And they not only allow you, but insist that you sit in the cab.
Btw this place is Massive, the warehouse behind be is twice as tall and it had automatic rack system... It looks like something from Matrix or Central Bureaucracy from Futurama :)
Hi lads, I’ve been driving the HGV for over five years now and I made a really silly mistake today. I’ve been stuck here at ///painters.booklet.clumped for more than 40 minutes. There was an accident and roadworks. I had only 30 minutes of driving time left. As I followed the diversion which took me to the M3 J9, Silp Road was closed due to another accident. I changed my lane and joined the two-lane motorway by mistake I went into the fast lane for 10 seconds. I thought I was still on the diversion route but then I came back to my lane and there was an average speed camera. Do i need to worry what i did this first time
So there are some hot days coming up and I hate this humid heat , can't stand it.
First time I will be working and sometimes it just means sitting for hours waiting to pump out of a well or pumpstations.
I hate the high Vis trousers work gave me, horrible hard material. I got a pair of combat trousers that are a little bit better but they are still thick and just hot.
Any lightweight trousers out there that are better for hot days or you guys just put up with it??
Answers from fellow ladies would be appreciated but take suggestions from guys too.
Messed up a reverse today and took driver side spray suppressor flap out of wagon,
Anyone if im able to fix it myself before i call it in to the boss?
TIA
If you saw a colleague in the yard or shunter using the phone whilst driving in the yard, would you report them to management? 🤔
does job and finish ever happen? can you refuse working overtime?
Quick question...
Outside of CPC and licence training, have you ever paid for anything extra to help you in the job?
I’ve personally paid for things myself because I’ve found it can help with progression in the industry, as well as giving you a bit more of an edge on paper and in the workplace.
I don’t mean compulsory training.
I mean things like tachograph help, drivers’ hours, WTD, ADR, transport manager CPC, compliance guides, job advice, coaching, guidance, or anything that helps you understand the job better.
I’m curious if others do the same, or whether most people only bother if the company pays for it.
Where do you draw the line between something being worth paying for and something you wouldn’t bother with?
I’ve just completed Level 2 Heavy Vehicle Maintenance in the UK. Now I’m a bit stuck on what the realistic next step is.
From what I understand, Level 3 in heavy vehicle maintenance is not offered in college directly and usually goes through an apprenticeship, but I’ve also heard there might be an alternative college route.
At the same time, I’m considering just trying to find work with Level 2 and build experience.
I’m trying to understand what people in the industry would recommend:
Is apprenticeship the only real path to Level 3 in heavy vehicle?
Is it worth doing Level 2 → job → experience route instead?
Or is there a better direction I’m missing?
For context, I also have HGV Class 1 licence, but I’m focusing on maintenance.
I’m 34 and trying to choose the most realistic path forward
Any advice from people working in HGV/PSV maintenance would be appreciated
Hi guys new here. Currently firm i work for are supposedly over the next week installing driver facing cameres. Had a look online at the ICO site but still missing some info. Do they have to give us notice before installing? Would there be a change of contract at all? Thanks in advance
Update 20/05/26
Received confirmation letter today regarding
A couple of years ago our village got a 7.5 tonne ban and the number of lorries trundling through has probably reduced slightly, but there's still dozens of artics every hour.
I'm just intrigued because, when I see a 'no motor vehicles' sign, I don't go into that zone because I'm not allowed. So why do lorry drivers ignore this sign? Are there no consequences to driving through it?
Edit: And to be clear, it's a small village with one pub. No shops, no industrial estate, nothing. These lorries are passing through the ban area, not stopping within it.
Another edit: Loving all the excuses. Apparently it's ok to ignore the rules if you need to save time, if you need to get home to see your family and if it's not noted on the satnav. Also, to care about lorries driving through restricted areas is sad, means you're unemployed and we should all just accept it because "lorry's" carry stuff we all need.
For professional drivers, you're a funny bunch.
How common are HGV trucks with automatic transmission? Is it more common for there to be manual trucks or is the industry changing and becoming more auto focused? Also, what training is involved with becoming a lorry driver?
Thanks!
Right. So I'm the one who occasionally wanders in here banging on about electrification and autonomy, usually getting downvoted into oblivion for my trouble. Fair enough.
The autonomous freight feasibility project I've mentioned has now published its report. Connected Places Catapult, Voltempo and Berkeley Coachworks, DfT funded.
The two use cases scoped for UK trials from 2027 are hub-to-hub trunking on motorways and intermodal shuttles under 5km between ports, railheads and depots. Repeatable corridors with controlled ends. Urban deliveries got deprioritised because they're too complex, which tracks with anyone who's tried to deliver into central Bristol on a Friday.
The driver shortage is framed as a problem autonomy might help solve, not a workforce it's coming for, which is a different point than most of the discourse. There's a chunk on the cabless "smart trailer" concept: 42-tonne rigid, 18.4-tonne average payload vs 16 today, on a vehicle that's three tonnes lighter on the road. Already legal in parts of Europe.
eFreight-Early-Stage-CAV-Opportunities.pdf
Have a read. Tell me I'm wrong, downvote at will.
Hi I’ve currently finished my medical and theory and I’m just wondering how would an unspent conviction be seen when trying to get a job as a new pass? It’s not driving related. I made a foolish mistake and it was a low level domestic incident that I’m serving a community order with just rehabilitation sessions requirement for. It’ll be spent in November but for obvious reasons I’d rather not wait another half year.
Do HGV employers typically do DBS checks? And do you know how they treat someone with a non-driving related conviction?
I’m also about to decide whether to do class 1 or 2. I did a government boot camp course so that class 2 is free and class 1 is another £1,500. I’d rather not spend the money unless I knew my record won’t be a problem in getting a job.
Plenty of warehouse places just never spoke to me again once they heard I’d merely got an unspent conviction, not even giving me the chance to say what for so that’s why I’m worried.
Thank you!
Hi all I start my shifts at 7am and finish at 4/5 unless it’s a longer journey. What are the best times to take wtd breaks. I keep getting infringements. My manager tells me to take a 45 min break within the first 6 hours
This happened a year ago, just thought i'd share this here. I'm a fairly experienced HGV driver. maybe a bit too casual.
Went for an assessment and I got on with the guy ok. I explained I worked at the site before, did basically every store they had. I aced the silly theory test and all the vehicle checks, tacho and I think everything else.
He let me vape while I was driving so I did. Was chatting with him while driving around some A-roads and in town in a full size artic.
Got back to the yard, uncoupled parked up. Turned out I failed because I did not have both hands on the wheel at all times. lol.
I get it, that you should have both hands on the wheel especially on a assessment.
My question is do you always drive with two hands on the wheel? I'm usually a one hand on the wheel while on the motorway or straight A-roads guy. it can change a bit depending on the situation but I always feel fully in control. Not like im doing anything with my other hand just a comfort thing.
Trying to identify a lorry involved in an incident on the motorway in Scotland yesterday (18/05/26).
A piece of plasterboard/building material fell from the lorry and caused significant damage to the front of my car.
The cab was light purple/blue/lilac-ish (possibly white and purple or even blue tbf), with a diagonal stripe across the cab door. It was transporting what looked like a stripped-out portable cabin/container frame with loose plasterboard inside.
This was on the M9 heading west bound, after junction 4 at around 17:15.
Does this description sound familiar to anyone or match a particular haulage company?
EDIT TO ADD: thanks so much everyone - I’ve had help via Facebook as well and have identified the company at least!
So I’ve recently discovered on my Renault unit that instead of giving me a straight infringement for over speed it’ll first warn me to slow down before giving one after a few more seconds. If I’m on a long downhill, what’s stopping me from slowing down to 56, clearing that warning and essentially resetting that timer before going straight back to overspeeding. Is that something the office can bollock me over or any stop checks or am I in the clear to do this?
Hey all,
I’ve been invited for an interview with ECM and was wondering if anyone’s been through it recently. I’ve been told it’s around a 3‑hour assessment with some hands‑on time loading cars on the trailer, but I’d like to go in properly prepared.
Cheers.