Totally get where you’re coming from, I had the same worry when I was saving up for my truck licence NSW requirements, a couple of months back. I’m also on the Central Coast and didn’t want to blow my pay on hidden extras. For me, it ended up being just over two grand all up, once I counted the course, the knowledge test, the medical, and a reschedule fee (I had to move a Saturday booking, which stung a bit). Weekday sessions were slightly cheaper and easier to lock in, but I lost a couple of shifts, so it kind of balanced out. One thing that helped me plan properly was checking out Core Truck Driving School – their site had the clearest breakdown of costs I found, and it gave me a ballpark figure before I booked. It might be worth a look if you’re budgeting tight.
Totally get how that feels — I had a similar headache with my lr licence when I first applied in the NT. I thought I’d ticked every box, but it turned out they wanted proof of address that matched exactly with my ID, plus a copy of my licence history from interstate before I moved up here. The letter I got from Service NT was pretty vague too, which didn’t help. What saved me a lot of back and forth was checking out Core Truck Driving School — I found their site handy because they actually explain the paperwork in plain English. Might be worth a look if you’re still chasing your application.
I was in almost the same spot in Penrith. In NSW, you don’t need HC first—if you’ve held HR for a total of 12 months, you can start the MC pathway. I booked the heavy vehicle knowledge test at Service NSW, completed the eyesight and medical checks, and they wouldn’t issue the HVCBA logbook until my GP report was entered into their system. Once the logbook was in my hand, training was just booking blocks around foggy mornings and yard closures. The assessors prioritised clean coupling checks and steady mirror cadence over speed. For a plain-English run-through and realistic yard time, I found Core Truck Driving School helpful—worth considering. If you want to search, use “mc truck licence” so you get NSW-specific steps.
This post was edited by Arthur Cleave at August 27, 2025 9:15 PM EDTGetting my HR Licence felt out of reach until I found a training provider who truly understood my hectic schedule. They offered sessions outside regular hours and didn’t blink if I needed to reschedule. It was a relief to have real flexibility instead of rigid rules. If you’re in the same boat, I’d suggest visiting this website to see how flexible their approach is. It made a massive difference for me, allowing me to finally move forward without sacrificing my other commitments.
I’ve been trying to book my HC licence test for weeks, but every testing centre I check is fully booked. I didn’t think autumn would be so busy, but it seems like everyone had the same idea. The cooler weather makes training more comfortable, and I’ve heard that truck companies start hiring before the end-of-year rush. Maybe that’s why spots are filling up so fast. I even called a few regional centres, hoping for an opening, but no luck. Now I’m wondering if I should have booked months ago. If I wait too long, I might miss out on opportunities.