When you want to start driving trucks, then you must make sure that you have the appropriate licence; otherwise, no one is going to employ you. Obtaining a licence means examining HR driving courses to find out which course would be best for you. Here are four questions you should ask about the HR driving courses before settling on any driving school.

Do they offer the right training?

There are a range of truck licences available, and you must be sure that the training you receive is appropriate for the licence you want. There is no point in training for an LR, MC, MR or HC licence when you are looking for HR driving courses. Since not all driving schools offer every type of licence, you must be certain that they can provide the training you need. It is also worth checking that you are eligible for an HR licence. States vary as to how long you must have held an LR, MR or car licence before applying for an HR licence, so check before starting your training.

What vehicles can you train on?

If you want to apply for an HR licence, then the vehicle you train on must fit into that category. Once you are sure that your lessons will take place in the right type of vehicle, you should next ask about the type of gearbox that the vehicle has. You could find that lessons are being offered on an automatic, synchromesh manual or a non-synchromesh (crash) gearbox. While you can learn by driving a vehicle with any type of gearbox, you will find that learning by driving a truck with an automatic gearbox will get you a licence with an 'A restriction', while passing a test in a truck with a synchromesh gearbox will get you a 'B restriction' on your licence. Either of these restrictions could limit your employability, so ask about the gearbox before agreeing to take the course.

How many lessons will there be?

HR driving courses vary a lot. Before settling on any course, you should find out how much actual driving time is included with the course. Ask about the amount of one-to-one training you would get with the course and what will be included in the lesson plans.

Is the assessment included in the price?

Some HR driving courses include the assessment at the end of the course, while others will leave you to find an accredited assessor for yourself. Find out what is included with each of the HR driving courses so that you can be sure you are comparing them equally before you make your final decision.