The Role & Expectations
The work is planning and driving routes, loading and unloading or overseeing it, doing vehicle checks, keeping to delivery schedules and following strict rules on driving hours and breaks. Concentration, patience and good road sense matter, along with the discipline to keep paperwork and logs in order and to drive safely whatever the conditions.
Hours can be long, early or overnight, sometimes with nights away from home, and a lot of the day is spent alone behind the wheel. Pay is usually a steady wage that rises with experience and the type of licence, and there is strong demand for reliable drivers.
By law you need the right category of HGV (LGV) licence and a Driver CPC qualification, gained after passing medical, theory and practical tests, and you usually must be over a minimum age with a full car licence first. Many haulage firms help fund the training.
Daily Responsibilities
- Plan and follow delivery routes
- Carry out safety checks on the lorry
- Load, unload or oversee the cargo
- Drive safely and to schedule
- Keep to legal driving hours and breaks
- Complete delivery paperwork and logs
- Report faults, delays or incidents