Recently, a chap drove into our depot with an artic and took 15 minutes to reverse onto the bay. Once on, he said he had never been taught to reverse?! I didn’t dig that deeply into the subject with him but I presumed he was a new pass.
So what’s the current format now? Do the training schools not even touch the reverse aspect any more? Is it not even examined at the test centres now?
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As far as I’m aware reversing is still part of the test.
Having said that, plenty of new drivers still find reversing difficult in the real world.
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Reverse by numbers for test in no way prepared me for the real world.
Marky-p:
Recently, a chap drove into our depot with an artic and took 15 minutes to reverse onto the bay. Once on, he said he had never been taught to reverse?! I didn’t dig that deeply into the subject with him but I presumed he was a new pass.So what’s the current format now? Do the training schools not even touch the reverse aspect any more? Is it not even examined at the test centres now?
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There’s a separate test for the reverse that you must pass before your road test.
But it’s one manufactured scenario that you are taught by rote.
stu675:
But it’s one manufactured scenario that you are taught by rote.
I never taught it that way when I was instructing
What is the world coming to with this madness?!
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Marky-p:
What is the world coming to with this madness?!Sent from my SM-A135F using Tapatalk
You pay a trainer so that you can get through the test.
The test does test it, they just don’t spend a fair amount of time to make sure you can do it in all scenarios.
After I failed my first assessment, I went back to my trainer for a few more hours of training and practice.
I think it should be up to the employers to either have a training program or if they don’t want to, have an assessment that weeds out new passes that can’t reverse and either there’s a mixture, or the industry dies a death because of lack of new entrants.
Send them shunting in and out of DP world Southampton for a few days , that will get their reversing sorted when you’ve got box Jockys breathing down yer neck
Joking as side the reversing you’re taught on your test doesn’t prepare you for real world reversing
Marky-p:
Do the training schools not even touch the reverse aspect any more? Is it not even examined at the test centres now?
Recently passed my reversing test with Enterprise in Manchester.
Did 4 hours one to one reversing training before test done by DVLA licenced examiner.
Had to…
A) drive into one bay stopping inches from the cones
B) reverse through an S bend into a second bay not much bigger than the unit and stop inches from a barrier without knocking over any cones using only two shunts
C) De couple and re position to alongside the trailer.
D) Reverse back upto the trailer & recouple.
Im not suggesting this makes new passes experts at reversing, just answering the question about what training is received & testing done.
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Marky-p:
What is the world coming to with this madness?!
As someone else has said you’re taught to pass the HGV test not to drive in the real world, it’s said that the real leaning starts after you’ve passed the test and obtained a HGV licence.
I passed the car test in the 60s and class 1 in the 70s and I can assure you it’s always been the same, the tests may have changed a bit but the purpose of the training schools remains to train you to obtain a licence.
stu675:
Marky-p:
What is the world coming to with this madness?!Sent from my SM-A135F using Tapatalk
You pay a trainer so that you can get through the test.
The test does test it, they just don’t spend a fair amount of time to make sure you can do it in all scenarios.
After I failed my first assessment, I went back to my trainer for a few more hours of training and practice.
I think it should be up to the employers to either have a training program or if they don’t want to, have an assessment that weeds out new passes that can’t reverse and either there’s a mixture, or the industry dies a death because of lack of new entrants.
I agree.
for me i got the standard s reverse and stop within a certain marker to the barrier - i did 2 practice attempts and then a test (passes) but like others have said this does nothing to prepare you for the real world.
First assesment I went on took me about 20 mins to get it where i needed to be. Ive now been driving a couple of months - can always get it where i need but takes time and im slowly getting quicker.
But i feel more time should be spent teaching how to reverse as its such a big part of real world driving.
But as long as you keep your wits about you and take it slow and if in doubt get out and have a look youll be able to get where you need to be and as time goes in it only becomes easier and quicker and less time spent climbing in and out LOL
I get the notion of ‘the training is geared only to pass the tests to get the licence, the real training is on the job’.
I feel that the training should be tailored for the candidate to meet the minimum and practical standard of at least being better than mediocre at reversing. Sure the driver has the option of paying for more practice at a school, but Jeez…give these new passes a better chance of getting that first c+e job.
When employers realise this is the standard that’s coming out of the test centres, no wonder they’ll end up saying ‘no thanks’.
Don’t mean to offend those that struggle with reversing but 15 mins to get on a bay is not practical - and that was with my help as the shunter!
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Marky-p:
Recently, a chap drove into our depot with an artic and took 15 minutes to reverse onto the bay. Once on, he said he had never been taught to reverse?! I didn’t dig that deeply into the subject with him but I presumed he was a new pass.
I thinks he’s talking BS
Marky-p:
So what’s the current format now? Do the training schools not even touch the reverse aspect any more? Is it not even examined at the test centres now?
Yes reversing is taught, and examined. It’s been separated from the on-road test, now known as the 3b. Reversing / coupling-uncoupling is now the 3a test, done on an off-road site, examined by an approved, trained examiner - usually wearing a body cam to provide evidence.
So candidates pass their 3a before going out on the road for the 3b test.
Zac_A:
Marky-p:
Recently, a chap drove into our depot with an artic and took 15 minutes to reverse onto the bay. Once on, he said he had never been taught to reverse?! I didn’t dig that deeply into the subject with him but I presumed he was a new pass.I thinks he’s talking BS
Marky-p:
So what’s the current format now? Do the training schools not even touch the reverse aspect any more? Is it not even examined at the test centres now?Yes reversing is taught, and examined. It’s been separated from the on-road test, now known as the 3b. Reversing / coupling-uncoupling is now the 3a test, done on an off-road site, examined by an approved, trained examiner - usually wearing a body cam to provide evidence.
So candidates pass their 3a before going out on the road for the 3b test.
hes probably not lying about not being taught to reverse.
my experience in january of reversing was… start at line = immediately put full lock in go back till you see a red sticker in come into view on your mirror then straighten up and continue back until you see another red marker at the back of your trailer inside the line of the reversing box your supposed to stop in.
me personally i would not class this as being taught to reverse - more like a manipulation of passing the 3a part of the test.
my first reverse onto a bay took me a good 15 mins … some of them are very tight to get on to have the ramp come onto the trailer and it took me forever to get the correct position with a bang straight trailer… all my learning has been in the real world out on my own = watching people and taking advice off the odd person that gives you a hand
Given that the o/p passed last year, straight from car, presumably he /she would know the current situation with what is required at test and also typical training. Just saying…
Noremac:
Given that the o/p passed last year, straight from car, presumably he /she would know the current situation with what is required at test and also typical training. Just saying…
I am neither he nor she.
I identify as a scania 770s.
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Marky-p:
Sure the driver has the option of paying for more practice at a school, but Jeez…
Of course, but if its not mandatory then people will seldom pay for it. Most individuals want the licence and nothing more.
An example; since the BE test was abolished I can count on one hand the number of privately paying individuals who have come to us for trailer competency training.
Interesting to see the comments about the current test not being hard enough, it’s been getting steadily dumbed down for years: Gear changing exercise went, and “controlled stop”, hill starts too essentially gone as modern gearboxes hold it for you rather than you having to show clutch control.
Not to mention the plethora a newer drivers who are completely unable to drive 16-speed gearbox, and the widespread support on these boards for the option of going straight from B to C+E
BishBashBosh:
Marky-p:
Sure the driver has the option of paying for more practice at a school, but Jeez…Of course, but if its not mandatory then people will seldom pay for it. Most individuals want the licence and nothing more.
An example; since the BE test was abolished I can count on one hand the number of privately paying individuals who have come to us for trailer competency training.
What I meant to say was it should be mandatory to do a much more detailed reverse manoeuvre(s). And perhaps mandatory also to complete further reverse training at schools.
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