Tips From The Professionals
When you first learn to drive a car, you are required to take 2 separate tests to prove that you know how to drive a car, and how to do it safely. When it comes to driving an HGV the process...
Taking Your Practical Driver CPC Test
Tips From The Professionals
When you first learn to drive a car, you are required to take 2 separate tests to prove that you know how to drive a car, and how to do it safely. When it comes to driving an HGV the process is similar, but instead of 2 parts the test comes in 4. The first 2 parts are theory tests designed to assess your knowledge of HGV safety and operations, and the last 2 are practical demonstrations of your skills and ability. But what do you do in a 2 part practical test?
Practical Test Part 1 – Driving Ability
The first practical element of your Driver CPC test is actually part 3, so by the time you take this you will have had plenty of time to practice driving your vehicle with your instructor. The practical driving element of the test will feel very much like your basic car test – an instructor will sit in the vehicle with you and give you directions to follow. They will ask you to stop, do hill starts and perform other manoeuvres that are essential parts of an HGV driver’s capability. You will also be assessed on your use of basic driving safety, such as checking your mirrors and blind spots. It might sound straightforward, but as you will know by this points, doing anything in an HGV is a lot more difficult than it sounds! This test lasts for 60 minutes, and you will be told right away if you passed or failed.
Practical Test Part 2 – Practical Demonstration
The second part of your practical Driver CPC test is a practical demonstration – which doesn’t involve getting behind the wheel at all. Instead, you will stand next to the vehicles and answer a series of questions. You will be asked to do practical demonstrations of many days to day lorry drivers tasks, including loading and unloading the vehicle safely, lock and secure the contents and check the vehicle for signs of criminal activity or trafficking. All of this is designed to make you demonstrate that you know how to perform all of the safety checks necessary before your vehicle is ready to drive. To pass this test, you will need to score at least 80 out of 100 within the 30-minute time window.
Our Top Tips
If you thought the basic car practical was nerve wracking, this jam-packed test can seem a bit daunting. But the key is to stay calm and make sure you know your stuff before you apply to take the tests. Don’t rush into it before you’re ready – you’ll likely just end up having to take it again. So when you feel ready and are booked in, we have a few pieces of practical advice, that we have found helpful when going through our own Driver CPC practical tests:
Keep one eye on the traffic, around 5 cars ahead at all times. HGV’s take a lot longer than cars to stop, so you can’t just rely on the brake lights of the car in front of you.
Remember to take both parts of your car license with you on the day. If you forget either part, you won’t be able to take the test, but will still have to pay for it! If you weren’t issued a paper license, don’t worry, just bring along everything you have.
Take a 40-60-minute drive before your practical test to get you used to the feel of the vehicle and work out those nervous jitters.
Wear sensible shoes and comfortable clothes on the day, so you don’t get distracted or feel uncomfortable.
If you make a mistake, don’t dwell on it. You can still pass the test with 15 minor faults, so just accept the error and move on from it. Don’t let it distract or unnerve you.
For more information about taking the practical Driver CPC test, or some advice from the professionals, get in touch with us or book onto a course today.
Published December 14, 2016 and last updated on June 22, 2017 by Geoff_Leapfrog