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Becoming a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) driver requires significant training. These courses are comprehensive and aimed at preparing the driver for the challenges that arise when on the road. What makes HGV different from any other vehicles? With normal vehicles you can get in and drive away without much thought, however with an HGV that’s not the case. These huge beasts require precision, time, and a good amount of training. HGV training is designed to enable a person to become a professional driver. This comes with focus on the internalization of various aspects related to safety and driving of the vehicle.
This allows the individual to become familiar with several heavy vehicles which are required for the professional HGV training. So the real question is what training do prospective drivers go through to get familiarized with the concept of HGVs.
1. Educating Oneself is the Most Important Step
Will I need to go through schooling in order to operate an HGV? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. Guess work will only land you in trouble during your career. This is why it is essential to first understand the basic concepts before getting into an HGV. Watching how everything fits into place is fundamentally crucial when you make your first move and start training.
To understand how traveling with an HGV work, start with:
- Understand how HGV traveling works, what are the signs, the hazards (there will be many).
- Load limits and weight distribution issues (nobody wishes to see a fully laden lorry rolling dangerously down the highway).
- The qualifications that must be possessed by the HGV driver, because ‘I don’t know the rules’ is not an excuse.
When the time comes for you to go, you will not be just another driver. You will be a walking (or driving) encyclopedia regarding the routes and roads.
2. Conquering the Vehicle: An ‘HGV’ Has Only Big Wheels That Require Big Head Skills
We should not make it sound too easy, operating an HGV is nowhere similar to driving a little hatchback. The difference in size of the two vehicles is apparent. It is the knowledge given during training that empowers you to have the proper control of the steering wheel, It also allows you to effectively use the other controls available on the truck.
You’ll get hands-on experience in:
- Steering and manoeuvring: Making a turn in an HGV is almost equivalent to turning a cruise ship in a canal.
- Braking: These are not vehicles that would just come to an instantaneous halt. So it’s better to learn how to stop them in a controlled manner while anticipating the situation.
- Reversing the vehicle: A more fitting analogy would place you as a skilled magician. But it all depends when you are confident enough to not feel like that.
3. Road Safety: Dealing with the Constant Mayhem
When you go out on the roads as an HGV driver, you’ll be trained to deal with all situations and close calls. HGV training does not just teach you how to drive; it teaches you how to master the control of your vehicle.
Apart from taking the course you will also be able to:
- Learn how to deal with risky situations and handle them like a pro. Almost as if you had a supernatural sense of feeling danger around.
- Manage uncomfortable environments and winds that the weather may throw at you, whether that be rain or fog.
- Stay focused on the driving task at hand and not let exhaustion take over your senses.
4. Load Management – it’s not just about how many boxes you can stack on top of eachother
One of the main features of HGV driving that sets it apart from other lorry driving is the aspect of load management. It’s never easy or as simple as just picking up a few boxes and stowing them in the back. During the training, you’ll see the art of loading them in a secure way.
This includes:
- Ensuring that the entire load is placed in a centered position, to prevent any sort of tipping over.
- Placing all the units in a secured tight space to avoid any subsequent movement while in transit.
- Knowing what the weight limit is by law, and that overloading a lorry is extremely unsafe.
5. Prepare for Unforeseen Circumstances Because the Possibilities are Endless
Every single day spent training and operating an HGV is different, and this is where training comes into play. Practicing how to think and strategize around possible broken down cars. Handling difficult delivery points, or turning in the wrong direction is quite useful knowledge to have.
Training also teaches you the importance of:
- Driving assessments during trips (because no one intends to have their vehicles dead in the middle of nowhere).
- Emergency protocols so that you are prepared in case everything goes horribly wrong.
- The inevitability of the unknown and the ability to adjust and adapt to unpredictable conditions.
Conclusion
HGV driving isn’t restricted to just driving an enormous lorry, it consists of learning practical skills. It is about turning you into a professional who can get the job done. It can be about moving around a tight corner or dealing with a challenging load.
