want to get a truck licence, need advice.

I plan to get a Heavy Rigid truck licence under heavy vehicle competency based assessment. The company or person that I found to do it with quoted me for $1100 and told me that "we try to do it (get my licence) for one day" - from 7am to 5pm. And if I require more hours I'll have to purchase more hours, of course.
I inquired other companies and one company for 2-day program charges around $1800, which is a lot more expensive. The other company charges $115 per hour (for HR), however doesn't give any estimation for how long could it take to train me.
My concern is that if I go with the first option, does anybody think that getting a HR (constant mesh, crash box, unrestricted) licence can be achieved for one day of training, taking in mind that I've been driving manual cars since 1999?

a mate of mine who didnt even know how to stir porridge got a HR licence in one day ... but im thinking he was generous in how he paid the instructor

Have you tried DECA i know they are found Victoria but other states i dont know.

If you think you can handle a truck well then you might get it but i dont like your chances.

If you know a mate with a truck that needs a HR licence why dont you go and drive it with a driver under instrutions sign for a while then pay the dough to go for it. Dave

Thank you for the DECA, I'll have look.

unfortunately, don't have a mate with a truck

Have you tried DECA i know they are found Victoria but other states i dont know.

If you think you can handle a truck well then you might get it but i dont like your chances.

If you know a mate with a truck that needs a HR licence why dont you go and drive it with a driver under instrutions sign for a while then pay the dough to go for it. Dave

It all depends on YOUR attitude towards the instructor, if you follow everything he say's, to the letter, then, yes it is achievable, to aquire a licence in one day.

If you go along with a bit of a mental blockage, then you will have to be told how to do it 2 or even 5 times, then the answer is NO, you will have to do 2 days or more of instruction.

Been guilty of putting dozens of semi drivers on the road and only one had a prang after a couple of months out on the road.
Had some starters who were into their fifties and they got it too.

It was normally the young know-it-alls, who flunked out real bad, so mental attitude is definately the key to success, go into it with an open mind and just soak up what the instructer tells you, then put it into practice immediately and you should do it.


regards greenie [smiley=vrolijk_1.gif]

thank you for this awesome advice,
I'll follow it

It all depends on YOUR attitude towards the instructor, if you follow everything he say's, to the letter, then, yes it is achievable, to aquire a licence in one day.

If you go along with a bit of a mental blockage, then you will have to be told how to do it 2 or even 5 times, then the answer is NO, you will have to do 2 days or more of instruction.

Been guilty of putting dozens of semi drivers on the road and only one had a prang after a couple of months out on the road.
Had some starters who were into their fifties and they got it too.

It was normally the young know-it-alls, who flunked out real bad, so mental attitude is definately the key to success, go into it with an open mind and just soak up what the instructer tells you, then put it into practice immediately and you should do it.


regards greenie [smiley=vrolijk_1.gif]

the instructors are there to see if you can handle the thing, are you a danger to your self and to the public. are you in control of the vehicle !!!!

when i first did mine i got the paper license from the rta then found some to take me practicing a few hours at a time, just doing the bone stuff. passed first go, even though i did not close the drivers door probley and swung open on the first lefthander,

when it came to the semi, same thing, found some one to let me drive there truck, a 196x diamond t with a 5x3, after getting the gears in that thing the road ranger was a pice of piss, it take me 3 1/2 days to get it cost like $1300, well worth it, shop around.

-Monty

When I did my HR licence my instructor said that the hardest part of teaching people how to drive a truck is to get the student to unlearn all the bad habbits from driving a car!

It is in the end like greenie says. Go there willing to learn and absorb and I don't see why you cant do it in one day!

Two things I found hard when doing my licence was getting to grips with the size of the vehicle which becomes easy with practice and good mirrors. But the thing I had the most trouble was with the delay of the air brakes etc. Certainly in a emergency situation when you then appreciate the power of the brakes. Just take it gently!

well, thanks a lot for this comment.
I take it in mind

When I did my HR licence my instructor said that the hardest part of teaching people how to drive a truck is to get the student to unlearn all the bad habbits from driving a car!

It is in the end like greenie says. Go there willing to learn and absorb and I don't see why you cant do it in one day!

Two things I found hard when doing my licence was getting to grips with the size of the vehicle which becomes easy with practice and good mirrors. But the thing I had the most trouble was with the delay of the air brakes etc. Certainly in a emergency situation when you then appreciate the power of the brakes. Just take it gently!

i had my hr licence and wanted to get my hc and went to the above company $spent $1200 and didnt get it he was a goose.i meen i had my hr for 10 years no accidents ,but went to canberra and got it i one day with a great instuctor,shop around is a must,goodluck adrian