Professional driving licence changes, agree or disagree?

[Dodgy Bob]

Just been reading Route-One and saw that changes have been approved and passed, and having read up on it and googling it more I think its a total disgrace and shouldn't be allowed.
Basically, if you pass in a automatic bus or truck you've always been limited to a automatic bus or truck, the way it should be right? Even if you drive a manual car you chose a auto test for the bus or truck and the limitations that it implies. Well now if you can drive a manual car, but can only drive a auto truck or bus they're just gona give you the upgrade to manual for nothing, no test, no assessment, no nothing! I don't see how being able to drive a 5-6speed car is at all relevant to driving a 8-12speed truck with hi-lo range, split-shift, etc. am I the only one who thinks this is wrong and worst case scenario is gona kill someone?

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chang...test-rules

[Chris]

This really isn't going to be as big a issues as everyone thinks it could be tbh.
I'd say a large proportion of new hgvs bought today are semi or fully auto.
Out of the fleet of 50 or so trucks at work there are 5 or 6 manuals, I've been there over 2 months and am yet to drive one.

Most places that teach are is using older trucks so such as a time the auto/semi auto trucks filter down to them practly every new trucks going to be auto boxed anyway.

[Dodgy Bob]

So on that basis why would these changes even be required? Anyone who can drive a manual is already able to drive a auto off the cuff. So how is it a good idea to give the manual entitlement to the auto drivers if the majority of a fleet is auto, they aren't trained for manuals and they don't require it if there are so many autos available so why take the risk of putting them in such a vehicle

[Chris]

Realistically how many licence holders are there for auto only for HGVs? As said currently the majority of trucks anyone will learn in are full manuals anyway.
There's no difference in putting me into a truck that has a crash box or a 12 speed etc as I've only ever driven a straight 6 (all be it for 10 mins), renault super h (2 hours tops), and a 4 over 4 manual.

For pcv drivers this may be more of a issue as a lot of drivers are taught by the companies they work for using the vechiles that they will drive day to day. Being that most buss are full auto giving these licence holders may manual rights may cause more of a issue.

[Dodgy Bob]

For pcv drivers this may be more of a issue as a lot of drivers are taught by the companies they work for using the vechiles that they will drive day to day. Being that most buss are full auto giving these licence holders may manual rights may cause more of a issue.

Agreed, trucks not so much of a issue but still downright dangerous if the driver did learn and pass auto only then gets given a fully laden 12-speed with all the toys and no training and a town centre rush hour or school let out time delivery.
Most bus companies are auto and as such train auto, I trained independently as I wanted manual for coach and touring work (and I still ended up at arriva) but most coaches in independent companies and tourers are manuals and as such the driver should be specifically trained.
If there was a simple say 30min upgrade test we a examiner I think that should suffice but just giving it to people for nothing is wrong imo