Throughout our UK roadways, you will find HGV drivers in various stages of their driving careers. While some are still in their HGV training, some are starting out on their HGV driving careers while others are seasoned HGV drivers with decades of experience under their belt. But regardless of what stage one is in, there is one thing that all HGV drivers share in common: the further they progress in their career, the better they understand and appreciate what is required to become a successful and professional HGV driver. When driving large commercial vehicles as a job, after a while you’ll start to realize that there are certain skills and qualities you need to master to make your working day safer, smoother, and more efficient. These are the skills all employers want in their team of drivers. Learning these skills early will help give you an advantage in your career!
Responsibility
Many people don’t realize this but being a good HGV driver involves more than just driving your load from one location to another. You also have the responsibility to ensure that the load arrives safely, in one piece, and without any kind of damage. You need to show concern for the contents of your cargo. While some goods such as certain foodstuffs or fabrics may not be highly prone to damage, things like chinaware or antique furniture require an extra level of care. Rather than just seeing yourself merely as a driver, consider yourself the current guardian of the load. With this type of mindset, you will be motivated to drive more carefully and take the necessary steps to ensure the safe delivery of the goods. Taking extra responsibility for your cargo on every trip is one of the key aspects of a successful driver. If you are looking for HGV driver training then see here.
Organization
It should go without saying that being organised is a very important skill in almost all professions, HGV driving included. It can be easy to assume that organisation isn’t necessarily required in the field of HGV driving, since, after all, you just need to stick to a particular route with a vehicle. But nothing could be further from the truth. Becoming a successful driver requires you to always make the point to understand the contents of your load, properly plan your route, know where roadworks are, and ensure that all the requisite paperwork is in order before leaving. For all these, you need a high level of organisation skills. Successful drivers know their route, as well as a couple of alternative routes, should their pre-planned route become problematic, for example, due to high traffic or roadworks.
Stress Management
One thing to keep in mind is that HGV driving isn’t easy and in many cases, can be very stressful. Some of the common issues HGV drivers face include, driving for long hours, getting stuck in heavy traffic, having to deal with other motorists, and steering through narrow and difficult roads. And not to mention the stress that comes with spending long periods of time far away from home and the need to meet strict deadlines. HGV drivers also suffer physical stress from loading and unloading their cargo. To become a good HGV driver, you will need to know how to identify the causes and signs of stress and, more importantly, know how to manage it. This can include things like listening to relaxing music, taking regular breaks, and taking the time to do proper planning. You will need to determine what works for you and incorporate it into your routine.
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