Driving a truck and transporting heavy or oversized loads takes special skills and training, but once qualified, becoming a truck driver can be an extremely rewarding job. It requires formal training via a Registered Training Organisation to obtain a valid licence and then most importantly on-road experience to improve your skills.
Licences
For any truck driver wanting to transport oversized loads they will first need the correct licence and qualifications. These take time and training to achieve. All truck drivers in Australia require an endorsed licence which they can only get once they are 18 years old and have held a “C” class licence for a minimum of 12 months. There are 5 types of endorsed licence for truck drivers with light rigid (LR), medium rigid (MR) and heavy rigid (HR) licences being the industry standard for truck drivers of varying weights.
When training a truck driver to transport oversized loads they will need to upgrade their endorsed licence to a heavy combination (HC) licence. A driver must hold a MR or HR licence for at least 12 months before they can take the test to receive a HC licence. This licence allows the driver to be able to drive heavy combination vehicles such as prime movers towing a semi-trailer, or rigid vehicles towing a trailer no heavier than 9 tonnes.
Training
These licences can only be obtained by experienced truck drivers who have received specialised training in driving oversized loads. When training a truck driver to transport oversized loads, they will need specialised lessons at a truck driving school – this will allow them to get used to the weight and dimensions of an oversized load without them being on public roads. They will also need specialised training in how to correctly and safely secure any oversized load for transportation. Membrey’s Transport pride themselves in on-going driver training to ensure your load is delivered safely.
Experience
Experience is one of the most important aspects of training a truck driver to transport oversized loads. It is a good idea to start off behind the wheel of a semi-trailer with a trailer of flat-bed on the back to get used to wider turning circles and then perhaps move up to bigger loads. As with regular driving, time behind the wheel is the best training possible.
