Artic lorry driving licence

LuasSimon

Thinking of looking at a career change, do a lot of car driving for work and quite enjoy been on the road even if a lot is motorway. My companys work is diminishing and there might be redundancy meaning i may need to reinvent myself.
Have a car license many years but wondering how difficult is to get up and running as an artic driver and is there many jobs out there . Are there many lessons mandatory before you go get a test done etc, what sort of costs am i looking at ? do i need a rigid license first ?
BTW i have never driven a lorry but do as i say like driving and been on the road which i thought would be a good start.

Cork Trucker

For the love of god don’t. I’m sorry I got into it. 12-14 hour days, treated like crap, shocking money. Don’t waste your time.

Lessons are mandatory for instructors to permit you use their vehicle

Wishbone Ash

It's not a particularly attractive career nowadays. Anyone I know in it are getting out fast. Long hours for little reward - hence the reason there are so many eastern European drivers now.

LuasSimon wrote: »

....do i need a rigid license first ?....

Yes.

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime

Will disagree with previous 2 posters

It depends who you with for. Some good, treated well and paid appropriately.

Some bad, low pay , long hours etc.

Cork trucker has just described my job in his post and I work for the big National bus operator.

donkey balls

As the other posters mentioned if you can stay away from driving do it, I have being driving professional since the 90s on and off:eek: I was lucky in a way when I started driving as I was under 24 so back then it was hard to get a job as most places required you to be over 25 plus have a minimum of 2 years experience.
Next thing would be the training costs anything up to 3k between getting the different permits medicals exams etc.
So just say you pass the tests a lot of companies don't hire directly but go through agencies( Zero hour contracts) with hourly paying rates of 10.50e to 15e no shift allowance or extra pay for bank holidays etc.

Supermarket work operates 247 some starting shifts between 0100 0500 and the hours can vary from 10-15hrs in a day.

Still waters

Cork Trucker wrote: »

For the love of god don’t. I’m sorry I got into it. 12-14 hour days, treated like crap, shocking money. Don’t waste your time.

Lessons are mandatory for instructors to permit you use their vehicle

God be with the days of leaving the house at half 4 in the morning and not seeing it again until 9 that night or running out of hours to park up an hour from the depot or thinking youd a grand handy day to be back in the yard for half 3 to be sent to mallow for a load of steel or to be heading out of waterford port for limerick and 2 and a half hours on the countdown clock :pac: i wouldn't mind going back relief driving a couple days a week but i don't miss the tight schedules or the workload,

donkey balls

I'm officially off the road 8 years now use to do the odd trip for a mate of mine, Kinda liked doing the odd spin but couldn't ever see myself go back full time.
When I was driving I be all over the country within a week, The only motorways were the one from Dublin to portlaoise at the time and the M1 to Newry.

Cork Trucker

Still waters wrote: »

God be with the days of leaving the house at half 4 in the morning and not seeing it again until 9 that night or running out of hours to park up an hour from the depot or thinking youd a grand handy day to be back in the yard for half 3 to be sent to mallow for a load of steel or to be heading out of waterford port for limerick and 2 and a half hours on the countdown clock :pac: i wouldn't mind going back relief driving a couple days a week but i don't miss the tight schedules or the workload,

I’ve had 6am starts 9-10pm finishes and back in at 6 the next morning. I’ve often been caught out and had to park up for a 45 alright, other days if I was near the depot, within 20 miles I kept going. I’m going back in the coming weeks by the looks of it, relief shifts only, no more than 2 a week, like yourself I don’t miss the load/tight schedules and will never again do it full time. In relation to getting back to the depot near the end of a shift and bring delegated a job in another county, I’ve often said no, walked out or been sacked for such, it really doesn’t bother me. I do security part time anyway and I’m happy with that, but a bit of part time driving is good as well as I so enjoy driving the trucks themselves.

Cork Trucker

donkey balls wrote: »

I'm officially off the road 8 years now use to do the odd trip for a mate of mine, Kinda liked doing the odd spin but couldn't ever see myself go back full time.
When I was driving I be all over the country within a week, The only motorways were the one from Dublin to portlaoise at the time and the M1 to Newry.

That’s exactly how long ago I started, you were one of the first on here to give me advice on the industry.

donkey balls

Cork Trucker wrote: »

That’s exactly how long ago I started, you were one of the first on here to give me advice on the industry.

Jaysus you're putting the years on me, I'm still involved within the transport industry and deal with drivers and the loads they get plus paperwork etc.
I have kept everything up to date even renewed the ADR but haven't bothered with the CPC.
I consider the licence a back up plan and have since the 90s, So if my company folded in the morning I could go back driving.

Truckermal

It really depends on who you work for and what kind of work you do! I'm at it over 20 year's now and absolutely love my job but I work for a fantastic Company as in very good money plus I choose my own hour's and I'm my own boss almost.

I do agree with the posters above though it's a expensive thing to get into now and you will have trouble finding work with no experience!

Cork Trucker

donkey balls wrote: »

Jaysus you're putting the years on me, I'm still involved within the transport industry and deal with drivers and the loads they get plus paperwork etc.
I have kept everything up to date even renewed the ADR but haven't bothered with the CPC.
I consider the licence a back up plan and have since the 90s, So if my company folded in the morning I could go back driving.

You're a transport manager or similar? That's not too bad, i've always said i'd do the transport manager's CPC and haven't yet.

I did let the ADR lapse, very costly to renew, exams aren't the issue there, it's the money, plus i never got someone to take me on for haz work before due to the experience issue. You can sort the CPC out in a few days in the classroom if you really wanted to get it back, i'm due my next installement in the coming weeks, but my regular place is still shut.

It's great to have the licence as a back up.

donkey balls

I was actually a qualified transport manager before I even got my truck licence, The only thing extra I did was the DGSA course as I thought it be a way to get out of the driving at the time.

Cork Trucker

donkey balls wrote: »

I was actually a qualified transport manager before I even got my truck licence, The only thing extra I did was the DGSA course as I thought it be a way to get out of the driving at the time.

Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor? I only ever met one person who has that qualification, tough course he said?

Is it just the haulage CPC you have or did you do the passenger management one also?

donkey balls

Cork Trucker wrote: »

Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor? I only ever met one person who has that qualification, tough course he said?

Is it just the haulage CPC you have or did you do the passenger management one also?

Just the Haulage at the time the college lecturer asked me would I be interested in doing the Passenger one, I said no thanks less hassle with freight plus it can't talk back to you.

Cork Trucker

donkey balls wrote: »

Just the Haulage at the time the college lecturer asked me would I be interested in doing the Passenger one, I said no thanks less hassle with freight plus it can't talk back to you.

Having driven buses for a year I agree, silent cargo is better. Saying that I’m from a CIE background and it was always what I wanted to do but ended up in trucks first. Does having he management CPC make any difference to employers other than another thing on a cv? I’ve been toying with the idea of doing an ADI course to become an instructor. The only way I’ll leave haulage now is for Bus Eireann, 9 attempts later it’s highly unlikely.

SCOOP 64

Id say they will be a big shortage of drivers in 10 yrs time, as most of the drivers i see on the cpc courses are well over 50, very few young drivers ,just seems alot of effort with cpc and obtaining the licence for very little reward, i don't drive myself anymore just do cpc to keep it up to date,saying that haven't done one this year yet ,are they even open yet with covid and social distancing ?

Cork Trucker

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

Id say they will be a big shortage of drivers in 10 yrs time, as most of the drivers i see on the cpc courses are well over 50, very few young drivers ,just seems alot of effort with cpc and obtaining the licence for very little reward, i don't drive myself anymore just do cpc to keep it up to date,saying that haven't done one this year yet ,are they even open yet with covid and social distancing ?

I’m 40 and was the third youngest when doing the last module last year. The 2 others were in their 30’s. The big shortage is already there. Some places are reopened but prices hiked by some to between €70-80 as numbers are reduced due to social distancing.

donkey balls

Is that prices for the CPC courses hiked up? When I did my ADR refresher in 2015 I was the youngest on the course and I was 40.
I know a fair few lads who got out of the industry myself included one went to Canada the other who was a tanker driver is now a Fire fighter/Paramedic in the US.
The money has kinda gone up from 10 years ago as tbere was a shortage of drivers, This due to the likes of agencies who know F**k all about transport going against each other to win contracts by going in at lower rate which means the driver gets paid a lower rate.
As for the shortages of drivers in the future tbe likes of your women down in Wexford who was the IRHA president wants to bring back drivers from South Africa.
That's the way certain parts of the industry works just look at some of the transport firms from the South East and Tipp, All foreign nationals working and sleeping in their trucks getting paid peanuts.
Then you have what was once a very good employer with people giving an arm to get in the door, Has gone to crap for new hires different T&C with a real low basic wage.

Cork Trucker

donkey balls wrote: »

Is that prices for the CPC courses hiked up? When I did my ADR refresher in 2015 I was the youngest on the course and I was 40.
I know a fair few lads who got out of the industry myself included one went to Canada the other who was a tanker driver is now a Fire fighter/Paramedic in the US.
The money has kinda gone up from 10 years ago as tbere was a shortage of drivers, This due to the likes of agencies who know F**k all about transport going against each other to win contracts by going in at lower rate which means the driver gets paid a lower rate.
As for the shortages of drivers in the future tbe likes of your women down in Wexford who was the IRHA president wants to bring back drivers from South Africa.
That's the way certain parts of the industry works just look at some of the transport firms from the South East and Tipp, All foreign nationals working and sleeping in their trucks getting paid peanuts.
Then you have what was once a very good employer with people giving an arm to get in the door, Has gone to crap for new hires different T&C with a real low basic wage.

I used to go to this guy before, a retired fireman, he was charging me €50 in 2016, now it is €60, and by christ the day drags with him.
https://www.corkcpctraining.com/book-cpc/

Youngest at 40 doing an ADR refresher? it's a sign of the times. Life in Canada is good for many i heard, better than here as a trucker any how.

I was offered a pre pandemic, it was €107 daily rate + €33 daily subsistence, so €140 all in, there's a guy in Cork paying €80 a day before tax, no subs and you pay your own tolls or avoid them.


Verona Murphy? She needs to quit her role now that she is a TD. We need more of our own on the roads before importing, slave labour is not the way to go.

Never slept in a truck and never will, the foreign lads will do it no problem though.

It's the finest race to the bottom you will ever see, the haulage industry.

donkey balls

Have done the sleeping in the truck but was always in a secure compound, As for the haulage industry it's always going be pay the man just say a fixed Dailly amount.
Then run them ragged for 12/15 when ye break it down it can be less than the minimum wage.

Was talking to a lad over the weekend who was telling me a labourer on a site gets something like €17 an hour.

Cork Trucker

How did you find sleeping in cab? Are the bunks comfortable? This is the issue with pay, when divided amongst the hours done it is less than the minimum wage.

I'd do labouring for that money no problem.

Was just about to book my CPC for August 1st, the prices have increased again, it was €50 on Monday and €60 today, i'm starting to think i'll just let it lapse.

donkey balls

The first time I slept in a cab was back in the 90s wasn't the most comfy experience at the time as I was in a ridged truck.
The next time after that was about 7 years ago this time in an artic truck Volvo globetrotter XL and a DAF 105XL. By jaysus these were the most comfy trucks to sleep in one had a double bunk the other a single bunk.
They all had fridges microwave etc and walk across floor no engine block in the center, Again I was parked up in a secure area CCTV all over the place.
Plus had use of the facilities toilets showers canteen etc.

Whocare

Cork Trucker wrote: »

For the love of god don’t. I’m sorry I got into it. 12-14 hour days, treated like crap, shocking money. Don’t waste your time.

Lessons are mandatory for instructors to permit you use their vehicle

Rubbish it all depends who you work for. Men doing lidl work in charlivilie are getting 650 euros for 4 day week ok day around 12 hours long sometimes a bit longer but still not not bad for 4 day week and if you want 5 day add up around 800euro . Container transport out of tivoli most places are around 620 euros for 5 day week around 10 to 12 hours day at most sometimes longer.easy work open the back door back onto bay. Hgv driving isn't a great job but it not bad too ( depending on who you work for) if you're man without a good education or trade there nothing wrong with being hgv driver or money

donkey balls

So an average its approx €13.50 an hour I was getting paid more than that 12 years ago.

Whocare

donkey balls wrote: »

Is that prices for the CPC courses hiked up? When I did my ADR refresher in 2015 I was the youngest on the course and I was 40.
I know a fair few lads who got out of the industry myself included one went to Canada the other who was a tanker driver is now a Fire fighter/Paramedic in the US.
The money has kinda gone up from 10 years ago as tbere was a shortage of drivers, This due to the likes of agencies who know F**k all about transport going against each other to win contracts by going in at lower rate which means the driver gets paid a lower rate.
As for the shortages of drivers in the future tbe likes of your women down in Wexford who was the IRHA president wants to bring back drivers from South Africa.
That's the way certain parts of the industry works just look at some of the transport firms from the South East and Tipp, All foreign nationals working and sleeping in their trucks getting paid peanuts.
Then you have what was once a very good employer with people giving an arm to get in the door, Has gone to crap for new hires different T&C with a real low basic wage.

It very true about south Africa was taking to SF driver driving for agro merchants he was on work permit he was getting 488€ in bank for five days averaging 12 hours a day .came up to looking do I know of any place that employs driver on the work permit

Still waters

donkey balls wrote: »

So an average its approx €13.50 an hour I was getting paid more than that 12 years ago.

That would be a decent enough wage now unfortunately, my last job 2 years ago there was lads there with years on 12.50 an hour, i did 6 months until 1 day i did the sums and it worked out around tenner an hour for all the hours in the cab, never worth it imo for the grief that comes with the job

donkey balls

When Stobart first came to Ireland I applied for a job with them went through a written test driving assessment etc, Then the interview everything was going great till the manager told me the starting rate of €8.65 after that I just turned off in the interview.
A week later they called me to offer me the job told them I couldn't work for the money on over, They even said working nights or Sundays got ye an extra €1.
My thinking of driving is the tractor unit and trailer you could be driving be worth €150k plus the load you are carrying.Then you have all the rules and regs to follow you be better off getting a job in Aldi or elsewhere.