You may pass dozens of lorry drivers on the motorway every day, but have you ever considered what it’s like to be one? If you enjoy being on the open road, are a safe driver and have good concentration skills, then a career as a HGV driver could be a great option.
Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) Drivers are responsible for transporting lorry-loads of goods between suppliers and customers. Some HGV Drivers travel long distances to transport goods, whilst others may work more locally. Whilst HGV drivers may spend a lot of time behind the wheel, there are also many other tasks that they carry out either side of each journey.
Responsibilities may include:
The right person will have:
As an HGV Driver, you could earn anywhere between £23,000 and £37,000, with an average of around £30,000.
There are opportunities to undertake further training which could allow you to:
As of September 2009, anyone who wishes to drive a lorry or van carrying 3.5T or more will need to complete a Driver’s Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC licence) before going solo behind the wheel. This will prepare you to drive much larger vehicles which operate differently to cars e.g. they often have several sets of gears.
To achieve your Driver CPC licence, you’ll need to undertake some large vehicle training sessions (usually 35 hours worth) and a four-part test, which will require you to demonstrate your practical and theoretical knowledge to an examiner. Some companies will take you on without this and help you work towards it, whilst others will prefer you to have it before you apply.
Regardless of whether you already have a Driver CPC licence or not, you will always need to have a full UK car driving licence before you can get started with your HGV training. The good news is, as long as you’re a confident car driver, you should be able to get your licence in a matter of days or weeks. And although the training and tests come at a cost, you’ll only need to renew your licence once every five years, and you can’t put a price on safety.
If you’d like to get started with your Driver CPC training, the first thing you’ll need to do is order your HGV provisional licence so you can start your training, which you can do by filling out the D2 and D4 DVLA forms. The D4 form is to be filled out by your doctor and/or optician to prove that you are medically fit to be driving a large vehicle.
Once you’ve received your provisional licence, you’ll be able to begin your Driver CPC training. As with car driving schools, there are plenty of training providers available all over the country – but it’s important to shop around and find the best quality at the most reasonable price. If you’re unsure about quality, always make sure you read the reviews first before making a final decision.
We’re working with a select number of high quality, age diverse employers who are currently looking for safe, talented HGV drivers of all ages.
For example – we are currently working with Booker Group who are the UK’s leading food & drink wholesaler. They currently work with over 400,000 customers including independent convenience stores, grocers, pubs and restaurants. They are looking for Heavy Goods Vehicle drivers to help deliver for their customers, day in, day out – so you could be taking to the open road in no time! You can find out more about what it’s like to work for Booker Group here.
Darren talks about his experience as a Delivery Driver at Booker Group…
Video provided by Rest Less client, Booker Group.
Alternatively, if you’re interested in reading about and exploring other driving opportunities, you may find it useful to read our guide on driving roles that offer flexibility and freedom for further ideas and inspiration.
Have you recently changed career? Or are you looking to do something different? We’d love to hear your story at [email protected] or on the friendly Rest Less community forum.
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