When we talk about HGVs, most people bring the same image to mind – a single carriage lorry trundling along the motorway at 70 MPH. However, while this might be the most common type of HGV out there, the term actually covers a huge range of vehicle types, some of which you wouldn’t even associate with the term Heavy Good Vehicle. Here are just a few things that come under the HGV banner:
An articulated vehicle is any vehicle with a centralised, permanent pivot point separating two or more parts. Each section will be connected by a pivot bar, which allows the vehicle to make sharp turns more easily. For lorries, you can tell the difference by looking at the section behind the cab. A non-articulated lorry will have a solid bed flowing directly into the storage containers, while an articulated lorry will have a gap, held together with a single bar. There are many types of articulated heavy goods vehicle besides lorries, including buses, trams and trains.
Related Article: 4 Tips To Choosing The Right HGV Driver Training School For You
Believe it or not, a forklift, like the type used in a warehouse, is considered an HGV, and you do need a license in order to drive one legally. The course for these can generally be done in one day, with most of the focus being on safe operation and operating in reverse. The cost to learn to drive one is low, but a surprising number of warehouse workers never bother learning or taking the tests to be qualified. A small thing like a forklift qualification can make you a very attractive candidate when job hunting.
Purely due to the size of animal they have to accommodate, horseboxes are classified as a heavy goods vehicle. Often the people who come to us for horsebox training aren’t looking to drive professionally, but instead simply want to be able to transport their animals and make their lives easier and hobbies more enjoyable. It’s also a good alternative to paying someone else to transport their horses. Horsebox training is again, a simple thing to do. There are only 2 requirements for learning how to drive a horsebox – you must be over 18 years old and have passed your driving test. You can then take a Category C1 driving license course that allows standard license holders to drive any horsebox with an authorised mass (MAM) or between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes. This is the license that most people driving horse boxes use to transport large or multiple horses around the country.
Of course, coaches and buses are classified as HGVs too. They come under this heading due to their size and weight and require a driver with a Category D license to be able to drive them. Any bus or coach with over 8 passenger seats or a trailer up to 750kg MAM is classified as an HGV, which requires a Category D license, or a Category DE for one with a trailer over 750kg. Buses can be both articulated and non-articulated depending on the model and must be driven by someone who possesses the correct license.
For more information about the kinds of hgv licences we can help you attain, or to find out about a vehicle that isn’t listed here, get in touch with the team at The LGV Training Company today.