Training journey in becoming an HGV driver

Whether you’re looking for a change of scenery or want to advance your career, learning how to become an HGV driver could be the first step of your new professional life.

You could be helping to deliver cargo around the country or even internationally when you get your first driving job.

Lorry drivers are some of the most important people in ensuring important deliveries get to where they need to go in a timely manner.

With HGV drivers currently in high demand, it’s the perfect time to get qualified.

Cat C licence training qualifies you to drive HGV such as Lorries and tipper trucks. We make sure that you learn the skills to operate CAT C vehicles.

This CAT C+E training is for the heaviest vehicle on the road along with a trailer of 750 kg. For instance, fleet trucks.

The steps to gaining an HGV Licence

HGV Medical:

Each driver must pass a medical exam as part of their training program. This is to be sure you do not have existing medical conditions that prevent you driving a vehicle safely. You will undertake a brief medical exam and a short conversation with a doctor. We can also book you in as a priority and offer medicals at a great reduction.

HGV Theory:

Next, you need to take and pass a theory test specific to HGV driving. Like learning to drive a car it takes the form of multiple-choice questions which you will need to answer on a screen in a test centre.

Practical HGV Training:

Once the theory test is out of the way and you have received your results you get to jump in one of our training vehicles and start your practical training with our instructor. Practical training can take anything from 4 to 26 hours depending on your requirements, including your Driver CPC training.

Driver CPC training

The final step is passing your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence.

Unless you have “grandad rights” (passed your car test before 1997), you’ll need to do Initial CPC first – module 2 and module 4 and you cannot drive HGVs professionally without the CPC qualification, save for a few exceptions.

After obtaining your first Driver Qualification Card (DQC), you will need to undergo 35 hours of refresher training, called Periodic Training, every 5 years to stay qualified.