One big perk of acquiring your driving licence is that it opens up a whole new world of job opportunities. Whether you’re looking for a part-time gig that can help you earn a bit of extra cash, or full-time employment, having a car is a major advantage.
To prove this point, let’s take a look at some of the most common driving jobs available in the UK. While it’s true that in some industries, like construction, having a driving licence provides you with more opportunities, we’re just going to focus on jobs that largely revolve around the driving itself. These roles are open to more people as they tend not to require other skills. So, let’s check out some driving jobs that you can apply for with a standard UK driving licence!
What can you drive with a standard UK driving licence?
Before we get into it, let’s just clarify exactly what a standard UK driving licence allows you to drive. Please also keep in mind that some driving jobs will require you to have had your licence for at least 12 months.
If you have a manual Category B driving licence you can drive cars and other vehicles (like vans) weighing up to 3500kg and seating up to 8 passengers. You can also tow a trailer, as long as the MAM (Maximum Authorised Mass), which includes the car, does not exceed 3500kg. If you have an automatic Category B licence you have the same entitlement, but only with automatic vehicles.
Driving Jobs
Courier/Delivery Driver
As a courier, you’ll deliver packages, parcels and documents to various locations. To be employed by large delivery companies as a driver you often need to be able to drive category C vehicles. However, a lot of these companies also offer self-employed positions to individuals with cars or vans. If you know your local area well (or have a good sat nav!) and you’re a confident, friendly person, this could be a great opportunity to earn some extra money. These types of roles are also available with businesses like pharmacies.
POTENTIAL PAY: £8 to £13 an hour / £10k to £27k a year
PROS: Flexible hours; competitive pay.
CONS: Workload can be demanding; you’re responsible for petrol and general vehicle maintenance costs.
Food Delivery Driver
This might seem very similar to the delivery driver option, but there’s an important difference: food drivers can earn money on top of their basic earnings through tips. You might even be more likely to score tips because a car can enable you to deliver food faster than those poor guys on bikes. If you live in a small town or village, these jobs are likely to see you directly working with a local take-away or restaurant. In cities, however, you can sign up to work with large companies (Uber Eats, Deliveroo…etc.) that act as the middleman between food establishments and delivery people.
POTENTIAL PAY: Around £7 to £15 an hour (this can vary dramatically depending on how many deliveries you do and the distance travelled)
PROS: Flexible hours; some companies offer bonuses; don’t have to wait long to be paid; potential to earn tips.
CONS: Available work is not guaranteed; some companies do not offer a minimum pay; largely limited to cities and big towns.
Taxi Driver
You drive around picking people up and dropping them off at their desired location. To become a proper bona fide taxi driver, you will need a taxi driver licence and may have to complete additional tests, depending on the company you want to work for. Similar to the food and package situation, however, there are companies that offer a self-employed role as a taxi driver. The most famous of these are Uber and Lyft. You will still need a private hire licence from your local council, but the company will help you to obtain one.
POTENTIAL PAY: £14k to £35k a year
PROS: Flexible hours; don’t have to leave the comfort of your car; potential to earn tips.
CONS: Available work is not guaranteed; you’re often responsible for petrol and general vehicle maintenance costs; may have to deal with unruly customers using your property; anti-social hours are the most profitable.
Postal Worker
This is similar to being a delivery driver, except in this instance you get the honour of representing Royal Mail. You won’t need your own vehicle for this, but you will probably need to complete some aptitude tests. Post offices also tend to offer temporary jobs during the Christmas season (which for them starts in September).
POTENTIAL PAY: £11+ an hour / £16k to £30k per year
PROS: Steady pay; guaranteed work/job security.
CONS: Antisocial hours; certain roles may require further tests or qualifications.
Where to find driving jobs
Big jobs sites like Indeed and Monster are useful because you can narrow down your search options by entering your location and searching for terms like ‘driving jobs’ or ‘full driving licence’. These sites also give you the opportunity to learn more about the companies promoting vacancies. You can explore aspects like benefits, office culture and what current and previous employees have to say. The same goes for the professional social media platform, LinkedIn.
It also sometimes pays to look closer to home. Have a browse of local newspapers or online forums to see if people are talking about job vacancies. You can also get pro-active and approach restaurants, pharmacies and other small businesses in your area. There’s no harm in emailing them your CV to offer your services. In fact, this kind of approach shows that you are a motivated and driven (no pun intended!) person, which is exactly what businesses are usually looking for! Even if they don’t have current vacancies for driving jobs, you could be top of the list of people to reach out to when they do.
Things to consider if you get a driving job
We hope this has given you a clear idea of the kinds of opportunities that are out there. Before we go, here are a few things to consider if you land a driving job:
– Make sure you keep your licence clean to avoid jeopardising your professional position
– Take driving seriously and maintain high standards
– Be aware that driving for a living may ruin the enjoyment of hitting the road
– Don’t drive when you’re feeling very tired—it’s incredibly dangerous to get behind the wheel in this state
