In the United Kingdom and in many places in Europe, driving a heavy goods vehicle or HGV, as it is often referred to, requires a special type of license, and only a licensed HGV driver is legally able to drive a heavy goods vehicle. To obtain licensing, a driver must take a test that is sanctioned by the government. The newly instituted formal name for HGV that was declared by the European Union or the EU is large goods vehicle or LGV. The original title HGV was changed to LGV because not all European countries had a word that translated with the same connotation as “heavy” in the English language.
Category
- HGV is normally sectioned into two categories. The first is Category N2, which allows a goods vehicle to load a maximum allowable mass or MAM of up to 12 tonnes. The second is Category N3, which enables a vehicle to load over 12 tons.
Job Description - The HGV driver is given the function of transporting heavy goods from one client to another within the United Kingdom or several areas within the EU. This form of transportation may possibly be from one dock to another, from warehouse to customer, from factory to warehouse, from warehouse to retailers or from any other designated destination.
Vehicle
- HGV drivers twill usually transport goods by driving a trailer, rigid truck, tanker or special transporter. Driving an HGV vehicle can be a very demanding job, mostly because the driver is generally required to work about 40 hours a week plus an additional 5 to 10 hours a week in some cases. However, a specific rest day has been implemented by the government.
Required Skills
- This type of vocational activity requires no formal education or scholastic training. A prospective driver must have a basic comprehension of English and mathematics, and, additionally training and experience in professional driving. He or she should also have knowledge of the different traffic rules across states and countries, acute navigation skills on the road and a fairly extensive background in auto mechanics. A basic knowledge of mathematics is essential because the HGV driver must be able to complete paperwork and record sheets competently. An HGV driver must have good eyesight, good health: the driver will be required to pass a medical examination and he or she must also be in satisfactory physical condition meaning the driver must be able to load and unload goods.
Additional Responsibilities
- An HGV driver is a valuable asset to logistics and trucking companies. The job requires a great amount of responsibility as the driver has to be competent and dependable to ensure the deliveries are made on time and at the correct destination. The load that he or she carries needs to be secured, and the risks of hijacking and accidents are things that the driver will need to anticipate with each journey. An HGV driver may have an assistant to help him or her unload the vehicles. Additionally because the driver will have to make contact with customers he must possess a certain level of interpersonal skills.
