Trailer test!!

liammogs

Member
As i didnt pass my driving test before dec 1997, i need to do my test like many others, two questions:

How much did people pay for courses/test? Does it vary from school to school worth shopping around?

Any pointers, tips, what does the test involve?

Annoys me the thought of failing and the loss of £500, knowingly id have to pay it again to retry (i know makes you want to pass first time, but s##t happens)

Tia
 

CornishTone

Member
BASIS
Location
Cornwall
I know someone who failed 3 times! Yet my sister passed first time. So do your home work and do EXACTLY what your trainer tells you!

Are you a member of YFC? You used to be able to get subsidised rates of you are.
 

Tom W

Member
Location
Peterborough
The trailer test is based on the LGV C+E (Artic) test and is generally conducted by the same examiners from the LGV test centre. The test will normally last a little over an hour in total. At the start of the test you will be required to read a number plate at 20.5m. You will then be asked 5 show me/tell me questions which are vehicle/trailer related, nothing complicated eg vehicle controls/checks, safe loading etc.
You will be asked to conduct a reversing exercise (plenty of vids on youtube) and demonstrate a safe unhitch/rehitch procedure including safety checks on a "new" trailer. The driving element will last approx an hour and will include 10 mins independant driving( follow the signs for) You will be asked to pull up on the side of the road 5-6 times to demonstrate moving away safely with at least one from behind a parked vehicle, hill start etc. You are allowed a total of 15 driver faults but a repetition of any fault 3-4 times may become a serious fault.One serious/dangerous, game over. Common causes of failing are :
Inconsistent Mirror checks
Poor lane discipline (think wrong lane on roundabout eg turning right in left-hand lane )
Not making progress (Eg 45mph on Dual Carriageway )
Incorrect signalling (think signalling too early on a roundabout)
Pulling out in front of another vehicle on roundabout
Zebra Crossings
Meeting Traffic


Don't try and drive like a learner, you're not, but at the same time don't be lazy with your driving, be consistant and safe at all times. Don't put it in neutral every time you stop, use your handbrake if youre waiting more than a couple of seconds and check mirrors and blindspot before you move off. Be polite to other road users .
The cost of the test/training depends on you. Try to find a training company that specialises in LGV/Trailers and ask for an assessment including reversing etc.If they advise you are pretty much good to go you will still be looking at approx 4 -5 hours plus test fee (£115) A novice trailer driver would be looking at 10-12 hours training. If they don't offer an assessment, walk away, there is no such thing as "one size fits all"
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
What he said (y)

I have put several staff through training & the test. It has been rare to get change out of £500 for a couple of days' training and the test on day 3.
 
My significant other passed hers first time, which was a great relief.

The course of lessons and the test was £1000.

The down side of doing a three day intensive course is that the test is on the final day even if the candidate is not ready for it.

I'd like to see what the national pass rate is.
 

liammogs

Member
My significant other passed hers first time, which was a great relief.

The course of lessons and the test was £1000.

The down side of doing a three day intensive course is that the test is on the final day even if the candidate is not ready for it.

I'd like to see what the national pass rate is.

I think i did read somewhere in 2013 pass rate was somthing like 68.45%
 

liammogs

Member
I know someone who failed 3 times! Yet my sister passed first time. So do your home work and do EXACTLY what your trainer tells you!

Are you a member of YFC? You used to be able to get subsidised rates of you are.

Unfortunately im not, if id have done it sooner id have had 80% funding with welsh government but they have stopped it
 

gorgous

Member
Location
Bucks
I did the test last December. I went with local commercial trainer cost best part of a £1000. Figured I needed the lessons as I passed my driving test back in 97. Is easy enough basically what Tom W said. I would recommend using a trainer as used their vehicle and trailer has bits of tape and markers on it so when you do reverse course makes it unbelievably easy. Also you have to do urban starts ie look over your shoulder before pulling away in urban ares to check for cyclists and I had never done a downhill hill start when I learnt to drive. I failed first time speeding passed second felt a right numpty as it really is easy.
 

Tom W

Member
Location
Peterborough
You can get 10% discount if you are a NFU Member and use an approved provider.
Pass rates for first go are between 50-55% nationally last time I looked, but results include LGV tests so maybe not the true picture.
 

Daniel

Member
A friend and I did it and breezed up to the training thinking we'd reverse a trailer round a car park, answer a couple of questions and job done!

It's a proper driving test, the trainer basically shouted at us like a drill sergeant for 2 days to correct all our driving faults, treated us like idiots and generally behaved like a complete dick. It worked though, we both passed and I got 0 minors! *humblebrag*
 

Penmoel

Member
Unfortunately im not, if id have done it sooner id have had 80% funding with welsh government but they have stopped it
Thought the 80% is back next month.
Eldest son failed test first time, as did daughter 1, daughter 2 passed first time, son 2 failed twice!! So that's eight bloody tests I have paid for, had Farming connect grant on the training for the first test for each of them, grant does not pay on retests, all in I reckon it's cost £2,500 less grant on first test of ,80% £1344.

Training cost and test of course more than doubled when the 80% grant came in as they always do.

Whole thing is just another job creation scheme brought in by government!
 
Last edited:

crazy_bull

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Huntingdon
You have to drive to make progress, my two minor faults were for not pulling out on a tricky junction when it was (in the testers opinion), safe to pull out,

At our local testing place it was quite a shock to see what a bunch of scrotes there were taking HGV tests, I saw one tester get swung at by someone he had just failed, and verbal abuse was everywhere, quite glad to get away from there.

My training was done by a firm called C-Way (ex Farmer doing the training) he was a good chap, I managed to sneak in when there were some grant funding available a few years ago, cost circa £450+vat all in.

C B
 

lou

Member
Livestock Farmer
I did mine beginning of march.
Test was £115 + £5 booking fee paid upfront. I did it with a friend and used my 4x4, we did it over 2days. 1st day was all training, with training and tests on 2nd day.
£195 for each of us for training.
Was easier than i thought it would be. Just take your time with reversing maneuvers and hitching up exercise.
I got 7 minors out on the drive, too hesitant and not fantastic with the direction following:rolleyes:
If your reasonably confident reversing with mirrors and confident driving then you should be fine!
Mirrors mirrors mirrors!!!

Where abouts are you @liammogs
 

liammogs

Member
Thought the 80% is back next month.
Eldest son failed test first time, as did daughter 1, daughter 2 passed first time, son 2 failed twice!! So that's eight bloody tests I have paid for, had Farming connect grant on the training for the first test for each of them, grant does not pay on retests, all in I reckon it's cost £2,500 less grant on first test of ,80% £1344.

Training cost and test of course more than doubled when the 80% grant came in as they always do.

Whole thing is just another job creation scheme brought in by government!

Oh isit coming back? Looked on the website and couldnt find it, i was told cause of cuts in funding there cutting couses grants etc!! And as youve shown, £2500 to get all your kids through the test, youd think they would offer some sort of discount on a retest!

As one has mentioned its a 'job for the boys' scheme
 

liammogs

Member
I did mine beginning of march.
Test was £115 + £5 booking fee paid upfront. I did it with a friend and used my 4x4, we did it over 2days. 1st day was all training, with training and tests on 2nd day.
£195 for each of us for training.
Was easier than i thought it would be. Just take your time with reversing maneuvers and hitching up exercise.
I got 7 minors out on the drive, too hesitant and not fantastic with the direction following:rolleyes:
If your reasonably confident reversing with mirrors and confident driving then you should be fine!
Mirrors mirrors mirrors!!!

Where abouts are you @liammogs

South wales, inbetween swansea andllanelli!! Confident driver aswell as urban driving and towing a trailer!! Had a few quotes, just need to figure out dates etc
 
and remember to use the jockey wheel to rejack the trailer when its hocked up to show its on safely.
I had 2 minors. but they were for making to much progress:oops::LOL:
Iirc it was about £500 for 2 days training then the test on the third morning. With Pembrokeshire road training
 

liammogs

Member
and remember to use the jockey wheel to rejack the trailer when its hocked up to show its on safely.
I had 2 minors. but they were for making to much progress:oops::LOL:
Iirc it was about £500 for 2 days training then the test on the third morning. With Pembrokeshire road training

Thats pretty good price!! I was quoted £715 for two days training and then a test!!
 
Did mine with a guy from hereford. A days training and the test the next day so it was all still fresh in your mind. Cost £475. It's all a lot of common sense but then some of it is total crap. As long as you back up to the trailer so you can get the breakaway cable on then they allow you to take the handbrake off and move the trailer by hand. So who on here always parks their trailer on flat even concrete?! And who has a trailer that's easily pulled by one person! Just do some practice on reversing and you'll be away
 

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