B+E license- how much training do I need? costs?

[Henry Fiddleton]

Hi All,

I got my license in 2002, and would like to start towing my track car (and possible race car next year).

Looking into my B+E license - and some of the costs.

How many days/hours of tuition do I need?

I have never towed before (don't have a license), but seen my dad do it for you years!

Just spoke to local company, who claim I need 2 days worth of training:

-£210/day (x2)
-Half day for test (£135)
-plus booking the test (national fee £130 ish).

So I am looking at £685 to tow!

Makes hiring a pro-ish driver tuition for the track seem cheap ish.

Advice welcome- like can I do it cheaper; can I buy a trailer and practice with someone with a B+E license on private land (reverse parking etc).

Thanks,
HF

[gdaybruce]

A few years ago I coached our daughter for her trailer test using a LR Discovery and horse trailer. As ever, it's mostly about the practice and the more time you can spend towing, both in traffic and on open roads, the better. We found a station car park that was deserted on Sundays where we could put out some cones and practice reversing. However, you also need to know the approved way to do certain things, such as the sequence to follow when hitching and unhitching the trailer. It's all common sense and the focus is, as you'd expect, on safety first but I would suggest that you should pay an instructor for an hour or so specifically to run through these kinds of things. The other tip I recall is that when reversing, if it's going horribly wrong don't persevere. Instead, pull forward to straighten everything up and start again. Daughter passed, by the way so I can't have been too bad as a coach!

[Henry Fiddleton]

Thanks for the tip.

Looking at two day course - hopefully something over a weekend comes up.

I don't have a trailer to practice with, so will see what I can do. My dads car does have a tow bar.

Will have to get one fitted to the Cayenne at some point...

[R0G]

Leicester B+E training with LGV training company ....
3 half days with test on day 3 = £650 all inclusive

This might help you ....

The B+E test
No medical or theory test required
Read a number plate from a certain distance
VIDEO - Show Me Tell Me Questions = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqw6Ua3kmFc&fea... - usually 5
The next three can be in any order:-
VIDEO - Reversing Exercise = http://www.drivesafedriving.co.uk/b_e_rev_movie.ht... - done in test centre grounds if test conducted from practical test centre - some tests are now being done from training school grounds
DSA REVERSING TEST AREA DIAGRAM = https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...
VIDEO - Uncouple/couple up = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao_5KOe8dGg&fea... - done in test centre grounds if test conducted from practical test centre - some tests are now being done from training school grounds
One hour road drive - includes the independent drive and is done virtually the same as the basic car test

The trailer must now be loaded with 600 kgs of sand bags or a 1000 kgs water IBC for the test so most companies are now training with that weight in the trailer = https://www.gov.uk/new-laden-testing-rules-for-dri...

Well explained here = http://www.trailertraining-wales.co.uk/test.html

DISCLAIMER - I have no connection to any companies which may be featured in those videos

This is interesting BUT NOT RECOMMENDED – a B licence towing set up can be presented for the B+E test but L plates must be used for the test that means you can train yourself, go to test by yourself, fit L plates, do the test, then, pass or fail, remove L plates and drive away by yourself.
DSA B+E TEST AND VEHICLE/TRAILER REQUIREMENTS = http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensi...
Remember that the required 600 kgs of sand bags or 1 x 1000 IBC filled with water will be required in the trailer and the load must be secure


If you can get to drive a B+E in the meantime perhaps with a friend who has one ....

SUPERVISING A B+E LEARNER
In April 2010 new rules were introduced for those supervising certain learner drivers but they only affected those supervising VOCATIONAL categories such as C1 C1+E D1 & D1+E where the supervising driver had those categories given to them for free when they passed a pre 1997 car test.
They do not affect those with a pre 1997 B+E licence who wish to supervise a B+E learner.

All B licence holders have B+E provisional on the paper part of their licence and can tow an empty or loaded trailer on all roads including motorways.

The usual rules apply when a learner is driving -
The supervising driver must be aged over 21
The supervising driver must have held a B+E licence for at least 3 years
L plates must be fitted to the front of the vehicle and the rear of the trailer
Correct insurance for a B+E learner
The supervising driver does not need to be insured unless they are driving

[Henry Fiddleton]

Thanks for the advice so far.

I have found a local place that will do a similar deal (in Kent).

Just need to justify three days not earning a penny, or get a weekend slot whenever they appear.

Keep putting it off, but will have to get round to doing it.

[WilliamWoollard]

If you're a decent driver you shouldn't need any where near three days training. If you haven't reversed a trailer before we do it in a day and half, 2 days if you're a bit nervous or apprehensive about it. If you can get your reversing to a good standard it's perfectly realistic to do it in a day.

HGV training companies tend to give longer courses than people that just do trailer training, I wonder what they do to fill the time during their three day courses!

[R0G]

WilliamWoollard said:

If you're a decent driver you shouldn't need any where near three days training. If you haven't reversed a trailer before we do it in a day and half, 2 days if you're a bit nervous or apprehensive about it. If you can get your reversing to a good standard it's perfectly realistic to do it in a day.

HGV training companies tend to give longer courses than people that just do trailer training, I wonder what they do to fill the time during their three day courses!

The one I know of does half days for B+E so mix it in with the half days they do on the LGV side

It is possible to do B+E in one day if the driver already has towing experience perhaps from using a B towing set up
Train from 8am to 2pm then do a test at about 3pm