HGV Driver – A Flexible Career Choice?

Flexible working is something that, 1o (or even 5) years ago just wouldn’t be a consideration. But it’s been growing in popularity over the recent years, and thanks to the pandemic it’s gone from a nice perk to an absolute necessity. Being able to decide your work hours, work without going into an office and work a schedule that suits you has never been more important, which means new job-seekers are looking for flexible working to be at the top of the list. Which has spawned a common question for us – is being a HGV driver a flexible job?

No 9-5 Hours

If there’s one thing that’s consistent across the board for HGV drivers, it’s that the traditional 9-5 is basically non-existent. Sure, you might work 9am – 5pm once in a blue moon, but more often than not you’ll be working a wide variety of hours throughout the week. And you do get a say in what those hours are, what journeys you take and how far you travel. Instead, your routes will be planned out in advance, and you will be off to different places, delivering different things, every day. So on Monday you might be delivering to multiple customers in London, on Tuesday you might be driving from London to Manchester and back, and on Thursday you could end up doing a long-haul journey to deliver in Europe.

Take Your Own Time Off

Following on from our point above, being able to choose when you work also means you have some level of control over what time off you take. Most other industries are limited to what their management allows, or what falls into a good pattern with everyone else they work with. But as a HGV driver, you have a little more control over when you can take your annual leave. You also have more of a say in when your days off fall, and what hours you work to add to your time off. So if you need to be at home for certain days of the week, you can easily arrange that without push back. It’s a perk not many drivers talk about, but it can make a huge difference, especially to drivers with families.

Control Over Your Environment

If you work in an office, you may be encouraged to ‘make your work space your own’ – within their strict rules. So you might be able to hang a picture or buy a plant, but there is a limit to what you can do. But as a HGV driver, you are the only occupant of your ‘office’ – the cab of your HGV. This means you can do whatever you want with it to make things more comfortable, as long they don’t compromise the safety or integrity of the vehicle. Want some festive pillows? Fine. Want to hang some decorations on your backboard? Great. Want a mini-fridge stocked with your favourite snacks? Sure!  You can also play whatever music you want (as loud as you want), wear what you want, and make your cab interior look however you want. Having no flexibility in your workspace is often a complaint of office workers – and not something you have to worry about has an HGV driver.

Great Job Security

Job security is always an important consideration when choosing a career, but right now, it’s essential. The pandemic has caused a lot of people to lose their jobs, and be on the hunt for something new. Because there has been a huge shortage of HGV drivers in the UK for many years now, qualified drivers are pretty much guaranteed work wherever they go. So even if one company doesn’t work out, you have the security of knowing you can take your very in-demand skills elsewhere. But what does this have to do with flexibility? Because you have the pick of the litter when it comes to who you work for, how you work, and what you want to do. You have complete control over your employment choices, so you never have to settle for something you’re not happy with.

So there you have it. Overall, we think being a HGV driver is a pretty flexible job, and that’s before we talk about starting your own business as a freelance driver! And because you can train and qualify as a HGV driver in as little as 6 weeks, it’s a great career option for those who are looking for a change during these challenging times. If you would like to know more, just get in touch with us today.