Has anyone taken an Australian truck driving test? I've been in contact with an Australian about swapping motorhomes. His is a 30' bus conversion that requires an Australian truck driving license to operate. He says it would take about a week to take the written and driving portion. I am a little concerned about taking a truck driving test on the opposite side of the road immediately upon arrival in the country. Anyone have any experience with this that could offer advice? I'd hate to travel halfway around the world with plans, only to be thwarted by a driving test failure.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

hey, no problem. just drive using a mirror!

seriously , take a week to drive a car around to get used to driving on the wrong side of the road and then do the test.

you'll do fine.

tom w

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I thought you spent a lot of time RVing around in England driving on the wrong side of the road? Shouldn't be a problem.

I have watched shows on those caravan 3&4 trailer cattle rigs rolling through the outback--those guys have to be badass drivers.

I have done that, just enough to know that it takes a while to adapt to the other side of the road. I'm now looking into the possibility that a CO CDL would be ok in Australia, but I'm afraid the Aussy driver's license may be a requirement of the swapper's insurance carrier.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I wonder what the license fee is and what type of insurance you are going to have to carry? Isn't a regular DL application fee $1500 (equivalent) in Germany?

Australia is a pretty big place--sure it wouldn't be easier to find a class B rig from someone else?

Friggin' highway trains. They do it with uranium also.

Oregon allows 3 trailer rigs. You see them quite a bit. The trailers are not the longest sort that you see on single trailer semis, though. I can only imagine they shed one of them at the border. Seems like that'd be a logistical problem but I'm sure they've got number crunchers weighing the advantage out.

__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

[QUOTE=John Doe;1301768]I thought you spent a lot of time RVing around in England driving on the wrong side of the road? Shouldn't be a problem.

[QUOTE]

have you watched the episode where the top gear guys go caravaning. brits hate caravaners

I bet someone here could assist:

http://www.mbcnsw.org/forum/

__________________
Palangi

2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz
2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser
2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg
2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg



TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE
HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE
BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE
0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE

Thanks for that link. The Aussie swapper checked with his insurance company and they don't require an Australian driver's license. He made two calls to the official licensing office. One reply said I needed an Aussie license, the other that I didn't. So, now he's trying to get something in writing confirming that I don't need the license. There are a number of websites indicating that international driving licenses can be used according to the class of vehicle on the license. If it works out, I'll just get a CO CDL.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I emailed my mom. When my aunt and uncle traveled down under in a motor home my uncle got an international drivers licence and had no problems.

You should be able to get all the information from the embassy of the country you're visiting - just explain to them what you're trying to do and they can get you their country's rules/regs concerning driving dos & don'ts ...

And it shouldn't cost you an arm and a leg - just "cushion cash" for those local border types...

Good luck w/the trip.

.

__________________

M. G. Burg
'10 - Dakota SXT - Daily Ride / ≈ 172.5K
.'76 - 450SLC - 107.024.12 / < .89.20 K
..'77 - 280E - 123.033.12 / > 128.20 K
...'67 - El Camino - 283ci / > 207.00 K
....'75 - Yamaha - 650XS / < 21.00 K
.....'87 - G20 Sportvan / > 206.00 K
......'85 - 4WINNS 160 I.O. / 140hp
.......'74 - Honda CT70 / Real 125
.
“I didn’t really say everything I said.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ Yogi Berra ~