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Van 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

​Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs.)[note 1] is a county in the East of England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the north-east, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west. The city of Cambridge is the county town. Modern Cambridgeshire was formed in 1974 through the amalgamation of two older counties: Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely, comprising the historic county of Cambridgeshire (including the Isle of Ely); and Huntingdon and Peterborough, comprising the historic county of Huntingdonshire and the Soke of Peterborough, which historically had been part of Northamptonshire. Cambridgeshire contains most of the region known as Silicon Fen.

The county is now divided between Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council, which since 1998 has formed a separate unitary authority. In the county there are five district councils, Cambridge City Council, East Cambridgeshire District Council, Fenland District Council, Huntingdonshire District Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council.[4]

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