The Top 5 ‘On the Road’ Essentials for Every HGV Driver

So, you’ve passed your LGV and HGV training and now you’re ready to hit the road. Wherever it is you’re off to, one thing’s for certain, you’ll be needing some decent supplies to see you through. Leaving home unprepared could result in a rather miserable journey. So before you set off, make sure you’ve read through this list of top five ‘on the road’ essentials. It’ll be the difference between an average journey and a great one…

Entertainment

If you’re in for the long haul, you’d be a food to leave without any form of entertainment in your bag. Things to keep you occupied when you’re resting could include –

•    An e-reader
•    Portable DVD player
•    iPod or mp3 player
•    A good old fashioned selection of books
•    A pack of cards

It’s best not to take your most expensive gear on the road with you, due to the possibility of theft. However, make sure you pack a few items that you can fall back on if you’re really in need of a little light distraction.

Clean Up

If you can’t access a shower, or haven’t the time to make a detour to one, make sure you bring some freshening up essentials. Baby wipes have a multitude of uses – from cleaning your hands to wiping the dashboard! They’re also great to give your face a quick wipe down which could help you feel more alert. Dry shampoo is another good one – especially if you’re on a long journey where you might want to head out for a night. A quick spray of dry shampoo will ‘de-grease’ your hair and give it a new lease of life – which is just what it will need after being stuck inside for so long.

Clothing

Like we mentioned above, if you’re on a journey where you’ll be staying over before heading back home, and fancy a night out – fresh clothing is vital. Hitting a pub or two in your driving gear never feels great, so make sure you’ve packed a fresh change of clothes which you’ll feel comfortable in, heading out to try the local pubs.

Emergency Food Supplies

Throughout your LGV and HGV training, you’ll have covered how vital it is for you to stay alert and awake at the wheel. If that means resorting to snacks then so be it. Pack snacks that will give you sustained energy if you can – they’re much better than quick sugary fixes. Opt for cereal bars, bags of nuts (almonds are really good, and bananas. They may not be super-exciting but they’ll stand you in good stead for a long drive ahead.

Painkillers

Paracetamol. Ibuprofen. Aspirin – whatever works for you. Make sure you’ve got a pack handy just in case a headache hits… driving with a headache just doesn’t work.

We hope these handy hints will help you get the most out of life on the road. Every HGV driver has his or her own list of essentials so figure out what works for you and get out there!

How to be the Best Bus Driver Ever

Nobody likes a grumpy bus driver and that’s a fact. You know the ones – they never smile, they shout down the bus for people to move down even when there’s nowhere to go, and they drive like a maniac. But bus drivers have a huge amount of responsibility and it’s no surprise that sometimes the stress gets to them. However, if they’ve undergone their PCV training in a UK centre, they should have everything in place to ensure they’re fully prepared for life as a bus driver. If you’ve already taken your PCV training in a UK centre but you’re looking for tips on how to be a better bus driver, read on…

•Be considerate

Sometimes people run late for buses, but sometimes bus drivers take great delight in closing the bus doors just as someone has screeched to a halt in front of them. The bus can’t go anywhere because it’s in a line of slow moving traffic. A thoughtful bus driver would be considerate enough to open the doors and let the passenger on. If it won’t stop you reaching your destination on time and there are no hazards associated with opening the doors, then why not make someone’s day and do it?

•Smile

We all know that sometimes smiling can feel like the hardest thing in the world – especially if you’ve got a lot going on in your head. However, a simple smile and a bit of eye contact can really be appreciated. And here’s the good bit – it can also make you feel better too. Smiling uses muscles in your face – and like every muscle, these ones need to be exercised.

•Give change if you have it

So you’ve got a passenger who only has a £10 note and their fare is just £1.10. Don’t moan at them for not having the right change, and don’t tell them you can’t give them change because you don’t have it if you do. Haven’t you been that person who was running late and forgot to make sure they had the right change? At some point in your life you must have, so be kind, find them the right change, and don’t begrudge them.

•Take a Refresher course if you need it

If you’ve got out of the habit of driving a bus, why not take a refresher course to get your confidence levels up? There is PCV training UK so there’s bound to be a centre close to you that is sure to help. A quick refresher course can make all the difference to how you feel behind the wheel.

Being a bus driver can be a great job, and if you enjoy it, others will enjoy your driving too. Bus drivers are always in demand, and the work can be regular and rewarding. You’ll need good levels of concentration, and be happy working in a customer facing environment, so if this sounds like you it’s probably time you got on the buses!

What HGV Licence Should I Train for?

If you’re thinking about a career as a driver of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), a great place to start is to gain your HGV/LGV Cat ‘C’ licence – also called Class 2. There will probably be a class 2 training course in a location close to you as this is an extremely popular choice for many. So what exactly will a class 2 training course qualify you to drive?

If you successfully pass your class 2 course you’ll be able to drive vehicles with a rigid body that is over 7.5t. These sorts of vehicles include everything from rubbish trucks that operate in towns and cities all around the country, fire engines, and any HGV where the vehicle is all one unit (for instance, the cab does not come apart from the trailer section).

Cat C HGVs are to be found all over the country as they are a popular choice of vehicle for a number of jobs. As a fully qualified and trained HGV class 2 driver you can be looking at a starting salary of around the £24k a year mark.

Once you’ve successfully passed your Class 2 training, you can then move on to train to gain your HGV/LGV Cat ‘C+E’ (class 1) licence. This licence will allow you to drive any vehicle that is over 7.5t and that has a cab that separates from its trailer. You can only apply for this licence once you have successfully completed your Class 2 training. That’s because the vehicles you can drive on a Class 1 licence are considerably larger. They are often used for long haul and international haulage routes so you can often be away from home for a considerable length of time when you own a Class 1 licence. The average starting salary for a driver who has their Class 1 licence is roughly around the £28k a year mark.

As well as Class 2 and Class 1 licences, there are other licences which you can train for. These include licences such as Cat C1, Cat C1+E and Cat D. If you are thinking about training for a Cat C1 licence (which will allow you to drive any goods vehicle that is above 3.5t but below 7.5t) you should consider training for a Class 2 training course licence anyway as once you have gained this you will automatically get your Cat C1 licence too. Furthermore, if you passed your driving test before 1997 you will not need to take the Cat C1 training course as you will already be eligible to drive a Cat C1 vehicle. If in doubt, check your driver’s licence and see.

Training to drive HGVs/LGVs can be done on courses that fit around your current work and life routines. What’s more, licences such as the Cat C1 can be gained on courses that take just one week. Gaining an HGV Class 2 licence can quite literally open up the world to you, especially if you continue to study for your Class 1 licence. Train as an HGV driver and who knows where you’ll be heading next…