Seven Reasons You Should Become a HGV/LGV Driver
Considering a career in the driving sector? Here are our 7 reasons why becoming a HGV driver might be the perfect job for you!
Driving isn't automated... By a long road!
Although many blue-collar jobs have been displaced due to automation in recent years, driving is not yet automated and likely to never be completely phased out. Although the technology of self-driving cars is progressing, humans will always be required for at least some of the operation process, particularly with large vehicles like HGV’s.
This knowledge places power back into the hands of drivers and may even make the role more attractive for some. In a world where HGV’s eventually become driverless, operators will have the opportunity to be more mobile in their vehicle and work in a less stressful manner.
Driving powers the economy.
The more trucks that are driving, the more freight is being moved. This is a great sign for a country’s overall economic health because it means people are spending more and resultantly, businesses are gaining cash flow.
If trucks were to stop driving, even for a week, perishable goods would be destroyed in a matter of days, drinking water would be out of reach after two to four weeks, hospital food supplies would diminish in 24 hours and ATMs would be empty in a couple of days. Without trucks, the UK would come to a sharp halt.
University isn't for everyone.
Gaining the certifications to drive a HGV/LGV does not require a bachelor’s degree. Instead, the training involves a medical test, a theory test, not more complicated than that of learning to drive a car, as well as practical training and Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) training. If you’re the type of person who much prefers to have hands on experience and learns through doing, a career in driving could be a great option!
Gain opportunities to travel.
Something many people fail to realise is that drivers actually get to see different parts of the country and have real freedom and variety in their work. Although a lot of their time is spent in the driver seat, there are strict restrictions as to how many hours a driver can drive per week. As a result, there are opportunities to have down time in places they may never have seen otherwise.
If you’re not interested in a desk job and could see yourself waking up in a new part of the country, trucking could be everything you’ve been looking for.
Driving is fun!
When people think of driving, most people can’t see past sitting in a seat all day and staring at the same road, but driving is so much more than that. A career in driving opens the doors to meeting new people every day, seeing the country as you go from place to place and also provides drivers with flexibility that a standard 9-5 role could never provide them.
Office jobs, long meetings and answering emails may be the preference for many UK workers, but we know that there are people out there that couldn’t think of anything better than solitude, the open road and a great playlist to get you through the day.
Financially solid career path.
You knew it was coming, but do you really know how successful you can be with a career in the driving industry? While the typical starting salary can range from £19-24K, with some experience and extra training, HGV drivers have the potential to earn over £40K per year as they continue to progress.
Not to mention, HGV driving is never, and we mean never, going to become obsolete. There is also a serious lack of HGV drivers across the UK, so you’ll never go to bed worried whether you’ll be able to support yourself tomorrow. Additionally, it is a great occupation to choose if you want flexibility to relocate. HGV drivers are in demand on a global scale so a career in driving is dependable for role opportunity and financial reasons.
Driving is a fast way to start a small business.
A career in driving is a great way to be your own boss, manage your own schedule and earn an income on your own terms. As long as HGV/LGV drivers adhere to the strict working hour allowances per week, the remainder of their decisions relating to work can be up to them if they own their own vehicle.