Light truck drivers
Drive a light vehicle, such as a truck or van, with a capacity of less than 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), primarily to pick up merchandise or packages from a distribution center and deliver. May load and unload vehicle.
Light truck drivers drive a light vehicle, such as a truck or van, with a capacity of less than 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), primarily to pick up merchandise or packages from a distribution center and deliver. May load and unload vehicle. The role reports a median annual salary of $44,140 in the US and is projected to grow 7% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Entry typically requires a High school diploma or equivalent, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.55 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Operation and Control, Speaking, Monitoring.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £27,854 a year for Delivery drivers and couriers (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £24,583 to £33,472 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 8214). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Plant and machine operators and assemblers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Light truck drivers, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 8. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
How to get here in India
The usual route into this career in India. Each step links to the official page it comes from.
- 1 · Qualification Optional: ITI trade 'Driver cum Mechanic (LMV)' (6 months, after Class 8)[1][2]
- 2 · Registration Learner's licence from the RTO, then a driving test of competence for the permanent licence[3][4]
- 3 · Registration Transport-vehicle driving licence — can be applied for at age 20[3]
Rules change: check the exam body's and regulator's current notice before you apply.
- DGT — Driver cum Mechanic (LMV) trade syllabus (Craftsmen Training Scheme) (read on 2026-09-27)
- DGT — List of CTS courses (read on 2026-09-27)
- Parivahan (MoRTH) — Learner's Licence (read on 2026-09-27)
- Parivahan (MoRTH) — Permanent Licence (read on 2026-09-27)
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- English Language
- Transportation
- Customer and Personal Service
- Public Safety and Security
- Administrative
- Mechanical
- Administration and Management
- Mathematics
A day in the life
You start the morning at the depot checking your van's fuel, oil, tyres, lights and brakes, and loading parcels for the day's deliveries. You verify each package against the shipping list, then plan your route using a map app and written instructions. Throughout the morning you drive through city traffic, obeying traffic laws and finding parking near each address. At each stop you unload parcels, get signatures and answer customers' questions. Mid-morning you deliver supplies to a restaurant, carrying boxes into their storeroom. After lunch you pick up returns from businesses and load them carefully. When your van's warning light comes on, you report it to the mechanic. You end the day back at the depot, unloading returns and completing delivery records. The traffic and tight schedules can be stressful, but staying on the move and getting packages to people on time is satisfying.
Illustrative: one typical day, written from the O*NET task statements for this occupation. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- Obey traffic laws and follow established traffic and transportation procedures.
- Report any mechanical problems encountered with vehicles.
- Verify the contents of inventory loads against shipping papers.
- Inspect and maintain vehicle supplies and equipment, such as gas, oil, water, tires, lights, or brakes, to ensure that vehicles are in proper working condition.
- Read maps and follow written or verbal geographic directions.
- Load and unload trucks, vans, or automobiles.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Light truck drivers do?
Drive a light vehicle, such as a truck or van, with a capacity of less than 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), primarily to pick up merchandise or packages from a distribution center and deliver. May load and unload vehicle.
What does a typical day look like in Light truck drivers?
You start the morning at the depot checking your van's fuel, oil, tyres, lights and brakes, and loading parcels for the day's deliveries. You verify each package against the shipping list, then plan your route using a map app and written instructions. Throughout the morning you drive through city traffic, obeying traffic laws and finding parking near each address. At each stop you unload parcels, get signatures and answer customers' questions.
How much does Light truck drivers earn?
The median annual salary for Light truck drivers in the US is $44,140.
What is the job outlook for Light truck drivers?
The role is projected to grow 7% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Current US employment is approximately 1,079,800 workers.
How do I become light truck drivers?
The typical entry education is a High school diploma or equivalent. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Light truck drivers need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Operation and Control, Speaking, Monitoring, Critical Thinking. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Light truck drivers?
Our AI-durability model gives Light truck drivers a score of 0.55 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Light truck drivers has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.