Tag: Business

Driving HGVs: How Much Does It Pay?
General Business

Driving HGVs: How Much Does It Pay?

- by Anna Tyler

If there is one question aspiring HGV drivers ask us more than any other (besides maybe how to renew HGV licences), it’s how much they stand to make. We’re not at all surprised by this! Compensation is a key factor in any career, and it’s especially important when you’re weighing the decision to enter a whole new industry.

Unfortunately, there’s no ‘one size fits all’ answer we can give to the pay question. Earnings vary amongst HGV drivers depending on a range of factors. How much you, personally, might make as an HGV driver isn’t a question we can answer.

What we can do is discuss some guidelines, regulations, and trends that will give you a good general understanding of your pay prospects. Here we go!

Statutory Minimums

There are plenty of industry-specific rules governing HGV drivers’ pay, but nationwide legal requirements apply. That means you can expect your pay to conform to the National Minimum Wage, the National Living Wage, and the Apprenticeship Levy.

The National Minimum Wage breaks down by age:

  • Age 21-24: £7.38
  • Age 18-20: £5.90
  • Age 16-17: £4.20 (though it is unlikely you’ll be driving professionally this young)
  • Apprentice rate (subject to condition): £3.70

At the age of 25, the National Living Wage comes into effect. This was originally set at £7.20 when it was introduced in 2016. It has been incrementally increased several times, with the most recent raise (of 4.85%) occurring on 1 April 2019. This brought the National Living Wage up to £8.21.

The Apprenticeship Levy was put in place in 2017. It applies to employees whose gross payroll cost exceeds £3m and obliges them to pay 0.5 per cent of their payroll. This money can be claimed back so long as it allocated to approved training expenses.

These are …

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A Guide to What a Car Requires to Pass an MOT
Travel Agency Business Plan

A Guide to What a Car Requires to Pass an MOT

- by Anna Tyler

A Guide to What a Car Requires to Pass an MOTAll cars more than three years old require a yearly MOT test to ensure the vehicle is still roadworthy. Tests should be carried out at a reliable garage such as BGS. If the vehicle fails the MOT, it needs to be repaired to conform to roadworthy standards. Many of the checks in an MOT are basic, so even if you aren’t familiar with car maintenance, it is possible to perform a pre-MOT check. This check will reduce any chance (and inconvenience) of failure.

1: The General Checks

Certain items are considered ‘general checks’ in an MOT. To improve your chance of  passing the MOT, you should do the following:

  • Ensure the windscreen washers and wipers are operative
  • Ensure the screenwash is filled
  • Check the rubber blades on the windscreen wipers are not damaged. Damage can be experienced if the wiping edge or loose strips have pieces missing. If chunks are missing, it is recommended that you replace the runner blades.
  • All seat belts need to be working correctly without any sign of cuts or fraying
  • All mountings need to be secure with straps free from any damage. The belts should also be cleaned.
  • Ensure that the inertia reel of a seat belt works properly. Test this by pulling on the strap and reviewing whether or not it locks in the reel.

2: The Tyres

To inspect the car’s tyres, you should walk around the vehicle and view all four. When checking the tyres, it is crucial to consider these elements:

  • Ensure no cuts or bulges can be seen on the sidewalls, and no objects are stuck in the tyre tread
  • The tread must measure a minimum of 1.6 mm deep. To measure the tread, you can use either a tread depth gauge or the edge of a 20
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A Look Into the Salary Amount for an HGV Driver
Travel Agency Business Plan

A Look Into the Salary Amount for an HGV Driver

- by Anna Tyler

A Look Into the Salary Amount for an HGV DriverMany of the drivers that are new to HGV driving often ask this question, and it frankly is a sound inquiry given the circumstances. Nobody wants to go into a career that will not fully compensate them for any work done or offer a fair pay. However, with the career as an HGV driver, salary concerns may not have a definitive answer, since there is not definitive pay for every HGV driver out there. Even then, there are useful guidelines and some trends as well as statutory minimums that can help you figure out which would be the suitable pay for you as a new HGV driver – with or without a category C1 license, you still need to know how much you can expect to be paid.

The Statutory Minimums

The HGV industry does have its rules and regulations that govern operations, and this includes the salaries. That is why legal wage minimums are applicable. In short, you will be covered by the National Minimum wage, the Apprenticeship Levy and the National Living Wage.

As per the National Minimum Wage, your projected minimum per hour wage rate is around:

  • £7.38 if you are 21 to 24 years of age
  • £5.90 if you are 18 to 20 years of age
  • £4.20 if you are 16 to 17 years of age (thought it is rare to find HGV drivers who are this stage)
  • £3.70 for the apprentice rate, but it is subject to a few terms.

The above may be the legally allowed minimum pay to expect, so you should expect to get a salary that is significantly higher than that. Many HGV employers understand and appreciate the need to pay their drivers more as a means of encouraging them to do better work. The National Living Wage is designed …

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How to Keep Your Auto Insurance Cheap
Auto Insurance

How to Keep Your Auto Insurance Cheap

- by Anna Tyler

Sometimes our expenses can be more than our income and we find ourselves scrambling to make ends meet every month. You try to find ways to cut back and save money but there are some expenses that you simply can’t cut out altogether, like auto insurance. Each state law will vary on just how much auto insurance you are required to carry but across the board, it’s illegal in all states to go without insurance. Now, it is easier than ever for a policeman to see if you have insurance or not. They don’t even have to pull you over anymore to find out if you have insurance or not. They simply have to pull behind you, run your license plate and within seconds they will know whether the car you are driving has auto insurance or not. If you are caught driving without auto insurance you are more than likely going to get a ticket and no insurance tickets usually run anywhere from $250 -$350 and if you get more than one of those tickets, they can and will suspend your license. So, now that we know we can’t go without automobile insurance lets looks at some simple tips that will help you keep your premiums as low as possible and achieve your goal of cheap auto insurance.

How to Keep Your Auto Insurance Cheap

Increase Your Deductibles

If you are looking to decrease your monthly premiums, then you can increase your deductible amount and your monthly premiums will go down. Deductible amounts are usually $250, $500, $1,000, $2,000 and $2,500. The deductible amount is the amount of money that you are responsible to pay in the event that you file a claim. For example, if your car needs repairs due to an accident, and the total repair bill is $3,000, and your deductible is …

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Handy Finds Ways to Keep Workplace Safe
General Business

Handy Finds Ways to Keep Workplace Safe

- by Anna Tyler

Introduction

Safety practices are in place for a reason. Workplace hazards are a common thing and have destroyed hundreds and thousands of lives across the country. Therefore, you must garner healthy respect for workplace manners and habits. We have Handy with us today to educate us on a lesson on workplace safety, so let’s get started.

Handy Finds Ways to Keep Workplace Safe

The Ways

Here are some ways to keep the workplace safe –

1. Learn about the potential risks – Once you’re aware of the risks that are involved, you will automatically learn to avoid them. One golden rule of thumb is to report any abnormalities or unsafe conditions directly to your supervisors. Unless you’re qualified to handle a certain situation, you must do everything to shun your ego. Remember that your supervisor is obligated to maintain a safe working environment for you and your employees. Similarly, you too are obligated to avoid such disasters from happening. Always keep track of potential problems and be ready to inform the ones in charge.

2. Use your tools properly – Using inappropriate tools at critical moments is a common occurrence in workplaces. This also contributes to the majority of injuries. Make it a point to use the correct tools for the job and never replace one with the other, simply because you “think” it can get the job done.

Also, make sure to properly clean your equipment. Faulty tools can spell disaster for you and your colleagues. Clean them regularly and make sure they are always at their 100% before putting them to use.

3. Take breaks – Working can be strenuous but that doesn’t mean you must work around the clock. Taking breaks is very important as it freshens your mind and keeps it alert and working at full efficiency. If your work involves complicated …

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