Driving a lorry is a skill which can be attained by only undertaking the very best Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) Training or Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) Training. With so many vehicles on the road nowadays, driving is a dangerous business. If you are driving a lorry, the risks are multiplied and you need to ensure that you have the right Truck Driver Training which will not only provide you with information about the practical aspects of driving, but also familiarise you with the latest regulations. There are different laws for driving on roads in Europe and those in theUK. There are varying limits to how much weight the lorry can carry and you will need to abide by the local laws if you are trained in Europe but driving in theUK.
If you passed your car driving test prior to January 1997 you will automatically be entitled to drive laden vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes. This is a C1 licence, and you will not need to undergo lorry driver training to be able to drive a lorry within these parameters. A category E added to the licence will entitle you to drive a 7.5 tonne lorry with a trailer. If you want to tow a trailer of any type and passed your car driving test post January 1997, you will need to undergo a driver training course.
If you want to be able to drive vehicles over 7.5 tonnes and up to 18 tonnes, you will need to undergo Class 1 Training or Class 2 Training. This is also known as Class C Training as once you have successfully passed the training, you will be entitled to add Category C to your licence. Category C lorries are fixed body vehicles which are often used to deliver goods within inner cities and smaller factories.
The highest class of permit for driving vehicles on UKroads is the Category C + E licence. If you already have a full clean car driving licence you will be able to undertake a HGV course to upgrade your licence. You will then be entitled to drive articulated lorries as well as trailers.
Attending Truck Driver Training Schools in the UK is a great way to learn about weight limits of vehicles. Some roads have varying weight restrictions and you will need to know what these are if you are to remain within the law. When carrying livestock it is sometimes difficult to remain within the law as the animals’ weight are taken into the fully laden load. This is particularly true when transporting horses. Some 3.5 tonne vehicles can carry two horses, but it will depend on the size and weight of the horses and this should always be taken into account. If you have undergone HGV Training you will be more aware of the restrictions and therefore less likely to fall foul of the law. HGV vehicles are fitted with a tachograph which will automatically record the speed of the vehicle at a given time, as well as the number of hours the driver has been driving. There are strict regulations governing both and you will learn about these on your HGV Course.