CE driving test in 2018

The Undecided One

Hi All,

So I've passed my cat C driving test late last year, I have applied now for the CE driving test.

Can someone tell me what will I have to do during the test?

Will I have to answer questions again, if yes then what questions could I expect?

Will I have to hitch/un-hitch the trailer?

Is the reversing the same as on the rigid test: double reverse, into a 'side street'?

Is there a walk-around part again?

I know that I should find all of this out from my instructor but I won't be getting lessons with an instructor until closer to the exam and I'd like to know what to expect (will be using a company truck/trailer to practice before that)

Thanks!

CiniO

I'd imagine during your C category test, after driving test you had CPC practical exam, which consisted of answering questions and doing walkaround check, etc...

If that's what you're asking, you won't be doing this during category CE test.
However I think some question from rules of the road are part of driving test, and possibly walkaround check.

I'd like to do CE as well, as I've done category C in 2012. My driving permit for CE though expired over 2 years ago.
Does anyone know if I can just go and renew it?

boardsuser1

Done my CE in 2015 and drive an Artic for a living.

You don’t have to hitch/unhitch the trailer for the test.

The reverse is on the blind (left) side normally, other testers give you a choice.

Definitely more job opportunities with it.

Did you already do the CPC practical during the C test?

boardsuser1

CiniO wrote: »

I'd imagine during your C category test, after driving test you had CPC practical exam, which consisted of answering questions and doing walkaround check, etc...

If that's what you're asking, you won't be doing this during category CE test.
However I think some question from rules of the road are part of driving test, and possibly walkaround check.

I'd like to do CE as well, as I've done category C in 2012. My driving permit for CE though expired over 2 years ago.
Does anyone know if I can just go and renew it?

Yes you can renew the permit if it’s a second one.

If it’s a 3rd you have to apply for the test to get it.

CiniO

Cork Truck Driver wrote: »

Yes you can renew the permit if it’s a second one.

If it’s a 3rd you have to apply for the test to get it.

Great.
Pity nearest testing centre for CE is Sligo or Athlone for me, both above 150km away. I'll still try to do it.

Currently I drive buses as a seasonal job since 2008.

boardsuser1

CiniO wrote: »

Great.
Pity nearest testing centre for CE is Sligo or Athlone for me, both above 150km away. I'll still try to do it.

Currently I drive buses as a seasonal job since 2008.

Get onto Advance Drive in Galway.

Philip Rice is the managing director.

Done my own licence through them.

They do the lessons in Athlone.

As for driving buses, been there done that wore the t-shirt :pac:

If I can offer any advice don’t hesitate to ask here or to PM me.

Are you presently on the live register?

CiniO

Cork Truck Driver wrote: »

Get onto Advance Drive in Galway.

Philip Rice is the managing director.

Done my own licence through them.

Hmm.
I know there used to be CE driving tests available in Galway, but I don't think that's the case anymore.
I recently checked, and Sligo and Athlone are nearst ones.
I don't think you can do CE test in Galway anymore.

As for driving buses, been there done that wore the t-shirt :pac:

If I can offer any advice don’t hesitate to ask here or to PM me.

Are you presently on the live register?

Thanks.
I might be in touch

boardsuser1

I believe you can do the Artic test in Galway.

I have a few Galway based contacts, I’ll get onto them there for you.

http://www.advancedrive.com/training/truck/artic-truck/

neris

No walk around, No hitching/unhitch. The driving test is the same as the bus and truck. You do the reverse on 1 side of the testers choice. You get the rules of the road question and asked to go through the unhitching process.

You could be waiting weeks for your ce test. I applied to do one in October and didn't get a test date notification till late November for a date in January which I couldn't take

boardsuser1

neris wrote: »

No walk around, No hitching/unhitch. The driving test is the same as the bus and truck. You do the reverse on 1 side of the testers choice. You get the rules of the road question and asked to go through the unhitching process.

You could be waiting weeks for your ce test. I applied to do one in October and didn't get a test date notification till late November for a date in January which I couldn't take

Which county did you do yours in?

Done mine in Limerick, was told to do the blind side.

Had to shunt it once.

The Undecided One

Cork Truck Driver wrote: »

Done my CE in 2015 and drive an Artic for a living.

You don’t have to hitch/unhitch the trailer for the test.

The reverse is on the blind (left) side normally, other testers give you a choice.

Definitely more job opportunities with it.

Did you already do the CPC practical during the C test?

I have done all the CPC tests already and got my CPC card.

boardsuser1

The Undecided One wrote: »

I have done all the CPC tests already and got my CPC card.

Sorted on that end so.

Did you get your digi card as well?

The Undecided One

Cork Truck Driver wrote: »

Sorted on that end so.

Did you get your digi card as well?

Yep, have the licence, cpc card and a tacho card ready.

Just need to add the CE category now by passing the driving test.

boardsuser1

The Undecided One wrote: »

Yep, have the licence, cpc card and a tacho card ready.

Just need to add the CE category now by passing the driving test.

The only difference is reversing the trailer.

Opposite lock.

A little on a little off basically.

Have you arranged lessons?

Are you currently employed?

I ask that question for a genuine reason and will explain why I asked if you aren’t.

The Undecided One

Cork Truck Driver wrote: »

The only difference is reversing the trailer.

Opposite lock.

A little on a little off basically.

Have you arranged lessons?

Are you currently employed?

I ask that question for a genuine reason and will explain why I asked if you aren’t.

I haven’t arranged lessons yet, waiting for the test date.

I’m employed, but driving vans for the moment.

There’s a chap at work who helped me with C driving (sat in with me when we drove around the business park on a quiet Sunday evening), he offered to do the same for this licence.

The Undecided One

Cork Truck Driver wrote: »

The only difference is reversing the trailer.

Opposite lock.

A little on a little off basically.

Have you arranged lessons?

Are you currently employed?

I ask that question for a genuine reason and will explain why I asked if you aren’t.

Dying to find out what happens if I’m not employed 😂😂😂😂

boardsuser1

The Undecided One wrote: »

Dying to find out what happens if I’m not employed 😂😂😂😂

If you weren’t employed and went to your local FAS office they would put you on a course and fully fund the Artic licence at zero cost to you.

This is how I got both my rigid and Artic licence.

The bus licence including CPC etc cost me almost €3000.

boardsuser1

The Undecided One wrote: »

I haven’t arranged lessons yet, waiting for the test date.

I’m employed, but driving vans for the moment.

There’s a chap at work who helped me with C driving (sat in with me when we drove around the business park on a quiet Sunday evening), he offered to do the same for this licence.

Any help at all you can get is a bonus.

Lessons cost anywhere from €125 to €150 per 2 hour lesson depending on who you go to.

The Undecided One

Cork Truck Driver wrote: »

If you weren’t employed and went to your local FAS office they would put you on a course and fully fund the Artic licence at zero cost to you.

This is how I got both my rigid and Artic licence.

The bus licence including CPC etc cost me almost €3000.

No, I was employed all the way through doing my licence so I paid for everyting myself.

Don’t want to add all those costs (theory test, cpc tests, medicals, learner permits, leasons, truck hire, etc) not to make myself sad. It’s very very expensive, I’m not surprised that young people don’t want to become truck drivers, the cost is prohibitive.

Well, I’m almost there so no point in looking back now.

boardsuser1

The Undecided One wrote: »

No, I was employed all the way through doing my licence so I paid for everyting myself.

Don’t want to add all those costs (theory test, cpc tests, medicals, learner permits, leasons, truck hire, etc) not to make myself sad. It’s very very expensive, I’m not surprised that young people don’t want to become truck drivers, the cost is prohibitive.

Well, I’m almost there so no point in looking back now.

You had the right approach there, like myself when in employment I forked out for it.

You’ll always find young fella’s in FAS though getting the licences, there is high demand for those courses.

The key to it all is experience or else knowing someone who will give you your break.

Costs to do it privately are very prohibitive.

neris

Cork Truck Driver wrote: »

Which county did you do yours in?

Done mine in Limerick, was told to do the blind side.

Had to shunt it once.

Finglas in Dublin, done all my C & D tests there. Had to do drivers side reverse and was ok but failed on the gears. Found out 3 weeks after my test that the gear box on the truck was ****ed and I hadnt been the only whod had issues with it. Im grand going forward but its the goiing backwards part that causes me problems on lessons

Wishbone Ash

The Undecided One wrote: »

...Is the reversing the same as on the rigid test: double reverse, into a 'side street'?...

When I did it many years ago I was asked to do a left side reverse (i.e. blind side) somewhere around Raheny. Others were asked to do a right side reverse while some asked to do both. It seems to depend on the tester.

When I got back to the test centre in Finglas, I had to reverse into a parking bay which wasn't easy with a load of cars parked around waiting for their test.

boardsuser1

neris wrote: »

Finglas in Dublin, done all my C & D tests there. Had to do drivers side reverse and was ok but failed on the gears. Found out 3 weeks after my test that the gear box on the truck was ****ed and I hadnt been the only whod had issues with it. Im grand going forward but its the goiing backwards part that causes me problems on lessons

Oh you were very lucky there in that sense, off with the belt, head out the window?

What kind of truck was it?

I've driven many a truck with a faulty gearbox, in actually fact last year i had a gearstick snap off on a Scania.

In relation to going backwards and problems, i was the exact same, my instructor was a fcuking pr1ck though, only way i can describe him :mad:

He was sub contracted in to do the work, the school of motoring owner didn't give a toss about us, constantly on his phone, while his employee was by far the best instructor i have ever met, his personality doesn't match it.

Is it the ISM you are doing the lessons with in Finglas or Airport school of motoring?

boardsuser1

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

When I did it many years ago I was asked to do a left side reverse (i.e. blind side) somewhere around Raheny. Others were asked to do a right side reverse while some asked to do both. It seems to depend on the tester.

When I got back to the test centre in Finglas, I had to reverse into a parking bay which wasn't easy with a load of cars parked around waiting for their test.

Yeah i was like yourself, blind side, you had to reverse it back in after getting back

I just drove it straight into the space, the instructor reversed it out.

Those were the instructions i was given.

Can any of ye remember the truck with which ye did the tests?

Mine was a 2004 DAF CF with a 2 axle trailer.

neris

Cork Truck Driver wrote: »

Oh you were very lucky there in that sense, off with the belt, head out the window?

What kind of truck was it?

I've driven many a truck with a faulty gearbox, in actually fact last year i had a gearstick snap off on a Scania.

In relation to going backwards and problems, i was the exact same, my instructor was a fcuking pr1ck though, only way i can describe him :mad:

He was sub contracted in to do the work, the school of motoring owner didn't give a toss about us, constantly on his phone, while his employee was by far the best instructor i have ever met, his personality doesn't match it.

Is it the ISM you are doing the lessons with in Finglas or Airport school of motoring?

Was a scania. They only had the 1 artic and when I started my lessons I was on an older scania which they changed 2 weeks before my test. The older 1 had a 4 over 4 split box but the newer one was 3 over 3 split with half gears and I hadn't been shown how to use the half gears properly so when changing out of 3rd into 4th the gear wasn't engaging properly.

boardsuser1

neris wrote: »

Was a scania. They only had the 1 artic and when I started my lessons I was on an older scania which they changed 2 weeks before my test. The older 1 had a 4 over 4 split box but the newer one was 3 over 3 split with half gears and I hadn't been shown how to use the half gears properly so when changing out of 3rd into 4th the gear wasn't engaging properly.

They changed trucks very late in the day for you.

As for the 3 over 3, when i first drove one of them for a job assessment i hadn't a clue, i quickly learned how to do it though.

The half gears, i only ever use them when fully loaded, you'll see a green light on the dash when you flick the switch and push the clutch in and out.

Was it when you went from 3rd to 4th you forgot to lift the switch or it just wouldn't go in at all?

Silvera

I passed my CE test in Athlone in 2014 driving a rigid + trailer (Athlone is c150kms from where I live). The school I used is called 'A Clear Steer' and are based in Roscommon. Instructor is a former DoE driving tester (and a good instructor).

Reverse was a choice and carried out in a local industrial estate.

CiniO

Cork Truck Driver wrote: »

If you weren’t employed and went to your local FAS office they would put you on a course and fully fund the Artic licence at zero cost to you.

This is how I got both my rigid and Artic licence.

The bus licence including CPC etc cost me almost €3000.

Those courses advertised through Intreo (previous FAS) for artic indicate it's a full time 7 weeks course (monday to friday 9-5).
Is that really the case, that you have to spend 280 hours to do that and attend classes everyday?
Or how does it work?

boardsuser1

CiniO wrote: »

Those courses advertised through Intreo (previous FAS) for artic indicate it's a full time 7 weeks course (monday to friday 9-5).
Is that really the case, that you have to spend 280 hours to do that and attend classes everyday?
Or how does it work?

I done my rigid and artic through both.

The course runs from 8.30 to 3.45 Monday to Thursday and until 12.45 on Friday.

Here is the rigid course

http://www.advancedrive.com/hgv-rigid-course-kerry-etb/

The artic course in about 7 weeks as you say as it has less learning material.

You do 31.5 hours per week, the driving time is included in that more often than not.

You only get between 20-25 hours of driving depending on course numbers, these are done in 2 hour blocks, but due to the small numbers in Tipperary with me that time we did 4 hours each day, 2 hours on 2 off,alternating with the other guy.

When i was doing the artic for 9 weeks it was madness as the course wasn't and still isn't available in Cork.

I drove from my house on the Northside of the city to Tipperary Town for classes and then onto Limerick City for lessons,which were twice weekly.

I had to leave home at 7am and on the days i was in Limerick i was lucky to be home for 7pm.

When not in Limerick i was home for about 5.15 depending on traffic as i was on the wrong side of the city.

At the time i was driving a 1.8 petrol engined car so the fuel and toll costs weren't cheap, but i was determined to get it and get back into work.

The course director from the ETB gave me the accommodation allowance instead of the mileage allowance which gave me €20 a week extra towards my expenses.

There were only 4 of us doing the course, the other 3 lads all lived within a 10 mile radius of the training centre bar me.

Wishbone Ash

Cork Truck Driver wrote: »

...Can any of ye remember the truck with which ye did the tests?..

Mine was a Volvo - possibly a FM12 but I can't recall now. It had a 4 over 4 box I think.

neris

Bus rigid and artic tests all done on Scanias. Though did take few artic lessons in another school on Man & a horrible little daf cf that had feck all power

boardsuser1

Was it a 53 seater Scania?

One of the last coaches I drove.

As for the DAF’s, while they aren’t great, the CF and XF are the best of a bad bunch.

The LF’s are awful.

In 2016 I drove a Renault Premium 270 Rigid for a Limerick based company, the truck kept going into limp home mode due to injector problems, I was getting no work done with it, Dunnes and Super Valu were constantly ringing up looking for their stuff.

MAN’s are very underpowered, the gearboxes are the worst I’ve driven in both manual and auto.

boardsuser1

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Mine was a Volvo - possibly a FM12 but I can't recall now. It had a 4 over 4 box I think.

Not a bad truck.

Drove a 1998 FL10 once, liked it very much.

Do you prefer 4 over 4,3 over 3 or Auto?

CiniO

Cork Truck Driver wrote: »

I done my rigid and artic through both.

The course runs from 8.30 to 3.45 Monday to Thursday and until 12.45 on Friday.

Here is the rigid course

http://www.advancedrive.com/hgv-rigid-course-kerry-etb/

The artic course in about 7 weeks as you say as it has less learning material.

You do 31.5 hours per week, the driving time is included in that more often than not.

You only get between 20-25 hours of driving depending on course numbers, these are done in 2 hour blocks, but due to the small numbers in Tipperary with me that time we did 4 hours each day, 2 hours on 2 off,alternating with the other guy.

When i was doing the artic for 9 weeks it was madness as the course wasn't and still isn't available in Cork.

I drove from my house on the Northside of the city to Tipperary Town for classes and then onto Limerick City for lessons,which were twice weekly.

I had to leave home at 7am and on the days i was in Limerick i was lucky to be home for 7pm.

When not in Limerick i was home for about 5.15 depending on traffic as i was on the wrong side of the city.

At the time i was driving a 1.8 petrol engined car so the fuel and toll costs weren't cheap, but i was determined to get it and get back into work.

The course director from the ETB gave me the accommodation allowance instead of the mileage allowance which gave me €20 a week extra towards my expenses.

There were only 4 of us doing the course, the other 3 lads all lived within a 10 mile radius of the training centre bar me.

Thanks for your reply Cork Truck Driver.
Appreciate it.

One question that comes to my mind though, is you're saying that actual driving is only 20-25 hours and it's twice per week, then what is the remaining bit? Is it all classroom lessons.
I find it hard to imagine what could be done during those classes for 31 hours a week for 7 to 9 weeks ?
Especially that for CE, all CPCs are already done (earlier during C licence).

Thanks.

Wishbone Ash

Cork Truck Driver wrote: »

..Do you prefer 4 over 4,3 over 3 or Auto?

Probably prefer 4 over 4. Never drove an auto truck. It's been a long time since I drove any truck. Liked auto buses all the same - very hard to go back to a manual afterwards especially in stop/start driving. I used to drive a manual bus in Dublin airport - 1,500 gear changes during a 12 hour shift.

boardsuser1

CiniO wrote: »

Thanks for your reply Cork Truck Driver.
Appreciate it.

One question that comes to my mind though, is you're saying that actual driving is only 20-25 hours and it's twice per week, then what is the remaining bit? Is it all classroom lessons.
I find it hard to imagine what could be done during those classes for 31 hours a week for 7 to 9 weeks ?
Especially that for CE, all CPCs are already done (earlier during C licence).

Thanks.

Classroom stuff:

Rules of the road
CPC modules
Periodic training
Job seeking skills
Interview Techniques
Safepass
Ensuring that everyone has a CPC card and a Digital Tachograph card.
Manual Handling
Course health and safety booklet.

They really dragged some of those out, for example, we had to go over the CPC modules even if we had already done them and this was confirmed on our CPC portal.

All 5 modules (1-5) had to be done and while it usually only takes 1 day to do them on an ordinary CPC course it took us 2 days per module.

The 5 books took us 2 working weeks to do and then anyone who had to do periodic training had to do them in full in 1 day.

The course could have been much much shorter only for this nonsense and we were forced to do it or be docked a portion of our training allowance.

There was one day where i was the only one in the class room for the full day, 2 guys were in Limerick doing lessons and the guy who was usually paired with me was out due to a medical appointment, i wasn't allowed leave early and all i did was sat in the class for the full day,breaks aside, on my laptop looking up boards,facebook,twitter etc.

parishsavings

I tried to get the licence through FAS when I was unemployed but they dismissed me as I had qualifications in another field. Ended up doing rigid at my own expense. Currently in 2 minds about doing the CE licence

boardsuser1

parishsavings wrote: »

I tried to get the licence through FAS when I was unemployed but they dismissed me as I had qualifications in another field. Ended up doing rigid at my own expense. Currently in 2 minds about doing the CE licence

That's very odd, i had retail qualifications myself at the time of doing my rigid and they never dismissed me, was it just the wrong person on the wrong day?

I was unemployed 4 years at the time of doing mine though (2008-2012).

Within 3 weeks of finishing the course i was back in work.

If i were you i'd do the CE, most haulage companies would rather you had it than not in case they had an artic and needed to put a driver in it at the last minute.

Which part of the country did you do it in?

Any idea as to what kind of truck it was?

parishsavings

The girl in FAS was lovely and told me I had great quals as it was. It took from 2008 until 2016 to get a job in that field though!
Anyway I am working full time now again thank God and therefore don't really need the CE licence, I would just be doing it as personal achievement.
I did the rigid test in a Mercedes. I can't remember the model. I have driven a Scania artic once or twice. I did mine in Donegal

boardsuser1

parishsavings wrote: »

The girl in FAS was lovely and told me I had great quals as it was. It took from 2008 until 2016 to get a job in that field though!
Anyway I am working full time now again thank God and therefore don't really need the CE licence, I would just be doing it as personal achievement.
I did the rigid test in a Mercedes. I can't remember the model. I have driven a Scania artic once or twice. I did mine in Donegal

They said it so based purely on previous qualifications? that's unusual.

There were guys hitting 60 doing the rigid with me who worked all their lives and were accepted.

The CE is always handy to have though, as you rightly say, a personal achievement.

It was probably a Mercedes Axor you did it in.

How did you find the reversing in the artic?

Did you do it with Swilly?

Finnharpsboy on boards done his rigid in Donegal before Christmas.

Done my ADR course with a guy called John O'Donnell from Donegal, an absolute gent of a man,not the Cllr in case you thought it was him

parishsavings

Yeah, maybe if I had have pushed a bit more they would have put me on the course!
Yeah Swilly I did the rigid with.
Might go with McMenamin / Advanced Driver Training for artic.

Reversing I found tough with the artic, I could reverse rigid through the eye of a needle.

boardsuser1

parishsavings wrote: »

Yeah, maybe if I had have pushed a bit more they would have put me on the course!
Yeah Swilly I did the rigid with.
Might go with McMenamin / Advanced Driver Training for artic.

Reversing I found tough with the artic, I could reverse rigid through the eye of a needle.

Was it a case officer who dismissed your application?

How did you find Swilly?Stephen Sweeney ran our course here in Mallow.

Are McMenamin / Advanced Driver Training just as good?

The reversing is the key of it all and bloody difficult to start out with.

Only on the last day or 2 of lessons did i actually get there and i even paid for extra lessons on top of the FAS allocation.

You sailed it with the rigid so

parishsavings

Found them good for the rigid.
I have heard good reports of McMenamin for CE but I have no personal experience of them.
I can't remember regarding Fas, its a while back!

The cost involved is a big thing. If you had access to a rig to practice reversing in your own time it would be a major help!

boardsuser1

parishsavings wrote: »

Found them good for the rigid.
I have heard good reports of McMenamin for CE but I have no personal experience of them.
I can't remember regarding Fas, its a while back!

The cost involved is a big thing. If you had access to a rig to practice reversing in your own time it would be a major help!

I have heard of McMenamin, even down here from some NI Truckers, and they didn't say anything negative about them.

FAS itself is gone years so that says alot, SOLAS now or something

The costs are major, the bus cost me €3k, the artic would be a bit less, but not majorly less.

the lessons are very expensive, the only lessons i see mostly going on around the city are artic lessons as FAS(SOLAS) offer the Bus and Rigid, the courses are filled each and every time.

Have you access to a tractor/trailer, some of the lads with farming backgrounds practice that way or are already pro's at it.

parishsavings

No such joy, would need to buy a farm first haha!!

boardsuser1

parishsavings wrote: »

No such joy, would need to buy a farm first haha!!

I feel your pain :pac::pac::pac:

audiavantawx

Have the C/CE licence
Got both under 25 and companies wouldnt touch you with a barge pole
My honest opinion if you want it and take from it what you will
Its mostly all who you know to get a decent job at it
If you love lorries go for it,If you have a family and want a social life dont
Get something or try to get something that pays you for the hours you work

Best of luck with licence anyway,Wasnt too hard to pass the test once you put the work in and get some luck on the day
Done mine in a xf95 16 speed

The Undecided One

audiavantawx wrote: »

Have the C/CE licence
Got both under 25 and companies wouldnt touch you with a barge pole
My honest opinion if you want it and take from it what you will
Its mostly all who you know to get a decent job at it
If you love lorries go for it,If you have a family and want a social life dont
Get something or try to get something that pays you for the hours you work

Best of luck with licence anyway,Wasnt too hard to pass the test once you put the work in and get some luck on the day
Done mine in a xf95 16 speed

Well at least the first point I don’t have to worry about, it’s a long time since I was 25 ;-)

From what I see around me, most guys working local routes are working Mon-Fri, off every weekend. I don’t know about hours but it doesn’t seem that bad.

I’ve worked in hospitality all my life, working every weekend, every BH, every school break (because that’s when we’re busy...) so if I can just get the weekends off it’ll already be a big win for me.

audiavantawx

The Undecided One wrote: »

Well at least the first point I don’t have to worry about, it’s a long time since I was 25 ;-)

From what I see around me, most guys working local routes are working Mon-Fri, off every weekend. I don’t know about hours but it doesn’t seem that bad.

I’ve worked in hospitality all my life, working every weekend, every BH, every school break (because that’s when we’re busy...) so if I can just get the weekends off it’ll already be a big win for me.

That's one hurdle Ye ha
Personally I wish I had never bothered doing the licences and got a trade instead .Between cpcs,taco cards,adr.More hassle than it was worth

Fingers crossed you can get yourself sorted with a decent number and have your weekend s off

donkey balls

Regardless of your age most companies require at minimum 2 years experience this might have change recently due to the driver shortage, The hours can be long and unsocial just like the hospitality section.
The pay has gone in reverse nearly 10 years now and doesn't look to be heading back to what it was, A lot of lads have left the industry for good and never to return.

boardsuser1

donkey balls wrote: »

Regardless of your age most companies require at minimum 2 years experience this might have change recently due to the driver shortage, The hours can be long and unsocial just like the hospitality section.
The pay has gone in reverse nearly 10 years now and doesn't look to be heading back to what it was, A lot of lads have left the industry for good and never to return.

Even if the pay was half decent in the majority of cases the shortage wouldn’t be anywhere near what it is.

When people are being offered a pre tax daily rate of €70 to drive an Artic you can understand why they are leaving. And you get no expenses either.