[S I M T A N]

At least a class 3 so that if you want to be bus driver when you are older, can upgrade to class 4 in bus driving school...

It may be a good idea to have a contingency plan to obtain a driving licence in the event of being laid off and not being able to find employment for a prolonged period of time. Drivers are always in demand here. With a driver's licence you have something to fall back on in rough times. To drive a private hire, excursion or school bus, you not only need a class 4 licence but also a Bus Driver's Vocational Licence.

I passed my class 4 driving test at the 2nd attempt 7 months after acquiring my class 3 licence, also on the 2nd attempt. Just 3 months after getting my class 4, I took my class 5 test and succeeded on my 1st attempt. My reason for getting the 2 classes of licence to drive heavy vehicles was not because I wanted a backup plan (to land a trucker job) in case of emergency, but because I've always had a hankering to manoeuvre monster trucks. It gave me a sense of control taming these absolute monsters, esp the prime mover with a trailer.

Unforunately, since driving those "L"-plate lorries for my practical driving lessons and tests, I never got to drive other big trucks except for one occasion when I borrowed a tipper truck from my friend's construction firm for a spin. Those "L"-plate trucks I drove were smaller, in size and weight, than those actual workhorses I saw plying on the roads. The prime mover is a difficult vehicle to operate because, for one, its steering wheel direction in the course of reversing is opposite of the conventional vehicle. Due to its considerable length, turning the corner is also a delicate task that requires a lot of practice. I couldn't take a prime mover for a spin as I'd need to undergo a period of training first. That would require a substantial investment of time and energy, something I could ill afford.

My accumulation of licence to drive the different classes of vehicles would not be complete without class 2 - for motorcycle. I obtained it 4 years prior to getting my class 3. "The more the merrier" is my motto.