I’m in Penrith and it’s late August—cold mornings, fog over the Nepean, and roadworks slowing everything near the industrial estates. I currently hold an HR licence, which I earned last winter, mostly driving a tipper on local jobs. My supervisor says an MC will open up longer, better-paid runs once the spring freight rush hits, but I’m unsure if I’m even eligible yet. Does my HR time count toward the requirement, or do I need to hold HC first and wait another year? Do I have to redo my medical before booking, and how does the HVCBA logbook actually work in practice? I’d love a clear, step-by-step rundown that aligns with NSW rules so that I can plan training around my roster and the lingering winter delays.
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.