HGV driving has the capacity to be a good earner, with road transport making up a good proportion of nationwide – and even European wide – freight transportation. Learning to drive a heavy goods vehicle can offer many rewards. While money is often good, the trade off can be long, tiring hours and an expensive start-up.
For those who enjoy being independent, HGV driving offers control over your working day and the ability to choose your own hours. Agencies and websites like Delivery Quote Compare can provide ad hoc work, letting you choose your routes and even taking you abroad. Alternatively, if striking out on your own is intimidating, signing up to work with a road freight or haulage company can mean most of the uncertainty is removed.
But if the money isn’t there to cover the cost of training then HGV driving as a career is a non-starter. Fortunately, there may be a number of options available to you that can help reduce the cost of HGV drivers training courses. Check in to the government subsidies you may be entitled to, especially if you’re currently unemployed and on Job Seekers Allowance. Those on benefits may qualify for assistance that can help towards the cost. It won’t pay for the entire training, but it may help make the cost manageable.
Another option would be training or retraining grants, available from the government and – best of all – no repayment necessary. Unfortunately, they’re few and far between with high competition, but it’s always worth applying if you’re eligible. While a grant won’t cover the entire cost of training, just like the subsidy mentioned above, it can help reduce the overall price of your training course to something within your budget, especially if combined with other funding sources.
As you will be training (or studying), consider applying for a student loan. In some instances the training centre you are applying to for your HGV driving course may offer student loans to those accepted on to the course. Student loans tend to have a lower rate of interest than standard loans, and are available from banks and vocational centres should your training course not offer a suitable loan option.
Training courses can take as little as one week to complete, so there’s no reason you can’t be up and running (literally) once you’ve got the funding in place to complete the course. For more information on maximising delivery routes, driving HGVs abroad, and to find delivery jobs visit Delivery Quote Compare.