In conjunction to our Employment Guide to Careers and the help of the Department of Labor Career Guide, I'll be doing a blog post series on different careers that are popular on EmploymentGuide.com. This hopefully will give you insight as to what a particular job will entail, the types of qualifications and skills that you'll need to get the job and any other relevant information. Please feel free to comment or email suggestions as to what you'd like to see in this series.
Transportation / Driving Jobs: Route Sales/Delivery Drivers
On the Job
There are many types of truck drivers but the one type we're talking about are local truck drivers. Particularly Route Drivers, also known as Route Sales Drivers or Route Delivery Drivers.
Your primary responsibility as a driver/sales worker, or route driver, is to deliver and sell your company’s products over established routes or within your assigned territory. You'll sell goods such as food products, including restaurant takeout items, or sell services and pick up and deliver items such as laundry. Their response to customer complaints and requests can make the difference between a large order and a lost customer. Route drivers may also take orders and collect payments as well.
The duties of driver/sales workers vary according to their industry, the policies of their employer, and the emphasis placed on their sales responsibility. Most have wholesale routes that deliver to businesses and stores, rather than to homes. For example, wholesale bakery driver/sales workers deliver and arrange bread, cakes, rolls, and other baked goods on display racks in grocery stores. They estimate how many of each item to stock by paying close attention to what is selling. They may recommend changes in a store’s order or encourage the manager to stock new bakery products. Laundries that rent linens, towels, work clothes, and other items employ driver/sales workers to visit businesses regularly to replace soiled laundry. Their duties also may include soliciting new customers along their sales route.
After completing their route, driver/sales workers place orders for their next deliveries based on product sales and customer requests.
Transportation / Driving Jobs: Route Sales/Delivery Drivers
On the JobThere are many types of truck drivers but the one type we're talking about are local truck drivers. Particularly Route Drivers, also known as Route Sales Drivers or Route Delivery Drivers.
Your primary responsibility as a driver/sales worker, or route driver, is to deliver and sell your company’s products over established routes or within your assigned territory. You'll sell goods such as food products, including restaurant takeout items, or sell services and pick up and deliver items such as laundry. Their response to customer complaints and requests can make the difference between a large order and a lost customer. Route drivers may also take orders and collect payments as well.
The duties of driver/sales workers vary according to their industry, the policies of their employer, and the emphasis placed on their sales responsibility. Most have wholesale routes that deliver to businesses and stores, rather than to homes. For example, wholesale bakery driver/sales workers deliver and arrange bread, cakes, rolls, and other baked goods on display racks in grocery stores. They estimate how many of each item to stock by paying close attention to what is selling. They may recommend changes in a store’s order or encourage the manager to stock new bakery products. Laundries that rent linens, towels, work clothes, and other items employ driver/sales workers to visit businesses regularly to replace soiled laundry. Their duties also may include soliciting new customers along their sales route.
After completing their route, driver/sales workers place orders for their next deliveries based on product sales and customer requests.
Benefits and Salary
The pay range according to the Department of Labor is between $7.00 and $15.00 an hour depending on experience and your city's job market.
Local truck drivers tend to be paid by the hour, with extra pay for working overtime. Typically, earnings increase with mileage driven, seniority, and the size and type of truck driven. Most driver/sales workers receive commissions based on their sales in addition to their hourly wages.
The pay range according to the Department of Labor is between $7.00 and $15.00 an hour depending on experience and your city's job market.
Local truck drivers tend to be paid by the hour, with extra pay for working overtime. Typically, earnings increase with mileage driven, seniority, and the size and type of truck driven. Most driver/sales workers receive commissions based on their sales in addition to their hourly wages.
Customer Interaction
As a Route Driver, you must get along well with people because you'll probably be dealing directly with customers. Think of it as a door-to-door Customer Service Representative or Sales Person.
Daily Routine & Work Environment
Truck driving has become less physically demanding because most trucks now have more comfortable seats, better ventilation, and improved, ergonomically designed cabs. Although these changes make the work environment less taxing, driving for many hours at a stretch, loading and unloading cargo, and making many deliveries can be tiring. Local truck drivers, unlike long-distance drivers, usually return home in the evening.
Experience & Required Education
Taking driver-training courses is a good way to prepare for truck driving jobs and to obtain a commercial drivers license (CDL). High school courses in driver training and automotive mechanics also may be helpful. A lot of companies provide this sort of training depending on the position. If not, many private and public vocational-technical schools offer tractor-trailer driver training programs. Some States require prospective drivers to complete a training course in basic truck driving before getting their CDL.
To qualify for a CDL, an applicant must have a clean driving record, pass a written test on rules and regulations, and demonstrate that they can operate a commercial truck safely. A national database permanently records all driving violations committed by those with a CDL. A State will check these records and deny a CDL to those who already have a license suspended or revoked in another State. Licensed drivers must accompany trainees until they get their own CDL. A person may not hold more than one license at a time and must surrender any other licenses when a CDL is issued. Information on how to apply for a CDL may be obtained from State motor vehicle administrations.
As a Route Driver, you must get along well with people because you'll probably be dealing directly with customers. Think of it as a door-to-door Customer Service Representative or Sales Person.
Daily Routine & Work Environment
Truck driving has become less physically demanding because most trucks now have more comfortable seats, better ventilation, and improved, ergonomically designed cabs. Although these changes make the work environment less taxing, driving for many hours at a stretch, loading and unloading cargo, and making many deliveries can be tiring. Local truck drivers, unlike long-distance drivers, usually return home in the evening.
Experience & Required Education
Taking driver-training courses is a good way to prepare for truck driving jobs and to obtain a commercial drivers license (CDL). High school courses in driver training and automotive mechanics also may be helpful. A lot of companies provide this sort of training depending on the position. If not, many private and public vocational-technical schools offer tractor-trailer driver training programs. Some States require prospective drivers to complete a training course in basic truck driving before getting their CDL.
To qualify for a CDL, an applicant must have a clean driving record, pass a written test on rules and regulations, and demonstrate that they can operate a commercial truck safely. A national database permanently records all driving violations committed by those with a CDL. A State will check these records and deny a CDL to those who already have a license suspended or revoked in another State. Licensed drivers must accompany trainees until they get their own CDL. A person may not hold more than one license at a time and must surrender any other licenses when a CDL is issued. Information on how to apply for a CDL may be obtained from State motor vehicle administrations.
Personality
Someone who enjoys working with people and doesn’t want to sit at a desk for 8 hours a day might really enjoy this position. Because you're on the road a lot and driving cargo, people who will excel at this job make safety a priority. Employers want driver/sales workers who speak well and have self-confidence, initiative, tact, and a neat appearance. If you're a responsible, self-motivated individual who is able to work well with little supervision this can be a great career fit for you!
Read more about Route Sales/Delivery Driver Jobs.
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Photo by Jan the manson
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