Taking HGV Driving Into The 21st Century

Is there anything that can’t be done on a mobile phone these days? Almost any activity you can think of, from playing games to filing your accounts, can now be done through a mobile app rather than a desktop or paper-based process. But sadly, there are still some professions that haven’t caught up with the technological advances, and one of those is the HGV industry. HGV driving is a highly regulated and very heavily paperwork based profession – with drivers required to carry dozens or documents with them at any one time. Some of those will be more generic – like a driving license or a passport, and others will be more specific to that delivery – like picking notes, delivery notes and other security documentation. The result is often HGV cabs filled with paperwork and very overworked drivers. But what if it didn’t have to be?

DVLA Digital Changes

Only a few months ago, the DVLA announced a revolutionary new idea. They are developing an app that would allow motorists to have a digital copy of their drivers’ license on their phones, and it would be available as early as 2018. While they did make it clear that this would not replace the physical plastic license in any way, they expected this new digital form to become the ‘go-to’ method for most drivers within months of launch. Drivers wouldn’t need access to the internet to bring up their license, and they wouldn’t have to spend time looking for their plastic card if they need it. For many who don’t like carrying their license, or worry about not having it when they need to send it away, this brought a huge sigh of relief. This comes a few months after the announcement that digital passports are on their way, which, just like digital driving licenses, have been designed for high security as well as convenience for the user.

 The Benefits Of Going Digital 

But one area these digital advances will have a huge impact on is the haulage industry. HGV drivers have to carry reams of paperwork with them at all times to be compliant with regulations, or often just to do their job properly. Taken beyond digitising drivers licenses, HGV drivers could soon see all of their paperwork being stored on servers instead of on seats, available to them at the press of a button and allowing them to focus on the road, not on their paperwork. For example, one essential process that is very specific to HGV driving is the tracking and recording or hours worked. This is incredibly important, as overworked and tired drivers are more likely to cause accidents, so being able to accurately monitor their hours without consulting the paperwork would be a huge plus. Digital paperwork also has the added bonus of being much more eco-friendly – something the haulage industry isn’t exactly well known for. There are more and more apps being released for HGV drivers every day, allowing them to do more on their phone instead of the paperwork – from recording their hours to inputting vehicle security and safety checks reports.

All of these digital documentation advances are making the job of the HGV driver much easier to manage, allowing them to focus more on driving safely and less on paperwork. It also has the benefit of being better for the environment – something the HGV industry isn’t historically very good at. But even that is changing – with Tesla announcing just this month that they have plans to produce an all-electric HGV, to be unveiled in the summer. With all of these new advantages making HGV driving a slicker, simpler process, it’s no wonder it’s become such an attractive career proposition. To take advantage and start your HGV adventure, just get in touch with us to find out more.