Cov teenager who is a fully qualified HGV driver

A COVENTRY teenager is getting used to surprised looks on people’s faces after passing her HGV test.

Emily Chambers is just 19 and recently passed her HGV Class 1 licence meaning she can now drive articulated lorries.

And although she doesn’t have aspirations to be a long distance trucker just yet, Emily is getting accustomed to the bemusement of people who generally see her at the wheel of a recovery truck.

An employee of Rowley Auto, based on Rowley’s Green Lane near the Ricoh Arena, Emily’s main job involves police recovery work.

That sees her collecting cars that have been stolen, involved in crime or are uninsured.

Emily said most people she encounters in her work are supportive, if a little surprised at a teenager behind the wheel of a truck.

She said: “Thus far they all go ‘so you can drive that then - wow, that’s pretty good.’

“No one has been funny about it.”

Emily completed the second stage of HGV Class 1 training just a few weeks ago.

A keen showjumper, Emily initially wanted to just pass her LGV test, to enable her to drive a horsebox to weekend

horse shows but then decided to go the whole hog.

“I started when I took my LGV to drive a horsebox,” she said.

“Then, because I work for Rowley’s I thought why don’t I do the next one and step-up.”

Emily undertook a fiveday training course to complete the first stage for her LGV licence.

The second step was a three-day course and a Class 1 test which enabled her to drive not just rigid vehicles but articulated trucks too.

Emily admits becoming a long distance lorry driver is not on her agenda, at least for the time being.

“Probably said.

“I quite like doing local little runs.

“I don’t like being sat on my own for ages.”

However, she admits she has a few more driving challenges she would like to complete.

She said: “I think that I am probably going to do my bike licence and then I might consider doing a bus licence.”

Emily’s dad Simon, who is general manager at Rowley Auto, said: “It is quite remarkable.

“I have never heard of anyone her age doing it.

“Because of her ability to drive large trucks we can send her out with confidence on police recovery work.

“It is very useful for us as a company.”