A fundamental problem in the TSL industry has been the need for more professional drivers for years. The staffing gap is widening each year, and currently, depending on estimates, it ranges from about 150 to 200,000 unfilled jobs. Gathering information for the Industryometer Report, it has been noted that up to 70% of carriers are experiencing driver shortage problems.
Today we will focus on drivers performing international transport. We will address one of the most common questions - how much does an international driver of Cat B and C+E earn? We will present the figures, and discuss the formal requirements, career prospects, and daily challenges that an international driver must face.
This is a person who is authorized to drive a vehicle assigned to a Category B driver's license, and who undertakes international transport assignments. The primary duty of a Cat B international driver is to ensure the safe and timely transportation of goods or passengers.
Recall that a Category B driver's license entitles you to drive passenger vehicles, as well as cars with a gross vehicle weight of less than 3.5 tons. In practice, this means that with a driver's license in this category, you can take a job as a truck driver in international transport.
The responsibilities of a Cat B international driver include, first of all:
As you know, the international driver's salary in international transport usually consists of several elements, such as:
The earnings of an international driver Cat B most often oscillate around €1,400 net per month. The amount of earnings depends, of course, on the time that the driver spends on the road - the more days, the higher the salary.
The road to obtaining the relevant qualification consists of several stages. A person who wants to work as an international CE driver must first obtain a Category B driver's license. The next step should be to obtain a Category C or C+E license, which will allow you to drive trucks, that is, vehicles with a GVW of more than 3.5 tons (excluding buses).
What is the difference between these two categories? The difference relates to the type of attached trailer - Category C entitles you to create a set of vehicles, consisting of a car over 3.5 t GVW and a trailer with a gross vehicle weight of no more than 750 kg. In turn, a driver with a Category C+E license can attach trailers whose weight exceeds this value. It is possible to take combined courses, allowing you to obtain both licenses at the same time.
As a rule, the candidate must be at least 21 years old, but it is also possible to obtain the license at the age of 18. To do this, you must first make a Driver Candidate Profile and a Professional Driver Profile.
As we mentioned earlier, one of the serious problems in the TSL sector is the shortage of professional drivers. When analyzing the economic aspects of employment in the industry, an important issue is the impact of this situation on wages - how much does an international truck driver earn?
Currently, the average daily rate of an international driver with a C+E license is about €90-€100, depending on the work system. This translates into monthly earnings of about €2,300 net.
How much an international driver earns is most influenced by his license and the type of vehicle operated. This is, of course, the type of driver's license - B or C+E. To some extent, additional authorizations, such as for ADR transport, are also important. Due to current regulations, wages can also be affected by the individual countries in which an international driver works.
Earnings may also depend on the type of contract, the work system, and possible allowances - for example, for work on holidays.
The staffing gap that we have long seen in the transportation industry means that finding a job as a Cat B international driver should not be much of a problem. This can be seen, for example, on popular classifieds websites - there is no shortage of job offers published there by transport companies, both those specializing in domestic transport and by companies that are looking for international drivers.
Undoubtedly, the Internet is the best source of job offers. In addition to the aforementioned ad sites, it is also worth following groups on social networks that bring together drivers and other employees working in the TSL industry.
Yes. Transportation companies, to attract potential employees, offer attractive terms of employment, including competitive salaries, even for those taking their first steps in the profession - another aspect that is affected by the lack of a sufficient number of drivers in the market.
The job of a driver requires a lot of mental and physical resilience and responsibility. As a rule, international drivers point to the need to be away from home for many hours or days, working a varied schedule - including nighttime, Sundays, and holidays - as the biggest challenge. The need to work with high concentration and under time pressure, which is characteristic of the driving profession, can further contribute to increased fatigue and stress.
