Careers in Driving
LGV Drivers play an essential role within any haulage/logistics operation. Drivers hold ultimate responsibility for ensuring delivery is made to the right place and at the right time. In many situations drivers will be the main point of contact with customers.
What Does the Job Involve?
Large goods vehicle (LGV) drivers are employed to drive goods in commercial and public sector vehicles from one destination to another, usually from a supplier to a customer. They drive all kinds of vehicles over 7.5 tonnes, including rigid trucks, articulated lorries, and trucks pulling trailers.
Drivers may be required to plan their journeys themselves and schedule their deliveries. Journeys may involve driving long or short distances. Drivers are responsible for the security of their cargo during the trip. The role may involve loading and unloading the goods, sometimes with the aid of an assistant.
Drivers are expected to deal with a variety of documentation and sometimes undertake routine maintenance of their vehicles.
What Kind of Person Suits This Role?
To be a LGV driver, you should:
- Enjoy driving and have excellent practical driving skills
- Happy to work alone, able to concentrate for long periods
- Have patience, a sense of humour and a polite attitude towards other road-users
- Polite to customers when picking up or dropping off loads
- Have a good understanding of safety, both on the road and when loading and unloading
- Able to complete record sheets and paperwork accurately
- Have good physical fitness for working with loads
What are the Job Prospects?
LGV Drivers can go on to take the Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) and, if they want to broaden their knowledge or move into transport management, an ADR course in transporting dangerous or hazardous goods by road. LGV Drivers can work anywhere in the country, especially experienced drivers with category C or C+E licences. Job trends vary from region to region and there may be more near major manufacturing or warehousing areas.
Many LGV Drivers are self-employed. LGV Drivers working for a road haulage firm or distributor could progress into self-employment, operating their own vehicles, perhaps eventually owning a fleet.
Other prospects include moving into distribution or haulage management, transport and logistics planning, LGV Instruction or a specialised area of driving, such as hazardous goods.
Why Become a LGV Driver?
- Great Jobs
- Scotland and England are currently suffering from a massive shortage of qualified drivers. This means that there are over 50,000 driving positions so, drivers (male and female) will be in great demand. With the new European Working Time Directive (already in place), new European Directive for training of new and existing drivers (coming into place in 2008⁄2009) & Department of Transport Health and Safety Guidance, further demand for more drivers will evolve.
- Good Pay
- Qualified LGV drivers can potentially earn up to £25,000 a year depending on experience and the vehicle to be driven.
- Flexibility
- You can choose to work on a temporary or permanent basis, decide whether you prefer working nights or days. Choose where you work; locally, nationally or even internationally.
- Freedom
- No offices, no 9 till 5…just you, your truck and the open road. What more could you ask for in a job?
- Working Hours
- An average working week will involve similar hours to most jobs and with agency work its up to you how many hours you want to drive each week.