Delivery Truck Driver or Driver/Sales Worker
Delivery Truck Driver or Driver/Sales Worker
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What Delivery Truck Drivers and Driver/Sales Workers Do
Delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers pick up, transport, and drop off packages and small shipments within a local region or urban area. They drive trucks weighing less than 26,001 pounds total for vehicle, passengers, and cargo. Delivery truck drivers usually transport merchandise from a distribution center to businesses and households.
Duties
Delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers typically do the following:
- Load and unload their cargo
- Communicate with customers to determine pickup and delivery needs
- Report any incidents they encounter on the road to a dispatcher
- Follow applicable traffic laws
- Report mechanical problems to the appropriate personnel
- Keep their truck and associated equipment clean and in working order
- Accept payments for delivery
- Handle paperwork, such as receipts or delivery confirmation notices
Most drivers generally receive instructions to go to a delivery location at a particular time, and it is up to them to determine the best route. Other drivers have a regular daily or weekly delivery schedule. All drivers must understand an area’s street grid and know which roads allow trucks and which do not.
The following examples are types of delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers:
Driver/sales workers are delivery drivers who also have sales responsibilities. They recommend products to businesses and solicit new customers. These drivers may have a regular delivery route and may be responsible for adding clients who are located along their route. For example, they may make regular deliveries to a hardware store and encourage the store’s manager to offer a new product.
Some driver/sales workers use their own vehicles to deliver goods to customers, such as takeout food, and accept payment for those goods. Freelance or independent driver/sales workers may use smartphone apps to find specific delivery jobs.
Light truck drivers, often called pickup and delivery or P&D drivers, are the most common type of delivery driver. They drive small trucks or vans from distribution centers to delivery locations. Drivers make deliveries based on a set schedule. Some drivers stop at the distribution center once only, in the morning, and make many stops throughout the day. Others make multiple trips between the distribution center and delivery locations. Some drivers make deliveries from a retail location to customers.
Work Environment
Driver/sales workers held about 541,000 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of driver/sales workers were as follows:
| Restaurants and other eating places | 45% |
| Wholesale trade | 18 |
| Retail trade | 11 |
| Self-employed workers | 8 |
Light truck drivers held about 1.2 million jobs in 2022. The largest employers of light truck drivers were as follows:
| Couriers and messengers | 37% |
| Retail trade | 16 |
| Wholesale trade | 14 |
| Self-employed workers | 8 |
Delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers have physically demanding jobs. When loading and unloading cargo, drivers do a lot of lifting, carrying, and walking. Driving in congested traffic or adhering to strict delivery timelines can also be stressful.
Injuries and Illnesses
Light truck drivers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. Injuries can result from workers lifting and moving heavy objects, as well as from automobile accidents.
Work Schedules
Most drivers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Those who have regular routes sometimes must begin work very early in the morning or work late at night. For example, a driver who delivers bread to a deli every day must arrive before the deli opens. Drivers often work weekends and holidays, and their schedules may vary.
Getting Started
How to Become a Delivery Truck Driver or Driver/Sales Worker
Delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers typically need a high school diploma or equivalent to enter these occupations. However, some opportunities exist for those without a high school diploma. Workers undergo 1 month or less of on-the-job training. They must have a driver’s license from the state in which they work and have a clean driving record.
Education
Delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers typically enter the occupation with a high school diploma or equivalent.
Training
Companies train new delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers on the job. This may include training from a driver-mentor who rides along with a new employee to make sure that the driver is able to operate a truck safely on crowded streets.
New-driver training also covers company policies about package dropoffs and returns, taking payment, and what to do with damaged goods.
Driver/sales workers must learn detailed information about the products they offer. Their company also may teach them proper sales techniques, such as how to approach new customers.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
All delivery drivers need a driver’s license.
Other Experience
Some delivery drivers begin as package loaders at warehouse facilities, especially if the driver works for a large company. For more information, see the profile on hand laborers and material movers.
Job Outlook
Overall employment of delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers is projected to grow 10 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.
About 203,800 openings for delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
Projected employment of delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers varies by occupation (see table).
Continued growth of e-commerce should increase demand for package delivery services, especially for large and regional shipping companies. More light truck drivers will be needed to fulfill the growing number of e-commerce transactions. Drone delivery services also may be used for some deliveries over the projections decade. However, this technology is expected to complement rather than fully replace these workers, so the downward employment effect is expected to be modest.
The general demand for delivery options is expected to remain strong. Therefore, employment of driver/sales workers is projected to grow as these workers continue to be needed to deliver food, medical supplies, and other items.
Contacts for More Information
For more information about truck drivers, including delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers, visit
Similar Occupations
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers.
| Occupation | Job Duties | Entry-Level Education | Median Annual Pay, May 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bus Drivers |
Bus drivers transport people between various places. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $44,440 |
|
Hand Laborers and Material Movers |
Hand laborers and material movers manually move freight, stock, or other materials. |
See How to Become One | $34,960 |
|
Heavy and Tractor-trailer Truck Drivers |
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers transport goods from one location to another. |
Postsecondary nondegree award | $49,920 |
|
Material Recording Clerks |
Material recording clerks track product information in order to keep businesses and supply chains on schedule. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $40,490 |
|
Postal Service Workers |
Postal service workers sell postage and related products and collect, sort, and deliver mail. |
No formal educational credential | $53,680 |
|
Railroad Workers |
Railroad workers ensure that passenger and freight trains operate safely. They may drive trains, coordinate the activities of the trains, or control signals and switches in the rail yard. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $68,960 |
|
Water Transportation Workers |
Water transportation workers operate and maintain vessels that take cargo and people over water. |
See How to Become One | $66,100 |