New HGV App May Be Wave of the Future

Earning a truck license does not automatically make one an expert in navigating congested areas like the city of Leicester. However, HGV drivers frequently travelling in the city now have a new tool to help make navigation easier, thanks to an app developed by the University of Leicester’s G-STEP project.

According to Dash.com, the free app is based on the Google Earth software now in use on mobile phones across the country. It provides drivers with a layer of maps for maximum choice. HGV drivers can select maps based on height and weight restrictions, traffic patterns, congested roads, or tight turns.

The idea here is to allow drivers to find the most effective route in and around the city without having to put themselves in potentially difficult circumstances. This not only benefits the driver, but also everyone else using Leicester roads. Officials hope to see traffic flow improve, hopefully while the number of road mishaps falls.

A successful introduction of the app could pave the way for similar apps for other cities around the UK. Indeed, it is technology whose time has come. Traffic on UK roads only continues to increase, with no signs of slowing down soon.

Making the problem worse is the fact that the majority of the country’s road system was designed long before the heavy proliferation of HGVs. In cities, original planners could never have envisioned the size of the vehicles that would one day travel their roads, which is why they didn’t give much thought to tight turns or narrow spaces.

Since it is impractical to fix many of the inherent problems of UK roads, the next best solution is to provide drivers with as many opportunities to avoid problems as possible. This app from the University of Leicester is another tool giving drivers more options.

It should be noted that the app still needs to be used by drivers with proper perspective. No mobile app or multi-layered map is perfect. Drivers must still use common sense and past experience to help dictate the best routes in and around cities. They also need to understand how their vehicles respond to specific road conditions.

When you earn your truck license through the training programs provided by the HGV Training Centre, these are the types of things you learn. Not only do we want our trainees to learn basic highway safety and practical skills, we want them to go above and beyond, to where they are thinking about issues like routing.

We want our drivers to know and understand that driving HGVs is a huge responsibility. They are responsible for protecting the cargo with which they have been entrusted; they are responsible for operating vehicles safely all times; they are responsible to keep in mind that the routes they choose directly affect everyone else on the road.

We are happy to say that our graduating students are some of the best in the business. If you are interested in joining us, please contact the HGV Training Centre today.