Delivery van driver
Delivery van drivers collect parcels and other items from a warehouse and deliver them to customers.
Also known as: Van driver, multi-drop driver, courier
- Starter salary£20,000 a year
- Experienced£27,000 a year
- Typical hours20 to 42 a week
What you'll do
As a delivery driver, you could:
- collect items from a warehouse or a pick-up point
- plan routes and arrange items in your vehicle in order of delivery
- contact customers, update tracking systems and record any issues
- make deliveries, issue invoices and get customer signatures
- keep a record of mileage and fuel details and return undelivered items to the warehouse
Working environment
You could work from a vehicle.
You may need to wear a uniform.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- customer service skills
- the ability to organise your time and workload
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- the ability to operate and control equipment
- 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
How to become a delivery van driver
You can get into this job through an apprenticeship or by applying directly.
Apprenticeship
You could apply to do an Express Delivery Operative Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship or an Urban Driver Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship.
These apprenticeships take around 1 year to complete.
You may be able to do an apprenticeship with a freight transport company, courier firm, removals company or a retail chain.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
Direct application
You could apply directly to work as a delivery driver.
While it's useful to have experience of warehousing or other driving work, this is not always essential.
Employers will expect you to have:
- a good driving record
- good road network and geographical knowledge
- basic English and maths skills
- the correct driving licence for the type of vehicle in use
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- have a full driving licence
- have a category C1 licence to drive a 7.5 tonne delivery lorry
- have a good level of fitness
Your employer may supply you with a delivery van or lorry, but if you're self-employed, you'll need your own vehicle.
You'll also need to check what type of insurance is required for your vehicle and for the goods you transport, especially if self-employed.
Career path and progression
With experience you could:
- become a delivery co-ordinator and manage a team of drivers
- use your experience to work as a road transport manager
- train to become an HGV driver
- apply for a Security Industry Association licence and take specialist training to drive and deliver cash and high value items
Career tips
Your pay will depend on whether you're employed by a company or are self-employed. Self-employed drivers tend to be paid per delivery, so rates can vary from month to month.
Guides for this industry
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