The road tempts you? Fasten your belt, the sector is recruiting. According to freight transport professionals, nearly 50,000 drivers are missing. “Business demand has accelerated over the past five years,” explains Vincent Lesage, president of the social commission of the National Federation of Road Transport. “With the retirement of many drivers, there is a need to renew the pool. At the same time, working conditions have improved. It is a more open sector of activity, which is gradually becoming more feminized. »
An observation shared by Aurore, 27 years old and a driver for two and a half years on a permanent contract in a Rennes company. “I haven’t had a bad experience yet. Women are more and more accepted in this environment”, confirms the one who reoriented herself after completing her studies in modern literature. “After these, I found a delivery job in a van, and that made me want to become a truck driver. Pôle emploi offered me training as a road freight transport driver and I was able to pass the driving licenses required for the job,” she recalls.
Permits cost on average 1900 euros
Becoming a truck driver is easier than you think. In France, there are several categories of permits dedicated to the transport of goods. The “heavyweight”, or C, authorizes the driving of a vehicle whose cabin cannot be detached from the trailer, and the “super heavyweight”, or CE, that of a heavier articulated vehicle and whose cabin is detachable.
Then comes the Fimo (minimum compulsory initial training), which mixes theory with practice, essential for all truck drivers wishing to get into the profession. The C and CE permits cost on average 1900 euros, the Fimo, 600 euros. But these different courses can be financed by public aid schemes, such as the personal training account (CPF).
It took Aurore three months to obtain her C and CE permits. “At the very beginning, it can be a bit stressful. The most difficult to manage is the distance between the axis of the wheels and the ends of the truck. You always have to be in anticipation, ”she explains.
In addition to the permits required for driving, additional theoretical and practical courses can be a plus when hiring. “All drivers ask to be trained in the transport of hazardous materials,” explains the Blanchard Training Center. The organization, located in Dreux (Eure-et-Loir), specifies that there are also diploma courses including the passage of the permit and additional training. A real advantage, since the drivers can then assert an immediate seniority of two years with their future employer. But that increases the bill: between 6500 and 7000 euros on average.
For truckers, autonomy is a chance: “Our daily life is rather quiet”, explains Aurore. We also see a lot of different landscapes, territories and people throughout the week. “It’s something very pleasant,” she describes. However, there are disadvantages: “The distance from home can be long. I go all week. I can only manage day-to-day life and my family life on the weekends,” laments Damien, who travels between 120,000 and 135,000 kilometers a year.
A demanding profession
The profession is still well regulated. European legislation requires companies not to run their drivers for more than fifty-six hours per week. A way to prevent road fatigue. “I notice all day long that some motorists are driving dangerously. You always have to be focused, ”warns the driver.
In addition to this legislation, there are certain advantages, as for Aurore: nearly 600 euros in travel costs are borne by the employer, in addition to her gross salary of 1,966 euros. Job security is another advantage: “Nearly 95% of employees are on permanent contracts. It’s a stable job,” explains Vincent Lesage. In any case, a great personal investment is required. “You need passion”, sums up Aurore.
He hires: Fabrice Cicirko, the director of Comaldis
Today, there are so many opportunities. Thus, Comaldis, founded twenty years ago in Eure-et-Loir, remains open to hiring: “We are constantly looking for drivers, especially at the moment. In total, we are around forty with 35 vehicles”, explains Fabrice Cicirko, the director of the company.
Apart from the driver’s license, no prerequisites are necessary to apply. “We don’t have a typical profile. When hiring, I particularly insist with candidates on the attention paid to the materials that are transported. I am looking for serious and competent people. The drivers are the first ambassadors of the company”, specifies the boss.
The hired drivers are then carefully accompanied. “Before starting, new recruits drive for a week with a former driver, who becomes their referent. They are then trained in administration and unloading of goods. Importantly, we are in the midst of an ecological transition. We have just acquired one of the first electric trucks in the region, and we have one that runs on rapeseed. »