News - Tenni 's Driving School

Speedway Promotions

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -1100

Cairns International Speedway was the venue on Saturday night 21st August, 2010.

There were thrills and spills aplenty on the night, with the Sprint Cars being the main event, however there were displays of incredible driving in all classes. If you have never been to the Venue or it has been a long time since you last paid a visit, get your backside trackside for a great family night.

We promised sponsorship and held a draw for $3,000 worth of give aways.

It was a case of being in it to win it. Put simply, go to the speedway, fill out the entry form and drop it in the box, after the V8 Sprint Cars Main Feature Race, the 3 following people were drawn out of the box.

Congratulations goes to:

Toni Beckham - White Rock

Tanya Ray - Bayview Heights

Neil Tarrant - Whitfield

They have won a licence, or licence upgrade to the maximum value of $1,000.

The prize's are also transferable, so you don't even have to be eligible to get the licence, you may have a friend that really needs it, and if you win you could give the prize to them.

Keep this in mind as we will be running future promotions at the speedway.

Automatic Truck - Tourism, Mining or Road Transport

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -1100

We have some advice here for those that are considering their Career Pathways. We are well informed in having experience in Tourism, Mining and Road Transport.

Before choosing which licence, you will need to ask yourself exactly what it is you want the licence to do for you.

Tourism

A tourism career will require a Medium Rigid or Heavy rigid licence, the little 22 seater Toyota Coaster buses are Medium Rigid, and any bus with three axles will require a Heavy Rigid licence.

Many buses are Automatic and we have made it easy for you to get your licence, by making available an Automatic Truck with an 18-speed gearbox.

As always, no expense spared with the Kenworth Brand, the truck is a T404 Kenworth Prime Mover, and has been retired from interstate work.

The licence you will gain will be a Synchromesh Heavy Rigid Licence. This is because if you have a Manual Car licence, this is a Synchromesh licence, and once you have proved Synchromesh once you don’t need to prove it again.

So, with this said if you get your Heavy Rigid licence in our Automatic Truck, (and you are the holder of a manual car licence), you will be qualified to drive both Medium Rigid and Heavy Rigid Synchromesh Buses.

Be prepared to get a Drivers Authorisation (a Doctors Certificate, and a Police check), and don’t expect any bus company will ask you to drive straight away, without first going out with an experienced operator.

Buses are longer in wheel base and need a new set of skills in regard to cornering, as the stretch panels on both sides of the bus are susceptible to damage from inexperienced operators.

Mining

If it is a Career in Mining you are seeking driving Dump Trucks like the ones pictured here, then there are some important considerations to take into account. You will need a Heavy Rigid Licence to drive Dump Trucks.

Firstly, Dump Trucks are Automatic and very easy to drive once the person has had the appropriate training, (most mine sites will require new people to spend at least a week riding shotgun with an experienced operator).

Secondly, all mining personnel MUST conduct a Pre Start Inspection on any piece of mining equipment before they operate it.

Thirdly, don’t waste your hard earned money getting the Generic Mining Induction completed before you apply for mining jobs… the reason is, there are several mining Inductions to cover mining in Australia, with MARCSTA (http://marcsta.com/) in Western Australia, The Coal Board Medical and Generic Coal Induction in Queensland, (http://www.ohsa.com.au/courses_induction_coal_mining_core.htm),

I think you get the picture.

Each one of these Inductions will cost ballpark around $500 and there is no guarantee you will get a job.

Again, we have made it easy for you to get your licence, by making available an Automatic Truck with an 18-speed gearbox. The licence you will gain will be a Synchromesh Heavy Rigid Licence. This is because if you have a Manual Car licence, this is a Synchromesh licence, and once you have proved Synchromesh once you don’t need to prove it again.

We will spend one lesson teaching you a Heavy Vehicle Pre Inspection, (which you will need for the Mines) familiarisation of both inside and out, and establishing your personal dimensions of the vehicle, and how to set them up for any vehicle left or right hand drive, (Dump Trucks).

The Dump trucks in the photos are massive, however the techniques we will teach you will show you how to know exactly where your wheels are on the road at all times. That is you will always be in the correct Road Position no matter what size truck you drive.

Two more lessons are required driving in Heavy Traffic, and then a Lesson followed by the Test. All up we are looking at four lessons and a Test or five hours truck hire to get your Synchromesh Restricted Heavy Rigid (HR) licence. That is you can drive Heavy Rigid trucks only with Synchromesh Gearboxes, Volvo, Man, Mercedes, Scania, Hino etc.

It takes a similar amount of time to get a Medium Rigid licence, which is not enough to get a job in the mines driving Dump Trucks.

Road Transport

The minimum in Road Transport to become competitive in the market place is an “Open Unrestricted Heavy Rigid Licence” which will require the applicant to gain competence in a “Crash Gearbox”. The main difference is “Double Clutching”.

This is not as simple as pushing the clutch in twice… you will need guidance from a qualified instructor, and be careful here, as even some qualified instructors do not really understand this process.

If a friend offers to help teach you, you will have to ask yourself how many bad habits are you going to pick up from your friends best intentions?

We have had a lot of experience doing Driver Assessments for drivers of transport companies completing their yearly driver audits. The same mistakes show up time after time, the drivers are able to change gear with the clutch, but not without the clutch, or vice versa, they are able to change gear without the clutch but not with the clutch.

When it comes to split changing the gearbox, the subject is not able to demonstrate both up changes and down changes in a smooth and controlled manner.

Skip Changing is another problem area both up and down, with drivers not understanding the very basics of these gearboxes.

The percentage of those not being able to complete these tasks successfully is over 80%, so for those of you that can do this, you really are a minority, and your skills are required to pass the knowledge on, give yourselves a pat on the back for being the top of your game.

At the end of the day it all comes down to the initial training a person gets to set up the foundation of understanding in a Crash Gearbox. We have had first hand experience from clients that have chosen our company, after they have had initial lessons with our competitors and find they have been subjected to Heavy traffic situations before they have competence in the gearbox.

This practice is only going to produce “white knuckle drivers”, and yes… the person will pass their on road driving test, but will not pass a simple on road driving assessment by our company when we get called in to do a yearly driver audit. This is not because we have a bias, but purely the subject will not be able to demonstrate the basics without getting elevated stress and anxiety, and making silly mistakes.

With this said, what are we going to teach you?

We will spend one lesson teaching you a Heavy Vehicle Pre Inspection, (the most important checks to ensure you go home to your families at the end of every shift), familiarisation of both inside and out, and establishing your personal dimensions of the vehicle, and how to set them up for any vehicle, Bonneted or Cab Over Trucks.

Three – Five lessons to gain gearbox competency, this is conducted in a quiet low volume traffic area.

Note: the very first lesson is to gain timing and for this reason we do not include the clutch for gear changing up in this lesson. There are too many things going on at this stage to confuse the issue with having to use the clutch. No… it is not as simple as driving a manual car.

The second lesson will see the introduction of the clutch, and we will practice, practice, practice, until we see evidence that the techniques are ingrained in the clients systematic operation of the machine.

You will be taught Split changes both Up and Down, Whole Gear changes both Up and Down, Skip changes both Up and Down, Emergency Braking and Gear Recovery before venturing into Heavy traffic situations.

Once this is complete about 3 - 5 lessons / hours, then we will need about 3 – 5 lessons / hours in heavy traffic which will include the test. Each person is different and if we spend 5 hours gaining gearbox competence we may not need as much time in Heavy traffic, this is just a ballpark figure so people can budget for the amount of lessons required.

If you are considering a career in road transport to be more competitive, you should consider obtaining your Forklift licence if you are going to work in General Freight, or a Wheel Loader licence if you are going to work in Earthmoving.

We hope this has been of benefit to you, if you would like any further detail just send us an email admin@theedgedtc.com.au

Keep those wheels turning, the Tenni’s Team.

Training DVD's

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -1100

We are now taking "Pre-Orders" for our much awaited training DVD.

Our DVD's are at the forefront of Advanced Driver Training. The first DVD is the complete "How to" when it comes to driving a Heavy Vehicle. We are the company that not only teaches people to drive Heavy Vehicles, but we train trainers to teach others how to drive both Cars and Heavy Vehicles.

“Driving an Eaton Fuller 18 speed Crash Gearbox made easy”

Basically you will be able to buy the DVD watch the lessons and go and practice in your own truck or a borrowed truck... you will be able to teach yourself to drive, all from a DVD.

For less than the cost of a one-hour lesson (1 hr lesson $130.00), all this information will be at your fingertips, so you can keep going back to it time and time again.

This is the DVD our competitors will purchase to improve their skills and knowledge, and we think this is great as it will raise the standard of all training in regard to Heavy Vehicles.

Our plan is simple, we are not going to teach you to drive a Heavy Vehicle by simply demonstrating the right way to do it... oh no... we decided it would be much better to increase our degree of difficulty and get our valued clients to teach you the techniques we teach, day in day out, as proof and testament to the fact that we are able to instill these skills in others.

So what we have done is install 12 cameras on one of our Kenworth trucks, both inside and outside the cab, in the engine bay and underneath. Yes, it has cost a small fortune, and when you run over a camera with a 10 tonne truck, we automatically think "Truck 2, Cameras NIL"

The reason we are doing this, is, in keeping with our credo of "focus on the small stuff, and explain the detail"

So when it comes to a simple technique of how to hold a gear stick correctly, you will have Peter, Sarah, Andrew, Tobias, Hayley and Stuart all demonstrating the right way. Then the next task will feature a new set of clients.

The entire DVD is dedicated to our clients, as we are very proud of these people, for achieving a complex set of tasks which make them stand out among Heavy Vehicle Drivers because they have learnt the skills through listening and implementing, which propels them into the top 5% of Heavy Vehicle Operators.

It is all too easy for us to sit there and show you the right way to complete the tasks,… so we put our necks on the line and show what we can do, by showing you the very clients we are training. Therefore we challenge any other Heavy vehicle school to do the same.

The cost of the DVD is less than the cost of a 1-hour lesson at $99.95 plus postage, however this can be yours at the pre-order price of $49.95 plus postage. We will ship anywhere on the globe.

The reason it is a reduced rate, is, the DVD is still in production, and however, once it has been completed it will be on sale at full price. In order to take advantage of this offer you just need to call the office 1300 796 997 and get your credit card ready, and give us your email details so we can keep you informed of the DVD production progress.

The production schedule will see the first DVD complete by the end of August, followed by production of a DVD intended for all road users big or small.

Production Schedule

August 2010,

“Driving an Eaton Fuller 18 speed Crash Gearbox made easy”

The complete guide to teaching yourself to drive a Heavy Vehicle.

Full Retail $99.95 Limited Pre Order Price $49.95

November 2010,

“Advanced Car Driving and Heavy Vehicle Operating Techniques”

The “How To” of on road survival, remember we are the ones that train the trainers. Why you should never, ever, follow a Semi closely down the road even with the correct stopping distance. The correct way to share the road with Heavy Vehicles. Distance driving boot camp. Little known facts about physics and your car. A higher level of awareness explained. The most basic instructions to consider before learning to drive any vehicle. These DVD’s will make a great gift for Christmas.

Full Retail $42.95 Limited Pre Order Price $24.95

Saturday and Sunday - At your service

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -1100

More flexibility for continued support.

With a round table discussion with our team the decision has been made to offer Heavy Vehicle training on Saturdays and Sundays in Cairns, Townsville and Mackay.

After requests from our clients that have busy work schedules during the week, or for those that are looking for a career change and need some confidentiality, we have done our best to accommodate these wishes.

Or simply for those that are flat out during the week in the transport logistics industry and would like to complete a license upgrade we are able to train through the weekend, then they can present for a test during the week during a lunch break with minimal work time lost.

Sometimes it can be a challenge trying to make a living and complete training for a higher paid job all at the same time.

We have a team of dedicated professionals that are ready willing and able to meet your needs.

If this suits your needs call our office 1300 796 997 for details, and please make sure you let the girls know which city you are in!!! and they will tailor a training package to best suit your needs.

Townsville Opening

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -1100

To all our loyal clients in Townsville that have made the trek to Cairns to gain their licenses, we have some great news!

Beginning February 2010 we will be opening shop in Townsville. We are delighted to be able to offer the same high quality service and Training for the locals of Townsville. We have another strong business plan for (Townsville) supporting everyones licensing needs.

On offer is our full product suite with training in all classes of license including LR (Light Rigid), MR (Medium Rigid), HR (Heavy Rigid), HC (Heavy Combination) and MC (Multi-Combination). All Heavy Rigid, Heavy Combination and Multi-Combination Training will be done in BWT (Big White Truck - T604 Kenworth, 500 Horsepower).

Dale Wilkinson will be in charge of Training and on the ground support, he comes with a vast background in the transport industry, and is a very accomplished Heavy Vehicle Trainer. This is a massive opportunity for anyone looking to learn to drive or upgrade their license. Just being able to spend time with the likes of Dale or any of our team, Don, Kevin and David from Cairns will put you at the front of the pack when it comes to securing a job in the competitive transport industry.

If you are currently unemployed and registered with a job network service provider, and you would like us to train you to drive a Heavy Vehicle, or do an upgrade to a higher license. Just ask your case manager to give us a call, and we will book you in for training.

We are taking bookings (1300 796 997) now, training begins Monday, February 1st. The first 50 clients that complete their training with us to gain their licenses will be getting a present that will be of great value in a driving career, as appreciation of the support in helping us establish ourselves in Townsville.

Cairns Mackay - Mackay Cairns trip

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -1100

If you would like to gain some experience distance driving, we are running regular trips from Cairns to Mackay.

This is "gap training" at its best. The Gap is the time from when a person gets their licence (Competent to drive safely - Green) to when they gain the necessary experience to be deemed "competent in a work environment".

We have some minor requirements:

1. Be the holder of a current "MC" licence, (newly qualified students are welcome)

2. Be the holder of a current Work Diary.

If you have not completed your Heavy Vehicle Training with us and would like to participate, you are more than welcome.

The day before departure you will get a call from your Stand in "Operations Manager" giving you instructions for your trip, estimated arrival time, and some "other" information that you will have to work out yourself as to whether it is correct, legal or requires special consideration. We are going to get you to "think" things through like a true operator, before you act on someone else's direction. You are going to get a real life experience.

Sometimes one of the hardest lessons a new operator must learn is how to say "NO" to an employer as what they are being asked to do is illegal or leaving the operator exposed to litigation. (Don Shearsmith / Dale Wilkinson).

You will be driving down to Mackay, and be swapping over at regular intervals with other drivers, and taking the required legal breaks.

There will be an experienced driver taking you through the skill sets and local knowledge aspects of distance driving. This equates to over 10 hours with an experienced operator.

Seats will fill fast, so call the office 1300 796 997 for details, and ask to go on the preference list. A small deposit will be taken to hold your spot, and payment in full 1 week prior to your departure. If you miss out on this trip, stay on the wait list and catch the next one.

NO... You are not seeing double!

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -1100

The latest addition to the fleet is a Kenworth T604, (otherwise known as "the Cat), we seem to be repeating ourselves don't we?

With our planned expansion into Mackay and Townsville there is a need to increase our fleet. We now have the capacity to conduct Heavy Vehicle training and support our clients in these areas.

This Prime Mover specification is slightly different to the other T604 Kenworth, (otherwise known as "the Cummins"), the difference is below:

"The Cummins"

475hp Cummins Motor

18 speed road ranger gearbox

B-Double rated

"The Cat"

600hp Cat Motor

18 speed road ranger gearbox

B-Double rated

Triple Road Train rated

And, why have we gone to such lengths to put a training vehicle on the road of this standard? Why indeed, well that's another story, the shape of things to come perhaps? Time will tell...

Until then, keep on trucking.

New Medium Rigid Truck

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -1100

ISUZU TIPPER

We are proud to announce the arrival of our new Medium Rigid Truck to our fleet, an ISUZU FRR Tipper.

This is to provide our clients with state of the art equipment and the latest in fuel emissions technology. Why a tipper? we can offer a loaded component to the typical training course for this license class, and we can easily move plant around for our SKID STEER, EXCAVATOR and other machinery courses.

The vehicle is simple and easy to drive, if anyone is considering learning to drive a truck and doesn't want to jump straight into the Heavy gear, then this is the truck for you. If you can drive a car you will easily pickup how to drive this and we can go over the dynamics of shifting centre of gravity with loads.

It is fitted with Satellite Navigation, Blue Tooth and IPOD ready, let the good times roll.

Get the edge - call 1300 796 997

Lucrative Joint Venture Opportunity

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -1100

Become a Driving Instructor

If you are thinking of starting a new business this is something too good to miss!

We are a progressive, professional company with strong support for our local communities

Tenni's Driver Training are seeking only business minded individuals that would like to consider a Joint Venture in the Car Driver Training sector. Currently there are openings for all areas in Cairns Northern Beaches, Cairns City and Gordonvale.

Casual Instructors are required as well as Full time, must have own car preferably white.

Interested parties should give the office a call 1300 796 997 and arrange a confidential interview.

MACKAY Expansion

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -1100

Tenni 's Heavy Vehicle Driver Training is coming to Mackay.

Backed with our attention to detail and professional service we are happy to be offering our services to the locals of Mackay and surrounding districts.

The first phase of business planned for Mackay is the introduction of our Multi - Combination Vehicle (Pictured above) which is capable of training HR (Heavy Rigid), HC (Heavy Combination) and MC (Multi - Combination).

We have competitive pricing, flexible hours to suit mining personnel, experienced trainers, exceptional equipment, and a very strong attention to detail.

For more information call 1300 796 997