Course
ACT Heavy Combination (HC)
As a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), Transport Industries Skills Centre Inc. (TISC) is qualified to conduct heavy vehicle truck licence training and assessment on behalf of both the ACT and NSW Governments. Our facilities and fleet is located at the Sutton Road Training Centre with everything in one place to help you get your truck licence. Training and Assessments are delivered one-on-one with the trainer so students receive high quality training that can be customised to meet the students’ various needs.
The following course information is specifically for the Heavy Combination (HC) Synchromesh and Non-Synchromesh licence classes issued in the ACT.
There are different course information pages for larger vehicle classes and NSW licences.
What do I need to apply for an HC licence?
You must –
- Have held a current medium or heavy rigid driver licence (provisional licence accepted) for a minimum of 1 year.
- Be a minimum of 19 years old.
- Complete a TISC Enrolment Form
- Pass the Heavy Vehicle Knowledge Test at a Road Ready Centre in Kambah (6109 0152) or Mitchell (6162 5152).
- Pass the ACT Commercial Driver’s Health Assessment for MR – MC with your medical practitioner.
HC Course Content
- Load restraint assessment using ropes, load binders (dogs) and chains, and ratchet/winch and straps.
- Ability to drain the test vehicle’s air tank (where fitted).
- Knowledge of the height of the vehicle’s load.
- Ability to perform a pre-test safety check, including tyres, wheels, wheel nuts, fluid and air leaks etc.
- Thorough knowledge of the test vehicle’s controls.
- Ability to uncouple and couple the trailer using the correct procedures.
- A comprehensive driving assessment including but not limited to gear selection, steering, braking, forward driving, turning, mandatory signs, reversing, hill start, overtaking, hill ascent and compliance with system of vehicle control.
What is a Heavy Combination vehicle?
- A prime mover to which is attached a single semitrailer plus any unladen converter dolly.
- A rigid motor vehicle to which is attached a trailer with a GVM over 9 tonne plus any unladen converter dolly.
- Articulated vehicles with 3 or more axles
- Any towed trailer with a GVM more than 9 tonnes.
What is a Heavy Combination Licence?
This licence class is applied to trucks with a trailer.
If you’ve held a medium or heavy rigid class driving licence for at least 1 year, you could upgrade your driver licence to a heavy combination licence and further your career in the transport industry.
Completing the course will give you a class HC licence which will allow you to drive automatic and synchromesh manual vehicles or a vehicle with a non-synchromesh gearbox. You will be able to safely drive a rigid vehicle attached to a trailer with a GVM over 9 tonne plus any unladen converter dolly or a prime mover to which is attached a single semi-trailer plus an unladen converter dolly.
Meeting the necessary HC licence requirements means you will be able to legally drive and operate a variety of vehicles used in the transport industry – increasing your skills and employability.
If you complete the course in a vehicle with a synchromesh gearbox, “Condition B” will appear on your licence, enabling you to drive trucks with and automatic and synchromesh gearbox. You will however not be allowed to drive Class HC vehicles with a Non-Synchromesh gearbox (also sometimes referred to as a Crash box).
If you complete the course in a vehicle with a non-synchromesh gearbox, you will obtain an unrestricted HC licence.
What is the difference between a Synchromesh and a non-Synchromesh gearbox?
Synchromesh gearbox
A synchromesh gearbox is a manually operated transmission in which a change of gears takes place between gears that are already revolving at the same speed. It is often claimed that a synchromesh gearbox requires less effort to change gears. These gear boxes have 8 forward gears with a low range and a high range lever.
Gears 1 to 4 are in low range with 5 to 8 in high range. The range change is made with the movement of a small lever located at the front of the gear lever at the appropriate time.
Non-Synchromesh gearbox
The non-synchromesh gear box is sometimes referred to as a crash box and these gearboxes come in a 9, 13, 15 or 18 speed, depending on the truck. The gearbox in our truck is an Eaton Fuller 18 Speed, with a low and high range lever as well as a gear splitter which enables the driver to use half gears.
When using half gears the gear changing technique changes from double clutching to a single clutch movement and the gear lever is moved in and out of the same gear position or to the next full gear position, but more on that as you progress through the course.
What makes this gearbox different is that the driver has to match the road speed (KM) and engine speed (revs) to enable a gear change to take place. These gearboxes require more driver input to ensure that you are able to change gears smoothly or at all. For every gear change the clutch is used twice, hence the term double clutching.
It takes an average of approximately 20 hours before someone is competent in the use of a non-synchromesh gear box due to the complexities in operating this gearbox. Training sessions are recommended in 2 hour or 4 hour slots.
Resources for this licence class –
Practice Heavy Vehicle Combination Knowledge test
http://safeplatestesting.act.gov.au/c/spt?a=apps&ap=mobikt&m=questions<=hvmckt
ACT Road Rules Handbook
https://files.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/legacy/2966/2019%20Road%20Rules%20Handbook%20Screen.pdf
ACT Heavy vehicle Drivers’ Handbook February 2012
https://files.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/legacy/2949/ACT%20heavy%20vehicle%20drivers’%20handbook.pdf
Load Restraint Guide
https://www.ntc.gov.au/sites/default/files/assets/files/Load-Restraint-Guide-2018.pdf
ACT Commercial Driver’s Health Assessment for HC
https://files.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/legacy/2968/Commercial%20driver’s%20health%20assessment.pdf
Application for upgrade of driver licence –
- All pricing includes GST
- Full payment must be made at time of booking
- Students are required to complete a minimum of 2 hours of training before an assessment
| Licence Class | 2 hour Training Own Vehicle / TISC |
Assessment Own Vehicle / TISC |
| Heavy Combination Synchromesh | $545 / $580 | $580 / $605 |
| Heavy Combination Non-Synchromesh | $515 / $580 | $580 / $605 |
Individual training and assessment sessions can be booked in the following time blocks:
- 8:00am – 10:00am
- 10:15am – 12:15pm
- 1:00pm – 3:00pm
In the first training session, students must complete a pre-departure check, load restraint and cabin controls before they can commence the practical driving component. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the course commencing to complete the relevant paperwork.
All students must –
- Have a moderate level of English language. A language, Literacy and Numeracy assessment might require completion prior to enrolment.
- Have held a medium or heavy rigid driver licence (provisional licence accepted) for a minimum of 1 year.
- Be a minimum of 19 years old.
- Be confident in driving a manual vehicle.
- Pass the Heavy Vehicle Knowledge Test at a Road Ready Centre in Kambah (6109 0152) or Mitchell (6162 5152).
- Pass the ACT Commercial Driver’s Health Assessment for MR – MC
- Have a completed TISC Enrolment Form e-mailed to office@suttonroad.com.au together with your driver licence and knowledge test to finalise the full enrolment process or complete the enrolment at the bottom of this page. During the online enrolment process, you will be asked to upload your driver licence and knowledge test so please have this ready.
- Current driver licence.
- Knowledge Test issued by an ACT Road Ready Centre.
- Students are required to bring their own lunch; however fast food outlets are located in Queanbeyan if you prefer to purchase it. A fridge, microwave, tea, coffee and biscuits are provided.
- Enclosed shoes and comfortable clothing suitable for the expected weather.
- High visibility vest. (We can provide you with one on the day)
- Additional items depending on the weather such as a hat, sunscreen or rain jacket where required.
If you want to use your own vehicle, please note the following:
- Someone who is licenced to drive this class will need to accompany you or bring and collect the vehicle.
- Your vehicle must be ACT or NSW registered. (It cannot be federally registered)
- Must be 60% loaded – this load cannot be dangerous goods, livestock, or fluid (excludes busses) – we will require a weighbridge ticket.
- Must have two or more seats, all fitted with full seatbelts.
- We will require a copy of your vehicle registration papers with your enrolment forms.
The practical driving assessment is a 1 hour and 30 minutes evaluation of an applicant’s driving skills, which includes the following components:
- Ensure vehicle is loaded to 60% of its capacity.
- Load restraint assessment using ropes, load binders (dogs) and chains, and ratchet/winch and straps.
- Ability to drain the test vehicle’s air tank (where fitted).
- Knowledge of the height of the vehicle’s load.
- Ability to perform a pre-test safety check, including tyres, wheels, wheel nuts, fluid and air leaks etc.
- Thorough knowledge of the test vehicle’s controls.
- Ability to uncouple and couple the trailer using the correct procedures.
- A comprehensive driving assessment including but not limited to gear selection, steering, braking, forward driving, turning, mandatory signs, reversing, hill start, overtaking, hill ascent and compliance with system of vehicle control.
The course is assessed with a practical demonstration that meets the heavy vehicle licensing assessment requirements set by Road User Services. If a student is ‘Not Yet Competent’, they need to enrol in another individual assessment at a later date and pay the associated fee.
Students who are found competent will not be licenced to drive a Heavy Combination vehicle yet. You first need to present the appropriate documentation provided by the TISC Assessor to an Access Canberra Shopfront that offers Road Transport Authority Services. The course price does not include the cost for issuing a new driver licence.
As the assessment for this course is regulated, we are unable to RPL or credit transfers for students. Students with existing experience driving a heavy vehicle can complete a reduced amount of training but will still have to complete the practical assessment.
Students have a right to appeal any assessment decision. A student wanting to make a complaint or appeal will need to complete the Assessment Complaints and Appeals Recording Form. Students can obtain a hard copy of the Assessment Complaints and Appeals Recording Form from reception or request it via email.
In the event that TISC is unable to complete the delivery of any of the course, a full refund will be issued.
As part of TISC’s obligation to the learner, we will ensure that all training is compliant with the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTO’s) 2015.
A student’s driver licence, knowledge test and course enrolment forms are required within 48-hours of making a booking. TISC does not accept any tentative bookings and will only confirm a student’s enrolment upon receipt of the driver licence, knowledge test, course enrolment forms and course payment.
COVID 19 Policy
Your co-operation in helping to keep the Sutton Road Training Centre free of COVID-19 is appreciated. If you are unwell and have any common COVID-19 symptoms you should not attend the Centre.
Cancellations made up to one week (7 days) prior to this course commencing will receive a full refund. Any cancellations made after this time will not be eligible for any refund.
Failure to attend training on the day will not result in a refund. TISC at their sole discretion may offer to rebook the student on a later course upon the presentation of a medical certificate for the course days that were missed.
We at located at 441 Sutton Road, Majura, ACT. Our training facilities are located on the left side of the road, approximately 900m from the Sutton Rd/Pialligo Ave intersection. There is ample free onsite parking for students.
Before you can make a booking, we ask you to answer a few questions first so we can determine if you meet the course prerequisites. If you are eligible to enrol for this course, you will be directed to the booking page and you will require to upload your Knowledge test and Driver Licence. Please ensure you have this ready to complete the booking.