I can only imagine the pressure a trainee feels trying to pass.
Today I started 2 guys on a 2 day C+E course, both testing tomorrow. Ricky and Darren. Darren passed Cat C with us 1st time on 2nd Aug. Ricky only booked 2 days ago but passed Cat C with Kent Metro in May 1st time with 1 minor and speaks highly of them.
8.00am - Met the lads usual banter then off to Gosfield Airfield for reversing and uncoupling
Ricky, who got pulled by the police on 3 occasions for towing a caravan without B+E was really superb, however Darren was good at getting past cone B but struggled a bit with the alignment into the box.
11.50am - Well past the expected time on a 2 day course but finally both cracked reversing and uncoupling. Off to Chelmsford to sort out the Army & Navy roundabout. In all fairness both driving pretty well. The odd curb the often mirror miss the sometimes bullying other users to give way. Nothing unusual.
4.00pm - End of Days. Mock test each. Both failed but today is not test day.
Obviously will finish diary tomorrow but I believe both will pass with around 4-5 minors. Perhaps a couple more for Darren.
Well quite a day…Met the lads at 8am. Darren was 1st up at 10.15 so he drove. Worst news he had worked nights, something we really dont allow when training but with only 2 hours before test I had to go with it. Anyway, reversing was reasonable although back of trailer was only just on black line and I mentally begged him to go back another foot but he seemed happy with it.
54 minutes later he returned and finished with the coupling exercise. 4 minors, 2 for creeping over the speed limit, 1 for no nearside mirror check passing parked cars and 1 for late or absent signal.
1 down 1 to go
Ricky was always going to be my best hope. By now it was pouring down and Chelmsford grinds to a complete halt in the rain. I nearly misjudged things as we arrived at the test centre at 1.58. Strangely they had decided to take the other school’s rigid out ahead of our C+E. Very odd.
Nice reverse no shunt and out the gate at 2.20pm. The vehicle arrived back at 3.05pm. A short test can mean 1 of 2 things. Uncoupling seemed to go well and I stood drenched waiting and hoping he was asked to produce his licence. 2 minors. 1 for road markings and the other for again no nearside mirror check passing parked cars.
3.45pm - Arrived back at yard with Ricky to be met by a great guy for a Cat C assessment. This is always difficult after the high of 2 Cat CE 1st time passes to start by explaining where the indicators are.
Got 5 days periodic CPC training now. Milton Keynes tomorrow, Ipswich , then 3 days at Hemel Hempstead. Then another 2 lads on 2 day C+E.
