Courier driving is a fast-paced career for hardworking people who enjoy being out on the road. As with any job, the salary of a courier driver will depend on a person’s level of experience and also the industry that they work in.
Are you considering becoming a courier driver? Would you like to know what you can potentially earn? As courier insurance specialists, we understand that with the increase of online shopping and reliance on home delivery services, now is a good time to become a courier driver.
WHAT’S THE SALARY RANGE FOR BEING A COURIER DRIVER?
Based on a 30-40 hour working week and subject to experience, the courier salary ranges are:
- Beginner £14,500 – £18,000
- Experienced £19,000 – £23,000
- Highly experienced £25,000 – £40,000
CAN COURIER DRIVER SALARIES VARY ACROSS DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES?
Yes, they can. It’s good to know if you have a specific industry in mind that you’d like to work in. Or perhaps you want to find out what the differences in salaries are.
Here’s the industries and salary ranges:
- Other (Includes HGV, Multi-drop drivers) £23,500 – £52,000
- Transport and logistics £17,000 – £25,000
- Administration and secretarial £17,000 – £25,000
- Customer services £17,000 – £25,000
WHAT SKILLS ARE REQUIRED TO BE A COURIER DRIVER?
To be a successful courier driver you need a range of skills to carry out the role effectively. Let’s take a look at what these skills are:
GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE
You’ll be meeting customers every day who are waiting for their package to arrive. So this means you’ll have to greet your customers and possibly any handle complaints.
TO KEEP RECORDS ACCURATELY
You must be able to keep records properly. This includes keeping track of your deliveries, packages, payments and ensuring that you gain customer signatures. You’ll need to produce this documentation when required to.
TIME MANAGEMENT
A lot of couriers work to strict deadlines. You’ll need to be able to meet deadlines on a daily basis. In order for you to achieve this, you must have excellent time management to keep on track and make your deliveries before the deadline.
PHYSICAL FITNESS
The majority of the time courier drivers are expected to be fit enough to be able to handle small and large packages. This can include light and heavy items in some circumstances. If the items are very heavy then these will be managed with tools like pump trucks or forklifts.
STRONG ORGANISATION
You’ll need to be able to take directions from other people, follow the rules and deal with tasks.
WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF BEING A COURIER DRIVER?
Like with any job there are pros and cons but it’s useful to see things from both perspectives to give you an insight into what it’s like working as a courier driver.
THE PROS:
If you don’t like to be stuck behind a desk and enjoy being physically active, then becoming a courier driver could be the ideal role for you. No two days will be the same as you’re out on the road and travelling to different places and meeting new people.
Becoming a self-employed courier driver is great if you want to be your own boss. You can decide what hours you want to work. If you have personal commitments such as collecting your children from school, then the flexibility this can bring is important.
THE CONS:
The working hours can be anti-social. You can start work early and finish early or be working through the night time. It depends on whether you want a structured schedule or prefer a varying one.
If you become self-employed you’re responsible for generating your own work. On top of that, you have to market your services, complete your tax returns, paperwork and more.
Check out our short courier video featuring Grant Allen as he reflects on his experience in the industry.
ARE THERE CAREER PROGRESSION OPPORTUNITIES FOR COURIER DRIVERS?
If you’ve got ambitions to progress from an employed courier driver there are opportunities to do that. You could look to become a Depot Controller. Maybe you might want to be your own boss and start your own courier business. Or you could train to drive large goods vehicles (LGVs).
INTERESTED IN BECOMING A SELF-EMPLOYED COURIER DRIVER?
For further information check out everything you need to know about courier insurance and becoming a self-employed courier driver.
Do you have any tips on becoming a courier driver? Let us know on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
