When you apply to train as a driver of heavy rigid (HR) vehicles, you'll have to meet eligibility requirements first. One of these is the need to already have had a car licence for a specific amount of time. For example, Western Australia requires you to have had a Class C (passenger car) licence for at least two years; New South Wales requires two years as well. South Australia also requires a Class C licence for at least two years. Why do you need to have a car licence for so long before training as an HR vehicle driver? It's because driving itself takes time to get used to.

You've Got to Be Used to Driving

You can't jump straight from not driving to driving a heavy rigid vehicle because these vehicles are so large that you need to be used to handling a vehicle on the road before you even sit in a heavy rigid vehicle. Yes, you can be trained to drive anything, but due to the size and loads that these things carry, you need to be aware of what operating a vehicle is like first so that you're not trying to divide your attention between the road and finding things on the dashboard. It's understandable that you'd want to jump in if you were hoping to get a job as a driver, but you need to start with smaller vehicles and get used to the road first.

Enough Time Needs to Pass to Show How Good You Really Are

The states ask for a relatively long time of driving experience because they need to be sure that you're a decent driver to begin with. A couple of months on the road, for example, isn't really enough time. When you reach two years, though, you've driven enough so that, if you actually are not that good a driver, your record will reflect that. That gives the state government and the school an idea of whether you'll be a good HR driver. It doesn't necessarily bar you from training, but the instructors will have a better idea of what to expect and what they may need to give you extra training in.

You Can Substitute LR and MR Licence Experience

If you don't have the years of regular car driving that state governments want to see, but you have experience driving a light rigid (LR) or medium rigid (MR) vehicle, you may be able to substitute those years of experience instead. The car-driving experience is mainly for people who are jumping from cars to heavy rigid vehicles and not those moving up from just another level of truck-type vehicles. You may face minimum times regarding those licences, too, but each state varies in what it requires. Don't assume you're not eligible to train if you already have an LR or MR licence.

Contact a training program for more information about HR licences.