LGV C+E Mod 3a (Off-Road) Test

The LGV & PCV driving tests are now taken in two parts. You must pass your Mod 3a (Off-Road) test before you can take the Mod 3b (On-Road) test.

The 3a Off-Road tests are done at our yard by our in-house examiner, Andrea Allott.

The 3b On-Road tests are still done at the usual test centres: Atherton, Bredbury, Kirkham and Steeton.

The 3a pass certificate is only valid for 6 months, so you must pass the 3b On-Road test within this time. If you lose the 3a pass certificate you will need to retake the 3a test!

Training Material

C+E Reversing Exercise for Artic Trailer

  • Pull forward from Z and line up at the start position with your front bumper in line with cones A and A1, but don’t go beyond them. As you drive past cone B keep as much to the left as you can, and keep close to cone A too.
  • Select reverse gear and steer one turn to the right as you move slowly backwards, making sure you don’t ‘dry steer’ and scrub the tyre tread.
  • Keep moving backward slowly until you see sticker on the front of the trailer in the right mirror and then steer left twice to chase the trailer and get straight with it. 
  • Make sure you can see cone B in the right mirror, and curve the trailer into the coned garage area, and stop when the orange tab lined up with the yellow box so that the rear most part of the vehicle in the yellow and black area.

Points to remember:

  • Don't touch any cones. 
  • Don't run over the yellow boundary lines with your tyres.
  • Check all mirrors regularly. 
  • You are allowed two shunts forward.
  • When shunting take your time and position the vehicle pointing where you want it to go.
  • The rear of LGV vehicles must be over the 75cm black and yellow painted.
  • You can get out once to check the back of the truck, and re-adjust if need be.

 

C+E Uncoupling Exercise for Artic Trailer

"I'd like you to uncouple the trailer and park along side it please"

  • Walk clockwise around the truck - straight to the number plate on the trailer and tell the examiner that you'd remove it and take it with you.
  • Apply the trailer parking brake. (Pull to park)
  • Wind the landing legs down. (leave nearly an inch gap between the foot and the floor).
  • Unplug the trailer electric leads and air lines and stow securely. 
  • Remove king pin safety clip, and pull handle out and forwards to release the king pin.
  • Pull slowly out with the tractor unit and park it next to the trailer, secure the vehicle by applying the parking brake and selecting neutral, switch off the engine and get out.

Then the examiner will say something like: "I'd like you to recouple back to the trailer, imagining that you've never seen this trailer before."

  • Go straight to the trailer parking brake and ‘Pull to park’.
  • Walk around the trailer checking doors, tyres, light lenses, Plating Certificate, and the general condition of the trailer. 
  • Reverse the tractor unit up to the trailer central and straight ready for recoupling, but stop a metre or two away from the trailer and get out to check the height compatibility of the fifth wheel and trailer height. (You can leave the engine running for this quick check.)
  • Reverse under the trailer until you feel it firmly lock into place. 
  • Give the truck two good tugs forward pulling the trailer to check its locked on fully.
  • Secure the tractor unit, handbrake, neutral, and switch off the engine.
  • Flick the key back on to switch the ignition back on to reset the air suspension ride height, and then turn the key back off again.
  • Climb down from the truck and go straight to the king pin safety clip and put it in place. (If there is a problem getting it in, then the tractor unit and trailer aren’t connected properly so you may need to pull the pin again and then try locking it back on again.)
  • Reattach the three electric leads and two air lines.
  • Wind the landing legs up.
  • Release the parking brake.
  • Tell the examiner that you'd put the correct number plate on the trailer that matches the tractor unit.
  • Check the trailer lights are working. Ask the examiner to help you.

BLACK is a good acronym to help you remember the sequence.

  • Brake
  • Legs
  • Air lines
  • Clip
  • King pin

Remember to spell BLACK backwards to recouple the trailer! KCALB…