Rebekah Carter 11th November 2021

What Kind of Jobs Can You Get with an HGV/LGV License?

If you love driving and the open road, you’ve probably considered a career as a truck or lorry driver. Truck drivers can earn upwards of £14 per hour, and they get to enjoy the added benefit of exploring new places and potentially meeting new people. Of course, Before you can start your new career path, you’ll need to ensure you have the right training and the right plan.

Truck and lorry drivers need a special kind of license to show they’re capable of handling larger vehicles on the road. An HGV or LGV license will open you up to a range of new career opportunities, and it’s easier to get your certification than you might think. Still, before you begin working on your credentials, it’s worth looking at the kind of jobs you can consider, and the exact skills they require.

What Kind of HGV/LGV License do You Need?

The truck driving job you can get with your license will depend on the exact “category” of license you acquire. All lorry driving licenses aren’t necessarily the same. The certifications you get will reflect the weight of the vehicle you can comfortably control. Some of the kinds of license you can consider include:

Cat C1: The smallest vehicle used in the truck driving landscape is the Cat C1 truck. Usually weighing around 3,500 to 7,500kg, these vehicles are a good start for beginners. You can also carry a trailer weighing up to 750kg.
Category C1 +E: The Category C1+E license lets you drive LGVs with a maximum combined mass of around 44 tonnes, slightly larger than the C1 alone.
Category C: Category C licenses allows owners to drive machines weighing over 3,500kg, with a trailer weighing as much as 750kg.
Category C+E: With a Category C+E license you can drive vehicles weighing up to 3,500kg with a trailer weighing over 750kg.

Getting your license will require you to go through a variety of important steps. The first stage is the medical exam, which ensures you don’t have any medical conditions that could make you dangerous behind the wheel of a larger vehicle. Following this, you’ll do your theory test, which is similar to the test involved with a car licence. You’ll have a number of multiple-choice questions to answer.

The last stage of earning your HGV/LGC license is the practice test. You may also need to obtain a Certificate of Professional Competence.

What Kind of Jobs Are Available with HGV/LGV License?

HGV/LGV licenses are an excellent investment in the future of your career if you appreciate spending time behind the wheel, and you’re comfortable with a lot of travel. Most jobs will fall into three categories: local driving, short-haul driving, and long-haul driving.

Most people will be confident enough with local driving and even short-haul trips, which may require them to move between nearby countries. However, long-haul driving can be a little more complex, as it requires some time spent away from home.

Let’s look at some of the truck driving jobs you can consider:

Freight hauler: Freight hauling is a form of truck driving job which includes transporting a wide range of cargo either in a local, short-haul, or long-haul capacity. If you’re a “dry van hauler,” this means you’re going to be moving large amounts of dry, easy-to-transport goods, often contained in boxes or pallets. Other freight haulers may also work with liquids and hazardous materials.
Flatbed hauler: Flatbed haulers are the truck drivers responsible for pulling large products like machinery in their open-air trailer. This job will often tackle the movement of assets that are too large or complicated to fit in a standard trailer. The loads are often irregularly shaped or oversized, which makes the transport to their destination more complex, requiring additional skill from the driver.
Tanker hauler: One of the more in-demand forms of trucking job, a tanker hauler is responsible for transporting large amounts of liquids. Because liquids can be complex to transport, drivers of tankers need to know how to manage their truck carefully. You will also need extensive training in how to respond to emergencies if they happen with your load.
Refrigerated hauler: It takes a special kind of driver to haul refrigerated freights. The goods being transported in these trucks or lorries need to be able to remain at the same temperature. This means you’ll need to regularly check on your load. While the trailer is being transported, the driver needs to be cautious in ensuring the contents get safely and quickly to their destination.
Local/Regional haulers: If you prefer to drive trucks and lorries close to home, and you don’t want to drive anything too big, you may prefer to be a local or regional hauler. These are professionals who transport freight over a shorter distance. In this career, you might make several trips in a single day. Most of the time, you’ll also be able to come home each day after your route is over, rather than staying in a hotel.
Hotshot haulers: Hotshot haulers drive class 3or 5 trucks, often accompanied by a trailer attachment. The complexity of driving these kinds of vehicles requires a highly skilled driver. Another important factor of a hotshot driver’s role is getting the goods to a location as quickly as possible. Multiple loads can be taken each day depending on the distance required to transport those goods regionally or locally.
Auto haulers: This kind of truck driver specializes in transporting vehicles. Auto haulers are specially designed carriers responsible for transporting cars from one location to another. Commonly used for the transportation of cars to car lots, the complexity involved with these haulers often requires a higher level of skill.

Once you’re ready to reduce the amount you drive using your HGV/LGV license, there are also less direct options for future career opportunities. For instance, you could become the manager of a freight organization, or try your hand as a training instructor for future LGV/HGV drivers.

Why Consider HGV/LGV Licensing?

Training to get your HGV/LGV license instantly makes you more employing, by demonstrating your ability to control larger vehicles on the road. Once you can legally drive a large vehicle, you can get involved with all aspects of the freight and logistics industries. Now the UK is currently facing a massive HGV driver shortage; getting your license could be the key to maintaining your employability in the years to come.

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