The Whole Process

The Heavy Vehicle Competency Based Assessment process starts and finishes at any RMS motor registry.

Before you can come to us for training and/or assessment you must attend your nearest RMS motor registry and successfully complete the knowledge test for the licence class you wish to upgrade to.  To see which licence classes you are eligible to upgrade to click here

Upon successful completion of your knowledge test you must purchase ‘The guide to HVCBA’ and the ‘HVCBA log book’ from the RMS motor registry. Once you have these books in your possession you are then able to be instructed and assessed by us for your chosen licence class.

Training and Assessment is available through us 7 days a week.

Training and assessment can be conducted at the same time if you are learning with an RMS accredited assessor. The period of time that you spend with our accredited assessors must allow for the adequate demonstration of the required competencies.

The RMS prescribes that a minimum duration of 5 hours for a Light Rigid or Medium Rigid and 6 hours for a Heavy Rigid or Heavy Combination upgrade (not including the 30 minute final competency assessment) apply. These prescribed times do not include any allowances for training required and must include appropriate breaks as described by the RMS’s standard fatigue management policy for heavy vehicle drivers.

Additional training can be provided by either our accredited assessors or instructors and may incur additional cost. Training does not count towards the minimum duration prescribed by the RMS.  A concise list of these competencies can be found on page 4 of your Heavy Vehicle Competency Based Assessment Learner’s Log Book, with additional information available in your Guide to Heavy Vehicle Competency Based Assessment.

The initial assessment duration (4.5 hours for Light Rigid or Medium Rigid or 5.5 hours for Heavy Rigid or Heavy Combination) must cover all the required competencies for your licence class.

The length of time spent with us allows you to demonstrate your ability to operate the vehicle in a wide variety of conditions with the flexibility to adjust the time spent assessing the performance of each competency as required. The hours spent with us include competencies observed outside the vehicle such as; Pre-departure check, Securing the load, Check stop inspection and Breakdown along with the competencies observed inside the vehicle in both stationary and moving positions.

To assist us in providing your assessment it is recommended that you read through your guide to Heavy Vehicle Competency Based Assessment to refresh your memory before you attend. If assessment is completed over a number of sessions we must record with the RMS using their phone based Competency Reporting System the successfully demonstrated competencies in that session within 48 hours.

The final step in upgrading your licence is to complete a Final Competency Assessment. This is included in the minimum assessment duration as prescribed by the RMS and is conducted by us.  It is a requirement by the RMS that we notify them of a Final Competency Assessment (FCA) a minimum of 48 hours in advance. For us to be able to make this booking we must view your current drivers licence and HVCBA log book to ensure the correct details are submitted and that both your drivers licence and HVCBA log book are current at the time.

The Final Competency Assessments consists of a 30 minute drive with the intention to demonstrate to the assessor that you are able to perform the core skills required to safely and consistently drive a vehicle in the licence class you are upgrading to. It follows a set course approved by the RMS and upon completion the successfully performed remaining competencies are reported to the RMS.  More information on this can be found on pages 6 – 8 of your guide to Heavy Vehicle Competency Based Assessment.

Once your results have been recorded online using the RMS’s Competency Reporting System, any RMS motor registry is able to issue you with your upgraded licence for their nominated fee. We are unable to guarantee the time it takes for the RMS to download the reported competencies from their Competency Reporting System to their motor registry system, which is required for the motor registry to issue your upgraded licence.

Synchromesh Endorsement for Heavy Vehicles

If you already hold an unrestricted licence, that is a licence that does not display condition ‘B’ – ‘may only drive a heavy vehicle fitted with an automatic or synchromesh gear box’, then it is not necessary for you to complete your upgrade in a vehicle fitted with constant mesh gearbox.

If you already hold a licence with condition ‘B’ and wish to upgrade to an unrestricted licence with us you have the following options;

• If upgrading from MR to HR you may undertake your HVCBA in our Western Star. See our vehicles for more information.
• If upgrading from HR to HC you may undertake your HVCBA with us using your own vehicle providing it conforms to RMS requirements.

Or, Complete a shortened heavy vehicle driving test with an RMS heavy vehicle testing officer using the HVDART testing procedure.

The HVDART testing procedure is not used for licence upgrades; instead it is purely to remove the condition ‘B’ and can be completed in any vehicle from MR up to the class you currently hold. This test is not conducted by us, however, once you complete this test you are then able to upgrade with us in our Scania.

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