Driver advice
HGV driver guides & pay insight
Straight-talking, up-to-date advice for UK HGV drivers. Getting your licence, what you'll earn, the rules, and life on the road.
Guides
How to Become an HGV Driver in the UK (2026 Guide)
A step-by-step guide to becoming a qualified HGV driver in the UK: age and licence rules, the medical, theory and practical tests, Driver CPC, costs and how long it takes to get on the road.
Read guide → GuidesPoints on Your Licence: What it Means for HGV Drivers
For a professional driver, penalty points are a threat to your livelihood, not just your record. Here is how points work, what gets you disqualified, and how they affect HGV work.
Read guide → GuidesStaying Healthy as an HGV Driver: A Practical Guide
Long hours sitting, service-station food and broken sleep make HGV driving hard on your health. Here are practical, realistic ways to stay well on the road, including the medical you have to pass.
Read guide → GuidesHGV Licence Categories Explained: Class 1, Class 2 and 7.5 Tonne
Class 1, Class 2, 7.5 tonne and C1+E explained in plain English: what each DVLA category lets you drive, the weight limits, the pay differences and which licence is right for you.
Read guide → GuidesThe Working Time Directive for HGV Drivers
The Road Transport Working Time rules cap your total working hours, not just driving. Here is the 48-hour average, the night work limit, breaks and how POA changes the maths.
Read guide → GuidesHow Much Does HGV Training Cost in the UK?
A full breakdown of HGV training costs in the UK for 2026: medical, theory, practical training, Class 1 vs Class 2 prices, hidden extras, and how to get your training paid for by an employer.
Read guide → GuidesADR Driving Jobs: Hauling Hazardous Goods
An ADR licence lets you carry dangerous goods like fuel, chemicals and gas, and it pays a premium. Here is what ADR covers, how to get it, and what the extra earning power looks like.
Read guide → GuidesHow to Get Your First HGV Driving Job
Newly qualified and struggling with the experience catch-22? Here is how to land your first HGV driving job in the UK: agency work, the roles that hire beginners, what to put on your CV and how to nail the interview.
Read guide → GuidesThe Tachograph: A Practical Guide for HGV Drivers
The tachograph records your driving, breaks and rest. Here is how to use your digital card and modes correctly, what records to carry, and the 2026 Smart Tachograph 2 changes.
Read guide → GuidesNight Trunking Explained for HGV Drivers
Night trunking means shuttling loaded trailers between hubs on quiet motorways, usually at a premium rate. Here is what the work involves, the health side of nights, and the pay.
Read guide → GuidesMultidrop Driving Explained: What to Expect
Multidrop means many deliveries in one shift, often on a 7.5t or rigid, close to home. Here is what the day is really like, the physical side, and how the pay compares.
Read guide → GuidesWhat Can You Drive on a UK Car Licence?
What your UK car licence (Category B) actually lets you drive, including weight limits, trailers, minibuses and the grandfather rights on older licences, plus when you need to step up to an HGV category.
Read guide → GuidesHGV Drivers' Hours Rules Explained
The GB and EU drivers' hours rules cap how long you can drive and when you must rest. Here are the daily driving limits, breaks and rest periods every HGV driver needs to know.
Read guide → GuidesA Day in the Life of a Class 1 HGV Driver
From the walk-around check to the last tacho entry, here is what a real shift looks like for a Class 1 artic driver in the UK, including the hours rules, the paperwork and the pay.
Read guide → GuidesThe HGV Driver Medical Explained
Everything you need to know about the HGV driver medical: what it checks, eyesight and blood pressure standards, diabetes and sleep apnoea rules, how much it costs, how long it lasts and how to pass first time.
Read guide → GuidesDriver CPC Explained: What Every HGV Driver Needs to Know
Driver CPC is the qualification you need to drive a lorry professionally in the UK. Here is how the 35-hour rule, the DQC and the exemptions actually work.
Read guide → GuidesWhat is Tramping? HGV Nights-Out Work Explained
Tramping means multi-day trips where you sleep in the cab and live on the road for the working week. Here is how the shifts, night-out pay and lifestyle actually work in the UK.
Read guide →Pay & money
HGV Driver Pay Guide 2026: What Drivers Really Earn
Real 2026 pay figures for HGV drivers by licence class, shift pattern and region, plus the premiums that push take-home well past the headline rate.
Read guide → Pay & moneyClass 1 HGV Driver Salary in the UK
A full breakdown of Class 1 (C+E) driver pay in 2026: hourly agency rates, permanent salaries, trunk and tramping premiums, and what pushes a package past £50k.
Read guide → Pay & moneyPAYE, Umbrella or Limited: Which is Best for Agency Drivers?
PAYE, umbrella and limited company pay models compared for agency HGV drivers in 2026, including how IR35 reshaped the choice and what actually lands in your bank.
Read guide → Pay & moneyThe Best Paying HGV Driving Jobs in the UK
The HGV roles that pay most in 2026: tanker, ADR, night trunk, container and tramping work, plus the endorsements and regions that lift a package the highest.
Read guide → Pay & moneyAgency vs Permanent HGV Driving: Pay and Trade-offs
Agency versus permanent HGV driving in 2026: how the pay really compares once holiday, pension and premiums are counted, plus the trade-offs beyond money.
Read guide →