Driver CPC Training

Along with the fact that the minimum age to drive a HGV has changed well so has how you pass and maintain your licence. The basis is that if your ambition is to drive a HGV/LGV as a profession then you will need to complete CPC training. This forms part of your overall HGV training.

The Driver Certificate of Professional Competence covers Coach, Bus and Lorry drivers to ensure a number of things:

• Make sure you have the knowledge and skills needed before you even start driving
• Help develop your skills and knowledge throughout your professional career
• Increased knowledge in drivers delivers an improvement in Road Safety

The Driver CPC is about ongoing training throughout your working life and because of this there are 2 types of CPC training you will need to undertake: Initial Driver CPC training which is needed for any new applicants and then you will undertake periodic CPC training which is for existing, qualified drivers. Initial driver CPC has to be undertaken by anyone wishing to drive HGV/LGV for Category C1 and Category C.

The initial Driver CPC is made up of 4 different areas that you will have to pass to drive professionally:

Driver CPC Part 1:

Theory – Multiple choice questions

Hazard Perception

Driver CPC Part 2:

Another theory exam – case study

Driver CPC Part 3:

HGV Practical driving test

Driver CPC Part 4:

This is all about a Vehicle safety demonstration.

Periodic Driver CPC Training

If you want to keep your driver CPC then you will have to renew this every 5 years meaning you will have to complete formal training on an ongoing basis. The CPC training must add up to 35 hours and it would be beneficial to do 7 hours training per year to ensure you complete the 35 hours required. You will have to do a minimum of 7 hours training continuously within a 24 hour timeframe for this training to qualify so it makes sense to spread this out over the 5 years and of course allow you to keep the yearly training costs down. It’s worth noting that you only have to attend the professional training as there is no exam undertaken.

After your training is completed you will be issued with your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence qualification card. Whenever you are driving professionally, you must have this card with you.

As you can see, the job of a HGV Professional driver is highly respected and once you attain and maintain your Driver CPC then you can look forward to driving HGV’s and making a good living from this. Don’t forget to look at the potential of ADR training which can improve your earnings potential no end.

The type of HGV jobs you can look forward to applying for are really down to the Class of HGV you are qualified to drive. Many companies and employers out there will be looking for newly qualified and experienced drivers too.

HGV Job Considerations

Once you have completed you HGV Training and are qualified to drive a HGV/LGV vehicle then you must look deeper into the type of job opportunities out there. The pay matters but also your terms and conditions need a lot of consideration before you take a job on. Are you a “home-bird” who wants and needs to be at home every day/night? What are your expectations as to the distances you will be travelling and can you work to high pressure timed delivery deadlines? It is worth remembering that when you go to any HGV job interview that you are interviewing the employer as well as them interviewing you. Always have a number of questions that are relevant to the job and company you are being interviewed by.

The internet is a great source of information of any company that you are looking to join and virtually every company out there has their own website. Check this out, find out how many people they employ, do you know anyone who works or has worked there? What is the company’s mission statement? It might sound cheesy (as some do) but knowing what this is and what this means can give a good impression to interviewers.

So how do you get the Best HGV Jobs?

You will find that there will be many jobs available but just like any other industry there will be competition for places. The good thing is that if you have a HGV Licence to Category C+E, then this will open up many more HGV Jobs to you and can give you the edge over other applicants. If you have good experience in different driving roles then this is seen as positive by employers. Consider gaining an ADR Licence which will open up even more avenues to you if you want to get even more qualified.

As a qualified HGV driver you can earn good money with HGV driver pay of up to £30,000 per year not out of the question when employed by the right company. Be positive about your job prospects and get qualified to the best level you can.

There are 3 types of Category of HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) or LGV (Large Goods Vehicle) that you can choose to be instructed in.

Category C1

If you have passed your UK Car Driving Test before 1997 then you have automatically acquired Category C1 and the initial requirements of driver CPC are waived. Put simply, this means that you can drive a Goods Vehicle that’s Gross Vehicle Weight does not exceed 7.5 tonnes. You can even tow a trailer just as long as the gross Vehicle Weight of this does not exceed 750KG. If you have passed your driving test after 1997 then you can only drive a truck with a Gross Vehicle Weight not heavier than 3.5 tonnes and a trailer up to 750KG

Category C

If you are looking to be qualified to C+E then you must be qualified to Category C before you can complete the testing for that. Category C allows you to drive a HGV with a fixed Drivers Cab ie the Cab and trailer are fixed and cannot be separated. Category C allows you to drive a truck with gross Vehicle weight over 7.5 tonnes but less than 32 tonnes. Any trailer being towed must not be more than 750KG.

Category C+E

If you have a category C+E Licence then you can drive any type of HGV including the articulated type. As previously stated you have to have passed the Category C test before you can go for your Category C+E.

Of course you will need the correct provisional licence for the category of HGV before you can start driving and you will need to apply for this via Form D2. The good news is there aren’t any fees when applying for a HGV Provisional Licence.

An ADR Licence will ultimately open up more job opportunities for you. An ADR Licence will allow you as a professional driver to move dangerous goods by road. As you look further into this many Haulage Companies will transport dangerous goods by road and therefore require this expertise from some of their drivers. A driver with ADR training will earn more money so is a good option as a career move within professional driving.

The type of ADR training and Licence you require depends on the kind of vehicle or container you are driving and the type of dangerous/hazardous substance you are transporting

ADR Training Classes

Class 1 = Explosives

Class 2 = Gasses

Class 3 = Flammable Liquids

Class 4 = Flammable Solids

Class 5 = Oxidizing Substance(s)

Class 6 = Infectious Substance(s)

Class 7 = Radioactive Substance(s)

Class 8 = Corrosive Substance(s)

Class 9 = Miscellaneous Substance(s)


*The above classes are combined with the type of vehicle you will be driving be it packaged goods(not in tanks) or a Tanker (or transporting tanks).

Simply decide on what substances you will be transporting and then combine this with the correct vehicle to deliver the right ADR Licence for your career needs. Good examples are as follows:

If you wish to drive a packaged goods vehicle which carries Infectious Substances then you will need an ADR Licence for Class 6 and the basic packaged goods part of the qualification. When looking at the data available you can split the qualifications of the professional drivers out there into 2 distinct groups although the decision for your career path is your own. Many HGV Category C+E drivers will undertake the ADR exam with the intention to be qualified for both the tanker and packaged goods licence in combination with the classes of dangerous goods except no’s 1 and 7. This is because these are specialist areas dealing with explosives and radiation are not often warranted and therefore can be done over an extra day for each of these.
You have to decide if doing the extra ADR Licence qualification will actually give you anymore work. The ADR Licence course for Category C+E and the 7 classes of substances you can carry will take 5 days so any extra qualifications will need more time and obviously cost more money. You have to weigh up if this will benefit you in the long term. Don’t get ADR training confused with CPC training as CPC training is compulsory to enable you to drive HGV’s for a living.

If you are a HGV Category C or C+E driver and go for a “Packaged Goods” ADR Licence then this will cut down your course time to 3.5 days so it really is a case of weighing up the job prospects and not overspending on parts of licences you may not need. The ADR Licences are good for 5 years but it’s worth mentioning that as with any course you may take, it’s your money your are spending on your future so if you go into this with the right attitude then there is no reason why you can’t pass and get the HGV  Licence and job that you want.

You will find varying prices for HGV training right across the UK. It also depends on the duration of the course. Typically the duration of a course through a recognized training school will be 5 days with approximate prices as follows:

Category C

A Category C 5 day training course will cost anywhere from £900.00* – £1,100.00*

Category C+E

A Category C+E 5 day course can cost anywhere from £925.00* – £1,150.00*

*These prices are an approximation and include the test fee and VAT

It is worth mentioning that 5 days out of your time is a small price to pay to put you on the road to becoming a Professional HGV/LGV Driver. You will see many adverts for courses throughout the site that may be cheaper than the prices stated, feel free to check these out and see if they are suitable for your needs. Don’t forget to check our comments on HGV Driver Pay as well.

This is an important aspect of a career as a HGV driver because there are limitations as to how many hours you can drive for and you have to remember that you are in charge of a large vehicle and tiredness can cause traffic accidents – safety is key here. The Drivers Hours European regulations limits the amount of hours you can spend on the road – this is the law and you have to abide by this. Abiding by these regulations is just as important as taking up HGV training.

So what does it state?

The Law was brought in in April 2007 and covers both daily and weekly Hourly limits:

The Law was brought in in April 2007 and covers both daily and weekly Hourly limits:

Daily HGV Driving Hours

Firstly you can only drive for a maximum of 9 hours per day although you are allowed to work 10 hours as a maximum up to 2 days a week.

HGV/LGV Drivers can only work up to a maximum of 56 hours per week but there is a set maximum of 90 hours which is measured over a pair of weeks.

Put simply this means any 2 consecutive weeks must not exceed a maximum of 90 hours when combined. For example:

Week 1 + week 2 hours = maximum of 90 hours

Week 2 + week 3 hours = maximum of 90 hours

Week 3 + week 4 hours = maximum of 90 hours

And so on…

HGV drivers should only drive for a maximum of 4.5 hours before a rest break which should be a minimum of 45 mins. There are ways of breaking this up so in theory you could drive for 2.5 hours have a break for a minimum of 15 mins and then drive for 2 hours followed by a break for a minimum of 30 mins. If you were to swap that pattern around then it would be illegal because the second break has to be 30 mins or more. It would pay to get familiar with the regulations to ensure you are not breaking the law and drive safely throughout your career.

There are also weekly rules that apply from the 2007 EU Driving regulation. Remember these laws are mandatory and have to be abided by the laws are there to make sure you and other road users are kept safe. These laws apply to all categories of HGV: Category C, Category C1 and Category C+E.

CLICK HERE (right click and save link as) for a useful download relating to drivers hours.

HGV Medical

As a professional HGV driver you have to pass a HGV medical so proving that you are fit to drive a vehicle. As their name suggests these are Heavy Goods Vehicles and you need more than just good skills to become a HGV Driver. Before you can get a provisional licence as a HGV driver you must pass the medical.

At the age of 45 or over you must have a medical every 5 years and once you reach the age of 65+ you will have to have medical every year to keep your licence. The medical is completed by a GP and the cost of this can be up to £150.00 so it is worth shopping around as some of the specialist providers can provide a medical for as little as £50.00 to £60.00.

You can download the form D4 here by CLICKING HERE – Right Click and save link as..

Don’t be afraid of the medical as for most people this will be a simple formality. Make sure that you have the correct prescription for glasses or contact lenses as the last thing you want to do is fail a medical on something as basic as this. The examining doctor will ask you a number of questions and go through any illnesses you either currently have or have experienced in the past.

Some of the areas investigated are as follows:

Epilepsy and any episodes of this

Diabetes

Psychiatric Illnesses

Cardiac problems

Blood Pressure

We would recommend that you download the form D4 and look through this but don’t worry about this because as mentioned earlier the vast majority of people will pass the examination. Once you have passed the HGV Medical you can apply for a Provisional Licence to allow you to complete your HGV training. Check out the requirements for the HGV Licence on our site.

As there are 3 categories of HGV Driving Licence then you would expect to be paid the best rate if you hold a Category C+E Licence.

Salaries of around £30,000 per year for an experienced driver with a Category C+E Licence are not unheard of although average salaries are around the £23,000 per year mark. The more experience you gather then the better your HGV Jobs and therefore pay prospects will be but even if you are a newly passed Licence holder, there should be offers in the region of £16,000 per year to start.

If you acquire more skills then you can expect to earn more money with the right employer. You could consider ADR training which will allow you to deliver dangerous Goods by road but this should only be considered if you are planning to do this type of job. Check out our information on ADR training.

You may even wish to consider doing some Agency work when you are first qualified as this can be an easy way to get the experience you need for a more permanent role. Hourly rates can vary so much for agency work. Again this depends on the agency you are working for and the skill sets you have but hourly rates can vary from £7.00 to £15.00 per hour. You can see that at the top end of earnings up to £600.00 per week or 30,000.00 per year can be earned as a professional HGV driver. If you can take as much HGV training as possible then ultimately you will earn more money.

Good news again here in that anyone from the age of 18 who has a full UK Driving Licence can apply for a provisional HGV licence to start training. Category C+E HGV’s are the third type of trucks that you can qualify to drive if you pass the driving test.

If you have a category C+E Licence then you can drive any type of HGV including the articulated type. As previously stated you have to have passed the Category C test before you can go for your Category C+E so this could take some time to achieve especially as you will want to get some hours in driving Category C HGV’s before moving on to taking your C+E test.

This category of HGV could be something you want to progress to once you have good experience as an Agency driver or with a reputable company your are  already driving for. Once you have attained your Category C+E Licence then you are qualified to drive any type of HGV out there unless you have to have an ADR qualification which is needed if you have to transport dangerous goods by road.

Don’t forget to check out the requirements for ADR Licences which can help to increase your earnings as a Professionally qualified HGV driver.

Category C Quick Facts

The good news is, is that anyone from the age of 18 who has a full UK Driving Licence can apply for a provisional HGV licence to start training. Category C is one of the 3 categories of HGV Licences that you can pass a test for.

If  you are looking to be qualified to C+E then you must be qualified to Category C before you can complete the testing for that. Category C allows you to drive a HGV with a fixed Drivers Cab ie the Cab and trailer are fixed and cannot be separated. Category C allows you to drive a truck with gross Vehicle weight over 7.5 tonnes but less than 32 tonnes. Any trailer being towed must not be more than 750KG.

Once you are qualified to Category C then there are some excellent driving opportunities available to you. You are a step away from getting your C+E Licence as well. ADR training is great way to increase your job opportunities, read the information we have on the web site regarding this.

Don’t forget to read the information on Driver CPC training as this is needed to allow you to drive HGV’s professionally.