Long-Haul Truck Driver (HGV)

You drive a tractor unit with a curtain-side or box trailer, usually 40 tonnes gross, on routes between the Novo Mesto depot and customers across the Alps. Most mornings start with a walk-around check, then loading at the warehouse before you pull out around 5 or 6 am. You handle the paperwork at each border and delivery point, secure the load with straps and the ratchet, and keep the tachograph clean. Some drops need you to help with the tail-lift or wait while forklifts unload. Driving days run within the standard 9 hour limit with the proper breaks, and dispatch plans your week so you are usually back home for the weekend. Winter routes over the passes mean chains and a steady hand, so the work is not the same every day.

Valid CE licence with code 95 and a current tachograph card

At least 2 years driving an articulated lorry on international routes

Comfortable with load securing, straps and a tail-lift

Know your tachograph and driving-time rules cold

Functional English or German for borders and deliveries (B1)

Clean enough record to cross EU borders without trouble

Relocation handled by the employer, including the work permit paperwork

Shared driver accommodation near the depot for your first months

Meal allowance (dnevnice) paid for every day on the road

Full health insurance from day one

Modern Euro 6 trucks, well kept, with a real bunk

You start at 1730 EUR net per month. After a probation of three to six months with a clean record and steady delivery times, pay moves up to 2010 EUR net. Drivers who take on the longer Germany runs or train new arrivals reach the top of the band first.

The base is a working transport yard on the edge of Novo Mesto, with a workshop, fuel point and a room where drivers sort paperwork and grab a coffee. Out on the road you are on your own in the cab, dealing with weather, traffic and the occasional tight loading bay. The fleet is maintained on site, so a fault gets fixed fast rather than left for the next driver.