Carlisle: no to laden test
Page 8
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
by Ian Reeves • Transport minister Kenneth Carlisle has ruled out a switch to testing lorry drivers on Laden vehicles, despite industry claims that this would lead to better driving standards.
In response to a letter from Commercial Motor highlighting the importance of laden tests and quoting industry survey statistics, the minister says the extra cost of laden training would be unacceptable. How
ever, he accepts that the special requirements of driving laden lorries "may be a topic which should be more thoroughly examined in the theory part of the test."
014's survey of training organisations (CM 6-12 July) showed that 44% believe a switch to laden testing should be made, despite the fact that this would probably push up their costs. An overwhelming 84% of instructors said they thought laden training would make their pupils more prepared for professional driving.
Despite this, Carlisle says: "There is no hard evidence that road safety would be improved" by laden training. This, he says, coupled with the extra costs of installation of ballast by all training organisations, the necessary checking of the installations, and the additional fuel consumption is probably why "only a minority" support the switch.