HR Non-Synchro Licence

The Heavy Rigid (HR) Non-Synchro licence goes by a few different names — HR Roadranger, HR Crashbox, HR Open, or just HR Non-Synchro. Whatever you call it, this is the licence you’ll need to drive trucks with a constant mesh (crashbox) gearbox — like your classic Roadranger.

You’ll find this gearbox in most Kenworths, Macks, Western Stars, Freightliners, and even some older European trucks. It's still the standard in a lot of heavy-duty work, especially out west and in mining or long-haul.

At Toowoomba Truck Training, I take the stress out of learning to drive one. I break down the shifting process step-by-step so even if you’ve never driven a crashbox before, you’ll feel comfortable behind the wheel in no time. There’s no pressure — just solid, real-world training to get you test-ready and confident.

We normally start by booking a single lesson to see where you're at, then make a plan based on how many lessons you might need. Once you're ready, we book the practical driving test with TMR and get you licensed.

HR Non-Synchro Licence in a Day

Already got experience driving a Roadranger? This one’s for you.

Our HR Non-Synchro Licence in a Day option is built for drivers who know their way around a crashbox and just need to tidy things up to meet TMR test standards. We don’t muck around with booking multiple lessons — we lock in a test day and do 4 hours of training beforehand to sharpen up your technique.

We’ll focus on double clutching properly, matching revs, and tightening up any bad habits. You’ll also get a full run-through of what TMR is looking for on test day — including road positioning, gear selection, engine braking, route planning, and safe lane sharing.

We also take you down the Toowoomba Range to run through steep descent technique, so you’re not caught off guard when you’re out there on your own.

This is a solid, efficient way to convert your experience into a licence — without wasting time.

HR Auto Licence in a day

Want to upgrade to a Heavy Rigid licence without worrying about gear changes? The HR Auto licence is the simplest way to get started in the industry or move up from a car licence.

This training is done in a modern automatic truck, so there’s no shifting, double clutching, or stress — just focus on the road and building good driving habits. It’s ideal for anyone driving newer trucks that don’t require manual skills.

We offer the same structure as our HR Non-Synchro Licence in a Day — with a 4-hour training session on the day of your test to get you up to speed with road positioning, route planning, engine braking, lane sharing, reversing, and everything TMR looks for during the assessment.

If you're not quite ready to jump straight into a test day, no worries — we also offer individual HR auto lessons to build your confidence before locking in the test.

HC Non-Synchro Licence

Looking to upgrade your MR or HR (B condition) licence to a HC Open licence with a Roadranger? If you’ve held your current licence for 12 months or more, you’re eligible to step up to the big stuff — and this is the way to do it.

A HC (Heavy Combination) licence allows you to drive a truck with a single trailer over 9 tonnes GVM — like a prime mover and semi-trailer, or a large truck and pig trailer. It’s a big step up from MR and HR, and gives you access to a wide range of higher-paying jobs across transport and logistics.

This course is for drivers wanting to get into heavy combination vehicles using a constant mesh (crashbox) gearbox. Unless you’ve already had solid experience with a Roadranger, it’s highly recommended to book in a lesson or two first to see how you handle the gearbox and put together a plan that suits you.

We can offer the HC Non-Synchro Licence in a Day option for confident drivers who know what they’re doing, but even then, it’s best to book in a lesson at least a few weeks before your test to make sure there are no surprises and everything’s up to scratch.

Lessons are a minimum of two hours to allow enough time to safely uncouple and recouple the trailer, and still get a solid amount of driving in.

Key parts of the training include hooking up and unhooking trailers safely and correctly, road positioning, and making sure you can turn corners safely without cutting in or tracking wide. We’ll also cover all the little details TMR is watching for so you go into the test fully prepared.

HC Auto Licence in a day

If you’ve already passed your HR test in a non-synchro (Roadranger) truck, you’ve done the hard yards — now it’s time to upgrade to your trailer licence.

The HC Auto licence lets you drive a heavy combination vehicle (a truck with a single trailer over 9 tonnes GVM), but without the need to shift gears manually. It’s a great option if you’ve already proven yourself in a crashbox and want to step up without the extra complexity, or if you’re happy to stick with an automatic licence and don’t need an open (non-synchro) class.

Training is the same as our HC Non-Synchro course, but since there’s no manual gearbox to manage, it’s a bit more straightforward and well-suited to a one-day format — with 4 hours of training followed by the 1-hour practical driving test with TMR.

As always, lessons are available if you’d prefer to ease into it — with a minimum of 2 hours per session to allow enough time for trailer work and a solid drive.