What Class 3 manual training is
This is Class 3 training in a truck with a manual transmission. You learn to work the clutch and the gears yourself, on top of the pre-trip inspection, air brake and driving skills that every Class 3 driver needs.
Manual and automatic are two ways to train and test for the same licence class, and which one you test in decides whether your licence ends up restricted to automatic (see the automatic restriction below). For what a Class 3 licence is and the jobs it leads to, see our Class 3 overview. If an automatic is all you need, see Class 3 automatic.
Not sure which to choose?
Tell us the kind of truck you expect to drive and whether your employer’s trucks are manual or automatic. Call (778) 549-1727 and we will help you pick before you book.
What you can and can’t drive with a Class 3 licence
Class 3 covers straight trucks with three or more axles. Most have air brakes and don’t pull a trailer. Dump trucks, tow trucks and many older vocational trucks still use manual transmissions.
You can drive
- Trucks with more than two axles, such as dump trucks, large tow trucks and tank trucks (fuel, water or propane).
- A tow car towing a vehicle of any weight, and a mobile truck crane.
- Trailers or towed vehicles over 4,600 kg, but only if neither the truck nor the trailer has air brakes.
- Everything a Class 5 allows: cars, vans, two-axle trucks and tow trucks, and motorhomes.
- Air-brake trucks, once the code 15 air brake endorsement is on your licence.
You can’t drive
- Semi-trailer trucks and other tractor-trailer combinations. These need a Class 1.
- A truck or trailer with air brakes towing a trailer over 4,600 kg. That combination needs a Class 1.
- Buses carrying passengers. ICBC puts these in Class 2, or Class 4 for smaller buses of up to 25 people.
- Taxis, limousines, ride-hailing vehicles and ambulances. These need a Class 4.
- Motorcycles. These need a Class 6 (or Class 8 while in the graduated program).
- Any vehicle with air brakes unless the code 15 air brake endorsement is on your licence.
Source: ICBC licence class chart in Driving Commercial Vehicles and icbc.com. Rules can change, so confirm with ICBC.
Trucks you can drive with a Class 3 licence
Dump truck 
Fire truck 
Rear-loader garbage truck 
Side-loader garbage truck 
Front-loader garbage truck 
Snow plow truck 
Boom truck 
Utility service truck 
Fuel tank truck 
Propane delivery truck 
Heavy tow truck 
Vacuum tank truck 
Hydrovac truck
What manual Class 3 training covers
Training is built around the truck you will drive and where you are starting from. The manual-specific skills come first, then they are combined with the rest of the Class 3 skills.
Clutch control
Finding the friction point, taking up the clutch smoothly, and starting and stopping without stalling or lurching.
Progressive shifting and RPM
Choosing the right gear for your speed and load, shifting up and down in order, and watching the tachometer so the engine stays in its working range.
Starting on hills
Holding the truck on a grade and pulling away without rolling back, using the brakes and clutch together.
Air brakes and pre-trip inspection
How the air brake system works and how to check it as part of the pre-trip inspection, before you drive. If air brakes are all you need, see the air brake course.
Backing
Backing at low speed while managing the clutch, and judging the truck’s length and blind spots.
On-road driving
City and highway driving in a manual: gear choice in traffic and on hills, stops and turns, and keeping space around the truck.
Where do I start?
Lessons are booked by the hour. Tell us how much manual driving you have done when you call and we will suggest where to begin.
Who takes manual training
- You want an unrestricted Class 3 licence, one that is not limited to automatic transmission.
- You want to be able to drive any type of truck, manual or automatic, and do not know what your next job will use.
- Your employer uses manual trucks, and a licence restricted to automatic would not let you drive them.
Already passed a road test in an automatic and now need to drive manual? See the section below.
The automatic restriction, explained
If you pass your Class 3 road test in an automatic truck, the licence you receive is restricted to automatic transmission vehicles. If you pass in a manual truck, it is not.
If you take the automatic route first and later want to drive manual trucks, you would need to take a road test in a manual truck to have the restriction removed. That is why some drivers choose to train and test in a manual from the start.
Confirm the process with ICBC
ICBC sets the rules for licence restrictions and how they apply to Class 3, and rules can change. Check the current process on ICBC’s licence restrictions page or with ICBC directly before you book a road test. For more on the automatic path, see Class 3 automatic.
How to book
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Call or message us
Call (778) 549-1727 or message us on WhatsApp. We are open 9am to 9pm, every day.
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Tell us where you are starting from
Your current licence, how much manual driving you have done, and the kind of truck you expect to drive.
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Choose a yard and book your lessons
Lessons are booked by the hour at our Surrey or Langley yard.
With us
Ready to book?
Tell us what is on your licence today and the truck you will be driving, and we will suggest where to start.
How to get your Class 3 licence in B.C.
Whichever transmission you train on, the licensing steps are the same. This is the order ICBC sets.
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Check you qualify
You must be 18 or older (ICBC needs a parent or guardian’s consent if you’re 18), hold a full-privilege B.C. Class 5 or 6 licence, have fewer than four penalty-point incidents in the past two years, no driving-related criminal convictions in the past three, and no unpaid ICBC fines or debts.
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Study ICBC’s Driving Commercial Vehicles guide
It is free on icbc.com. The Class 3 study chart includes the air brake chapters.
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Take the 7-hour air brake theory course
ICBC requires an air brake course (or acceptable proof of air brake experience) before you take the air brake knowledge test. It is not a requirement for the Class 3 knowledge test, but if you plan to take both tests in one visit, do the course first. Our air brake course is 7 hours of theory plus 4 hours of practical. Our in-house air brake practical assessment is only available to students who complete both the theory and the practical training with Tricon.
With us -
Pass your knowledge tests at an ICBC office
Book an appointment. You take the Class 3 knowledge test (35 questions, 28 to pass), the road signs test and the air brake test (25 questions, 20 to pass) on a screen, after a vision check and medical questions. Taking a commercial and the air brake test together costs one fee.
At an ICBC office -
Get your learner’s licence and train
Your learner’s licence is valid for one year and lets you practise driving with a supervisor or at a driving school. This is when your on-road training with us starts.
With us -
Book and pass your road test
Phone ICBC to book (you can’t book a commercial road test online). The test includes a pre-trip inspection, an air brake pre-trip if the truck has air brakes, and the road test. Bring the tools for an air brake adjustment.
At an ICBC office -
Medical form and photo licence
After you pass, you pay the licence fee, get a temporary licence and a Driver’s Medical Examination Report form for your doctor. Your photo licence is mailed once RoadSafetyBC confirms your medical fitness.
Source: ICBC, Driving Commercial Vehicles and icbc.com. Rules and fees can change, so confirm with ICBC before you book.
Class 3 manual transmission: frequently asked questions
Do I have to train on a manual to get a Class 3 licence?
No. You can take your Class 3 road test in an automatic truck, but the licence you get is then restricted to automatic transmission. Training and testing in a manual truck is what avoids that restriction.
What happens if I pass my road test in an automatic and want to drive manual later?
You would need to take a road test in a manual truck to have the automatic restriction removed. Confirm the process, and how it applies to Class 3, with ICBC before you book.
Is a manual truck hard to learn?
It takes practice, mostly clutch control and starting on hills. Lessons are booked by the hour, so you can add practice where you need it. Tell us how much manual driving you have done and we will suggest where to start.
Is the air brake inspection part of manual training?
Yes. The pre-trip inspection, including the air brake inspection, is part of the training. If you only need air brakes, see our separate air brake course.
Can I book just a few lessons before my road test?
Lessons are booked by the hour, so you choose how many you book. Call (778) 549-1727 and tell us what you need, and we will confirm what we can arrange.
Where and when can I train?
At our Surrey yard (12511 82 Ave) and our Langley yard (8380 216 St), every day from 9am to 9pm. Call or message us on WhatsApp to book.
What are the steps to get a Class 3 licence in B.C.?
Per ICBC: study the Driving Commercial Vehicles guide, pass the knowledge and road signs tests (plus the air brake test if the truck has air brakes) at an ICBC office to get your learner’s licence, practise with a supervisor or a driving school, book and pass the road test, then complete the medical form. The full list is in our step-by-step guide.
Do I have to take the air brake course before the Class 3 knowledge test?
No. ICBC requires an air brake course (or acceptable proof of air brake experience) before the air brake knowledge test, not before the Class 3 knowledge test. If you want to take both tests in one visit (one fee), do the 7-hour air brake course first.
Can I do the air brake assessment at Tricon if I trained somewhere else?
No. Our air brake practical assessment is only available to students who complete both the 7-hour theory and the 4-hour practical training with Tricon. If you trained somewhere else, you can take the air brake pre-trip test with ICBC, or take our full air brake course and do the assessment with us.
Do I need a learner’s licence before my Class 3 training starts?
You need it before you practise driving. ICBC issues the learner’s licence after you pass the knowledge tests and screening, and it allows you to practise with a supervisor or at a driving school. Call us and we will tell you what can start earlier, such as classroom air brake theory.
What can I drive with a Class 3 licence?
ICBC says a Class 3 covers trucks with more than two axles, such as dump trucks and large tow trucks, plus a tow car towing a vehicle of any weight, a mobile truck crane and anything a Class 5 allows. It can tow trailers over 4,600 kg only if neither the truck nor the trailer has air brakes. To drive an air-brake vehicle you also need the code 15 air brake endorsement.
What can’t I drive with a Class 3 licence?
You can’t drive semi-trailer trucks or other tractor-trailer combinations (Class 1), buses carrying passengers (Class 2, or Class 4 for smaller buses), taxis and ambulances (Class 4) or motorcycles (Class 6). You also can’t drive any vehicle with air brakes unless the code 15 endorsement is on your licence.