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Light Truck Drivers

Under the title Light Truck Drivers, workers drive a light vehicle, such as a truck or van, with a capacity of less than 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), primarily to pick up merchandise or packages from a distribution center and deliver. O*NET rates it as some preparation, which usually means a few months to a year of learning on the job. It leans on speaking, reading comprehension, and operation and control. The job can ask you to obey traffic laws and follow established traffic and transportation procedures. With a code of RCE, this is mostly a job for people drawn to hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world. Conventional interests also help, rated 4.4 out of 7. If you want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, keep it on your list. If you need creative work with room for original expression, it may feel thin.

What they do

Drive a light vehicle, such as a truck or van, with a capacity of less than 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), primarily to pick up merchandise or packages from a distribution center and deliver. May load and unload vehicle.

Main tasks

  • Obey traffic laws and follow established traffic and transportation procedures.
  • Report any mechanical problems encountered with vehicles.
  • Verify the contents of inventory loads against shipping papers.
  • Inspect and maintain vehicle supplies and equipment, such as gas, oil, water, tires, lights, or brakes, to ensure that vehicles are in proper working condition.
  • Read maps and follow written or verbal geographic directions.
  • Load and unload trucks, vans, or automobiles.

Skills

  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Operation and Control
  • Monitoring
  • Active Listening
  • Time Management

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
  • You are comfortable relying on speaking and reading comprehension.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
  • You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
  • You want a career built on years of advanced study.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RCE takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.

Preparation

Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Bulk Delivery Driver
  • Delivery Driver
  • Driver
  • Light Truck Driver
  • Package Car Driver

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.