearbox, whether 8 or 12 or 16 ratios - I think Volvo offer the lot.
I donât believe they did a 3 over 3 on an FL6 - 12 gears with a 6 litre engine, that an interesting combination, but they sure did on the bigger FL7, FL10 or FL12. Do you know what FL stands for? Forward Low (cab), the FH must be Forward High, we once had an FS7 - an FL6 cab on an FL7 chassis - terrible gearknob in them - it was as big as my head and hard to use!
Its crazy that we have to use vehicles with range change gearboxes now. Sure its good that new drivers are learning on a proper truck but how long will it be before all trucks are autos? Its a bit late if you ask me! And we donât even teach them to drive them correctly, because we are empty the truck has too many gears, we only use 3 of the 8 ratios to get up to speed - 4,6,8. Not really teaching new drivers how to use all the gears and get the most out the engine but unless we are fully loaded this will never be possible because you canât teach a driver how to drive a loaded truck with an empty one because it feel totally different.
Honestly if you ask me the test is too easy, sure get rid of the pointless gear exercise but put something back into the test to make it more real life and not just another daft thing to have to do for the examiner. I know that after 2010 trucks will have to weigh 10 tonnes but ours are 8 tonnes empty, 2t wonât make any difference! The DSA that run the test really should scrap the whole test and completely redesign it because it doesnât produce qualified experienced drivers that know how to do the job 100%
Rant over!
Just out of curiousity, why does the Gear Change exercise exist in the DSA requirement anyway? Was it for back in the good olâ days when you had Crash gearboxes and none of these syncs?
About the 2010 alteration for Minimum Test Vehicle Requirements - certain categories of tests will require the vehicle to have a RTM (Real Total Mass) of a certain amountâŚhow will they be weighing the vehicles?
About the removal of the declaration section, why are they deciding to do that?
Richard
Simon:
gpc273:
It will be scrapped on 01 Jan 2008, most drivers will use most of the gears and with all LGVâs on test having to use a range change or splitter now, the thinking is that good use of the gearbox is being demonstrated.Another reason is in a lot of places it is getting harder to find somewhere to fit the exercise in.
Who syas you have to have 8 gears, thats bull. Volvos (FLâs I think) have only 6 gears, 3 over 3, and thats fine for test purposes. Its all about the range /splitter change.So who are you ?
You state,
It will be scrapped on 01 Jan 2008
as if you have proof.
You then state,
Who syas you have to have 8 gears, thats bull.
A very quick look at Minimum test vehicle requirements for lorries from the Transport Office proves that this is Bull.
Why should we pay any attention to your first statement, when your second is proved to be wrong?
Really? Guess you shouldnât take everything at face value and dig a little deeper, eh?
I say it will, because it will, the official letters have already been sent out to examiners. 
And I know of several trucks on LGV tests using 3 over 3 boxes. And a renault with a straight 6 with a splitter ( only 6 gears really) but the complexity meets the new regulations.
It needs âat least 8 forward ratiosâ according to this (official) link:
True, but for the purpose of the regâs a ratio is not a full gear. So a splitter on a straight 6 will give 12 forward ratioâs.
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So who are you ?
Sorry Simon forgot to answer your first question, Iâm a DSA examiner.
Ducking now for all the incomingâŚ
Welcome to TrucknetUK gpc273 
Good to have an examiner on board (if you are not kidding).
DSA examiner - LGV? PCV? Car? M/C?
And we donât even teach them to drive them correctly, because we are empty the truck has too many gears,
I agree with Tockwith here. As I mentioned earlier, our Daf will happily pull away in 5 high as it is a strong truck with no weight in it so no need for a lower gear so without the need to train the newbie with a gear change exersise then whast experience will the new driver have with a full gearbox when going out to work for the first time
The DSA that run the test really should scrap the whole test and completely redesign it because it doesnât produce qualified experienced drivers that know how to do the job 100%
I also agree that the test is inadequate but right now it is all we hasve. The obvious alternative is to allow the instructor to keep the trainee out until he/she is satisfied that a good enough standard has been achieved but this would open a huge can of worms and leave the whole thing open to unscrupulous behaviour, bribery etc so right now the DSA test is the best option - flawed though it may be.
DITTO the above
âŚof course this will only be applied to the UK no doubt as any changes thast Europe dont like will be posponed - just as the eight forward gears requirement has been posponed until 2010 to allow our European counterparts to âfully prepareâ
Kiowan:
Is someone who makes these decisions in the process of taking his LGV test and having trouble with the gearchange excercise or something?
lol