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Published on: 10/09/2021 04:45 PMReported by: steve
As retailers continue to experience supply issues the Government today have announced further action to tackle the shortage of HGV drivers. One of the actions is that car drivers will no longer need to take another test to tow a trailer or caravan, allowing roughly 30,000 more HGV driving tests to be conducted every year.
- New comprehensive government package to tackle HGV driver shortages
- 50,000 more HGV driving tests available as legislation changed to streamline the process
- Move will accelerate entry of drivers into UK’s haulage industry, showing our leadership in helping tackle long-standing challenges faced by countries around the world
Up to 50,000 more HGV driving tests will be made available each year thanks to government action to streamline the testing process and tackle the worldwide lorry driver shortage.
HGV driving tests will be overhauled, meaning drivers will only need to take one test to drive both a rigid and articulated lorry, rather than having to take two separate tests (spaced 3 weeks apart). This will make around 20,000 more HGV driving tests available every year and mean drivers can gain their licence and enter the industry more quickly.
Tests will also be made shorter by removing the ‘reversing exercise’ element – and for vehicles with trailers, the ‘uncoupling and recoupling’ exercise – and having it tested separately by a third party. This part of the test is carried out off the road on a manoeuvring area and takes a significant amount of time. Testing such manoeuvres separately will free up examiner time, meaning they can carry out another full test every day.
Car drivers will no longer need to take another test to tow a trailer or caravan, allowing roughly 30,000 more HGV driving tests to be conducted every year.
This new legislation is changing previous EU regulations which the UK is no longer obliged to use.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:
“From Inverness to St Ives, HGV drivers are helping to keep the country running, and have been throughout the pandemic. The shortage of drivers is a global problem, but we’ve been taking action here in the UK to help industry leaders attract drivers and build a more resilient sector.
“We’ve already delivered 50% more tests than were available before the pandemic, but today’s additional measures will deliver up to 50,000 more a year, helping more and more people to kickstart their career as a well-paid HGV driver.”
The changes follow a public consultation over the summer, which saw thousands of respondents, including industry leaders, support the move as a positive step to help the sector tackle the lorry driver shortage currently affecting countries around the world.
The standard of driving required to drive an HGV will not be affected, with road safety continuing to be of paramount importance. Any driver who does not demonstrate utmost competence will not be granted a licence. All car drivers will also still be encouraged to undertake training to tow trailers and caravans.
The driver shortage is a widespread problem affecting countries across Europe and also the United States, caused by a range of factors, including an ageing workforce. Today’s announcement will ramp up driver testing and numbers and help industry leaders build a resilient UK haulage sector which attracts drivers from across society.
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Imo, they should retain the 'dogleg-reverse-between-the-cones' element of the LGV test....Turning out drivers who can't reverse into tight spaces, will result in some entertaining performances when they attempt making deliveries requiring precise backing-up into tight locations.
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Originally Posted by The PNP
Imo, they should retain the 'dogleg-reverse-between-the-cones' element of the LGV test....Turning out drivers who can't reverse into tight spaces, will result in some entertaining performances when they attempt making deliveries requiring precise backing-up into tight locations.
And this is the reason he should have his posts moderated before they're published.
He knows absolutely nothing about driving a wagon - yet the garbage still keeps appearing on here.
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Originally Posted by The PNP
Imo, they should retain the 'dogleg-reverse-between-the-cones' element of the LGV test....Turning out drivers who can't reverse into tight spaces, will result in some entertaining performances when they attempt making deliveries requiring precise backing-up into tight locations.
If you’d bothered to read the article properly, you’d would see that the reversing element of the test will remain, but will be carried out separately from the road part of the test.
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So finally, prospective HGV drivers will no longer have to take a test to drive a vehicle they don’t want to drive, in order to be able to take a test to drive a vehicle they do want to. It’s been a long time coming, but finally, common sense has prevailed.
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Originally Posted by steve
Tests will also be made shorter by removing the ‘reversing exercise’ element – and for vehicles with trailers, the ‘uncoupling and recoupling’ exercise – and having it tested separately by a third party. This part of the test is carried out off the road on a manoeuvring area and takes a significant amount of time.
Re: 'marky' comments:
A) The text is ambiguous about the reversing exercise being carried out separately.......The word 'it' in the above text is misleading, because the 'it' should be a 'them', if the reversing element is also to be carried out by a third-party.
B) Fyi, I took my LGV back in the day, before the intermediate 'rigid' test was a requirement. Ask me any detail about the test, assuming you also took it - and I'll answer with flying colours!
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So an 'ageing workforce' is to blame? I think you will find that by pushing all young kids into doing meaningless degrees in cash collecting Universities which no longer guarantee you a decent job could be the problem as no-one thinks these jobs are important and are worth doing anymore.....finally the tide is turning!!!
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Originally Posted by The PNP
Re: 'marky' comments:
A) The text is ambiguous about the reversing exercise being carried out separately.......The word 'it' in the above text is misleading, because the 'it' should be a 'them', if the reversing element is also to be carried out by a third-party.
B) Fyi, I took my LGV back in the day, before the intermediate 'rigid' test was a requirement. Ask me any detail about the test, assuming you also took it - and I'll answer with flying colours!
Tests will also be made shorter by removing the ‘reversing exercise’ element – and for vehicles with trailers, the ‘uncoupling and recoupling’ exercise – and having it tested separately by a third party. This part of the test is carried out off the road on a manoeuvring area and takes a significant amount of time. Testing such manoeuvres separately will free up examiner time, meaning they can carry out another full test every day.
There’s nothing ambiguous about the text whatsoever. Testing such manoeuvres (plural) will be carried out OFF road.
Admit it, you got it wrong.
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I'm sat here with HGV class 2 on my licence and can't use it because I need a medical. Would someone waiver that ? Probably not as the doctors need the money. So I won't be joining the suicide lanes on smart motorways
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Originally Posted by justbecause
Tests will also be made shorter by removing the ‘reversing exercise’ element – and for vehicles with trailers, the ‘uncoupling and recoupling’ exercise – and having it tested separately by a third party. This part of the test is carried out off the road on a manoeuvring area and takes a significant amount of time. Testing such manoeuvres separately will free up examiner time, meaning they can carry out another full test every day.
There’s nothing ambiguous about the text whatsoever. Testing such manoeuvres (plural) will be carried out OFF road.
Admit it, you got it wrong.
I misunderstood what the writer intended to say, which wouldn't have happened had the writer chosen their words with more thought....The reversing exercise is one item, the coupling exercise is a second item, i.e. there are two items referred to in the sentence. He/she therefore 'got it wrong' by using an 'it' where a 'them' should be - duh!
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Originally Posted by The PNP
I misunderstood what the writer intended to say, which wouldn't have happened had the writer chosen their words with more thought....The reversing exercise is one item, the coupling exercise is a second item, i.e. there are two items referred to in the sentence. He/she therefore 'got it wrong' by using an 'it' where a 'them' should be - duh!
So the author got it wrong because you, unlike the rest of us, didn’t understand what was written. There again, you’ve never been wrong, have you.
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The shortages are across Europe and have been predicted for years.
https://www.bifa.org/news/articles/2...hole-of-europe
I suppose it just accelerates the introduction of driverless vehicles.
Many young people see it coming and don't want to drive for a living.
Even if it will take longer than people think.
Who wants to sit in busy traffic for hours in bad weather with daft drivers and other road users bugging you.
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Originally Posted by AnOtherdriver
I'm sat here with HGV class 2 on my licence and can't use it because I need a medical. Would someone waiver that ? Probably not as the doctors need the money. So I won't be joining the suicide lanes on smart motorways
Would you want to board a plane knowing the pilot hasn't had a required medical?
The medical is there for a reason and I'd rather have a few shortages in supermarkets than have drivers of lorry's on the roads who have not been passed fit to drive them.
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Originally Posted by gsgsgs
Would you want to board a plane knowing the pilot hasn't had a required medical?
The medical is there for a reason and I'd rather have a few shortages in supermarkets than have drivers of lorry's on the roads who have not been passed fit to drive them.
My point was the cost of the medical not the reason. I have a regular medical of equal standard but it's not accepted. I fully agree with the medical and requirements but not the overhead forced on me
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Originally Posted by gsgsgs
Would you want to board a plane knowing the pilot hasn't had a required medical?
The medical is there for a reason and I'd rather have a few shortages in supermarkets than have drivers of lorry's on the roads who have not been passed fit to drive them.
The medical is a complete farce!
A box ticking exercise on a form with the driver answering questions.
Remember the bin wagon driver in Scotland who caused several deaths when he passed out at the wheel - he passed a medical???
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