Want to get your Heavy Rigid (HR) Licence in Sydney? Keep reading below to find the answers to the most commonly asked questions about getting your HR Licence!
How do I get started?
First, you will need to book to attend a Service NSW centre to complete a Heavy Vehicle Driver Knowledge Test (DKT) for the class of licence you wish to apply for. If you are upgrading to either a Light Rigid, Medium Rigid, or Heavy Rigid licence, select the "Rigid" Driver Knowledge Test. If you are upgrading to a Heavy Combination licence, select the "Combination" Driver Knowledge Test. To book online, click here.
How much does it cost? The answer varies depending on which course you choose to do. At Truckability Truck Training in Sydney we can offer a HR Licence from as low as $790 in the form of a Competency Assessment. A Competency Assessment is where a student is provided 30 minutes of vehicle familiarisation and then the driving test is conducted. It doesn't involve training, however it is a budget savy option if you are feeling confident in your ability or you have had training in your workplace etc. Your other options are a one day course or an afternoon course which is split over two afternoons. Both types of courses involve 5 - 6 hours of training before the driving test. If you are interested in a full day HR Auto course at Truckability it'll cost $1090 and for an afternoon course, $981. For a full day HR RoadRanger course it'll cost $1390, and for an afternoon course, it will cost $1251. To book one of courses online, click here.
Can I do my HR Licence on my green Ps?
Yes! Provided that you are into your second year of your green Ps.
What is the difference between an auto/synchro and constant mesh gearbox?
An Automatic/Synchromesh gearbox are two different types of gearbox. Automatic, is just like any automatic gearbox you find in a car. A synchromesh gearbox is just like the manual gearbox you would find in a modern car, which requires a driver to press the clutch pedal down once whilst changing between gears. If you do your training in a heavy vehicle with an automatic gearbox, you can drive vehicles with an automatic or synchromesh manual transmission.
A Constant Mesh gearbox, also known as a "RoadRanger" or "Crashbox", requires the driver to use a double-declutching method. It requires the driver to depress the clutch pedal before pulling the gear stick out of a gear, followed by releasing the clutch pedal and then pressing it again, to allow the gearstick to go into the next gear.
What makes this manoeuvre trickier than your standard manual car gearbox is that the driver must match the road speed of the vehicle to the speed of the engine, commonly known as "rev matching", otherwise it will grind the gears or the vehicle may not go into gear. A modern, manual car gearbox (Synchromesh) does this for you automatically.
What does a HR licence allow me to drive?
A HR licence allows you to drive a vehicle that is over 8 tonnes GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) and has 3 axles or more. It also allows you to tow a trailer up to 9 tonnes GVM.
The most common vehicles driven in this class are coaches and the largest rigid trucks
and also allows you to drive anything in the LR and MR class.
Can I get a HR licence straight from my car licence? Yes! At Truckability in Sydney, we recommend that if you are thinking of getting your heavy vehicle licence, you should go straight for a HR licence if your are eligible to do so. There are a couple of reasons for this, the first being that if your ultimate goal is to eventually upgrade to a Multi-Combination licence (which allows you to drive road trains/b-doubles) after you have held your HR licence for a year you can upgrade to HC and MC licence in back to back courses. If you only do your Medium Rigid (MR) licence, to get to your MC licence you would have to hold your MR licence for 1 year, then upgrade to your HC licence for 1 year, before being able to apply for your MC licence. As the HR licence Sydney is the highest licence you can go to straight from your car licence, it provides the most value for money as you can also drive all vehicles that belong to the classes below it, being Light Rigid (LR) and MR.
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