A Class 1 HGV driver is able to drive Category C+E vehicles – an articulated lorry weighing 7.5 tonnes or more with detachable cabs and trailers which can generally carry loads of up to 44 tonnes.

A rigid body vehicle is a type of vehicle that maintains its shape and size even when subjected to external forces. This means that the vehicle’s body does not deform or change shape when it encounters bumps or obstacles on the road. Rigid body vehicles are commonly used in off-road vehicles, military vehicles, and heavy-duty trucks.

A Class 2 driving licence allows you to drive a Category C rigid body vehicle. Category C vehicles or rigid body vehicles are vehicles where the cab and the trailer are fixed securely to each other. Having a Category C licence, allows you drive rigid vehicles over 3500kg and tow a trailer up to 750kg. If you want to drive an articulated lorry you will need a Class 1 HGV licence.

This category covers goods vehicles towing trailers – these are the largest trucks you see on the UK roads, also know as artics or Class 1. The most common vehicles in this category are any large articulated or drawbar trucks – seen frequently on motorways and busy ‘A’ roads.