Let me first of all introduce myself. Have been in the haulage industry since 1989 working “the other side of the window”. Best part of my career was for a garment logistics company running the international office transporting goods to- and from Morocco and Eastern European countries. Moved on to work for a year for a food transporter in Greenwich and am now settled working in the office for a leading supermarket on the Herts/Essex border.
As part of our development programme we are being asked to go through our Class II and Class I training. A great opportunity to learn a new skill and it is free as well
Passed my theory exam a couple of weeks ago and have had one week’s practical training. Have another weeks training starting tomorrow and finishing on Saturday - practical exam in Chelmsford is on Monday 30/10/2006.
Four of my colleagues have already done the practical test. Two of them failed first time and passed the second time. The other two passed first time with one of them only having two minors on the test
Any advise on how to prepare for the test are very much welcomed. I have no problems doing the reversing or controlled braking exercises. Road positioning is pretty good - haven’t hit/brushed any kerbs in the past two days of training.
The only problem I appear to be having is the conduct of other road users and how they can potentially screw up the exam for you. Do the examiners allow for this or do they expect you to be a mind reader all the time? (You know the kind of people… nor correctly indicating on roundabouts and changing their mind the last minute resulting in you either to have to harshly brake or be seen as too hesitant).
Looking forward to joining in the discussions and contributing to the forum once I have passed my tests.
Ask them if they can take you round some of the more awkward places on the Chelmsford routes so that you can figure out how to get around safely before your test.
The first place to watch is the one you are guaranteed to go through, after you have turned left from the test centre the road bends to the left by DWS bodyworks, there always seems to be one of there car transporters unloading just round the corner. Be prepared for this as it’d be a shame to get it wrong here.
A couple of other places worth a look are in Gt.Baddow, come past the library on your right and turn right at the mini roundabout without touching the kerb.
From Gt.Baddow down Baddow Road towards the town, turning left into Beehive Lane can be tricky and running uo the hill with parked cars on the left and traffic coming the other way can be tight.
At the Galleywood end of Beehive Lane, a right turn is tricky you have to position your front bumper over the bottom of the give way triangle to get enough swing when you turn, but this gives you a limited view as you are a way back from the line.
Those are the places that my (Chelmsford based) instructor took me and drummed in the correct way to get round them.
I’m training with the Company I work for (inhouse by the transport trainers).
Been to Chelmsford a couple of times already. Remember the very tight turn off a roundabout into Pump Hill (I think that is what is called) followed by another turn with a tree blocking your view to the left.
Have been warned about the Army & Navy roundabout, but have not screwed this up as yet
Fron the High St. where the library is a right at the roundabout takes you into Maldon Road (narrow bit with parade of shops on the left. 1st right takes you past the end of the Vineyards and to the top of Pump Hill, the bottom of pump hill is awkward because of the slope and tree. (You have now gone full circle and the library is on your right.
I did a fair few circuits around here to get used to these. Ask if you can do the left into Beehive Lane and up to Galleywood for the right, as it’s only round the corner and turning right at Galleywood takes you back down past St.Johns Hospital to the Miami Motel.
all I can say, is take your time and concentrate as much as you can.
When I took my class 2, I thought I’d failed on the gear change exercise at the start of the test; but then thought ‘sod it, might as well use the rest of the test as a practise’, and only got 1 minor error an passed So the moral is just keep going
The only problem I appear to be having is the conduct of other road users and how they can potentially screw up the exam for you. Do the examiners allow for this or do they expect you to be a mind reader all the time? (You know the kind of people… nor correctly indicating on roundabouts and changing their mind the last minute resulting in you either to have to harshly brake or be seen as too hesitant).
My old instructor told me:-
“When you are out on test there is one guy who’s life ambition this day is to ■■■■ up your test. It is your job to spot him and deal with him in good time’”
thats the best advice I had and i use it to this day with normal everyday driving.
In other words keep your eyes everywhere, see everything and deal with it and most importantly dont rush. Allow yourself the time to prepare before every maneouvre with no last minute panics.
Good Luck.
My other colleague who had his first week training with me had, due to staff shortages, to cancel his training until further notice resulting in me having 5 one on one sessions. The truck used for the training was mistakingly sent out for a shop delivery this morning resulting in us leaving the yard some 1.5 hrs later than planned. Not a very good start to the day.
The first 1.5 hrs of driving went to perfection. The route chosen wasn’t that challenging. We stopped for some breakfast and discussed the driving. Had I been on my test, I would have passed with just the 5 minors.
After breakfast, I was challenged by the instructor by some very tight corners. Corners tighter than I would have on any of the test routes in Chelmsford. Disaster struck through…
On one of the mini-roundabouts the instructor asked me to turn right. On the offside were two bollards. A little lack of concentration by me and I turned the truck too early resulting in the back of the truck taking out one of the bollards. Embarrassed or what
Off we went to return back to the scene of the mishap to get out and put the bollard back to the best of our ability.
The rest of the drive, another hour and a bit, were uneventful and if I did not hit that bollard and this almost 3 hr drive would have been my exam I would have passed with 12 minors.
For the first time in six days I really enjoyed the drive. I felt confident from the word go and it showed on my approach to the roundabouts we crossed.
One lesson learnt: never loose your concentration. It just takes one second loss of it and you get what happened to me - taking out stuff that should really be left fixed to the road.
Next lesson tomorrow morning at 07:00 hrs. To Chelmsford where my exam will be held.
One lesson learnt: never loose your concentration. It just takes one second loss of it and you get what happened to me - taking out stuff that should really be left fixed to the road.
This is a lesson that we all have learned. Just when you think you know all about being a truck driver - the truck makes sure it reminds you that you have to keep your eye on the ball.
No-one was hurt which is the main thing, except for your pride. However it will scrub out any complacency and sharpen you up some which will be a good thing.
A better thing however is if I get out of Chelmsford tomorrow before you arrive.
The test is simply a case of keeping your nerve and not allowing it to scare you. As for the tossers on the roads, what do you think the drivers were complaining about before you started driving? We have whinged about them for ever and ever.
Day two of the second week of training started off at 07:00 hrs from the depot. Picked the truck up from the Motor Engineers as it had its service overnight.
Drove to Chelmsford via the M25 and A12 and parked at the testing centre for some observation on reversing manoeuvres being done by those doing their practical test today.
Only then I noticed how small the other trucks were compared to the humongous monster I’m driving. The Volvo I’m driving is apparently a 22 tonne monster just 1 inch short of the maximum allowable length for a Class II vehicle. Talking about making things easier for me
Drove away from the test centre and drove a couple of the test routes. Just made the one blunder when I had my gears in a knot when trying to get across a roundabout. Once again I was put off my another road user - this time some muppet cutting across from the nearside whilst I was trying to get off the roundabout. Must learn not to panic and remain composed and carry on as normal.
Apart from this the rest of the day was very uneventful.
Late start tomorrow - 9AM with at the end of the day a “mock exam” by one of the other trainers.
Good to hear you are doing your training in a proper truck and not one of those puddle jumpers that only teach you to pass the test.
You will be glad of that when you go out to work on your own.
Keep up the good work
Quick question here (perhaps some of the members here are examiners who could answer this).
As I’m driving most probably one of the biggest trucks one can decide to take to a test, are allowances made for this? I know that you can’t climb or even brush kerbs, but is “preferential” routing given?
I know I have to be prepared for each and every tight corner there is to be had in Chelmsford but anything to make it an even level playing field is at the moment appreciated.
At least you aren’t driving that old DAF then, maybe they finally pensioned it off. Learning in a bigger vehicle is a good thing as you gain experience with your instructor present. I chose my trainer partly because he was one of the only ones around using a 17 tonner (Chelmer Valley’s silver Scania) . If it’s a 22 tonner has it got a rear steer axle as quite of a lot of the supermarket ones do, if it has it’ll make things easier than a fixed 6 wheeler. It sounds like you are getting a fair bit of instruction which is a good thing.
From my experience I have found that the examiners have more respect for a ‘proper’ truck and although they cannot make exceptions and allowances just because of the size they are slightly less critical than they would be when conducting a test with a driver using a truck hasrdly any different to a large van. They are VERY strict on the smaller trucks I believe as they need to know the driver is truly top notch for the examiner to give the driver a license to be let loose in a big one. I honestly believe that.
But dont let that lull you into a false sense of security. Keep your eye on the ball and dont lose concentration on the day.
Dont forget - it is not so much a driving test but a one hour demonstration of correct procedure.
Yep, the DAF has gone to the graveyard… it was an old dog to drive apparently.
The Volvo iis indeed a six axle but it ain’t rear steer unfortunately
Instruction has been absolutely marvelous, They have trained me as if I had to do shop deliveries, including a zig zag reverse the other day.
Not only that, but my instructor is a perfectionist. No coasting full stop, smooth gear changes - nothng else is good enough.
The Company has invested a lot of time and effort on this training, and I for one am going to make sure that I’ll pass first time. The pressure is on, but I still got three more days of training left before the dreaded exam on Monday.
When I left for my training today, the instructor said that he could not teach me anything else anymore. It was all down to me and me only from now on.
