On The Road
Opportunities behind the wheels of Britain’s haulage and passenger transport fleets are both numerous and growing.
Adapted from Civvy Street Magazine, September 2013. Words: Paul Fletcher
Although it might be more Eddie Stobart than Ice Road Truckers, driving large goods vehicles (LGVs) and passenger carrying vehicles (PCVs) in the UK is both a good way of seeing the country and earning a decent wage, with salaries regularly exceeding £30,000.
What’s more, the sector offers careers well suited to numerous Service-leavers, given the central role of logistics in the Armed Forces and the variety of substantial vehicles they deploy.
Moreover, it’s a growth industry – according to the latest government figures, for example, road haulage currently accounts for 68% of all goods moved in the UK compared with 53% in 1980, and now employs 220,000 people. The bus and coach sector meanwhile employs 212,000 people.
Job descriptions
LGVs are commercial vehicles over 7.5 tonnes and these include rigid trucks, articulated lorries, tankers, transporters and trailer wagons. LGV drivers transport and deliver goods between suppliers and customers all over the UK and overseas, with 12% of the industry currently self-employed.
As well as the driving itself, duties include planning delivery schedules and routes with transport managers, supervising or helping to load and unload goods, making sure loads are safely secured and routine maintenance – such as oil, tyre and brake checks before and after journeys.
Drivers work an average of 42 hours a week and, although overtime may be available, there are strict laws about the amount of hours you can spend driving between rest breaks. Many drivers spend a lot of time away from home, including overnight stays where necessary – although most Service-leavers will be well used to such moves.
Bus and coach drivers are responsible for the safety of their passengers, keeping the vehicle clean, doing basic vehicle checks before taking the vehicle out and reporting any incidents to inspectors back at the depot. Drivers on local services tend to work up to 48 hours a week on shifts, including evenings and weekends, between 6am and midnight. As a coach driver, you could drive for up to 56 hours a week, with a maximum of 90 hours over any two weeks.
Requirements
To become a lorry or bus driver you first need to apply for the correct provisional entitlements on your driving licence and include a medical report. You’ll then need to pass theory and hazard perception tests as well as the practical driving test itself. Moreover – courtesy of an EU Directive in 2009 – a Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) is now required. These can all be gained through courses that last up to three weeks and cover driving skills, basic mechanics, loading and securing loads. The test includes vehicle safety questions, specific manoeuvres such as reversing into a bay, 25 miles of road driving and a theory test based on the Highway Code and LGV regulations.
Perhaps the best place to look for an appropriate training course is on the Joint Approvals Unit for Periodic Training (JAUPT) website – although it primarily lists providers of refresher training for already-qualified LGV drivers, many of these will also offer initial LGV training.
Opportunities
Most people in the haulage industry start off as drivers for freight distribution companies, major retail chains, supermarkets, raw materials suppliers and manufacturers, with salaries normally in the region of £17,000-25,000, although this can rise to around £35,000 if transporting hazardous goods such as fuels and chemicals.
What’s more there are also possibilities to set up your own business after gaining experience with a haulier or distributor, operating your own vehicle and perhaps eventually building up a fleet. With further training, you may be able to move into distribution or haulage management, transport and logistics planning or a specialised area of driving.
Bus and coach drivers tend to start on £13,000-15,000 a year and this can typically rise to around £25,000.
MORE:
www.jobs-in-transport.com
www.careersinlogistics.co.uk
www.jaupt.org.uk
www.careersthatmove.co.uk