FAQ's - Brisbane Driving School

Top FAQ’s about getting Your Truck Licence

Can I do my truck theory questions on the internet?

No. You can also practise the road rules test on-line before you go in to sit you test. Go to www.tmr.qld.gov.au. Click onto Services Online – Practise the road rules test – Heavy Vehicle but you physically need to go to a Department of Transport and Main Roads Customer Service Centre to undertake the test.

I have not done my Truck Learner’s can I start my training?

Yes. As you are already a Licence holder and you are just upgrading your licence. You will have to find the time to undertake your learner’s some time before your practical driving test

Your Practical Driving Test

I don’t need any lessons, I just want to do my test

We do not do cold tests – at a minimum would will do an initial 1hr assessment, to ensure that you are test ready.

Lifting a Restriction

The Car / Truck Licence you currently hold, the truck licence you want to obtain, and the vehicle that you are using to undertake your practical driving test will all have an effect on each other when making a decision on what heavy vehicle licence you want to end up with. At this time you also need to consider if you have any gearbox restrictions on your licence that you want to lift i.e. B condition, etc.
If you want to “lift” the gearbox restriction on the Licence that you currently hold, then you have to use a vehicle with the gearbox type that you want to drive to undertake your training and assessment. For example, if you currently hold a MR with a B condition then you would need to use a truck with a road ranger gearbox (non synchromesh) to undertake your practical driving test and thus lift the restriction to get an Open Licence.

I am going to the mines – what Licence should I get?

We are often asked which HR Licence should be obtained before applying for work in the mines. Really, this is down to you to do your research. Some mines will require a HR open Licence; some sites will only require a HR with a B condition. Most of the large dump trucks are automatic and therefore a HR with a B condition will suffice but the mine could be running other sorts of vehicles within it’s’ operation – so better to check and be safe than sorry.

Do I have to use the clutch when I am driving a vehicle with a road ranger gearbox during my practical driving test?

Yes, the examiner will want to see that you can drive the vehicle using the clutch.

How much does my licence cost when I have passed my practical driving test?

Your licence will be re-issued with the original expiry date that you already had on your licence. There will only be a charge if your licence is actually due for renewal around the date of your practical driving test.

What are the conditions on the 1 day courses?

Full payment must be received by Brisbane Driving School at least 5 working days before the date of the test. The fee is non-refundable unless 2 working days notice is given.

What if I want to drive a bus?

If you are going to drive a bus with 12 or more passengers for hire or reward you will require an Ancillary Certificate to drive a Public Passenger Vehicle in addition to your Heavy Vehicle Licence.

To get this Ancillary Certificate you will need to satisfy a medical assessment and a good character check.

Visit a Queensland Transport Customer Service Centre for more information.

Do you do refresher?

Yes, at the hourly rate.

What is the test day procedure?

Meet a trainer at Queensland Transport (unless otherwise arranged) for a one hour warm up session before the assessment.
Bring your licence.
It is a requirement to arrive at the Test Centre 20 minutes before test time.
Hand in completed yellow application form and driver’s licence at Transport Department.
Read “A Message from your Driving Examiner”.
Go out on test with examiner.
While on the driving test the examiner is required to give clear and early directions. At times examiners will chat with you, and other times they may remain quite. Don’t allow nerves or the examiner’s personality put you off the task at hand which is to drive safely and obtain your licence.
When the test is completed the examiner will discuss errors with you and then inform you if the test was a pass or a fail.
If you pass, you will receive a new licence from the customer service centre when the paper-work has been completed (usually 15-20 min). If you fail, then another practical test will need to be done.
Make sure you have paid any outstanding driving fines.

How will I be assessed?

Pre-drive checks
Manoeuvres – reversing exercise (left and/or right)
Gear changing
Hill start
Specific driving situations
Vehicle operation skills
Hazard recognition and decision-making skills

What types of gear box are there?

Synchromesh: you can only drive automatic trucks or synchro HCs. You cannot drive HCs with a crash-box / road ranger gear box.
Non-synchromesh: this gives you an unrestricted licence; also called an open licence. It means you can drive any HC vehicle – automatic, synchromesh or non-synchromesh.
Automatic: you can only drive with automatic gear boxes.
If you do your training and test in a ‘crash-box’, also known as a road ranger, you will be required to use a double clutch technique when changing gears.

Crash-box

This class gives you an unrestricted licence; also called an open licence. It means you can drive any HR vehicle – automatic, synchromesh or non-synchromesh

What is double-clutching?

Double-clutching (also called a double declutching) is a driving procedure primarily used for vehicles with an unsynchronized manual transmission. (NB: truck drivers in unsynchronized manual transmissions will often not use the clutch at all when driving but for the purposes of a driving test in Queensland you must use the clutch).
The double clutching technique involves the following steps:

The throttle (accelerator) is released, the clutch pedal is pressed, and the gearbox is shifted into neutral.
The clutch pedal is then released, the driver matches the engine RPM to the gear RPM either using the throttle (accelerator) (when changing down) or waiting for RPM to decrease (when changing up) until they are at a level suitable for shifting into the next gear.
At the moment when the revs between engine and gear are closely matched, the driver then instantly presses the clutch again to shift into the next gear. The whole manoeuvre can, with practice, take no more than a fraction of a second, and the result is a very smooth gear change.
If you have not changed gears using this technique prior to training, do not be alarmed. We have trained many people from scratch who have successfully passed a driving test and gone on to work in the transport industry.

Medical Conditions

If you hold a Queensland driver licence, you are required to report any long term or permanent medical condition, or any change to an existing medical condition, which is likely to adversely affect your ability to drive safely to the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Failure to notify the department carries a maximum penalty of $6,000 and cancellation of your driver licence.

Sometimes you may have a medical condition that does not affect the class of licence that you currently hold but it may be relative to the licence that you want to obtain. You do not want to complete a course of training for a road ranger gearbox only to find out that you are not eligible due to a medical condition. If you have any concerns whatsoever about a medical condition that you have such as diabetes, epilepsy etc. we advise that you speak with your doctor or directly with someone at The Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Eligibility

Before commencing your training ensures that your are eligible to obtain the licence that you want to i.e. hold your licence for the pre-exquisite times, plus no current suspensions or problems with your licence.

For MR must have held an open or provisional car licence for a continuous period of 12 months
For HR must have held an open or provisional car licence for a continuous period of 2 years or more.
For HC must have held a MR or HR Licence for a continuous period of 12 months.
For MC must have held HR or HC for a continuous period of 12 months.

Eligibility can be affected by loss of licence, outstanding fines and medical conditions.

If you have recently moved here from Interstate and changed your licence over to a Queensland Licence, the Department of Transport and Main Roads may have transferred your licence across without transferring your driving history. Therefore, when it comes time for us to book your practical driving test, it will appear on the computerised booking system that you have not held a licence for the required length of time to be eligible to undertake the practical driving test.

This is not a problem – providing there are no actual issues with your licence, it is simply an administrative process. It is just a matter of you authorising the Department of Transport and Main Roads to fax away to the State Traffic Authority that you came from to get your history updated. This process normally takes approximately 48 hours. After this has been done, we will be able to book in your test.

If you held an overseas licence you will need to provide Department of Transport and Main Roads with a copy and possibly a translation to determine what class of licence you are allowed to undertake.

How quick can I get a driving test?

Department of Transport and Main Roads test spots can be 2-3 weeks out from the date you initially make contact with us. However, we will always try and work with you on this and guide you through so that your test coincides with the culmination of your training.

Practical Driving Test Booking Procedure

You have 3 options for booking this heavy vehicle practical driving test:-

Preferred Method is to collect the booking fee from you when you come for your lessons or when booking a course. We can then book your test for you without delay. This fee covers the cost of the examiner on the day of your practical driving test; the licence will be re-issued with the existing expiry date. You will only have to pay for a new licence if coincidentally your licence is actually due for renewal. (Note: if you pass the practical driving test, your current licence will be reissued free of charge showing the new class) This fee does not cover the use of our vehicle and trainer on the day for your warm up drive and test.
Alternatively when you are undertaking your Road Rules Knowledge test at Department of Transport and Main Roads you can pay your test booking fee. These “funds” will then sit in Department of Transport and Main Roads account as a credit. We can pick up this “credit” when we enter your driving licence number into the Department of Transport and Main Roads booking system and apply it to a test time on your behalf. We prefer that customers only pay their booking fee, as opposed to actually booking a driving test, as the truck may not be free for the test time Queensland Transport allocates to you. Booking fees can only be paid at a Department of Transport and Main Roads Customer Service Centre. They cannot be done over the telephone or internet.
If you do wish to book your test yourself, please be aware that we may have to re-schedule this test for you if the truck is not available at your allotted time. Please note that if you have booked your own test, we will need your BRN (Booking Reference Number) and the time of the test to ensure the truck is free at that time.

Training Times

Brisbane Driving School conducts lessons from Mon to Fri 6am to 5pm . It is recommended that trainees do at least one lesson a week so they do not forget what they have learnt. Some trainees do one a day, or maybe even a 2 or 3 hour block. This all depends on their availability and their budget.

Once the student is competent with their driving training, a practical test with Qld Transport can be booked. The trainee will do the test with one of Qld Transport assessors but will use the same truck that they have trained in.

Truck Learners

Department of Transport and Main Roads contact details:-

www.tmr.qld.gov.au

Tel: 13 2380 for questions about Driving Licence

Tel: 13 2390 for questions about Driving Tests and Motor Vehicle Inspections.

Applicants are required to pass a 10 question written test based on Heavy Vehicles. Two (2) incorrect answers are permitted. The written test costs $20.80 for each written test undertaken. There is no need to book to do this test, you can just walk in off the street and do it. To study for this test you can either:-

Buy a copy of Your Keys to Driving in Queensland booklet (Learners Questions/Answers) $12.25.
It is also available on the net at www.tmr.qld.gov.au. Do a search for “Keys to driving in Queensland”, heavy vehicle section
You can also practise the road rules test on line before you go in to sit you test. Go to www.tmr.qld.gov.au. Click onto Services Online – Practise the road rules test – Heavy Vehicle.

You can commence your driving lessons before you undertake your learner’s questions but you must sit for your Learner’s before you undertake your practical driving test.

When you pass your Leaner questions, you will not get any paperwork to confirm it, it will just be recorded on your driving licence. Heavy vehicle theory questions remain current for 5 years from the date they were undertaken.

If you already hold a Truck licence and you are upgrading your Licence you do not have to do a written knowledge test again just a practical driving test.

Check your history with Department of Transport and Main Roads to make sure you are eligible to undertake the licence you are applying for, particularly if you had incurred a recent disqualification for driving or you are worried about a medical condition.

Department of Transport and Main Roads Customer Service Centres:

Service Centre	Address

Chermside	766 Gympie Road

Cleveland	Bloomfield Street
Greenslopes	Logan Road
Ipswich	Colvin Street, North Ipswich
Logan City – Woodridge	Jacaranda Avenue
Macgregor	567 Kessels Road
Redcliffe (Kippa Ring)	Cnr Beach & Bingle Streets
Redbank	Shop 221 Redbank Plaza

Sherwood	14 Primrose Street

Strathpine	43 Bells Pocket Road
Wynnum	139 Tingal Road
Zillmere	Pineapple Street

Phone 1300 752 524

Top FAQ’s about getting Your Truck Licence

Eligibility

How quick can I get a driving test?

Practical Driving Test Booking Procedure

Training Times

Truck Learners

Department of Transport and Main Roads Customer Service Centres:

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