Top 5 things you should know about being a HGV Driver

We see countless lorries on the road, and the truth of the matter is, they are an integral part of everyday life. Getting products from one destination to another, easily and safely, is a necessity.
There are countless benefits in being a professional HGV driver, including travel opportunities and great pay. It’s also quite easy to train to be an HGV driver; it doesn’t take months to achieve your licence. In most circumstances, you can be trained in as little as a week. Get the right training and support under your belt, and you could be travelling here, there, and everywhere, doing a job that helps keep the economy moving.

1. Job security

As a fully trained HGV driver, rest assured you will always be in work because the logistics industry is here to stay. Despite the advances in technology, driverless vehicles are a long way off, meaning qualified HGV drivers are in high demand. This is more so now than ever before with the emergence of Covid-19. There is now a significant shift to online shopping, which means an increase in commerce requiring more logistics operations, so a career as a HGV driver is guaranteed. The pressure is building in the haulage industry to acquire more drivers, so right now is an ideal time to jump aboard. The country would come to a very abrupt halt if we had no HGV deliveries.

2. Straightforward training process

You don’t need bags of qualifications to become a HGV driver. However, there are paperwork requirements initially. You need to apply to have provisional entitlements added to your driving licence by completing a D2 form. You also need to arrange for your GP to complete a D4 form. This form is to certify that you are medically fit to drive a large vehicle. Once the forms are filled in, post them to the DVLA with your current driving licence. It usually takes 2-3 weeks to get your licence back, but once it is returned, you can go ahead and book your multiple-choice theory and hazard perception test.
Then you are all set to commence HGV training which usually takes about 5 days. Look for a reputable HGV training company who will tailor your training to your individual needs.

3. Significant earning potential

It’s a demanding job, but it’s also a job heavily in demand. As a fully qualified HGV driver, your potential earnings could be as much as £32,000 a year, if not more. If you become employed with an organisation, there are often additional perks, such as bonuses for safe driving, options to obtain different types of licences to increase your skillset, and pay rises for length of service. If you choose to be an independent HGV driver, you have plenty of freedom to decide when, and how often, you work. There are a variety of shifts and hours available that offer both full and part-time opportunities.

4. You are your own boss

If you enjoy your own space, a career as a HGV driver is a perfect income earner. You have freedom and you are in control. There’s no office politics, and no-one standing over you giving you orders. You can listen to your own playlist of music or listen to an audio book whenever you wish, because it's your cab, and your office space. The type of work you accept is also up to you. If you have no real ties at home, you can take on jobs that require you to work in another part of the country or continent for a period of time; this is often referred to as long-distance tramping. If you have family and don't want to be on the road for long periods of time, you can opt to drive locally. The beauty of a HGV driver job is that you can tailor the job to suit your own needs. There’s also the added bonus of getting great job satisfaction because you know that without HGV deliveries, everything would just come to a standstill.

5. Travel opportunities

Instead of working all year to save up enough money to go on holiday and see more of the world, as a HGV driver, you get to earn money whilst you travel. Your job as an HGV driver could take you anywhere and everywhere. One week you could be travelling to different parts of the UK on a contract job, and another may take you across to mainland Europe, where you can take in the sights and sounds of more exotic locations.