Every item we see comes from another place. It is built in one place, and then is shipped to another to be sold. For example, if a store sells television sets, they must be ordered from the manufacturer and be delivered from their warehouse to the retailer. This goes on all day everyday, 365 days a year. We see delivery trucks on highways and on residential streets all the time. They might be an annoyance on the highways taking up a lot of space, but they are an essential part of the economy and state of the country.
Education for a delivery driver necessarily doesn’t have to include more than a high school education. One thing that is required for potential drivers is a valid driver’s license and a state commercial driver’s license, or CDL. Delivery trucks are typically less than 26,000 pounds and drivers have their own routes they deliver on a daily basis. The Professional Truck Driver Institute, or PTDI, certifies driver-training courses and training schools to ensure all the necessary guidelines are met. Drivers must also have a valid driver’s license in the state they plan on working in. Having a clean driving record will greatly increase one’s chances of landing a driving job as well.
Working conditions will vary depending on which part of the country one works in. If delivery drivers work in a predominantly warm climate their jobs are much easier than in a location that experiences drastic seasonal changes.
The Internet has dramatically changed the way we shop and purchase items over the last decade. With the rise in online shopping, more delivery driver jobs were created because more deliveries had to be made. Also, better and more efficient technologies have created warehouses to ship and move items more quickly than in years past. The faster orders are processed, the faster deliveries can be made, which will not only benefit costumers but also company performance.
Delivery drivers may work more than the standard forty-hour work week and work unusual hours depending on what goods they are delivering. Since delivery truck drivers typically work in their local area many may return home at respectable times, unlike their driving counterparts, semi-truck drivers who may travel from coat-to-coast who rarely see their families.
Salaries will vary depending on location, experience, and company worked for. The average delivery drivers make around $11–$19 per hour and receive additional benefits. Delivery truck drivers are set to increase overall within the next decade because of the growing population in the need for goods and services. The economy plays a role in the hiring or laying off of drivers. The most consistent and stable drivers typically work in the food delivery industry; people have to eat, right? High populated metropolitan areas see the best opportunities for driver employment, but also see the most competition.