If you are looking for a job in the haulage industry, there is no better time than now! Unlike other industries where the demand for jobs is often much higher than the supply, there is more call these days for LGV (Large Goods Vehicles, formerly known as HGV or Heavy Goods Vehicles), qualified drivers and operators.

With the growing economy, increase in import-export traffic, increase in independent businesses,  more prolific opportunities in marketing, and the increase in goods needing to be transported means more jobs for haulage operators!

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While haulage is more or less a fairly straightforward job, there are regulatory and documentation requirements you will need to fulfill in order to work or do business as a haulier.  Here are just some of the requirements to get licensed for LGV driving.

Can Anyone Get A License?

Anyone who is over the age of eighteen can apply for a professional haulage driver’s  license, especially if one already has a driver’s license. There are no educational level requirements, however, there are certain training and competence tests that need to be passed.

Applying For A License

The first requisite to getting the required license as a professional LGV driver is to get a medical exam. This is understandable when you consider that the operation of the large haulage vehicles does entail a certain level of exertion, higher than that required in driving a regular vehicle.

This, as well as the long hours needed on the road plus other physical demands of accomplishing haulage jobs make it necessary for the government to put in place procedures that will reduce the risk of incidences that can ultimately lead to people posing a danger to themselves or other people.

The next requirement is completing the application for the license itself. You will need to bring, apart from the relevent form, your current driver’s license (or if you do not have one, a coloured passport photo as well as a valid passport or birth/marriage certificate) and your doctor’s medical certification. After this, you will need to work for your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC), which has been a requirement for all LGV drivers since 1997.

The Driver CPC

Most haulage drivers working with LGVs prior to 1997 are allowed special exemptions for acquiring this requirement. For most people, however, the initial qualification for the Driver CPC requirement involves passing four tests: the two-part theory test, the Driver CPC case studies test, the driving ability test and the practical demonstration.

Each of these four modules are considered separate and should you be unable to pass one section, it is possible to retake that module only. Many drivers undertake special tuition and training to ensure passing the tests required for the Driver CPC. Once awarded the Driver CPC, you will also need thirty-five hours of periodic training every five years to maintain your qualification.

While it may seem at first glance that there are many rules and requirements for working in the haulage industry that seem to be unnecessary red tape, it helps to be accepting and compliant. After all, government rules such as licenses for LGV haulage professionals are there for a reason and many are geared towards ensuring your safety as a workman and the safety of the public. What is more, making sure you have all of the proper qualifications and documentation ensures future legal troubles for you and your company!