Transport 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 for logistics companies
Luton (/ˈluːtən/ ⓘ)[7] is a town and unitary authority with borough status in Bedfordshire, England, with a population at the 2021 census of 225,262.[5][8]
Luton is on the River Lea, 32 miles (50 km) north-west of London,[9] 18 miles (29 km) north-west of Hertford, 20 miles (32 km) south of Bedford[9] and 23 miles (37 km) south-east of Milton Keynes. The town's foundation dates to the sixth century as a Saxon settlement on the river, from which Luton derives its name.[10] Luton is recorded in the Domesday Book as Loitone and Lintone.[11] One of the largest churches in Bedfordshire, St Mary's Church, was built in the 12th century.[12] There are local museums which explore Luton's history in Wardown Park[13] and Stockwood Park.[14]
Luton was once known for hatmaking and also had a large Vauxhall Motors factory. Car production at the plant began in 1905 and continued until its closure in 2002.[15] Production of commercial vehicles continues and the head office of Vauxhall Motors is in the village of Chalton on the northern border of the borough .[16] London Luton Airport opened in 1938 and is now one of Britain's major airports,[17] with three railway stations also in the town. The University of Bedfordshire was created from a merger with the University of Luton;[18] two of its campuses are in Luton.[19]
Luton Town Football Club, nicknamed the Hatters, due to the town's connection to hatmaking, has had several spells in the top flight of the English league as well as a Football League Cup triumph in 1988. They play at Kenilworth Road, their home since 1905; planning permission for a new larger stadium was approved in 2019.[20] Luton International Carnival, the largest one-day carnival in Europe, is held on the day before the last Monday in May;[21][n 1] the Saint Patrick's festival is held on the weekend nearest to Saint Patrick's Day[22] as there is a large Irish community in Luton. The town also has a large Pakistani community which, along with the Irish, were attracted to employment at the Vauxhall car plant.[23][24] Luton Hoo is an English country house, estate and Grade I listed building originally designed by Scottish architect Robert Adam but later transformed to the designs of Robert Smirke.[25]