Being an HGV driver is no simple task. There are hundreds of things for you to remember, not to mention the training and education you have to go through to get there and the manual labour on a day to day basis. All HGV drivers are great. But there are some things that only a select few drivers do, and it’s these things that separate them, and make them fantastic, successful drivers. Today, we’re going to share 5 things with you that could make you a stand out HGV driver.
First things first – take responsibility for your cargo. Many drivers consider themselves ‘just the driver’, whose job it is to get the cargo from point A to point B. And while that’s true, the reality is that you could be so much more. If you consider yourself the ‘guardian of the load’ you can start to see how much more important you are to the process. It’s your job to make sure the load gets to its destination safely, in one piece and on time, every time. Taking responsibility for the load you’re carrying, as well as the actual lorry, you can put yourself ahead of other drivers.
Organisation is an important quality for a lot of jobs, but in HGV driving it’s more important than you’d think. If you want to be sure your deliveries always turn up on time, with everything present, you need to be organised. A successful driver will make sure their paperwork is all completed ahead of time, have planned out their routes (along with some alternatives) in advance, and have a complete kit of all occasions in their cab. In the HGV industry, it pays to be organised.
Stress will follow you everywhere in this world, and HGV drivers are no different. There are plenty of reasons HGV drivers will get stressed – from traffic to roadworks, delays in paperwork and long periods away from home. The key isn’t to try and avoid the stress altogether – that can’t be done. Instead, it’s all about learning how to recognise the signs of stress, and knowing how to counteract it. Now that will look different for everyone – from listening to music, putting in more planning time and even learning a new language as you drive.
When you’re stuck on the side of the road with a damaged strap, it can be really frustrating. But you don’t have to be stranded there. With a few basic tools and some know-how, you will be able to handle a lot of things like that yourself. Carrying out routine repairs on your vehicle is an essential skill, and can stop some of the more minor issues from turning into a full-blown disaster. If you know your vehicle, you will be able to handle anything.
And finally, be a professional. You are a professional driver, but conducting yourself professionally will take you a long way. This means knowing how to drive your vehicle properly and safely, understanding the rules of the road and behave courteously towards other road users. Knowing the etiquette of rest stops and the way clients expect you to behave means you can make a good name for yourself as a fantastic driver, and one clients will remember.
At The LGV Training Company, we believe that being a good driver should be the minimum standard. In order to keep the industry thriving and growing, we need superstar drivers who can make us proud to be HGV drivers. That’s why our instructors don’t just teach you how to drive the vehicles – we also teach you everything we know about the industry and how to stand out in it. If you’d like to know more, all you have to do is get in touch with us today.