What is HGV Driver Training?
HGV stands for Heavy Goods Vehicle and is typically the acronym used in the UK logistics industry when talking about lorry driving. HGV training refers to driver training that includes vehicles with a gross combined mass of over 3500kgs. Furthermore, HGV training and LGV training have no differences with LGV standing for Large Goods Vehicles. An HGV licence is required by anyone who wants to drive a vehicle that is between 3,500kgs & 12,000 kgs.
If you are planning on driving vehicles that fall into these weight categories, you will need to complete HGV driver training. There are two types of HGV licences which are the HGV Class 1 & HGV Class 2 licences.
HGV Driver Training at 2 Start
To obtain an HGV licence, you need to be aged 18 or older, hold a full UK car driving licence, Complete and pass all HGV theory and practical tests and complete any Driver CPC training (if required). If you have completed these steps, you are eligible for an HGV licence.
2 Start Ltd are one of the South Coasts' leading HGV Driver training schools with HGV training facilities at, Southampton, Worthing, Portsmouth, Theale, and Reading.
Our HGV driver training courses cover Category C1 7.5-tonne, C1+E 7.5-tonne with a trailer, Category C Rigid Class 2 and Category C+E Class 1 articulated HGV lorries.
As you can see, 2 Start Training provides HGV driver training for all the critical driving licence categories under the HGV bracket.
Training to become an HGV driver either as a career progression or as a complete change of career entirely is a fantastic idea as recent months have seen the salaries for HGV drivers rise significantly in some areas.
HGV drivers are the backbone of the UK’s economy and logistics distribution network, training to become an HGV driver will allow you to join this in-demand industry sector and help the UK regain its strength logistically after the recent HGV driver shortage.
2 Start provides several HGV driver training courses, which can all be booked online.
How long does it take to become an HGV driver?
The time it takes to become an HGV driver from start to finish can vary for every candidate, depending on their requirements and skill levels they have when they first start their training.
A good estimate from start to finish is around 4-5 months to complete the whole process, including roughly 2-6 weeks from completing your medical and then receiving your provisional licence with the extra HGV entitlements added.
The amount of time it takes you to pass your HGV test could be longer, with some candidates needing extra hours of on-the-road driving and more time to gain confidence in operating an HGV.
HGV Training Process, what are the steps?
Step 1 – Meeting the Requirements
The first step into gaining your LGV licence is to ensure you meet the minimum requirements which include:
- Ensuring you are 18 years old or above.
- Ensuring you already hold a Category B car licence.
You will not be able to begin your LGV training if you do not yet hold a car (Category B) driving licence.
Once you are 18 years of age and hold a full UK Category B car driving licence, you are ready to move onto step 2.
Step 2 – Completing your Medical & Gaining your Provisional Licence
The second step into gaining your licence includes completing your driver medical and obtaining your provisional LGV licence.
Step 3 – Hazard Perception & Theory Tests
To get to this point, you will have successfully passed your driver's medical and gained your provisional licence. You will now need to book both your Hazard Perception and Theory LGV tests.
Depending on the LGV training package you have chosen, our 2 Start team will look to arrange these for you if they are included in your package.
Step 4 – Practical Training & Test
Now that you have passed your theory tests, it is time to start your practical LGV driver training! Here at 2 Start Training, we have a variety of LGV training courses for both CAT C & C+E vehicles. Our team of training advisors will work with you to decide the ideal course that suits all your needs.
Once you have completed your training and our instructors feel you are ready, it will then be up to you to pass your 3a test at an approved training centre and also pass your 3b practical HGV driving test.
Step 5 – CPC Training
Any driver who is hoping to drive a vehicle over 3.5-tonnes commercially or for hire and reward purposes is required to complete 35 hours of periodic CPC training every 5-years.
Those who are new to professional driving and do not currently hold a Category C licence will need to complete Initial CPC training, including their MOD 2 & MOD 4 training and tests. You will then be required to complete 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years.
After you have completed the 5 steps mentioned above, you will have completed your LGV driver training and gained your full licence. You are now able to take a job as an LGV or lorry driver and begin your journey in your new career.
How much does it cost to become a lorry driver in the UK?
HGV training costs vary across the board, with different companies offering different prices.
The price for your HGV training will also depend on; which category vehicle you wish to train on, the number of hours of training you want to complete, and other external factors such as some candidates needing to complete re-tests.
Here at 2 Start, we have very competitive HGV training prices for all of our categories, including C1, C1+E, CAT C, C+E, and our new Fast Track car to C+E courses.
Can I get funding to become an HGV driver?
Yes, funding options are available for some candidates if they meet the specified requirements.
There are approved schemes like the Governments Skills Bootcamps available that will give you funding to complete your HGV driver training, or some companies will also pay for candidates to complete training when hiring new drivers.
We also offer deposit options for all of our training courses, allowing you to pay for the remainder of your course before you come to one of our depots to complete your training.
HGV Driver Training Cost
The cost to complete your HGV driver training will range from £220 for our C1 7.5-tonne session-only course through to our Gold Fast Track Car to C+E course would cost £4,185 and comes with a few added benefits to provide our students with peace of mind like the pass protection for example.
The HGV driver training course you require will depend on the category of HGV vehicle you would like to drive and your current level of HGV driving experience.
The cost of the training will be respective to the required number of theory and practical-based training hours you will need to receive. This again comes back to your current level of experience and the vehicle classification you wish to drive; we can also offer an evaluation session with one of our instructors who will then be able to advise of the recommended number of training hours you will likely require to be test ready.
Do I need Driver's CPC training?
You will only need to complete your 35-hours of periodic CPC training if you are driving for hire & reward purposes or as the main part of your job. If you are driving as a hobby, then you will not need to complete CPC training.
Any driver who first passed any category C driving test after 9th of September 2009 must have this new qualification. Drivers who held any LGV driving entitlement before that date have 5 years “acquired rights” to the Driver CPC.
The Driver CPC is enforced on the road in the same way as holding an appropriate driving licence and it is an offence to drive without it. There are penalties for drivers and operators who flaunt this new requirement.
We have both online and classroom CPC training courses available with 7-hour and 35-hour options on offer. We also have a wide variety of training modules that you can choose to complete!
How much does an HGV driver earn?
An HGV driver in the UK as of December 2021 typically earns the average salary of around £34,000[i]. However, this number can drastically change depending on many factors, such as:
- If you are driving a Class 1 or Class 2 HGV.
- The experience you have as an HGV driver.
- The type of loads that you are delivering.
- The distances and hours that you are willing to work.
- If you have additional entitlements such as ADR.
These are just some of the varying factors that can affect how much you earn as an HGV driver, with many more that can be named. However, with increasing demand and an increase in salaries for HGV drivers, some companies have been seen to offer up to £50,000[ii] a year for HGV Class 1 drivers.
[i] https://uk.indeed.com/career/truck-driver/salaries
[ii] https://uk.indeed.com/jobs?q=hgv%20driver&l=England&vjk=82c76940f945742f&advn=7642292610698607
*All figures are accurate from the date of publishing*
What licence do I need to drive an HGV?
There are two HGV licences that you will need to obtain depending on the category of vehicle you want to drive. To drive a Rigid lorry, you will need to gain your CAT C licence, and to drive an articulated lorry you will need to obtain your C+E licence.
Those who hold a CAT C licence can drive vehicles over 3,500kgs with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM.
Those who hold a C+E licence will be able to drive vehicles over 3,500kgs with a trailer over 750kgs.
Is it hard to drive an HGV?
This really depends on your level of driving confidence and spatial awareness; it can take some getting used to when you first begin to drive an HGV. However, the more experience you gain and confidence you get, the ‘easier’ HGV driving will become.
Completing any of our HGV training courses will give you the skills and knowledge that you need to safely and efficiently operate the category of vehicle specified in your training and become a better HGV driver.
The size and weight of a rigid and especially an articulated vehicle is difficult to get used to but receiving industry-leading training, such as the standard of service provided by us at 2 Start, will ensure you gain your HGV licence.
Can you go straight from a car to a Class 1 HGV?
Yes, as of November 15th 2021, you can now go straight from a car to a Class 1 HGV. The November 2021 changes were introduced by the Government to reduce the national HGV driver shortage.
These changes included:
- Approved training centres and accredited assessors are now able to undertake the reversing test for the 3A section of the test.
- The 3B practical driver section of the test still needs to be completed with a DVSA examiner but is now 60 minutes in duration, up 10 minutes from the previous 50 minutes it used to take.
We have added many Fast Track options to allow our students to go from a car straight to a Class 1 HGV.
If you passed your car driving test before 1st January 1997, you automatically have “acquired rights” to categories C1, D1, and B+E entitlements. This means you can drive goods vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes, towing a trailer up to 750kg, a minibus up to 16 seats towing a trailer, and a car towing any trailer.
If you passed your test after 1st January 1997, you are allowed to drive vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes (Ford Transit or Mercedes Sprinter sized vehicles but check the Gross Weight on the plate of the vehicle because some “Small vans” are not that small!) towing a trailer up to 750kg (but not exceeding a train weight of 3.5tonnes), a minibus up to 8 seats towing a trailer up to 750kg (not exceeding a train weight of 3.5tonnes) and a car towing a trailer up to 750kgs (again, not exceeding the 3.5 tonnes train weight).
If you do not have “acquired rights” you will need to complete some form of HGV training, depending on the category of vehicle you are planning on driving, such as CAT C or C+E.
Although, you can still complete your CAT C course before taking your C+E training. This will allow you to gain confidence and experience in driving a CAT C vehicle before making the jump to a C+E.
Is it hard to become an HGV driver?
Completing one of our HGV driver training courses will give you the resources needed to pass your HGV driving test.
We have an extensive catalogue of courses for you to choose from depending on your individual requirements, meaning we will have the ideal package for you! Additionally, we are also allowing students to build their own courses using our Build your own packages.
HGV driving is an extremely skilled job, requiring a multitude of different skills and expertise apart from your driving ability, including good time management skills.
Are truck drivers in demand?
Yes, truck drivers are in demand now more than ever! The national UK HGV driver shortage has meant that many companies are looking for drivers and are offering improved salaries and more sociable working hours.
Read our recent article on is it worth getting my UK HGV licence? For more information on the top reasons, you should gain your HGV licence and the huge demand we are seeing for HGV drivers.
How to start HGV training?
To start one of our LGV driver training courses, all you need to do is decide which of our courses is the best one for you and then choose the best date available for you to complete your training. It is that simple! Our online booking system allows you to easily book your LGV training course and complete your training quickly!
Additionally, you can call our team on 02392 123555, and they will arrange everything for you! Also, you can email us at daisy@2start-training.com.
They asked for a “Class 1” driver. Does this mean Category C1 or C+E?
It can depend, typically when someone talks about “Class 1” they're referring to a C+E, articulated lorry licence.
Licence categories changed in the early 1990s to bring the U.K. into line with the rest of Europe.
Some of the main categories include:
- Category D1 & D1+E
- Category C1 & C1+E
- Category C / Rigid
- Category C+E / Articulated
We have training courses covering all of these categories. Click the link below to view our full range of courses.
Are you thinking of completing your HGV training with 2 Start?
Here at 2 Start Training, we have a number of HGV driver training courses available for you to complete and gain your HGV licence and begin your journey to becoming a lorry driver. We have both HGV Class 1 & Class 2 courses available, all of which will teach you the skills, knowledge and give you the confidence that you need to safely operate an HGV.
Our team will help you with every step of your journey to gaining your HGV licence from booking your medical for you locally to booking your practical test at the soonest possible date!
Our HGV training facilities
We provide HGV training across the South Coast and our training depots cover the following areas:
- Portsmouth, in Hampshire
- Southampton (Otterbourne), in Hampshire
- Reading, in Berkshire
- Worthing, in West Sussex
- Theale, in West Berkshire
We can offer HGV training in Hampshire, West Sussex, Berkshire and to the local communities in the surrounding areas of each county.
Our Portsmouth depot is an approved DVSA testing centre that is available to all of our HGV driver training students across the whole of Hampshire. This gives our students a major advantage as they can use our top-quality facilities throughout their HGV training course. Also, students are able to complete their HGV driving test from our Portsmouth depot!
All of our training depots have on-site reversing facilities and are approved DVSA 3a sites. It is extremely rare to find HGV training companies that have their own on-site reversing facilities, as most sites are not big enough to allow this. This means you can practice your HGV reversing manoeuvres on the same facilities that you will be tested on! Additionally, all of our training depots have well-lit and fully-equipped classroom facilities, including air conditioning.