Off Topic - Truck Licence

[pete1]

So got my Heavy Rigid truck licence and gunna get my Heavy Combination Truck licence.
So in Victoria I was wondering if any of you guys could recommend a good Accredited heavy vehicle training and test providers or some not to go to.
Used Armstrong last time they were good might go back, but driving in Thomastown sucks, so thought I'd see where else people might recommend first.

Thanks in advance

[Oldbloke]

deca used to be good. don't know now. Near Brooklyn. But you are right. Plenty out there but a lot of them are s**t. Ask around

https://www.deca.com.au/contact-us

[Supaduke]

+1 for DECA. As a side note , if you just got your HR, you need to hold it for 1 year before you can go for HC (last I heard anyway) Get your HC as soon as you can though, better work and better money. Most rigid work is multi-drop and frankly a bit ******

[brett1868]

Not sure how it works in VIC but in NSW they can put conditions on the HC license such as Synchro / Auto Only depending on what transmission was used for the test. So when doing the test try and do it with a dogbox, that way you can drive any transmission and won't be limited.

[Supaduke]

100% get a road ranger endorsement. When starting as a HC driver you will get much more work and be far more versatile. When we get casuals in at work, if they can't drive a crash box they are frankly f#%king useless. It also comes across as being a bit of a softc$@k if you dont have the endorsement. I've been in heavy transport for 15 years.

[on_one_wheel]

Getting your license in a truck that didn't have a crash box wasn't an option when I did my HC.

There'd be plenty of steering wheel attendants on the road nowdays who can't actually drive a truck.

[Supaduke]

Whenever we get a guy who gives me the 'sorry mate, can't drive a road ranger, only auto' I have to pull one of the old boys out of their newer truck and put them in the kenworth so the newbie has a truck to drive. Then the old boy gets cranky, then I ring the casual agency and say
" don't send me that s&@t c$&t again"

Best advice I can give if entering the trucking industry is be aware it's an old boys club. If you are new, just say so, ask lots of questions. Most blokes have no issues at all teaching new guys that are prepared to learn. Talk it up and the old bastards will turn on you.
A lot of stuff that can squash you or cause major damage in trucking, if you don't know , ask. Not trying to sound preachy but I have seen many a newbie f@&k things up badly because they were to scared/proud to ask the question.

[pete1]

Yeh had my HR over a year (by a few days) and and already got non-syncro on my licence when i did the HR so no worries there. Have a mate giving me some lessons in reversing and driving the semi, which will help with the test.
Thought about going strait to MC but might be bit to advanced at this point and don't want to be biting off more then i can chew.
Any advice on going straight to MC?

[on_one_wheel]

If you can go straight to MC then save yourself thousands and DO IT.

Get your mate to give you plenty of extra time behind the wheel if he can.
Make sure you practice changing gears uphill with a full load if possible.
If you can smash through the gears uphill you'll be changing smoothly everywhere, that will help impress the instructor

[Supaduke]

Straight answer, no.
If you haven't mastered backing a single, forget backing a double.
By all means get your MC license but dont bother telling anyone you have it till you are confident pulling singles.

Driving B-doubles requires good knowledge of useable roads, turning radius etc, all can only be gained by experience.

Get out there in a single and get the hang of driving a larger vehicle in traffic and maneuvering onto docks etc.
I have sent guys home after watching them try and back a double onto a dock for over an hour and failing.

Getting a gig driving a semi involves $250,000+ in equipment and loads worth up to millions. Companies want to see safe operation and competence. Don't over extend yourself too early.

Best way for entry into the industry is through casual agencies, better money and easier to get a foot in. You will also gain a good range of experience doing different gigs.

Ideally you want to aim for bigger 'corporate' companies like Toll and Linfox. That's where the good money is. Smaller companies usually pay sh1t and have sh1t equipment. Unfortunately you usually have to do your time with some not so good companies to gain that experience. Toll and Linfox etc generally have a low tolerance for novices.

Hope I'm not sounding like a know it all. These are just some observations from quite a while in the industry.

[Wes]

Hey Pete,

Just to be clear, I don't have any truck license or experience driving them, however I have done work with Barkly Driving School in Ravenhall in a non-driving capacity before.

Just observations but they seem to run a pretty tight ship and the guys I've spoken to there seem like a serious and competent bunch.

[rsj223]

If you know the company you want to work for ask who they get there assessments done through, I know DECA is used in many

[pete1]

Well don't really wanna work for a trucking company as i work in Agriculture and wanna go from cattle to cropping in near future and thought might as well get truck licence as it would help, will probably go Ace in Bendigo and stay at a friends place, as a mate strongly recommends them.
Just need a couple of free days to do it.