If you are looking to move your driving career up a gear, you will quickly come across the term HGV Class 1. Understanding exactly what is a hgv class 1 licence, what you can drive with it and how it connects to real work with us can help you decide if this is the right route for you.

What is a HGV Class 1 licence

A HGV Class 1 licence, also known as Category C+E, lets you drive an articulated lorry made up of a tractor unit and a trailer. Together they can weigh up to 44 tonnes, and you will usually see these vehicles on motorways and major A roads moving containers, chilled goods and other freight around the UK.

With this licence you are trusted to handle longer trailers, heavier loads and more complex manoeuvres such as reversing onto loading bays and working in busy port or warehouse yards. That extra responsibility is one of the reasons our Class 1 drivers are in steady demand and play such an important role in what we do every day.

Class 1 vs Class 2 HGV

Many drivers want to know what a hgv class 1 is because they want to know how it differs from Class 2.

Class 2, or Category C, covers rigid vehicles where the cab and body are one single unit. These vehicles are common for local delivery work, multi drop rounds and shorter regional routes.

Class 1 covers articulated combinations. These are used more for trunking between depots, container movements from ports and national work where you cover longer distances. A lot of our drivers start with Class 2, build confidence and experience, then upgrade to Class 1 for more variety and, in many cases, better earning potential and a wider choice of routes.

How HGV 1 driving fits with us at KBC Logistics

We focus on container transport and related haulage services, operating from key UK ports including Felixstowe, Southampton and London Gateway. Our Class 1 drivers sit at the heart of this operation, keeping containers moving smoothly from port to customer and back again.

Typical work for a Class 1 driver with us can include port to door container deliveries, nationwide collections and deliveries, chilled and ambient loads, and regular trunking between depots. With a modern fleet and round the clock operation, the work suits drivers who like structure, consistent miles and professional standards backed by an experienced planning team.

If you would like to see more about the services you could be supporting, you can visit our services page: https://kbclogistics.com/services

Our HGV 1 driver jobs

If you are actively searching for hgv 1 driver jobs, we would like to hear from you. You can apply to work with us as a company driver or as a subcontractor, depending on how you prefer to operate.

We look for professional HGV drivers with the correct licence, Driver CPC, digital tachograph card and the right to work in the UK. In return, you can expect regular container work, weekly pay, organised planning and support from a team that understands what life on the road is really like.

For many of our drivers, the appeal is the mix of predictable container flows and the stability of working with a business that is well established in UK port logistics.

Thinking about your next step

When you ask what is a hgv class 1, you are really asking what kind of driving career it can unlock. For us, it is the licence that allows you to move into larger vehicles, national container work and long term opportunities as part of our driving team.

If you are ready to take the next step, start by exploring our services, then head over to our recruitment page to see our latest hgv 1 driver jobs and put your Class 1 licence to work with us.