LGV Industry

The make-up of the Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) workforce

Skills for Logistics estimate that there are approximately three hundred thousand active LGV drivers in Britain.  The driver turnover rate is around 26% per annum. Also:

• one driver in six in pre-retirement years
• one driver in 30 is from overseas – often filling ‘C+E’ licence posts at bigger depots
• drivers from 2004 EU Accession states the biggest single overseas group
• female drivers tend to have ‘C’ licence and be employed by smaller organisations
• bigger organisations may employ more members from black and minority ethnic communities
• in Scotland, higher proportion of ‘mid career’ drivers.  Relatively few are in their immediate pre-retirement years or below 25 years of age
• more drivers directly employed, fewer self-employed, in Wales

Learning to drive a lorry

Since 1997, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) have operated a voluntary register of large goods vehicle (LGV) instructors.  This Register has been developed by DSA in close conjunction with the Freight Transport Association, the Road Haulage Association, the Road Haulage & Distribution Training Council - now known as Skills for Logistics, the National Training Federation, the Institute of Large Goods Vehicle Instructors, the Association of Vocational Driver Training Providers and RTITB Services Ltd.

If you want to learn to drive an articulated lorry, you must already hold a full licence to drive a rigid large goods vehicle (C or C1).  C1 training is available from:

Bill Lavender
Thames Training & Development Ltd
Thames House
Charfleets Service Road
Canvey Island
Essex, SS8 0PA
01708 748221