How to get the most out of your LGV Driver Training Course

If you’ve just signed up to study on one of the many LGV driver training courses available in the UK, good job! You’re about to take the first steps on a path that will hopefully lead to a fulfilling career, rewarding prospects, and great experiences. If this is the first time you’ll be undertaking training for quite a while, here’s how to make sure you get the most out of the whole process and leave as a fully qualified LGV driver.

Prepare

If you’re about to start studying on one of the UK’s hgv driving training courses, it’s wise to make sure you’re as prepared as possible. Training can often be intensive and be squeezed into a solid week of work. With that in mind, it’s wise to make sure you’re well rested and you know what you’ll be doing in the week ahead. It’s also a good idea to make sure you know exactly where the training centre is, so that there are no last minute panics on the day. Arriving flustered for your first day is never conducive to studying.


Don’t Neglect the Small Stuff

When intensive training is required, it’s vital you make sure you’ve got food that’s going to keep you energized and focused. Don’t make the mistake of stocking up on junk food. Brain boosting foods such as tomatoes, blueberries, wholegrains (swap white bread for wholegrain for instance), and oily fish are great to help keep you switched on. Steer away from foods that are high in sugars as while they may be what you’re craving if you’re going through a mental slump they’ll quickly make you crash and burn. Bananas are a great energy-boosting food so opt for one of these instead of a chocolate bar or doughnut.

Do your Homework

With Lgv driver training courses often being extremely intensive in nature, it’s wise to do as much prep and homework as you possibly can. That way you’ll make sure you’re up to speed with all the terms and technology and you won’t feel like you’re losing the thread. Work through theory tests, view videos, and do as much as you can to ensure you get that great pass rate first time round.

Training to be an LGV driver is a great way to secure your future. Jobs are available all over the UK and the demand is constant – so training in this line of work makes great sense if you want job security. Once you’ve passed your LGV driver training you’ll be able to choose work that fits around commitments like family and other work if you have it. What’s more, with around 70,000 jobs in this line of work available in the UK right now, you can rest assured that you’re making a wise move when you sign up to train on one of these courses. To ensure you get the most out of it and you pass first time, be prepared, be well rested, and be ready to achieve your career dreams.

So you want to be an HGV Driver – Here’s How

You’ve thought long and hard about your career choices and you’re now considering a life on the road as an HGV driver. You’ve made a good choice – especially seeing as there’s been a considerable shortage of drivers in recent years. What’s more, HGV driver training in the UK can be quick, affordable, and you’ll usually be able to find a training course in a location close to you. Here are our top tips on how to become a qualified HGV driver…

Research

Before you jump straight in and choose the first course you find, it’s wise to do a little research. There are a number of organizations offering HGV driver training in the UK, but some are better than others. So –

•Check their credentials
•Call them up and ask about their pass rate
•Compare the costs of training at various establishments
•Think about the time it will take (and money) for you to get to the training course and home again and factor this in
•Find out how long the training takes

Once you’ve thought (and got answers) to these things, you can make your choice wise in the knowledge that you are well informed.

Train

You can usually train to become an HGV driver in as little as a week. The courses are intensive and highly practical so you’ll need to be on the ball. To help you pass first time, it’s wise to make sure you –

1.Are well rested – get to sleep early throughout the week
2.Eat the right foods to keep your brain and body functioning (bananas, nuts, and oily fish are all good)
3.Do your homework – go over any notes you made during the class at home so you are constantly refreshing your memory

Money

If paying for your course is a problem but you want to get trained as quickly as possible, consider asking about finance. Many top training establishments are able to offer course candidates finance arrangements for their course fees. That means, instead of paying for it all in one go, you can spread the cost of the course fee over a series of months. This is helpful if you don’t have a large wad of savings in the bank or can’t siphon off that amount from your cash flow.

Stay in Touch

HGV driver training UK centres are often able to help with recruitment, so when you’ve passed your course it’s wise to stay in touch. Try and build a relationship with those responsible for recruitment and you could be first in line for any jobs that come their way. Furthermore, it’s a good idea to stay in touch with your fellow course mates as they too may hear of available jobs – so you can all help each other out if needs be.

Training to be an HGV driver is intensive and hard work, but if you set your mind to it, you should be able to pass your tests and get out on the road. The job can be rewarding, regular, and well paid so train hard and smart and you’ll get there…

How to be a Considerate HGV Driver

You’ll have covered driving etiquette in your HGV and LGV driver training courses – plus you should remember how to be a considerate driver from your car driving lessons. If you need a recap though, here are some top tips on how to ensure you’re a considerate HGV driver.

Look Around You

Lorries are huge vehicles and when there’s a number of them on the road together, this can be intimidating to car drivers. When you’re driving through towns, or out on the motorway, it’s important you know what other vehicles are around you. Keep an eye on your mirrors as much as possible, be aware of your blind spots, and don’t make any rash driving decisions. It’s all common sense stuff but it’s good to be reminded once in a while.

Signal

Think about it. How irate do you get when someone doesn’t signal? Nobody can read minds (although a few claim they can!). In the world of driving, you need to signal otherwise no one will know what you intend or want to do. Never just pull out, always signal, and make sure if you want to make a specific maneuver that there is space and time for you to carry this out without affecting other drivers. You’re bound to have covered all of these basics in your LGV driver training courses, so if in doubt, think back or look over any past notes, and see how you can improve and get out of lazy habits.

Don’t Risk it

If you’re tired and you’re wondering whether you can make the last stretch without stopping off, don’t risk it. Pull over, grab a coffee, get some fresh air and stretch your legs. Splash water on your face to revive you, and eat a snack to boost your energy levels. If you’re at all concerned about how tired you are, the most considerate thing you can do for yourself (and all the other drivers on the road) is to come off and take a break. You may just be preventing an accident.

Don’t Overtake on a Hill

The main annoyance of many car drivers would have to be HGV drivers overtaking on a hill – especially if they’re in a vehicle that’s been limited to 50mph. This results in a tailback of furious car drivers going nowhere fast, while up at the front the HGV inches forwards over the course of what seems like three hours. So if you can avoid it, try not to overtake on a hill – simply by staying in your lane you’ll be a considerate driver. Top marks!

Being a considerate HGV driver can take time and a bit of dedication, but if you want to be the best driver you can be, it’s wise to be as considerate as possible. Remember, being considerate is all about –

•    Thinking of others on the road
•    Being aware of other drivers
•    Treating yourself and them with kindness

Remember these points and put them into use, and you’ll be a considerate driver in no time!

Train as an HGV Driver Now, Pay Later

It’s always the way, you discover the perfect training course then see the sum it costs to sign up for it. While HGV training strives to be as affordable as possible, for some it’s simply not possible to hand over a lump sum all in one go. Thankfully though, these days there is HGV training finance available. It works in a similar way as buying something from a catalogue does. Say you’ve seen an awesome flat screen TV that you simply can’t live without… you buy it, but you decide to pay for it in instalments over a number of weeks. That’s just how HGV training finance works. Most people can benefit from it and it means you won’t have to fork out for the cost of training all in one go.

In the past few years, HGV training has increased in popularity. This, coupled with the fact there has been a distinct lack of qualified HGV drivers on the circuit, means it’s a vocation that pays. There are countless opportunities all across the UK for skilled and suitably qualified HGV drivers. Remuneration packages are good, the work is reliable, and you could be based anywhere in the UK. When you consider all of these factors, it’s little wonder more and more people are turning to careers as HGV drivers.

However, if the initial training costs are stopping you from moving forward in your chosen career path, it can be a long wait to get your funds in place. Saving money towards a training course may take a year, and that can feel immensely frustrating. Fortunately though, there are schemes that exist where you can train now and ‘pay later’ over a period of time. You’ll usually pay a small deposit initially and will then pay the rest back, with interest, over an agreed length of time. You’ll usually need to meet a few requirements which are often along the lines of: you’ll need to be over 18, work at least 16 hours or more a week, be a UK resident with a permanent UK address, and be able to supply details of your past addresses for the last three years. You’ll also need to have a good credit report – that means no CCJs, bankruptcies, or IVAs against you.

If you’re not sure how good your credit report looks, before you apply for finance it’s always wise to make sure it’s as ‘clean’ as possible. There are a number of credit report agencies that can often supply your credit report for free (if you take up a free trial and then cancel). Good credit reports will show that you have made up to date payments on things like mortgages, phone contracts and so on.

HGV training finance allows you to move forward with your career even if you haven’t got enough cash in the bank to immediately pay for the full sum of the training course. You’ll pay interest on your payments, but by paying over a longer period of time you won’t feel the pinch of paying a large lump sum at the start.