After the economic uncertainty of the past couple of years, many people have found themselves looking at new opportunities in different industries.  Bankers are becoming teachers, office workers are moving into social care, and many people currently in industrial roles are choosing driving jobs in order to earn a living.

In the past, many people have moved from redundancy into roles as taxi drivers, becoming owner drivers, and taking the jump into becoming self employed.  The advantage of this is that it is a role which requires no specific qualifications beyond a driving licence.

It is essential for owner drivers to purchase specific taxi insurance as part of their job, and they will also need to get a licence to carry passengers if they want to be a Hackney driver, rather than just run mini-cab work.  The licensing comes from a local council, and they do put restrictions on the number of people within a region who can operate as a Hackney Driver.  Despite this, the market is often quite constricted, and increased competition in a depressed market place where people are looking to cut costs means that the salary one can expect to earn as a cabbie is much lower than it might have been in the past.

As an alternative to tax driving, the job of haulage driver or HGV driver is an interesting option that is rewarding.  Most driving licence holders will be able to drive a reasonably large van, but it is important to check what your licence covers, and request the appropriate driver training to equip you to drive.

If you look for an HGV driving job with an existing company, you will only need to pass the interview, and demonstrate the ability to drive your chosen vehicle.  Salaries for drivers are highly competitive due to the specialist skills required, and this can be well above what an office worker may expect to earn.

Becoming an owner driver or haulage operator is a different option, and will typically offer higher rewards financially, although, these are not without risk, as without existing contracts, you may struggle to work consistently.  Costs include the purchase of a truck and infrastructure, the ongoing cost of fuel, and also a requirement for either HGV Insurance, or Goods In Transit (GIT Insurance) depending on what you are carrying.