Driver
What does a driver do?
Working as a driver means more than merely getting behind the wheel. It requires expertise in navigation, understanding of the rules of the road, vehicle maintenance, and excellentinterpersonal skillswhen dealing with customers or passengers. Typically, a driver is expected to:
Deliver goods or passengers
Whatever vehicle you drive, your job will be getting goods or people from A to B. Your responsibility will be to do this as efficiently and safely as possible, from short taxi trips to long-haul goods delivery journeys.
Conduct pre-trip inspections
All professional drivers must ensure their vehicles are safe and ready for travel. This check may involve a walk-around, checking tyre pressure, or ensuring the vehicle has sufficient fuel and oil.
Navigate effectively
A driver should possess excellent navigationskills, often augmented with technology help such as GPS. You should find more efficient routes or alternative directions in case of road closures or heavy traffic.
Keep records
Some roles involve keeping detailed records such as mileage logs, delivery documents, or vehicle service histories. These are essential for many cargo delivery tasks or contractual obligations.
Deliver excellent customer service
Especially in passenger transportation, a driver represents their organisation, spending their workday interacting with the public. For goods haulage, you'll often be liaising with logistics employees. So, excellentcustomer service skillswill be essential whatever your driving role.
Where does a driver work?
The driving profession's diversity can provide many opportunities, and there's likely a driving job to suit anyone interested in this career. Some of the industries that employ drivers include:
Taxi services
Private hire companies
Delivery and courier firms
Public transport roles, like bus drivers
Long-haul positions, like lorry drivers forlogisticscompanies
Guildford (/ˈɡɪlfərd/ (listen))[2] is a town in west Surrey, around 27 mi (43 km) southwest of central London. As of the 2011 census, the town has a population of about 77,000[1] and is the seat of the wider Borough of Guildford, which had around 148,998 inhabitants in 2019.[3] The name "Guildford" is thought to derive from a crossing of the River Wey, a tributary of the River Thames that flows through the town centre.
The earliest evidence of human activity in the area is from the Mesolithic and Guildford is mentioned in the will of Alfred the Great from c. 880. The exact location of the main Anglo-Saxon settlement is unclear and the current site of the modern town centre may not have been occupied until the early-11th century. Following the Norman Conquest, a motte-and-bailey castle was constructed, which was developed into a royal residence by Henry III. During the late Middle Ages, Guildford prospered as a result of the wool trade and the town was granted a charter of incorporation by Henry VII in 1488.
The River Wey Navigation between Guildford and the Thames was opened in 1653, facilitating the transport of produce, building materials and manufactured items to new markets in London. The arrival of the railways in the 1840s attracted further investment and the town began to grow with the construction of its first new suburb at Charlotteville in the 1860s. The town became the centre of a new Anglican diocese in 1927 and the foundation stone of the cathedral was laid in 1936. Guildford became a university town in September 1966, when the University of Surrey was established by Royal Charter.
Guildford is surrounded on three sides by the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which severely limits its potential for expansion to the east, west and south. Recent development has been focused to the north of the town in the direction of Woking. Guildford now officially forms the southwestern tip of the Greater London Built-up Area, as defined by the Office for National Statistics.