If you’re an HGV driver looking for the next career direction, you might be looking at doing another licence. Alongside the standard Driver CPC (which all HGV drivers have to hold, by law), there are a number of other HGV licences you can do that can widen your scope for driving and improve your income at the same time. In today’s post, we wanted to share with you a few of the most popular steps you might want to take, and what they mean for your future career.
This licence category is for the smallest type of haulage vehicle on the road – which is why it’s the licence most professional van drivers will have. A Cat C1 licence lets you drive any vehicle up to 7,500kg, with a trailer that weighs under 750kg. This cover anything from horseboxes to standard white vans. To achieve this licence, you’ll need to take a two-part theory test and a practical test.
Once you’ve got your Cat C1 licence under your belt, you may decide you still want to move it up a notch. For this, you have a Cat C1 + E licence, which increases the weight of vehicle you can drive, particularly if you want to drive heavier trailers. Again, there will be a theory and a practical exam, which by now you will probably be familiar with.
For a Cat C licence, you can either choose to upgrade from your Cat C1 or Cat C1+E, or you can upgrade directly from your standard Cat B drivers’ licence. The Cat C drivers licence allows you to drive vehicles over 3,500kg with a trailer of up to 750kg. Again, this type of licence requires a theory exam and a practical test, which you might need support to achieve.
The Cat C + E is the highest level licence you can get, and gives you access to the widest range of vehicles possible. This also means you will have your pick of any HGV driving jobs, as you will have the maximum qualifications you can get. That’s one of the reasons many drivers choose to upgrade to this licence – because it doesn’t limit your job opportunities, and you will often find you can demand higher wages once you have one. This licence allows you to drive any size or weight of vehicle, and any trailers over 750kg. while there are some specialist types of vehicle you might not be able to drive, this is the most comprehensive licence out there.
If you’re looking to upgrade your HGV licence, we would love to help. At The LGV Training Centre, we offer a wide range of HGV training services, from the basic CPC licence through to comprehensive specialist licences, and everything in-between. If you would like to find out more about our programmes or our expert trainers, just get in touch with the team today.