4 Essential Things You Need To Know Before Considering HGV Hire

Hiring a HGV vehicle can be a great asset to companies in the utility, construction, civil engineering, municipal and highway sector. These specifically built vehicles offer versatility that a normal car or van doesn’t have as well as equipment so you can complete your project or line of work. For example, you need a skip loader to transport heavy skips of waste. Before you continue the progress of hiring a HGV vehicle, there are 4 essential things you need to know to ensure that you get the most out of the hiring experience. In this article, we discuss these in more detail to help you feel more informed and prepared about hiring a HGV vehicle.

1) Size

Once you have identified why you need to hire a HGV vehicle, the next step is to identify what size of vehicle you need for the task at hand. If you hire a vehicle that is too small, you run the risk of overloading it, you may need to make more trips, or you may need to hire another vehicle entirely. Hiring a vehicle that is too large and you will be paying for more than you require. Make sure to choose a robust HGV vehicle to carry heavy loads and check the payload capacity to suit your requirements. It’s worth shopping around for HGV vehicles to get the best deals.

2) Driving Licence

Whether you or a staff member will be operating the HGV vehicle, it is essential to consider the type of driving licence that is required. This mainly depends on the MAM (maximum authorised mass) of the vehicle you intend to drive. You are allowed to use your regular Category B full driving licence for HGV vehicles with a MAM of up to 3.5 tonnes. For HGV vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, you will need a separate HGV licence from the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency is legally required. These licences include the following categories: C1, C1E, C, CE to name a few. To become a qualified HGV driver, you will need to have passed the driving test for your preferred category of vehicle and hold a HGV licence as well as a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC). 

3) Cost

It’s worth considering the cost when planning your construction project. Make sure to factor in the payment plan for hiring the HGV vehicle as well as any additional costs including wages, fuel, insurance and so on. This will help you manage your finances better for the construction project while staying within your budget. Plus, hiring a HGV vehicle is much more cost effective as you do not have to worry about maintenance costs and selling the vehicle afterwards.

4) Insurance 

Like any other vehicle, insurance is a critical consideration when hiring a HGV vehicle. Make sure you have adequate insurance cover on the vehicle before you start driving it. This will cover you or your staff member in the event of an accident or vehicle damage. Rental companies usually include insurance cover as part of payment plans. Otherwise, a third-party insurance company can create an insurance policy for you. There are many types of HGV or lorry insurance, most of them cover accident, fire and theft. Similar to picking a HGV vehicle, it’s also worth shopping around for the best insurance packages.

Consider HGV Hire With ND Brown 

If you are considering HGV hire, it’s important to choose a recognised and reliable HGV rental company like ND Brown. We offer an extensive fleet of HGV vehicles including tippers, tipper grabs, tarmac hotboxes, and specialist & municipal vehicles. Our depots are located across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to supply clients no matter where you are situated. We specialise in supplying (but not limited to) the utility, construction, civil engineering, municipal and highway sectors. We also have worked with domestic and commercial clients in the past. 

If you interested in receiving a quotation from us, please get in contact today by emailing us at enquiries@ndbrown.co.uk, or calling us on 01902 791991.