The Swilly Group has announced that they are accepting applications for HGV and Bus/Coach Driving Instructor to work in Dublin, Donegal and throughout Ireland.
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Swilly Group is now taking bookings for their next fully ONLINE delivery of the full and refresher PACKAGES and TANKERS courses in April 2023.
Instructors at Swilly Group have been delivering beginner, pre-test and advanced driving tuition since 1975.
The company has been training driving instructors since 1990 and has a fleet of vehicles that will allow trainees complete their ADI exams in a car, bus or lorry (Rigid or Artic).
Swilly Group are now taking bookings for their Certificate in Professional Competence (CPC) in Transport Management starting Tuesday 18th April 2023.
The learners from the Local and National Tour Guiding course, being run at the Loughlinstown Training Centre, got a pleasant surprise on Thursday when they got to meet President Michael D Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin.
Anne Hennessy (Loughlinstown Training Centre), Brendan Gavin (Swilly Group), David Kenny (Swilly Group) and Cornelius (Extreme Ireland) with the Local and National Tour Guiding course learners meet President Michael D Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin
As part of this new and exciting course, a visit to the popular tourist attraction, Áras an Uachtaráin, was arranged by the course delivery partner Swilly Group. However, to everyone’s surprise, President Higgins was at home and came out to meet and talk with the learners.
Anne Hennessy from Loughlinstown Training Centre said “It was real treat for our learners to meet President Higgins”. “We really appreciate, and would like to thank, the President for taking the time out of his busy schedule to meet with our learners”.
The Local and National Tour Guiding Course is being run by Loughlinstown Training Centre, part of the Dublin Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board (ETB). This innovate course is being delivered in partnership with the training company Swilly Group.
Loughlinstown Training Centre is currently recruiting for the next Local and National Tour Guiding course scheduled to start in South Dublin in April 2019. Places are limited to 20 learners per course and anyone interested is advised to register their interest early to avoid disappointment. Click here to register your interest in the Local and National Tour Guiding Course.
Learners can receive further information on any of the courses at Loughlinstown Training Centre by contacting the course recruitment department by phone on (0)1-204 3600 or by email on llrecruit@ddletb.ie.
Specific Skills Training is co-funded by the Irish government and the European Social Fund as part of the ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (PEIL) 2014-2020. 🇮🇪️ 🇪🇺️
When towing a trailer of any description with a car or light van, it is important for the driver to ensure that he/she is legally compliant. There are a number of checks that need to be carried out prior to going on the road. We’ve outlined these checks in the following blog. Always remember, the speed limit for a car or van towing a trailer of any size is 80km/hr.
Trailer Categories
Light trailers that can be towed by cars or light vans are categorised in two groups. O1 trailers are those with a maximum allowable mass (MAM), also known as the design gross vehicle weight (DGVW), of no greater than 750Kg. O2 trailers have a MAM above 750kg and not greater than 3,500kg.
O1 Trailer Example with a MAM of 750kg and an Unladen weight of 210Kg
O2 Trailer Example with a MAM of 3,500kg and an Unladen weight of 1,295Kg
Licence Categories
Firstly, drivers should ensure they have the correct licence (category) to tow a trailer with a car/light van. Drivers with a car/light van B driving licence only are permitted to tow an O1 trailer with a maximum allowable mass (MAM) of not greater than 750kg. B driving licence holders are also permitted to tow small O2 trailers. If the MAM of the trailer is more than 750kg (O2 trailers), a B driving licence holder is permitted to tow this trailer if the combined maximum mass of the towing vehicle and the trailer is not greater than 3,500kg. Furthermore, the unladen (empty) weight of the towing vehicle must be equal to or greater than the MAM of the O2 trailer.
A driver with a category BE driving licence is permitted to tow a trailer up to a maximum mass of 3,500kg (O1 or O2 trailers). The weight of the trailer that can be towed is restricted by the manufacturer of the towing vehicle but cannot exceed 3,500kg for drivers and vehicles in the EB licence category.
Weight Plates
Drivers must ensure they don’t overload the trailer. The MAM of a trailer can be found on a small aluminium plate usually located on the hitch or front panel of the trailer. The MAM printed on this plate is the maximum allowable weight that the trailer is designed to support (including the weight of the trailer). To work out what (pay) load you can carry on the trailer you must subtract the empty weight (Unladen) of the trailer from the MAM.
Trailer Plate Example (MAM 3,500kg)
Drivers must also ensure they are compliant with the towing capacity of the vehicle, referred to as the Gross Train Weight (GTW). The GTW is printed on the vehicle weight plate, commonly located inside the front passenger or driver’s door of most cars and vans. The Gross Train Weight (GTW) is the manufacturer’s maximum weight specification that the combined weight of a loaded vehicle towing a Loaded Trailer must not exceed. This is also known as Gross Combination Weight (GCW). More detailed towing and safety information can be found in the Drivers Manual located in the vehicle glove compartment.
Vehicle Plate Example (GTW 3,280Kg)
Van drivers should be aware that vans generally don’t have a high Gross Train Weight. The reason being that the GTW is directly related to the empty (unladen) weight of the towing vehicle. To maximise their carrying capacity, vans generally have a Light unladen vehicle weight which means a low towing capacity. Vans are designed primarily for carrying and not for towing.
Braking and Lights
Braking systems are required to be fitted to O1 Trailers with MAM greater than half the MAM of the towing vehicle. All O2 Trailers require a braking system. It is important for a trailer braking system to include a Service Brake, a Parking Brake and a device capable of automatically stopping trailer if it becomes detached while in motion (i.e. breakaway cable or secondary coupling). More stringent requirements are required for certain trailers. Please consult your manufacturer or refer to the RSA website for more details.
As a minimum all trailers should display the following lights as part of their lighting system:
- 2 red rear reflectors
- Left & right directional indicators
- 2 Red rear tail lights
- 2 Red rear stop lamps
- Number plate & number plate lighting
RSA Resources
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) provide some excellent learning resources for drivers wishing to find out more about towing trailers with a car or a light van. Click on the following link to go to this RSA website of trailers. http://www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Your-Vehicle/About-your-Vehicle/Example-of-non-Dup/Trailers-/Advice-and-Checks-for-Trailers-/.
The RSA has also provided a series of 6 short you tube videos covering all aspects of towing a trailer. Click on the following link to go to these you tube videos. https://youtu.be/HhHyUMSn31s. There is some important information on the coupling and uncoupling as well as safe loading and unloading of trailers that all drivers should be aware of.
Swilly Group provide pre-test and advanced driving tuition for drivers of vehicles towing trailers. If you have any further questions or queries don’t hesitate to call into to the Swilly Group office on Business Park Road in Letterkenny, give us a call on 074-9151212 or email us on info@swillygroup.com.
A learner driver once asked his driving instructor to explain the roundabout lane rules to him. His instructor said “It’s very simple. “Think of the roundabout as a clock”. “If you’re exiting before 12 o’clock, take up a position in the left lane”. “After 12 o’clock, take up a position in the right lane”. The learner appeared confused and though to himself for a few seconds before saying “So in the morning, I take the left lane and in the afternoon, I take the right lane??”.
Motorist sometimes interpret the rules of the road in very different ways. However, to drive safely on the road as motorists we need to firstly interpret the rules correctly and secondly be conscious of the fact that other motorist may have a different understanding of the rules. Roundabouts are a traffic control that generates much discussion and debate among Irish Motorists.
In page 133 of the Rules of the Road, the ‘golden rule’ is outlined to help motorists drive safely at any roundabout regardless of the number of exits. The RSA state that motorist should think of the roundabout as a clock:
- If taking any exit from the 6 o’clock to the 12 o’clock position, motorists should generally approach in the left-hand lane.
- If taking any exit between the 12 o’clock to the 6 o’clock positions, motorists should generally approach in the right-hand lane.
If there are road markings showing you what lane you should be in, follow those directions. Traffic conditions might sometimes mean you have to take a different approach but, in the main, the ‘golden rule’ will help you to drive safely on almost any roundabout.
Motorists must be very observant and ensure they read the signs and observe the road markings on their approach to a roundabout (particularly if you are driving in an unfamiliar area). Local Authorities and the NRA have been using lane arrows and road signs to direct traffic into particular lanes and manage traffic at roundabouts. For example, a very common change is to direct motorists travelling straight on (12 o’clock) to take up position in the right-hand lane. This leaves the left lane exclusively for motorist turning left. This allows traffic to flow more freely at roundabouts where the majority of motorists are leaving at the first two exits.
As motorists, we use our indicators to “indicate an intention” to make a manoeuvre to the left or right. Therefore, it is important to use indicators approaching and when on roundabouts at the right time to inform other motorists of our intentions. Remember an indicator does not give you the Right of Way.
Is summary drivers are advised to abide by the following guidelines on the use of your indicators (signals):
- Making a left turn (First Exit), indicate ‘left’ as you approach and continue to indicate until you have taken the left exit.
- Making a left turn (second exit), indicate ‘left’ once you’ve passed the first exit and continue to indicate until you have taken the second exit.
- Going Straight ahead (12 o’clock), do not indicate ‘left’ until you have passed the exit before the one you intend to take.
- Making a Right Turn (exit after 12 o’clock), approach in the righthand lane (unless road markings say otherwise), indicate ‘right ‘on your approach to the roundabout and leave your right indicator on as you drive around the roundabout until you have passed the exit before the one you intend to take. Then change to the ‘left’ turn indicator.
If you have any further questions or queries don’t hesitate to call into to the Swilly Group office on Business Park Road in Letterkenny, give us a call on 074-9151212 or email us on info@swillygroup.com.
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