I finished driving a few years ago. When I did I like a lot of people took my class 1 after driving rigids for a while.
Towards the end I hated the job, the usual long hours nights out endlessly going up and down motorways. Not to mention time spent in RDC,s.
From what I’ve seen a guy with a hiab license can earn the same hourly rate as a class one driver.
My point is if you are not fussed about driving the biggest truck or maxing out the hours as some do is paying for a hiab license instead of a class one a viable alternative.
I’ve never done hiab work so I don’t know. I was just interested on peoples thoughts.
I think a hiab ticket will count as one or more of your cpc units. I used to charge the agency an extra £1.00 per hour for doing hiab work. If there’s a shortage of HGV1 drivers, there’s an even greater shortage of those with a hiab licence. You can command a good pay rate and work for a 40 hour week.
I went that route, not by choice but because I had class 2 and to get work agency put me on their in house version of hiab. Once had my hiab my options were pretty much working at Jewsons or TP forever. The pay was rubbish too.
I wanted to go tramping on general haulage so the agency bonded me for artic licence. The world opened up a it once on artics, plus still had hiab experience. Enjoyed general haulage far more than hiab work.
For long term option, unless you like builders and toffee nosed homeowners go artic.
the trouble is,just having a hiab ticket isnt neccesarily going to get you a job.
on the other hand good money can be had in the right job with class 2 and hiab.(not bloody builders merchant work though!!).
Grab work on utilities or with a recycling/site clearance type of company can be quite a good number.
Normally around a 10ish hour day and a reasonable rate of pay.
Doing muckaway for small builders was worth over £1500 in ‘thank yous’ last year! 
I would get your class 1 licence since that will last you much longer. A hiab ticket will only last you 3-5 years before it needs renewing/refresher training, and hiab work can some times involve finding buliding sites out in the sticks meaning tricky and tight locations and the post code given could be to the nearest house a mile away ultimately just stressing you out, and the money isnt any better than class 2 general haulage.
I’d need to do around 30 - 40% more hours per week on class 2 general work to match what I’m earning on grab work.
The little awkward ‘out in the sticks’ collections and deliveries stop the job getting mundane.
Also, a hiab ticket is a ■■■■ sight cheaper than sitting class 1, even if it does only last 5 years.
That’s good to hear I have my hiab and was no better paid that was with a agency tho. It was pi55 easy work tho
spooky70:
Grab work on utilities or with a recycling/site clearance type of company can be quite a good number.
Normally around a 10ish hour day and a reasonable rate of pay.
Doing muckaway for small builders was worth over £1500 in ‘thank yous’ last year!
you need to up your game a bit 
Aw, was enough to make me smile!
Still a good job though.