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More info
- Collect a wide range of items and deliver them to customers
- You'll need the ability to organise and manage your time, self-motivation, and good customer care skills
- With experience, you could complete training for a large goods vehicle (LGV) licence
As a delivery driver, you may deliver parcels, letters and documents, groceries, furniture or equipment. This could be for postal or courier services, supermarkets or retailers. Your vehicle could vary in size, depending on the load and your licence.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Collecting goods from a depot, warehouse or pick-up point
- Loading the vehicle in an order that matches the deliveries you'll make
- Planning the route
- Greeting customers
- Getting signatures and giving invoices when you deliver
- Recording mileage and fuel you buy
- Updating delivery records
- Returning undelivered items
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You'll usually work between 36 and 48 hours a week, including evenings and weekends. Some courier companies may expect you to drive through the night.
For safety reasons there are legal limits on drivers' hours, depending on the type of vehicle.
For some jobs, you'll be given a uniform and specialist clothing. The job can be physically demanding.
You'll need
This role would be ideal for someone with the ability to organise and manage time, self-motivation, good customer care skills and can work on your own.
There are no set qualifications but you'll usually need basic English and maths skills, good eyesight and colour-normal vision, and a good driving record and the correct licence.
You may also need to be over 21 and have held a full driving licence for at least 12 months.
Many vans are less than 3,500kg. If you drive vehicles between 3,500kg and 7,000kg, you may need further training depending on when you passed your driving test.
Alternatively you could get into this job through an apprenticeship.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience, you could complete training for a large goods vehicle (LGV) licence for opportunities in freight transport and tanker driving.
If you take specialist training, like defensive driving and personal security, you could drive vehicles containing cash and valuable items. You'd also usually need a Security Industry Association (SIA) licence for this.