Who knows why, but one thing's for sure:

ADR enquiries have been coming in by the tanker-load.

It could be down to any number of reasons. A few that spring to mind include:

• Improved career prospects,
• Job openings in certain industries, and
• A reluctance to be insulted by politicians.

I admit, that last one was a bit flip. But the point stands: lorry drivers aren't given the credit they once received in abundance. I remember a time when drivers were treated with human decency...

At least I think I can. When was that, again?

Anyway, a driver looking for more recognition as a professional may justifiably seek a qualification to carry hazardous goods . I mean, no one can tell you that transporting petrol in a time of national crisis is anything other than unavoidable.

But I'm waffling. The gist of it is: for the sake of easy reference, I've created a list of the top 5 enquiries we've received regarding ADR training.

1. How long does it take?

That depends. Do you want tanks or no tanks?

If you want to carry hazardous goods in tankers over a certain size, you'll have to undergo a full week (five days) of ADR training. If you wish only to carry said goods in something other than said tankers (packages, basically), you will have to attend four days.

2. How is the training broken down?

Most drivers attend Monday - Thursday regardless (though there are some exceptions).

Those four days consist of:

• Monday - Core overview & responsibilities;
• Tuesday - Practical exercises & packages,
• Wednesday - Covering the different hazard classes; and
• Thursday - Examinations.

If you're doing Tanks, you will also undertake Tanks training on the Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, with the exams on the Friday afternoon.

3. What classes are covered?

There are 9 classes in total. Most training providers don't deliver specialist classes 1 & 7, and Chartwise is no exception. The demand for these classes is very low. The classes you can get, however, are:

• Class 2 - Gases
• Class 3 - Flammable Liquids
• Class 4 - Flammable Solids
• Class 5 - Oxidising Substances
• Class 6 - Infectious, Toxic Substances
• Class 8 - Corrosive Substances
• Class 9 - Miscellaneous Substances

Most people opt to sit the entire course. Some, however, need only specific classes. This is usually the case if the qualification is required for a particular job. If that's the case with you, don't be shy. Let the training centre know.

4. What's the availability like?

No one's denying it: compared to Driver CPC, ADR can be a headache to book. There are too few training providers, too far away, and with too few courses. We get it. So we've tried to counteract that. 

A handful of centres, however, run a full week of ADR training monthly. If location is an issue, a tiny minority of providers can even deliver offsite training for companies with a group of drivers. Have a shop around, is my advice, and see what's what.

5. Alright, fair enough. But what about the price?

Hold your horses, we're getting to it. It's a fact: ADR training is an investment that reaps rewards in the short, mid and long term. 

We know: you ring up a training provider, ask the cost, and just want a straight answer. Unfortunately, there are numerous providers out there who'll give you a straight answer, but will add on the additional fees after the fact. So, what happen? Well, you agree to the initial price; then you get your invoice. Suddenly, you realise they didn't mention the VAT, exam fees and DSA upload charges.

Chartwise, however, have tried to make things as simple as possible. 

Basically:

For the No Tanks option, we charge £340. And that INCLUDES your VAT, exam fees and DSA uploads.

For the With Tanks option, we charge £420. This, again, INCLUDES VAT, exams and DSAs.

Alright then, have yourself another..

6. So if I don't pass first time, do I have to pay the full whack a second time?

We've had this one a few times over the past week.

If you're wondering about this, I've some advice for you: should you encounter a training centre that, in order to allow you to resit any failed exams, demands that you pay for the full course price again...

RUN.

There's no other way of saying it. 

Chartwise, of course, do not do this. In fact, the money we make from resits is tiny. It's no wonder the trainers here try so hard to help you to pass first time.

So, that about wraps things up. If you're after more information, you've come to the right place. Hit the big button below for more details on training to carry hazardous goods: