The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has finally bowed to industry pressure, not least from Commercial Motor, to make HGV driving tests more realistic by agreeing to look at tests with loaded vehicles in its latest consultation document.
While current HGV candidates in the UK are tested in unladen trucks or trailers, the latest DSA proposals suggest loading vehicles with water containers or sandbags instead, in order to simulate a normal load.
The change would ensure a lorry or trailer used in the HGV driving test would mirror the weight of the vehicle that successful candidates would drive on the road after they have passed their test, therefore improving road safety and making them a more attractive employment proposition to operators.
“More realistic testing can only be a good thing,” says Ian Gallagher, policy manager at the Freight Transport Association (FTA), “The way a truck behaves alters dramatically depending on the weight being carried, with stopping distances and cornering becoming entirely different propositions, so the driver should be tested on their ability to adjust their driving to suit the load being carried.”
Skills for Logistics (SfL) has also confirmed it welcomes the proposal within the DSA’s latest consultation document, which runs until 3 September. According to the agency, the changes would bring the UK in line with European regulations on vehicles used in tests. However, some training schools have already raised fears that the cost of an HGV test will increase as a result of having to use heavier trucks.
The managing director at London-based Wallace School of Transport, Ruth Wallace, comments: “The additional weight would increase the cost of driver training, which some may say is already high enough, especially taking into account the increased expense due to the forthcoming introduction of Driver CPC.”
A spokesman at The HGV Academy agrees: “I can see why they are doing this, but it will increase the costs because we will be burning more fuel with bigger loads.” Before laden testing can be adopted though, the industry and DSA will have to agree on the exact nature of a test load and who would provide it.
There are also likely to be discussions over insurance, not least regarding HGV test examiners in laden vehicles Ð a point raised in the past when CM has made the call for laden testing. The DSA is keen to hear what the road transport and haulage industry thinks. More information is available at http://www.dsa.gov.uk/consultation
