Drivers, Sales Worker Description OES Code: 971170 Drive truck or other vehicle over established routes to: Deliver and sell goods, such as food products; pick up and deliver items, such as laundry; or refill and collect coins from vending machines. Include Newspaper Delivery Drivers. CA Wages/hour median range New, no experience: $7.50 minimum – $14.38 New, experienced: $8.59 minimum – $17.10 3 yrs+ experience: $10.00 minimum – $21.87 Wages can be different due to experience, where the work is, and company size. Local Wages • CCOIS Survey • OES Survey Hours & Benefits Light Truck Drivers work 48 hours a week or more, eight to ten hour days, and five or six days a week. Most Truck Drivers start work very early in the morning to make deliveries to chain grocery stores, produce markets, or bakeries. Drivers get health and life insurance, disability, and retirement pensions. Union drivers get benefits, but they are negotiated by union representatives of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Employment Trends Employment 1996 45,060 Projected Employment 2006 56,780 Growth Rate 1996-2006 26% Openings due to Separations 12,380 Employment Trends by California County The outlook for Light Truck Drivers is good. The turnover among beginning drivers is high, and turnover due to retirements and career changes goes on all the time. The need for local deliveries has grown due to the constant development of shopping centers, homes, and malls. Because of this growth, Light Truck Drivers are needed to make more deliveries from central warehouses in order to meet customer demand. Advancement Chances for promotion for truck drivers are a bit limited, but some drivers become driver trainers, supervisors of warehouses, terminals and docks or company branch managers. Commercial drivers often change employers for better pay, different kinds of driving experience, more responsibility, or better working conditions. Getting the Job & Other Information Some drivers buy trucks and set up their own business or become independent contractors. To keep the chances of losing money low, the independent contractor may take a course in small business management at a community college, at a university with adult continuing education programs, or one given by the Federal Small Business Administration Agency. Job seekers can start their job search by contacting local trucking companies, wholesale distribution centers, retail stores, government agencies, and EDD Offices. Jobs can also be found in the newspaper classified ads under "delivery", "drivers", or "trucking". Those who have no experience have a better chance of finding a job if they have completed a program at an accredited truck driving school. For current job listings, browse CalJOBS or America's Job Bank.

Click arrow at bottom left of image to begin. Requires QuickTime Education and Training Job applicants must have a valid driver's license, a good driving record, and be able to pass a commercial driver's license test. Good hearing and eyesight and the ability to lift and carry are required to do the job. Most companies prefer high school graduates. Employers prefer applicants who are self-confident, responsible, self-motivated, and have a good appearance. Some employers require drivers to be 25 years old in order to avoid paying high insurance premiums. Completion of a program at an accredited truck driving school can provide the training needed to job applicants. High school students can take classes in shop and auto mechanics to prepare themselves for the job. Community colleges and vocational schools also give needed training. Skills & Other Requirements Truck driving can be physically demanding. Truck Drivers must be able to unload and load goods, therefore, they must be able to lift and carry heavy items. They also have to drive in difficult conditions such as bad weather, heavy traffic, and sometimes on mountain roads. Although trucks are being made with more comfortable seats and better ventilation systems, they may not have air conditioning. Physical endurance is needed for long work shifts. At the start of work, Light Truck Drivers get a delivery schedule from the dispatcher. Depending on the company's procedures, either the truck is already loaded or the driver loads the truck according to the order of delivery. Once the driver gets to the customer's place of business, he or she unloads the delivery and the customer signs a receipt for the goods. Sometimes payment is made directly to the driver. At the end of their shift, the driver turns in receipts, money received, records of delivery, and reports of any mechanical problems. Light Truck Drivers who sell company products to customers are called driver- sales workers. They are responsible for delivering their company's product and also representing the company. Their duties depend on the industry in which they work. For example, a wholesale bakery driver delivers and arranges bread, rolls, and other baked goods on display racks in grocery stores. They must pay attention to the items that are selling well and estimate the amount and sort of goods that will be sold when placing the store's order. They establish a business relationship with store managers and sometimes recommend a change in a store's order to meet customer demand. References Note: The references below (and/or on other parts of this page) will link to pages on the internet outside the Career Video system. California Occupational Guide: Truck Driver - Light # 563 & Retail Sales Person #536 Related Occupation: Bus Driver #2, Truck Driver - Heavy #255 Training: California State Training Inventory © State of California EDD/LMID, US Department of Labor Unless indicated otherwise, wage data is based on Statewide aggregated CCOIS survey responses between 1995 and 1997. Questions or Comments? Contact us.