I know. However trying to explain you. An do it 3 times max and not for the week is not worth the hassle sometimes.
Wednesday, always is an early night for the staff and cadets if Iâm CC. And Iâll do the duty that night. 2130 lights out normallyâŚ
But the midway point, staff are becoming fatigued, as are the cdts. They just donât realise it yet.
I was sceptical about the order being given to me by a CC, when I was a junior officer, but woke up refreshed and the camp worked better for it. Its not about smashing out the hours at the camp and doing lots! Itâs about doing good and enjoyable activities effectively.
If I worked the same hours I do on an annual camp, be it blue, green or AT, Iâd be having words with my boss. 
.
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Iâm not sure where you get this idea from? I applied and was successful to First Busses in Manchester as a bus driver. They would train me from scratch and the day after passing the test I would be driving full busses around Manchester.
But they are running their own training, which is not the same as turning up with a license from âpass R usâ
Itâs still DVLA issuing the licence, and itâs the same test for D and D1 licence. The examiners at Leconfield are DVLA examiners. Where is the difference?
I did quite specifically put this:
If you donât mind me asking. How long was your training? Also how long did you have a lead driver with you after you got on the road?
I didnât take up the employment in the end
5 weeks for first bus (I checked) vs 3 days at leconfield.
I would say that is a huge difference in the quality of drivers coming through. They may be passing the same test but if anyone says there isnât a difference then I give up with life
TL;DR: Iâm all for localised training, forget the âqualityâ of the pass because we can and should offer ongoing support for our drivers anyway in the same way other organisations can and do.
Even Cat B delivery drivers going for van driving roles in reputable companies will be put through an assessment similar to , given feedback and pointers even if they pass, and a training programme, plus buddy shifts. Given shift lengths, thatâs more accompanied time behind the wheel than it sounds like you get a Leconfield.
Even if the time at Lec is enough to pass, that still doesnât make a confident (or even really a competent) driver even if it creates a qualified one. Much like a maths lesson at school might teach you how to pass an exam, but with limited ability to apply what youâve learned in the real world.
A lack of confidence and experience increases the risk of accident and potentially leads us to taking time and cost hits training someone who drives once and then never wants to again regardless of whether or not they have an incident, because they werenât confident but felt pressured, werenât supported, and hated every moment. I know plenty of experienced drivers who refuse to drive anything even as large as a SWB Transit let alone XLWB Sprinter/Crafter type van⌠let alone a minibus where youâre also responsible for other peopleâs little people.
A handful of 45 minute sessions isnât going to fix that if someone takes the plunge, but it might get them through the test. OR someone later loses confidence after an incident.
It has been mentioned and is true that for the most part, an org like ours (and parents) care little beyond whatâs on the license or is legal under P19. BUT Iâd be willing to bet that other orgs are able to be more flexible and offer additional support to their drivers.
While the survey focuses on more localised training and testing, I think regardless of whether or not it goes ahead (especially if it does) it wouldnât be too difficult to borrow an MT bod and a minibus a day or few per year depending on geography to put on refam days for each wing for those who havenât driven much or have had an incident. If no one books, then MT havenât lost out and RAFAC can say âwe offered the supportâ. For units with an SOV or friendly with a unit blessed/cursed with one, this is something which is potentially already viable without RAF support and âno pressure experience drivesâ are possible - but we canât force people to offer up their time and SOV to help, and should be looking to formalise a way for this to happen regardless of SOV availability.
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Where I live is very rural, so Iâve had little experience on motorways for example but Iâm keen to complete my D1 for helping transport cadets locally for wing events. In terms of Leaconsfield, where do you drive and what sort of conditions should you expect?
Where is a mix of two locations.
On the airfieldâŚor what is left of it. There are mock roads, roundabout, junction and even a hump to negotiate with hill starts.
Also on the roads into and out of, and surrounding Hull. As you might expect a mix of 30 mph residential roads, high street faster A and B roads and dual carriage way to reach the âtop speedâ.
Not sure what you mean by conditions. Weather is dependent on time of year so donât expect snow or storm conditions in June.
For me I was in the drivers seat. Instructor sat the row behind. Fellow students sat further back and rotated throughout the day/~45 minutes
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Not in my experience, got a driving licence, crack on.
I totally agree. The bus drivers around here are terrible drivers. They must spend 4 of those weeks unlearning the highway code⌠
Leconfield does what it says on the tin. They take a cat B driver, and teach them to pass the D1 test. It may take a few days for most (or a whole week for some), but itâs the same test as everyone else. The fact that some people on here failed the first time prove that it isnt just an attendance course, where you get given a sub par MOD version of the DVSA test.
Every D1 driver that Leconfield turn out has demonstrated that they can operate a minibus safely, in accordance with road traffic laws, and can complete a set number of manoeuvres during an extended driving test. What more do you want from them?
Ongoing driver support is completely separate to D1 testing and standards, and I would go further and say that I think that grandfather rights D1 holders and staff/parents/other cadets transporting cadets in their own vehicles is a much higher risk. They have passed one test, and have no further training or check of standards.
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I passed at Leconsfield told my boss.
Did my CPC and then an assessed drive and then was driving the following day. When I did my D I did 2 days driving followed by test, passed and the following was driving a 3 axle Irizar.
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I feel that my bold is unfair.
The examiner isnât an MOD employee, nor marking against an MOD criteria but a DVSA. They are drafted in from the local test centre to the MOD training facility. The closest they come to being an MOD employee or providing an âMOD testâ is the 40 minutes of the test.
The examiners are randomly assigned by the Test Centre.
The test format, content, standards and style taken at Hull test centre via DST is the same test that would be taken in Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool, Birmingham, Cardiff, Oxford or Southampton
I could accept the belief that the TRAINING is sub par, given the comments about number of hours behind the wheel but given the success rate of first time passes for many after âtwo daysâ of training I canât say I can get behind that either!
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I think thatâs the point that MVL is making, that itâs a standard test, not some MOD in house one, hence those having a pop at Leaconfield are wrong. 
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That was the exactly the point that I wanted to get across, thank you!
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I was under the impression that the examiners were employees of the MoD, acting as delegated examiners with authority granted by DVSA.
Details here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employing-delegated-examiners-your-role-and-responsibilities
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Either way they would be expected to be just as strict on passing people
not as far as i was made aware or experienced.
When our instructor saw who the examiner would be that morning he sighed as it wasnât a âfriendlyâ guy - i questioned who they were and was explained as above.
DST have preferential treatment in that they can book short notice tests, but that is it.
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