Should I buy this experience?
Who it's for
What is it that fascinates us all about driving a big truck? Maybe these experiences take you right back to your childhood, when on very long drives to the seaside kids used to wave at Eddie Stobart lorries on the motorway in the hope that they would wave back or flash their headlights. Either way, if you love driving you will love the chance to get behind the wheel of a proper HGV.
Who it's not for
We’re honestly having trouble working out who wouldn’t like to drive a big truck. But if you really don’t like driving or you really aren’t interested in driving something as big and bulky as a truck, maybe this experience isn’t for you.
Truck Driving Experience FAQs
Do I need a licence for these truck driving experiences?
Some of our truck driving suppliers do ask that you have a standard car driver’s licence, whilst others don’t need you to have one. The best thing to do is to find the truck driving venue that’s nearest to you and check their requirements in the ‘Suitable For’ tab under ‘More Info’. If you need any assistance, email, chat or call us on 01959 578100.
What’s the minimum age for these truck drive sessions?
If the operator doesn’t require you to have a driving licence, you can be as young as 12 years old. Please see each supplier page for full details on age limits for truck driving.
Is there a minimum height?
They say if you can drive a normal car you can drive a big, hulking truck! You’ll need to be a minimum of 5ft to be able to see over the steering wheel and reach the pedals.
Where will I be driving the truck?
All experiences take place on private, off road land - hence no need for an LGV licence. You might be driving on a coned-out circuit at a former airfield, or you could be taking the truck out at an off road driver training centre. In all cases there will be plenty of truck driver manoeuvres and challenges for you to try.
How much driving time will I get?
The amount of time spent behind the wheel varies from venue to venue. Some offer a driver briefing, others do all the safety talk and training whilst you’re in the lorry. During an experience that lasts around an hour overall, you might be driving for around 15minutes.
Is there an instructor with me?
Yes. A qualified instructor will be up front in the cab with you whilst you drive. Seeing as driving a lorry is actually quite different to driving your average car, (did you know lorries often have 16 gears and you can start off in second?) they’ll be able to give you all the advice and pointers to get you truckin’
What sort of lorries do you have lined up?
These are proper articulated lorries, that’s to say full-sized cabs with a curtain or solid-sided trailer hooked up behind. We have everything from 489bhp Renault Magnum’s with 45ft supercar transporter attached, to the long-nosed American trucks like the Peterbilt 379 or the Kenworth.
Is it hard to learn how to drive a lorry?
You need to be a pretty skilled driver to reverse a 55ft trailer into a loading bay, which is why specific driving licences are needed to be able to drive a lorry on the public roads. Cruising in them is great too. They have all mod cons onboard, with aircon, hydraulic seat, driver aids and all sorts, so whilst you’re eating up the miles on the motorway you’ll be properly comfortable.
What’s the difference between HGV and LGV?
Nothing really! In the UK and Europe these terms are interchangeable. A Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) is the same thing as a Large Goods Vehicles (LGV) - that’s to say any vehicle over 3.5tonnes, from box vans and tippers, to refrigerated trucks and articulated lorries. HGV and LGV are not classes of licences. Licences to drive trucks go from C1 for a a truck under 7.5tonnes, to the C+E licence which is the most comprehensive and allows you to drive trucks of all sizes, up to a lorry with a single or double trailer, i.e. a proper artic!
Are these lorries articulated lorries like you see on the motorway?
Yes! Some of them are curtain-sided trucks like you see pounding the motorways every day. Some cabs are hooked up to solid-sided trailers that serve as car transporters, just like the ones you’d see parked up at big motorsport events. Whatever the set up and how ever they are used, they are proper Kings of the Road.
Will I be just driving around a track in the HGV?
No. Of course, the normal tasks for a heavy goods vehicle driver are to load, secure, transport, unload, deliver and collect goods. On these sessions you won't be doing any of that, but you will be practicing the sort of tricky manoeuvres truckers perform every shift, including reversing into a loading bay, going round roundabouts and dealing with junctions. You could try a bit of slaloming (trucks actually handle corners pretty well!) and have a go at accelerating along a straight too, so you experience the sensation of move up the gears. You might even learn how to hook and unhook your trailer!
Will it make me want to be a truck driver?
Probably. In fact, this is what loads of our customers say when they tell us how their truck driving experience went. And if you do actually want to go for your C class truck licence, the operators that run as driver training schools will be only too pleased to explain what the training involves.
Who runs these truck driving experiences?
Some sessions are run as part of the programme of supercar driving days at a race track, others are provided by professional truck driver schools as a taster experience for those who just want to ‘have a go’. In all cases, a professional and experienced instructor will be in the cab with you for the duration of your truck driving experience.
What’s it like inside the cab of a lorry?
High! The elevated viewpoint from your cab is pretty cool. You seem really, really high up compared to the driving position in your standard car. It’s quite roomy and comfy in there too. Some even have onboard sleeping cabins and all the mod cons you could every need to be an international truck driver on multi-day missions.
Are there any truck driving experiences near me?
With several different truck driving experience centres around the UK, there should be a venue near to you. We currently offer truck driving at places like:
- Devon
- Dorset
- Cornwall
- Essex
- Lincolnshire
- Cheshire
- Scotland
- South Wales
- Leicestershire
- Surrey
- Yorkshire
- Oxfordshire
- Northamptonshire
- Northumberland
- Wigan
- Warwickshire
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