EVERY TYPE OF HGV DRIVER. COVERED.

There are more HGV driver types than most people realise. Whether you want variety, stability, good money, or to stay close to home, there’s a category that fits. Here’s a straight-talking breakdown of every driver type we work with at HGV Connect.

CATEGORY C, RIGID TRUCK DRIVERS

Category C covers rigid vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, think skip trucks, flatbeds, tippers, and box trucks. It’s the entry point into professional HGV driving and opens doors to most local and regional work. Typical pay: £28,000–£36,000/year direct employed.

CATEGORY C+E, ARTICULATED LORRY DRIVERS

Category C+E (Class 1) is the artic licence, the most in-demand and best-paid HGV licence in the UK. Night trunking, tramping, container work, European runs, it all starts here. Agency rates typically £18–£22/hr. Direct employed from £34,000.

ADR DRIVERS, HAZARDOUS GOODS

ADR drivers carry dangerous goods, fuel, chemicals, gases, explosives. The ADR certificate adds a premium of £2–£4/hr on top of standard Cat C or C+E rates. More training, more responsibility, more pay.

TANKER DRIVERS

Tanker drivers typically need Cat C+E plus an ADR qualification for liquids or gases. Fuel tanker work is especially well paid with regular routes, popular with experienced drivers who want consistency.

MULTI-DROP AND TRAMPING

Multi-drop means multiple deliveries per shift, often local, good for drivers who like being on the move. Tramping is the opposite, sleeping in the cab, long-distance trunk work, away for days at a time. Both suit different lifestyles.

SPECIALIST ROLES

• Refrigerated drivers, temperature-controlled freight, food distribution, pharmaceutical logistics
• Skip and tipper drivers, construction site deliveries, aggregate, waste
• Container drivers, port work, ISO container haulage, often well paid with predictable routes
• European and international drivers, cross-border work, ECMT permits, post-Brexit regulations apply