Most driving experience days are fairly predictable. You turn up, admire something expensive, drive it round a circuit and spend the journey home telling everyone how you nearly became a racing driver.
A Truck Driving Day is completely different.
For starters, you're not climbing into a low-slung sports car. You're hauling yourself several feet off the ground into a cab so tall that you'll briefly wonder whether you should have packed climbing equipment. Then you look down at the cars around you and realise this is how truck drivers see the world every day.
That first moment behind the wheel is a strange one. The steering wheel feels enormous, the mirrors seem to stretch halfway to Wales and the bonnet is nowhere to be seen. Yet after a few minutes, something unexpected happens. It starts to feel normal.
If you've ever sat in motorway traffic and wondered what it's like driving one of those huge car transporters, this experience answers that question. You'll take control of a Scania P420 transporter and tackle a course featuring slaloms and reversing exercises. It quickly becomes clear that driving something this size requires far more thought than simply pointing it in the right direction and hoping for the best.
Bigger Doesn't Mean Faster
One of the biggest surprises is that truck driving is not really about speed. Nobody is trying to set a lap record.
Instead, the challenge comes from precision. Every corner has to be planned, every movement thought through and every manoeuvre carried out smoothly. Suddenly, squeezing your hatchback into a supermarket parking space feels like a remarkable luxury.
For those who fancy an even bigger challenge, the Truck Driving Thrill adds a forty five foot supercar transporter trailer into the equation. Guiding it through slaloms and reversing sections is hugely satisfying when you get it right and incredibly humbling when you realise how much skill professional truck drivers possess.
Off Road 4x4 Army Truck Driving Experience
Of course, not all trucks spend their lives on smooth roads. The Off Road 4x4 Army Truck Driving Experience puts you behind the wheel of a military Leyland DAF troop carrier and lets you loose on challenging terrain. It feels rugged, purposeful and about as far removed from the school run as it is possible to get.
Then there is the American Truck Driving Offer, which delivers the sort of truck you've probably seen in films crossing vast deserts with a country soundtrack playing in the background. With left hand drive and a traditional double clutch gearbox, it offers a completely different challenge and a proper taste of American trucking culture.
Conclusion
A truck driving experience day gives you something many driving experiences cannot: a genuine appreciation for a skill you probably took for granted. By the end of the day you'll have a better understanding of how these huge machines are controlled and a lot more respect for the people who drive them every day.
You'll also discover that manoeuvring a vehicle the size of a small house is considerably more entertaining than it sounds.
