Truck Driving

greenmk2 · 17-05-2007, 06:05 PM

Just want to know if this is a worth while career to get in to. I am working in a foundry casting metal all day everyday Damn and hot dusty, smelly. Can't be much worse than what i am doing now. Is the money allright? Is it hard to get into? What licence would be ideal to start off with? Would it be hard to clear 45 thou a year?

Cheers

damon90 · 17-05-2007, 07:37 PM

hey it all depends on wat you gunna want to drive id get a HC (heavy cobination) licence then i think its a bout 12 months till you can get your MC (multi combination=B doble or road train) in NSW any way

schmidty · 17-05-2007, 11:31 PM

Hey Greenmk2.

Definately a worthwhile career to look into! I've made the shift recently as i had a falling out with my business partner and needed a break from building for a while.

Starting point would be to go get your HR - Heavy Rigid license. Whatever you do though, make sure you get your non-synchro license, otherwise you'll be restricted to driving trucks with a synchro gearbox, and to graduate to non synchro, you have to pay and do the entire course again. You'll have to hold your HR license for 12 months before you can graduate to your HC (heavy combination) and a combined time of 2 years shared between HR and HC to move up to your MC (Multi Combination.)

You HR will cost you somewhere between $600 - $1000 depending on who you do it with. Some courses range between 3 and 5 days, and may have 3 to 5 people in a class. They are the cheaper ones, because you're doing it in a group. My HR Cost $990 but was 1 on 1, and did it in 1 day.

There are plenty of jobs to be had, and the opportunities to move up and onto bigger and better things are there for anyone who's prepared to work hard.

Hardest thing will be to find someone to give you a go with zero experience, but once you get your foot in the door, you'll find it easy to work your way up.

Money is actually good, if you land a job in the right place. You should be able to make 45k PA with not too much trouble. I'm on a helluva lot more than that, doing 4 - 5 days a week, rarely have to spend a night away, with 98% of the work within victoria. I thouroughly enjoy it, but it does help working for someone who really looks after their drivers.

Definately a nice cruisy change to you working ina foundary.

greenmk2 · 18-05-2007, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schmidty

Hey Greenmk2.

Definately a worthwhile career to look into! I've made the shift recently as i had a falling out with my business partner and needed a break from building for a while.

Starting point would be to go get your HR - Heavy Rigid license. Whatever you do though, make sure you get your non-synchro license, otherwise you'll be restricted to driving trucks with a synchro gearbox, and to graduate to non synchro, you have to pay and do the entire course again. You'll have to hold your HR license for 12 months before you can graduate to your HC (heavy combination) and a combined time of 2 years shared between HR and HC to move up to your MC (Multi Combination.)

You HR will cost you somewhere between $600 - $1000 depending on who you do it with. Some courses range between 3 and 5 days, and may have 3 to 5 people in a class. They are the cheaper ones, because you're doing it in a group. My HR Cost $990 but was 1 on 1, and did it in 1 day.

There are plenty of jobs to be had, and the opportunities to move up and onto bigger and better things are there for anyone who's prepared to work hard.

Hardest thing will be to find someone to give you a go with zero experience, but once you get your foot in the door, you'll find it easy to work your way up.

Money is actually good, if you land a job in the right place. You should be able to make 45k PA with not too much trouble. I'm on a helluva lot more than that, doing 4 - 5 days a week, rarely have to spend a night away, with 98% of the work within victoria. I thouroughly enjoy it, but it does help working for someone who really looks after their drivers.

Definately a nice cruisy change to you working ina foundary.

Definitly a good sounding career change! I have heard so much negative talk goin around about the conditions,Long hours,low hourly rate,interstate drivin. I guess it come's down to who you work for.

Things have changed with the foundry work. Just can't compete with china products. Management pull us aside one at a time and analize our time sheets. Telling us we can go quicker on some job's..:(

How could drivin a truck be worse than cutting up brass on a nine inch grinder on a 40 degree day! lol I think it is due time to ring around and get some course prices.
Thanks for reply.. VERY HELPFUL

Feathers · 20-05-2007, 11:34 AM

I've just been told that come July 1 the requirements to gain a heavy vehicle licence will change in NSW (maybe nationally).
Currently if you know someone with the type of vehicle you want to get a licence for, and they are willing to teach you, you don't require a log book of your practice hours.
You do require it if you go to a driving school to learn.
But I don't think there is a minimum number of hours required (because you can do the course and get a licence in 1 day).

As of July 1, you will have to have a minimum of 300 hours practice, verified in a log book, regardless of which way you decide to learn. (Privately, or with an instructor)

Hitman · 20-05-2007, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schmidty

Hey Greenmk2.

Definately a worthwhile career to look into! I've made the shift recently as i had a falling out with my business partner and needed a break from building for a while.

Starting point would be to go get your HR - Heavy Rigid license. Whatever you do though, make sure you get your non-synchro license, otherwise you'll be restricted to driving trucks with a synchro gearbox, and to graduate to non synchro, you have to pay and do the entire course again. You'll have to hold your HR license for 12 months before you can graduate to your HC (heavy combination) and a combined time of 2 years shared between HR and HC to move up to your MC (Multi Combination.)

You HR will cost you somewhere between $600 - $1000 depending on who you do it with. Some courses range between 3 and 5 days, and may have 3 to 5 people in a class. They are the cheaper ones, because you're doing it in a group. My HR Cost $990 but was 1 on 1, and did it in 1 day.

There are plenty of jobs to be had, and the opportunities to move up and onto bigger and better things are there for anyone who's prepared to work hard.

Hardest thing will be to find someone to give you a go with zero experience, but once you get your foot in the door, you'll find it easy to work your way up.

Money is actually good, if you land a job in the right place. You should be able to make 45k PA with not too much trouble. I'm on a helluva lot more than that, doing 4 - 5 days a week, rarely have to spend a night away, with 98% of the work within victoria. I thouroughly enjoy it, but it does help working for someone who really looks after their drivers.

Definately a nice cruisy change to you working ina foundary.

Almost all correct, except that you can get an MC license after holding a HR license for atleast 1 year.

Black S · 20-05-2007, 02:53 PM

The advantage of doing it through a driving school is becasue of the Compenacy Based Assestments. Basically what that means is that
as you pass the compenacy's it is ticked off. You don't do the RTA driving test where you have to reverse park, hill starts and all the other fun stuff. As you have already done all this.. After you have passed all your compenancy's you do your final assestment which is a 30 minute drive.
Not bad to have. I have my HR but got the restriction of only being able to drive a auto or a synco mesh manual.

**GasoLane** · 20-05-2007, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feathers

I've just been told that come July 1 the requirements to gain a heavy vehicle licence will change in NSW (maybe nationally).
Currently if you know someone with the type of vehicle you want to get a licence for, and they are willing to teach you, you don't require a log book of your practice hours.
You do require it if you go to a driving school to learn.
But I don't think there is a minimum number of hours required (because you can do the course and get a licence in 1 day).

As of July 1, you will have to have a minimum of 300 hours practice, verified in a log book, regardless of which way you decide to learn. (Privately, or with an instructor)

Not sure if I unstand this correctly but if you're driving a truck a log book is needed anyway. Learning or not.