Rigid Truck Driving Licence

MightyDucks

Hi,

I'm currently out of work due to the pandemic and I was considering getting a license for a rigid. I have been told this could cost approx €1600 and take around 6/8 weeks.

What is the going rate for an inexperienced rigid driver?

What's a typical day like?

Thanks

whoboy

Going to add to this. How much training is involved if any? Are you expected to know every aspect of lorries starting out? It seems like a lot of people in the industry grew up around or worked with lorries before getting their first job.

cute geoge

there are fas coures for this if you are off work

Coopaloop

Yes around that figure would be correct, also you will need your cpc, and there is a refresher course per subject every year you have to do (so one module every year refresher) you need your tachograph card too, and possibly a safe pass to get onto sites if you do that type of driving.

Wages seem to vary, however there is a shortage in drivers so you might be lucky. My husband comes out with about €850 per week after tax, he starts work at 4am and gets home anytime between 1.30pm to 3pm. So between 9 and 12 hours, you have to factor in breaks too, 30 mins and 15 mins for every 4 or 4.5 hours drive (not 100% on the exact times)

It's hard, long work, but there is loads of work out there if u want it. Companies generally say they want someone with exp, but I think you would easily get work. They would most likely put you with another driver for a week to learn the ropes. They do in my husbands place anyway.

BobHopeless

I know of a few companies crying out for drivers at present. I left the industry behind me years ago due to the race to the bottom but wages are going up rapidly right now and a few lads i still know are getting over 1000 a week for a flat week. Well worth it if you can get on the road between now and Xmas but i wouldn't see it as a long term gig OP as wages will be driven down eventually again.

rolling boh

You have to start of course but think some places used to want a few years experience over some insurance issues not sure if it is still an issue .

chucklebrothers.com

Definitley worth getting i would say...experience wont be a big issue with the driver shortage the way it is...lots of companies and agencys taking on newbies to the industry...can only speak for multidrop rigid work myself...

a typical day in multidrop can be start at 5 or 6am and work until 130 to 3 on a good day and later on a bad day...you would need to have good organisational skills and handle pressure and stress to a high level and be physically fit,alot of multidrop jobs are spent half the time out of the truck as much in it...

if you want a pure driving job then maybe someone would know about tipper work or you could look into the bus licence instead (D licence)

salary for multidrop is usually anywhere from 32000 to 42000 depends on the company...alot of them will do a lunch money subsitence rate per day which will add a couple of thousand per year onto your basic salary...

not for the faint hearted but not many lads sitting at home with a truck licence during the pandemic ...its a secure industry until the robots take over...

TheMilkyPirate

Companies are crying out for drivers my place can't get them for diamonds. Well worth having

donkey balls

Lessons are normally done in a 2 hour slot approx €120 for each lesson, Regarding the experience upto the driver shortage companies wanted 2 years experience in Irish roads.

With the current situation they might take a chance on a Newby, I got my licence back in the 90s and was under 25 at the time.(Most companies you had to be over 25 at the time) I was kinda of lucky as the company was a major international transportation company.

Now the hours a driver does can vary depending on what sort of work, Early starts from 1am to doing night work etc.

Driving is not an 8 hour day and can end up being a 15 hour day, Wages have being suppressed since the last recession, Some companies paying a flat rate of pay and most work is done via zero hour agency contracts.

Also having an artic licence makes you more employable,And this driver shortage with wages going up to what they were years ago won't last long.

As the transport industry and the RSA are looking to bring drivers from the Ukriane Argentina Moldova and FYR Macedonia.

So the race to the bottom will start again.