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Transport

HGV driver

HGV drivers transport and deliver products including bulk materials and liquids between suppliers and customers.

Annual Salary

£25,000 to £42,000

Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)

Working hours

38 to 52 a week

You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; away from home

0.2%
Future employment

There will be 0.2% more HGV driver jobs in 2027.

Day to day tasks

As an HGV driver, you could:

  • plan deliveries and your routes
  • check your vehicle for problems and report any issues you find
  • help load and unload goods safely
  • connect hoses or pumps when working with materials like fuel
  • keep records of your deliveries and driving hours
  • monitor traffic reports regularly and change your route if needed

You'll need to drive safely and follow road haulage regulations at all times.

Working environment

Your working environment may be physically active and you'll travel often.

You can get into this job through:

  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • specialist training providers
Apprenticeship

You could do a Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) Driver C and E Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship.

The armed forces also offer some HGV driving apprenticeship roles.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide
  • Army apprenticeships|https://jobs.army.mod.uk/regular-army/what-you-get/apprenticeships-skills/
  • RAF apprenticeships|https://recruitment.raf.mod.uk/apprenticeships
Work

If you're already working for a transport operator, your employer might support you to get your HGV driving licence.

You might also be able to accompany a qualified driver whilst you train to get your licence.

Other routes

Course

You'll need to get a professional driving qualification called the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC).

Lots of organisations offer this course. You can find training to become a HGV driver or search for training providers through the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.

You might find it useful to compare several providers before signing up to one.

The course will cover driving skills, basic mechanics and how to load items. At the end of your course you'll need to pass 4 parts of the CPC test which includes:

  • a driving theory test
  • online case studies
  • a test of your practical driving ability
  • a practical demonstration test

If you're going to work with hazardous goods, for example fuel oil, you'll also need an Advisory Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) certificate.

Refresher course

If you're returning to work, you might need to do refresher training. Find out more about returning to be a HGV driver.

Skills Bootcamp

You might be able to apply for a place on a Skills Bootcamp for HGV driving.

Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses that last up to 16 weeks.

When you pass the course, you:

  • are guaranteed a job interview with an employer near where you live
  • can drive large vehicles
  • will have a category C or category CE driving licence

Requirements and restrictions

You'll need to:

  • To stay qualified, every 5 years you'll need to take 35 hours of driver CPC training and renew your HGV driving licence.
  • If you're working with hazardous goods, like chemicals, you'll also need an Advisory Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) certificate.
  • be over 18 years of age
  • have a driving licence that includes HGV for lorries or PCV for buses
  • have a Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) known as a driver CPC

More information

Career tips

You may be able to increase your income by working irregular shifts.

Companies often need more HGV drivers at peak times. You could look for seasonal opportunities on retail and delivery company websites or with driver recruitment agencies.

Further information

You can find out more about how to become a qualified HGV driver from GOV.UK.

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and Generation Logistics also have details about careers in HGV driving.

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With experience, you could:do extra training to get an Advisory Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) certificate to carry hazardous loads like flammable liquids; specialise in transporting particular loads, like foodstuffs; train to become a HGV driving instructor; become a road transport manager; become self employed and work for different companies or set up your own transport company

Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

You'll need:

  • knowledge of public safety and security
  • concentration skills
  • customer service skills
  • the ability to organise your time and workload
  • the ability to operate and control equipment
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • knowledge of transport methods, costs and benefits
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
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