Ready to Upgrade? Here’s Where to Go Next for a Career in Logistics!

The fact you are reading this means you are considering taking the next step in a career as an HGV driver. There is a good chance you already have the Driver CPC – this is the most basic licence that is required before becoming a professional driver. There are a number of approaches you can take from here, and it will be mainly determined by the type of vehicle you are interested in driving. Below are some of the popular steps you are going to take, and its meaning to your career in this field.

Cat C1

This is a category of licences covering the smallest haulage vehicle – and this is what is needed to drive a professional van. This is for a person driving minibus, van, or a large road vehicle. This licence will allow you to hit the road driving a vehicle that has a weight of between 3,500kg to 7,500kg, and can either have a trailer or not. If it has a trailer, it should not be more than 750kgs in weight. Just like any other type of licence, you have to do some practice with that particular size, with two theory exams that you need to pass. You also need to do a practical test.

Cat C1+E

This is the highest licence anyone can get when it comes to driving, and it allows to drive any heavy goods vehicle on the road. When you have this licence, you have a wide range of option to choose from, which provides you with the chance of choosing any HGV driving jobs out there because you have maximum qualifications. You are in a better position to demand a higher salary for the work you do, and you will also get better hours and perks too. The Cat C + E licence allows you to drive a vehicle that has a trailer of over 750kgs. In order to get this licence, you will have to get the lower licences, then take two theory tests and finally a practical test.

Cat C

With this licence, you can decide to upgrade on the Cat C1+E or Cat C1 or directly upgrade from the standard Cat B licence. This licence will give you the ability to drive vehicles that have a weight of over 3,500kg and a maximum weight of 750kg for the trailer. Before getting this type of licence, you have to do a theory and practical test, and you might need a little support to pass.

Cat C+ E

You can choose to do the Cat 1 + E licence too as an upgrade to the Cat 1 licence. This licence is going to cover every kind of vehicle that Cat 1 covers, but the difference is it adds some more weight and size to the kind of vehicles you can drive. When you have the Cat C+E licence, you are able to drive a vehicle of over 3,500kgs, but the trailer is much larger. You will have to do two theory test and a practical test.

There is a wide range of options when it comes to vehicle licences you can get, but the one you should choose is the one that is in line with the type of driver you want to be. When you go to an HGV training centre, you will find trainers who are going to closely work with you to make sure you understand the meaning of these qualifications and help you in choosing the right direction. These training centres can also provide you with comprehensive training, practice test, and any type of support to maximize your chances of succeeding in this career.