Ever wondered what those alphabetical symbols stand for on your driving license? They signify what category of vehicles you are eligible to drive! Exactly! Different vehicles are allotted different categories based on their mass, and the maximum mass they can carry. For example, an A category driving license is given to the owner-driver of a motorcycle of any size, with or without a sidecar.
What is it?
This license category entitles the driver to drive a medium-sized vehicle with a maximum authorized mass (MAM) of 7500kgs (or 7.5 tons), with an additional trailer of mass 750kgs, making it a total of 8250kgs. Crossing this permissible limit is a strict no-no! Also, the trailer when fully loaded should not exceed the total weight of the vehicle. Hence, this license is aimed at those drivers who already have a C1 license (with a permissible vehicle MAM of 7.5tons) but are willing to drive a vehicle with an additional trailer of over 750kgs.
Age factor
Normally, all license applicants have to be 18 years of age. But for the provisional entitlement C1+E, one should be aged 21 years, so as to tow the extra mass of the trailer.
A Step Ahead
There might be a need to tow trailers exceeding the permissible mass of 750kgs. In this case, you will be required to take training for C1+E and appear for a test. When you pass the test, you will be eligible to tow trailers of up to 4500kgs mass, the combination not exceeding 12000kgs.
The reform in the legislation has made it mandatory to undergo a medical examination first, apply for a provisional C1+E license and then appear for a theory test. This test is arranged once the provisional license has been approved and returned to you.
Tests – theory and practical
All driving tests comprise of two parts – theory and practical.
Driving the vehicle on the roads is also a part of the tests! It is, after all not easy to steer into the world!