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
Hampshire (/ˈhæmpʃər/, /-ʃɪər/ (listen); abbreviated to Hants)[a] is a county in South East England on the coast of the English Channel, bordering Dorset to the south-west, Wiltshire to the north-west, Berkshire to the north, Surrey to the north-east and West Sussex to the south east. The county town is Winchester, but the county is named after Southampton. Its two largest cities are Southampton and Portsmouth which are administered separately as unitary authorities; the rest of the county is governed by a combination of the Hampshire County Council and non-metropolitan district councils.
First settled about 14,000 years ago, Hampshire's recorded history dates to Roman Britain, when its chief town was Winchester, then known as Venta Belgarum. The county was recorded in the 11th century Domesday Book, divided into 44 hundreds. From the 12th century, the ports grew in importance, fuelled by trade with the continent, wool and cloth manufacture, fishing and large shipbuilding industries. By the 16th century, the population of Southampton had outstripped that of Winchester. By the mid-19th century, the population was 219,210, double that at the beginning of the century, in more than 86,000 dwellings. Agriculture was the principal industry and 10 per cent of the county was still forest. Hampshire played a crucial military role in both World Wars. The borders of the ceremonial county were created by the Local Government Act 1972 (enacted 1974). Historically part of Hampshire, the Isle of Wight was made a separate ceremonial county and the towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch were administered as part of the ceremonial county of Dorset.
The geography of the county is varied, with upland rising to 286 m (938 ft) and mostly south-flowing rivers. There are areas of downland and marsh, and two national parks: the New Forest and part of the South Downs, which together cover 45 per cent of Hampshire.
Hampshire is one of the most affluent counties in the country, with an unemployment rate lower than the national average. Its economy mainly derives from major companies, maritime, agriculture and tourism. Tourist attractions include seaside resorts, national parks, the National Motor Museum and the Southampton Boat Show. The county is known as the home of writers Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. Hampshire is also the childhood home of Florence Nightingale and the birthplace of engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel.