Sprinter van drivers usually work for delivery services, helping to collect and distribute spare parts, white goods, parcels and online shopping orders.
Are there any entry requirements?
There are no specific educational qualifications required for the job, although applicants require good basic English and maths skills to cope with the paperwork. A love of driving and a high level of physical fitness are also needed, while excellent people skills are useful for dealing with customers.
Obviously, anyone who wishes to follow a career in deliveries needs the right type of driving licence. An ordinary car licence is all that is required for vans weighing up to 3.5 tonnes, but a C1 licence is needed for vehicles weighing between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes. People who passed their car test before the end of 1996 are already entitled to drive C1 vans. Those who obtained their driving licence more recently need to pass additional theory and practical tests to take charge of larger vans.
Salaries and work opportunities
Courier companies, retailers and car parts distributors are among the employers that have permanent jobs for Sprinter van drivers. Starting salaries are usually in the region of £13,000, but earnings can rise to £26,000.
Businesses often need van drivers on a temporary basis, which they can source from specialist recruitment agencies. To be taken on to an agency's books, drivers need a clean licence, some work experience and good references. Sprinter van drivers can also find work on a self-employed basis, but will need their own vehicle and the right kind of insurance. Parcel companies often use sub-contractors on an ongoing basis, rather than employing additional permanent delivery staff.