Delivery Van Driver

Typical Salary

£14,000 To £27,000

Typical Hours

44 to 46 a week

evenings / weekends / bank holidays away from home

How To Become a Delivery Van Driver

You can get into this job through:

an apprenticeship
applying directly

College / University

Apprenticeship

You may be able to start in this job through an intermediate apprenticeship as an express delivery operative with a delivery company.

some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

Routes into this Career are not listed for this job.

You could apply directly to work as a delivery driver. Employers will expect you to have:

basic English and maths skills
a good driving record and the correct licence

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

the ability to work well with others
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
customer service skills
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
sensitivity and understanding
knowledge of transport methods, costs and benefits
excellent verbal communication skills
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

Your day-to-day tasks may include:

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

Working Environment

You could work from a vehicle.

You may need to wear a uniform.

Career Path & Progression

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.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Career tips

Having experience in storage or warehousing could be useful.

Further information

You can find out more about careers in parcel delivery from the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.

Restrictions & Requirements

You'll need to:

have a full driving licence

You'll need a licence for the type of vehicle you'll be driving and a good driving record. Your employer may supply you with a delivery van, but if you're self-employed you'll need your own vehicle.