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- Involves frequent travel, often to overseas destinations
- Requires excellent driving skills, road safety knowledge, and the ability to concentrate for long periods
- Opportunities to complete further training to specialise in different types of vehicles or goods
As a lorry driver, you'll drive commercial vehicles over 7.5 tonnes, including articulated lorries, tankers, transporters and trailer wagons. You'll work from depots, distribution centres and warehouses, carrying goods all over the UK and overseas.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
Aside from driving the vehicles, your duties may include:
- Planning delivery schedules and routes with transport managers
- Supervising or helping to load and unload goods
- Making sure loads are safely secured
- Following traffic reports and changing your route if necessary
- Completing delivery paperwork and log books
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
Overtime may be available but there are strict laws about the number of hours you can spend driving between rest breaks. Your working environment may be cramped, involving frequent travel and nights away from home.
You'll need
To be a lorry driver, you'll need knowledge of transport methods and its costs and benefits; physical skills; the ability to work alone as well as with others; the ability to operate and control equipment; to remain calm under pressure; thoroughness and attention to detail; and good customer service skills.
You'll need to be over 18, hold a driving licence that includes LGV (LGV) or PCV (buses), have a Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC), and have good eyesight.
You can get into lorry driving through an intermediate apprenticeship as a large goods vehicle driver.
If you're already working for a transport operator, in a role such as a clerk, your employer might be willing to put you through training to get your large goods vehicle licence.
Training providers in your region can be found by searching online or through the Joint Approvals Unit for Periodic Training.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience, you could train to become an LGV instructor, freight transport planner or move into management. You could also take further training and gain an ADR (Advisory Dangerous Goods by Road) Certificate to drive hazardous goods like toxic chemicals by tanker.