Thanks to all the self-taught experts who know more about my job than me

[buggerit]

Dude must have been on mushrooms or something, don't know if you have ever driven a single mast tipper on the road, but for him not to notice the thing up in the air like that, he had to be on something.

Ive repaired 5 of these over the years. A tip , when the truck is standing near vertical, don't put your foot on the clutch
because you will probably knock your teeth out on the steering wheel (as demonstrated by a couple of the drivers)

[buggerit]

4.25 meters plus an allowance of 25 mm for covers and lashings.

Funny. I remember trucks hitting the Penrose over bridge. Is that 4.65 Metres?

Its bloody low, claimed quite a few cows heads over the years.

[unstuck]

Ive repaired 5 of these over the years. A tip , when the truck is standing near vertical, don't put your foot on the clutch
because you will probably knock your teeth out on the steering wheel (as demonstrated by a couple of the drivers)

Had a D series ford that was good for doing wheelies in. It had a cummins v8 in it though, and the landings were rather hard. Seen a few trucks go over sideways as well, good for catching newbies out. One fella even managed to tip over a new Argosy with twin masts.

[Moi]

4.25 meters plus an allowance of 25 mm for covers and lashings.

Funny. I remember trucks hitting the Penrose over bridge. Is that 4.65 Metres?

According to the sign on the Penrose Rd overbridge - 4.41metres...

[nzspokes]

Interesting.

I didn't realize there's a night school version.

I'm doing an 8 day block course to get certified. As well as jumping through a few more hops like medical exams, eye exams, theory tests, practical assessments blah blah blah.

Funny thing though. I thought I was going to become a Class 6 I endorsement holder. But when you get an I endorsement, it covers all classes you hold. So, in order to get the I endorsement, you have to pass all the theory tests i.e. Classes 1,2,3,4,5 & 6. It's be a real crash course in the Classes 2 to 5, I can tell you.

I had an A, B and F when I was a testing officer with the old MoT, and the classes changed while I was in this job. It happened when we got the photo ID licences. I was converted automatically to a Class 1, 2, 4 and 6. So I've had truck licences since 1989 without having driven trucks more than half a dozen times since.

Getting a truck licence is now a far more complicated process, so I'm pleased I hung onto my old one.

Learning all the technical issues in the HMV trade has been an eye opener. I knew a bit due to my current role, but not a lot of the technicalities. I still wonder why a driver needs to know what the maximum forward distance of a rigid vehicle is. Like, unless he's building a truck, what does that tell him?

Anyway, it's a real learner.

Yes up here you can do it correspondence. And as you say from what I have read once I obtain the I endorsement I can train on anything I have a full licence for. And the course is car based. Odd.

[unstuck]

Yes up here you can do it correspondence. And as you say from what I have read once I obtain the I endorsement I can train on anything I have a full licence for. And the course is car based. Odd.

So even if you have class 5, but have done bugger all actual truck work, you can still train people how to drive trucks?

Why am I not surprised.

[nzspokes]

So even if you have class 5, but have done bugger all actual truck work, you can still train people how to drive trucks?

Why am I not surprised.

That's correct. Sadly.

[unstuck]

That's correct. Sadly.

Seems a little odd, but that would explain why when I went for my class 5, I had to back the truck and trailer out of the instructors yard after his 4th failed attempt.

[Moi]

Seems a little odd, but that would explain why when I went for my class 5, I had to back the truck and trailer out of the instructors yard after his 4th failed attempt.

THAT was the test... all the rest was window dressing...

[R650R]

4.25 meters plus an allowance of 25 mm for covers and lashings.

Funny. I remember trucks hitting the Penrose over bridge. Is that 4.65 Metres?

... thank god only the CVIU get taught all the intracies and traps of heavy vehicle regs and not general duties or highway patrol cops....

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/ro...fications.html

(1) Forward distance

Forward distance for a rigid vehicle is the distance from the rear axis to the front of the vehicle or its load, whichever is foremost (excluding collapsible mirrors).

The maximum forward distance for heavy rigid vehicles without a tow coupling is 9.5 metres. Heavy rigid vehicles with a tow coupling are restricted to a maximum forward distance of 8.5 metres.

(2) Maxmimum height

The maximum height above ground is 4.25 metres. An additional 25 millimetres is allowed for tarpaulins, lashings, straps, chains, covers and related connectors and tensioning devices that aren't permanently or rigidly fixed to the vehicle.

BTW trucks still hit the Penrose overbridge. You can get through in the fast lane (apparently) with a high cube box on standard height trailer but not in the other lanes... These days it usually contractors with diggers on the back doing bridge strikes.
It prob is 4.65, think all motorway bridges are 5m unless stated otherwise with signage.
Interestingly on NZTA site max height for Akld motorway is listed as 4.25m with no mention of extra for chains etc. Typically at that height you'd be talking flatdeck if there are chains across top and most fellas on that job are pretty experienced old school types, not many drivers want to heave tarps about these days....

[R650R]

Yep, sure is. Log and work time books are a pain in the ass now too.

They've actually gotten easier now you don't have to separate driving from loading time... or do you mean you've actually got enforcement operations in the deep south now there are so many milk tankers running around down there

[R650R]

Interesting.

Funny thing though. I thought I was going to become a Class 6 I endorsement holder. But when you get an I endorsement, it covers all classes you hold. So, in order to get the I endorsement, you have to pass all the theory tests i.e. Classes 1,2,3,4,5 & 6. It's be a real crash course in the Classes 2 to 5, I can tell you.

Do you have to resit your car licence full practical???

I was thinking of going the tour bus route, just work six months a year and cruise the south island.
But to get a P endorsement you have to fully resit your car license practical if you passed it more than six years ago.... and with half alifetime of bad habits that wouldn't be easy or a sure thing... and what happens if you fail!

[rastuscat]

Do you have to resit your car licence full practical???

Yes, doing that next week.

[Scuba_Steve]

Yes, doing that next week.

So if you suddenly disappear from KB we take it you failed

[unstuck]

there are so many milk tankers running around down there

Tanker drivers are not truck drivers, just plant operators, heaven forbid if one of them had to actually think for themselves or have to reverse their trailer.