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International Class 1 Drivers for European Haulage
Drivers who hold an international Driver CPC and have done the work: crossings, borders, driving on the right, and weeks away planned within the rules.
Not every Class 1 driver can work abroad
Driver CPC periodic training is now either national or international. A driver who completes national-only courses is issued a national Driver CPC card, and that card does not allow professional driving in Europe. We check which card every driver holds before offering them for European work.
Experience we look for
- Ferry and Channel Tunnel crossings, including accompanied trailers
- Border procedures and presenting transport and customs documents
- Driving on the right, continental motorways and mountain routes
- Planning daily and weekly rest abroad, including secure parking
- Smart tachographs and recording border crossings correctly
Drivers' hours abroad
International work runs under the assimilated drivers' hours rules: 9 hours' daily driving (10 hours twice a week), a 45-minute break after no more than 4.5 hours' driving, at least 11 hours' daily rest (reducible to 9 hours three times between weekly rests), and weekly limits of 56 hours' driving and 90 hours over two weeks. The operator plans the work. Our drivers will tell you early if a plan does not fit.
International driver questions
What Driver CPC does an HGV driver need for European work?
An international Driver CPC. A driver who has done national-only periodic training holds a national Driver CPC card, which does not allow professional driving in Europe.
Which drivers' hours rules apply in Europe?
The assimilated rules (previously called the EU rules): 9 hours' daily driving, extendable to 10 hours twice a week, a 45-minute break after no more than 4.5 hours, 56 hours a week and 90 hours over any two consecutive weeks, with daily and weekly rest requirements.
Who handles customs and transport documents?
The operator, or their customs agent, arranges customs and consignment paperwork. Our drivers are experienced in carrying and presenting it at borders and on delivery.