Your First HGV Job
What to expect during your first days and weeks, from receiving the keys to settling into a working routine.
About HGV Driving Explained
Real guidance for real drivers.
About HGV Driving Explained
Passing your HGV test proves that you can drive a large vehicle to the required standard. It does not always prepare you for everything that happens when you are handed the keys and expected to get on with the job.
HGV Driving Explained provides practical guidance for new and less experienced drivers. It covers the everyday skills, responsibilities and real-world situations that drivers face at depots, delivery sites and out on the road.
Written by Mike Henderson and James Nichols, the guide is designed to help drivers avoid costly mistakes, work safely and build confidence through clear explanations, useful diagrams and experience from inside the industry.
WHAT THE TEST DOESN'T TEACH YOU
Inside the Guide
Plain-English help for the jobs, decisions and situations new drivers encounter once they are handed the keys.
Checks & Defects
Daily walkaround checks, defect reporting and the responsibility that comes with looking after an expensive vehicle.
Coupling & Uncoupling
Clear sequences covering the fifth wheel, tug test, landing legs, air lines and electrical connections.
Reversing & Manoeuvring
Practical techniques for setting up safely, controlling the trailer and knowing when to stop and reset.
Loads & Security
Understanding load movement, restraints, curtains, straps and the checks required throughout a journey.
Tachographs & Hours
Modes, entries, common mistakes and an accessible explanation of the records drivers must keep.
Sites & Paperwork
Arriving prepared, communicating professionally and dealing with collections, deliveries and documentation.
Specialist Vehicles
Introductions to tankers and other specialist work, supported by photographs, diagrams and safety reminders.
Life on the Road
Cab life, communication, wellbeing and the everyday habits that help drivers work safely and professionally.