MY BBDC EXPERIENCE PART 1

MY BBDC EXPERIENCE

Update April 2020. Most of the information here is still valid. Except for the PDL, which has to be applied via the SPF website. The waiting times for TP test dates are faster. Moreover, i think that bookings can be made through the BBDC app on your smartphones.

This is my experience so far at Bukit Batok Driving Center . I am currently waiting for my traffic police test . I signed up at BBDC around december of 2014 . It was no problem getting there for me as i only live at yew tee . Furthermore , the walking distance from bukit gombak mrt to BBDC is not that far . There is a shuttle bus service that brings you to BBDC from bukit gombak mrt . It is literally just outside the mrt station . Moreover , there are bus services from woodlands , jurong ( i think ) and choa chu kang bus interchange that alights you right outside BBDC .

The walking point from the mrt to BBDC . It is not that far . The places to look out for are the petrol station ( BBDC is just beside it ) , chinese temple ( BBDC is just beside it as well ) and the HomeTeam NS .

The waiting area for the shuttle bus . The bus comes at a 5-10 minute interval . Usually people would be waiting around the circled area . 

                                        If you wanna walk there . Just follow the train tracks .

 Cross at the traffic light here as there is no traffic light infront of BBDC . You can jaywalk if you want to

                                                               Walk past the petrol station

And you have arrived here . Enter by the left . The bus that you take alights on the right . There is also a bus stop right outside BBDC that brings you to CCK and Woodlands and also Clementi .

 Signing Up And First Lessons

I signed up around december like i said earlier . The counter is just infront of the entrance . I walked up to the lady at the counter and told her i wanted to sign up for car . She asked me manual or auto . I picked auto . I later wanted to change to manual but it was too late . Got a queue number and waited for my turn . I created an account , you need to create an account in order to book lessons , and my mum helped to pay the fees . The payment can only be done by nets or cashcard . And you have to top up around $100 using the machine near the entrance to start for your lessons . A small pack will be given to you which will include a small water bottle , 3 books . Those 3 books will be needed ( depending on yourself ) for future lessons . The books are : Highway code 1 and 2 and practical training handbook . Now you are ready for your lessons .

The first thing you should be looking forward for is to pass your basic theory test . As once you have passed your BTT , you are able to obtain your Provisional Driving License (must be applied through the SPF website) from which you can start your practical lessons . In order to sit for your BTT , you must go through Basic Theory Lessons 1.01 and 1.02 and your Basic Theory Evaluation ( which is like a mock test ) . I booked my basic theory lessons at one shot . I think it came up to around $35 . I might be wrong . Both of the lessons are just a summary of your highway code 1 . Once you have gone through the lessons , you are able to sit for your BTT .

 Another room i used for practice session as the usual room 7 was full .

Start by booking some practice sessions . They are $3.21 each ( as of 15/9/2015 ) . Proceed to room 7 ( which is where they usually hold the practice sessions , i doubt it would change ) on level 3 , pick a computer and you are good to go . The highway code 1 is split into 4 booklets . Each booklets consist of around 50 questions if i remember . Some questions might be repeated . Keep practicing till you are confident enough to sit for your evaluation . Once you are done with your evaluation , you are able to book for your BTT . I am not sure if this still applies for BTT , but the waiting time to book your BTT is about one month . I sat for my BTE around december , but had to wait for 2 months to book my BTT due to my school and slots being unavailable . Book the earliest slot that you are able to go as this will affect how long you would take to obtain your license .

Forward to 2 months later , i booked 2 practice sessions before my actual test as a warmup . I proceeded to level 2 for my BTT . The test room is right infront of the stairs . Remember to bring your IC , as without your IC , they will not let you sit for the test . I came out after about 5 mins . I immediately got a qeue number from the machine outside the test room to obtain my PDL . You have to obtain your PDL from the traffic police counter which is beside the test room . You have to pay $25 in nets or cash . Your PDL is just a small piece of paper . I recommend to laminate it .

A slip of paper that you will be given when you go for your BTT and FTT . You will have to use the password given to log in .

 These were the practice sessions i had before my BTE . There were some times where i cancelled my lessons as i woke up late or simply left my house late

 I took my BTT on 9/3/15

My laminated PDL

Update 2020 !

You do not need to apply the PDL via the Traffic Police counter. Now, it has to be applied via the SPF website.

You can now start you practical lessons !

 Practical Lessons

Now before you start for your practical lessons , i suggest that you start aiming to finish your Final Theory Test . The requirements to sit for the FTT is same as the BTT . You need to sit for two Final Theory Lessons , Final theory evaluation before you can sit for the test . Try to aim to finish your evaluation and test while you are within stages 2 - 4 . The reason being , there is a 1 -  2 month gap to book for your final theory test after your evaluation and another 1 - 2 month gap to book for your practical ( traffic police ) test after your FTT . 

There is a total of 5 stages you need to complete before you can sit for your traffic police test . Each stage is split into 10 or 11 subjects . So for stage 1 , there is 1.01 , 1.02 etc . If you are a fast learner , your instructor might finish 2 or even 3 subjects in one lesson . 

I booked my first practical lesson around march . With the help of my parents , i managed to finish all 5 stages within the end of march . That also depends on the amount of time and money you have .

Remember to bring your IC and PDL for your practical lessons at ALL times . Once you are at BBDC for your practical lesson , head to the machine near the entrance and scan your IC . A slip will be printed out stating your car number . Head outside and find your car .

                                                                       Inside the car

On my first lesson , i covered the basics of driving , accelerating and braking . I was very nervous initially . However by the 2nd lesson , i was already driving on the road . That gave me some confidence . I kept going for lessons the following weeks . Usually 2 lessons per week . 

At the end of stage one , i was allowed to go for the driving simulator . You need to attend this to sit for your traffic police test . It was only about 15 minutes . 

taken from ( drivingsg.blogspot.com )

Over the subsequent weeks , i covered the various areas of driving . I gained more confidence and experience overtime .

 My practical lessons

 Final Theory Test 

Now not forgetting about your final theory test . Simultaneously while taking my practical lessons , i went for my final theory practice and evaluation . In contrast , the final theory practice had 11 booklets . Basically it is the highway code 2 book split into 11 booklets plus only about 5 questions from your basic theory test . Most of it was common sense for me . I did not even bother reading the highway code 2 book . As i kept going for the practice , i remembered the answers . I booked my final theory evaluation on the 26th of march 2015 . After that , i went to book for my final theory test . To my horror , the earliest test date available was in may ! I am planning to get my license by may / june and i did not want to delay it . I booked the earliest slot available . Also , almost everyday , i kept checking the dates to see if someone had cancelled their slot . And as sure enough , someone cancelled their FTT slot on the 14 of April . Immediately i cancelled my current slot and booked the april slot . I was so delighted ! 

On my FTT day , i booked 3 practice slots before the actual test , just to make sure i was prepared . My test was at 3.15 . I went in and came on within 5 mins . Now , all i had to do was to book for my practical test . From what i was told from most instructors , the waiting period was 2 months . I managed to find a test date the very next month , which was May . 

Like i said earlier , if you have started your final theory lessons and evaluation earlier , you still have 1 - 2 months to complete the stages you have left , assuming you have been attending your practical lessons . 

As of now ( 15/4/15 ) , i am waiting for my practical test . I have planned to book a practice lesson every 2 weeks to refresh . 

To be continued .....

Update. I managed to pass my TP in 2015. Do read my other experiences.

Class 2 tp

Class 2a tp

Class 2a lessons

Class 2b lessons

Class 2b tp

Class 4 

Class 5

I shared TP experience for both class 3A and 3 in the post below.

class 3