"c 4 iff i 'The driving schools
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and examiners should gear up for the future'
4 as the time arrived to change the
deciding who is competent to drive. The motoring test is about right as it is but technology is changing our goods vehicles, adding more power and soundproofing: . they are larger, faster and have greater carrying capacity than ever before. HGV tests were first introduced in the 1968 Transport Act. I became involved with training in 1972 through the Road Transport Industry Training Board's MOTEC (Multi Occupation Training and Education Centre) establishment at Telford. In 22 years I have seen many changes: the test threshold was 3.5 tonnes unladen, now it is 7.5 tonnes gross; the test used to take two-and-a-halfhours, whereas now it is about half that length; and the fee was just 28 as opposed to £62 today. With so many changes taking place why have the examiners and the tests remained as rigid as they were when civil servants introduced the system in the late 1 9605? This was brought home to me recently when, after four days training, an experienced woman horse-box driver failed her test because she decided against doing a sudden stop when approaching traffic lights which were changing from amber to r This particular pupil was taking her test to enable her to transport four horses instead of two, by moving up to vehicles over 7.5 tonnes, I wanted to tell the chief examiner why the driver considered the safety and care other normal load a factor to be taken into account, which also explained her sedate cornering while driving the test vehicle. Maybe it is time to take into account the background and knowiedge of longestablished and respected driving schools together with their instructors—the latter spend many more hours with their pupils than the nerve-wracking short period of the test.
A way forward could include the use of a classroom where examiners could talk to candidates prior to their tests, putting them at their ease; an essential ingredient of fair
assessment. Discussion with the approved instructors would also give an indication of general attitude, consideration to other drivers and the many qualities necessary to drive a vehicle on our crowded roads.
The driving schools and examiners should gear up for the future with closer cooperation, state-of-the-art classrooms and, perhaps, a resident examiner who would learn tar more about the candidates and the quality of training than is possible in the present system. The demands on LGV drivers increase daily and will continue to do so in our important industry. Only the best people will do to meet tomorrow's demands—let's free up the system and ensure those demands are met, • CM is campaigning for all LGV schools to be registered—follow our progress in future issues.