Hi guys I am new to driving and have my first driving assessment and its’s with Royal Mail.
Has anyone else been through this with them and if so what can I expect?
Cheers
Hi,
I went through a driving assessment with Royal Mail a few months ago.
You’ll meet the transport manager and they’ll go through “First Site Induction” training, speed limits for sites, what type of Hi-Viz jackets (Class 3 with sleeves) and a couple of bits on drivers hours from memory (Max driving hours per week, how long you can drive without a break, etc) and how many yorks you can fit on a certain type of truck/trailer( 15 on a 7.5 ton, 26 on an 18 tonner and variable on trailers)
There will then be a short multiple choice type test - Mine had 11 questions on from memory. There is no time limit and would probably take you 5 minutes or less to answer.
Then you’ll be introduced to a “driving coach” and they’ll take you out for a ~30 minute drive, then ask you to reverse onto a bay between 2 trailers 2-3 times.
If you’re going for Class 1, they might ask you to do the reversing first as not everyone passes this stage.
If you pass, ask the driver coach all your questions like how the tail lifts work and how they like things to be strapped, how to open the engine hatch on the Mercs/Dafs etc. - Don’t expect to get much training on your first shift. You’ll get given a folder at the start of your shift with a schedule, maps and addresses to each of your drops if you have a Sat Nav etc
The driver is expected to load/unload their vehicle solo. If you’re lucky you might get the odd bit of help from the depot staff - Not a problem on a 7.5 tonner etc but when you have 95 Yorks (cages) on a trailer, it gets a bit tiresome - Some of the Class 1 work is just trailer swapping with Parcel Force though…
Class 1 and 2 seem to be all automatics but the 7.5 tonners are all 6 speed manuals, like a car gearbox
Good Luck - Try a few different depots if you can, some are run differently to others and you’ll figure out which you prefer.
Some of the best pay rates in the industry as far as I can tell. I was on £19.22/hour for 7.5 ton work in London on nights last week as an example
Hyh:
Hi,
I went through a driving assessment with Royal Mail a few months ago.You’ll meet the transport manager and they’ll go through “First Site Induction” training, speed limits for sites, what type of Hi-Viz jackets (Class 3 with sleeves) and a couple of bits on drivers hours from memory (Max driving hours per week, how long you can drive without a break, etc) and how many yorks you can fit on a certain type of truck/trailer( 15 on a 7.5 ton, 26 on an 18 tonner and variable on trailers)
There will then be a short multiple choice type test - Mine had 11 questions on from memory. There is no time limit and would probably take you 5 minutes or less to answer.Then you’ll be introduced to a “driving coach” and they’ll take you out for a ~30 minute drive, then ask you to reverse onto a bay between 2 trailers 2-3 times.
If you’re going for Class 1, they might ask you to do the reversing first as not everyone passes this stage.If you pass, ask the driver coach all your questions like how the tail lifts work and how they like things to be strapped, how to open the engine hatch on the Mercs/Dafs etc. - Don’t expect to get much training on your first shift. You’ll get given a folder at the start of your shift with a schedule, maps and addresses to each of your drops if you have a Sat Nav etc
The driver is expected to load/unload their vehicle solo. If you’re lucky you might get the odd bit of help from the depot staff - Not a problem on a 7.5 tonner etc but when you have 95 Yorks (cages) on a trailer, it gets a bit tiresome - Some of the Class 1 work is just trailer swapping with Parcel Force though…
Class 1 and 2 seem to be all automatics but the 7.5 tonners are all 6 speed manuals, like a car gearbox
Good Luck - Try a few different depots if you can, some are run differently to others and you’ll figure out which you prefer.
Some of the best pay rates in the industry as far as I can tell. I was on £19.22/hour for 7.5 ton work in London on nights last week as an example
Thank you thats a great help
Make sure you refuel at the end of every shift. I got the sack within a month of starting because I got lazy and didn’t lol.
I have just been told this Assessment will last a couple of hours!!! 
HOP 2 IT:
Make sure you refuel at the end of every shift. I got the sack within a month of starting because I got lazy and didn’t lol.
That’s a bit harsh. I work from 2 depots. One has the policy of filling up at the end of the shift. The other says to fill up at the beginning of the shift - As long as the truck isn’t left on fumes.
I was told the assessment can last up to 4 hours. In reality, it depends how fast the transport manager gets through the first site induction stuff and the test and how quick they can do the driving licence checks (Make sure you know your NI number) - If there is a group of you, it might take an hour or more. Apparently some depots will fly through the first site induction stuff in 10 minutes or less, so seems luck of the draw
I would expect the driving element to take 45 minutes or so, including the reversing - Unless they’re unsure and take you out for a bit longer to be sure.
Regardless of how long the assessment is, RM work is probably some of the nicest 7.5 ton and 18 ton work I’ve done so far - Again luck of the draw with each depot and manager and how organised/disorganised they are.
*Purely based on my own experience of RM only.
Are you doing a Class 1 or 2 assessment?
Hyh:
HOP 2 IT:
Make sure you refuel at the end of every shift. I got the sack within a month of starting because I got lazy and didn’t lol.That’s a bit harsh. I work from 2 depots. One has the policy of filling up at the end of the shift. The other says to fill up at the beginning of the shift - As long as the truck isn’t left on fumes.
I was told the assessment can last up to 4 hours. In reality, it depends how fast the transport manager gets through the first site induction stuff and the test and how quick they can do the driving licence checks (Make sure you know your NI number) - If there is a group of you, it might take an hour or more. Apparently some depots will fly through the first site induction stuff in 10 minutes or less, so seems luck of the draw
I would expect the driving element to take 45 minutes or so, including the reversing - Unless they’re unsure and take you out for a bit longer to be sure.
Regardless of how long the assessment is, RM work is probably some of the nicest 7.5 ton and 18 ton work I’ve done so far - Again luck of the draw with each depot and manager and how organised/disorganised they are.
*Purely based on my own experience of RM only.Are you doing a Class 1 or 2 assessment?
Class 2
I have just passed my Assessment with Royal Mail which went on for just over 4 hours.
Everything was great and no issues but I did struggled and had my mind blown with UTC time!
My back ground is driving for UPS who I have now found out trained and continue to train its drivers incorrectly with regards to tacho entry etc.
I am a new Class 2 driver but not new to driving with tachos…via UPS
I am ashamed to state I had never heard of UTC time until this morning, it has never come up in CPC training whilst I have been there which is 6 years. 
So my issue this morning was some RM vehicles, especially the older ones, display UTC time and not local time (an hour difference…behind local time…yes?)
This needs to be changed but not sure what dates need to be changed.
If I come out of an old vehicle (UTC time) and go into a newer one the machine changes the hour automatically and I have no need to worry
So after entering my card into the machine in this vehicle (UTC time / old vehicle) which time do I change?
below is the procedure I have been given by RM but which do I change on the above vehicle:
- Insert Digi Card. 1M entry addition, Select YES…Press OK
- Change Rest to Other Work…Press OK
- Change the Day/Month/Year to the same as the top line of the Tacho…Press OK
- Enter the time you SIGNED OUT from your last duty…Press OK
- Change Rest to ? …Press OK
- The screen displays the Date/Time/Year you inserted Card.
- Change to the Date/Time you SIGNED IN today…Press OK
- Change Rest to Other Work…Press OK
- 1M confirm entry
- Select Country UK…Press OK
Does any of this make sense, I have tried to explain it the best I can?
Can anyone give me an normal calibrated tacho example (new truck) and a UTC truck example so I can see the difference
I think I need to go and have a lie down in a dark room now for half an hour!!! 
Congrats on passing 
Hyh:
Congrats on passing
Cheers but I am dreading my first shift in case I get an old vehicle and have to do the mess about which I don’t understand