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Taxi drivers transport people for a fee from one destination to another. Most taxi drivers work in major cities or metropolitan areas. They must know their way around the city and its surrounding area, although many cabs today are equipped with navigational devices. Taxi drivers are paid in several ways, most often depending on a taximeter that calculates the distance and the fare. Taxi drivers generate business by responding to taxi company dispatches, recognizing the hand signals of someone hailing the cab from the curb and answering a phone call or a computer message.
Couriers provide parcel delivery services that vary slightly from other document delivery services, such as the United States Post Office. While the USPS gathers documents from central post offices and other collection points, before organizing and distributing those documents to the recipients, couriers gather documents directly from senders and deliver them directly to recipients.
Although the basic objective of working as a taxi driver is to obtain fares by transporting people from one place to another, it actually involves numerous responsibilities that remain less obvious to the public. Because of this, it requires significant preparation to become a taxi driver and successfully meet the expectations of customers, dispatching services and local authorities. Some of these responsibilities overlap with those of other automobile drivers.
The United Parcel Service (UPS) is the world's largest package delivery service. UPS delivers packages to more than 200 countries and operates its own airline to expedite delivery. Additional staff are hired for the Christmas holiday season due to the increased number of packages. UPS hires temporary driver helpers to assist drivers from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Temporary driver helpers assist UPS drivers with organizing and delivering the packages from the vehicle to the customers' door.
The federal government signed the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act into law on October 27, 1986. Under this act states retained the right to issue a commercial driver's licenses as long as they met minimum national standards for testing and licensing. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has developed the testing and licensing standards used by the states. Testing questions are uniform from state to state.
Mobile dental clinic drivers operate state-of-the-art specialty vehicles designed to provide oral health services. They work for city, county and state governments, social services agencies and private dental care providers.
Senior citizens frequently need transportation services because they choose not to drive or have impairments that prevent them from driving. In senior living communities, they often rely upon a senior village bus driver to transport them to and from local destinations. Based on information provided at Salary.com, the median annual income for a senior village bus driver in 2009 was $18,663.
Driver managers oversee their transportation crew's work. According to the Occupational Information Network, driver managers are also known as first-line supervisors and managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators.
Volunteer drivers provide their effort, time and skill without monetary compensation for businesses, companies, organizations and private individuals. They drive and maintain automobiles, buses, limousines, sedans, taxis, trucks and vans.
Perishable goods purchased at grocery stores and used by restaurants come from all over the country. Drivers of refrigerated trucks deliver these items to wholesale and retail locations. According to salary.com, a driver of a refrigerated truck in the U.S. in 2009 earned an annual median salary of $38,176.
Coach drivers, also called motor coach operators, drive privately operated buses for tour companies. Drivers may transport passengers for short- or long-haul trips. Most major tourist destination cities worldwide provide intercity coach tours in which drivers also work as guides. The job requires some training and offers a moderate salary.
A hotel driver, also called a shuttle driver, drives a limousine, van or small bus to collect and deliver hotel guests to and from the airport. The hotel driver also is responsible for transporting guests to tourists’ areas, such as the beach or other destinations and provides information on the local area. He projects an important image of his employer because drivers are usually the first and last hotel representative guests meet.
A paratransit driver operates vehicles that are designed to safely transport passengers with physical, emotional or developmental disabilities. She normally follows a predetermined route through a city, town or county. The vehicle she drives may be a car, van or bus that is equipped with wheelchair lifts and seats with safety belts and harnesses.
Drivers handle the shipping of a company's products and merchandise, delivering everything from mail and packages to pizzas and potato chips. Their precise duties will depend upon the company for whom they work. However, no matter who signs the paychecks, drivers have a responsibility to deliver merchandise unscathed and in a timely fashion.
A driver helper does whatever is needed to keep a truck running short of driving it. While the work can be summarized in a job description, many of the duties are left to the driver's discretion. Many driver helpers work the job as a way of getting a foot in the door of the trucking industry, though it can make a decent temporary or seasonal job.
Imagine making split-second decisions topping speeds well over 200 mph. This is the job of a race car driver. Race car drivers entertain crowds by driving at top speeds and racing to the finish line. The spectator sport of automobile racing employs a number of individuals who ensure that the race car driver is able to successfully perform. When the driver is racing, he is not only showcasing his efforts, but the efforts of his entire team.
Tractor drivers operate and maintain heavy-duty construction vehicles. They work for private construction companies, pavement contractors, and local, state and federal government agencies. Tractor drivers work in loud environments and in tight quarters for long hours. Good coordination, eyesight and quick decision-making ability are essential qualities in this construction profession.
Transporting petroleum or propane from one destination to another requires a great deal of skill and knowledge. Most domestic transports are done with a tanker truck. Tanker drivers specialize in the loading and unloading of liquid or gas. Many of these substances are hazardous materials and require special care and handling.
Employee benefits are an important part of your decision to take a job. If you are considering applying for a position as a FedEx driver, it is helpful to know the benefits offered by the company.
Working for a day care can be an exciting opportunity for anyone who is interested in working with children. But not all day care jobs require classroom experience. With the abundance of after school programs and summer camps, day cares often take the children to and from different locations for various events. So who drives the children from place to place? None other than the day care van driver.
A driver for Budweiser must have a commercial driver's license and, in most states, the driver will need a liquor license to be able to handle beer products while performing his job duties. Anheuser-Busch hires drivers locally and routes are given to each driver to fulfill. Delivering beer to establishments when a person works for Budweiser has more to it than driving a truck.
Transportation drivers pick up and deliver goods or freight from one place to another. Deliveries might be made between two companies, a manufacturer and a company or a company and a customer. Drivers operate tractor-trailers, small vans or anything in between. But regardless of vehicle, the mission of a driver remains the same: Deliver the merchandise to its destination as quickly and safely as possible.
Transport drivers pick up and deliver goods or freight from one place to another. Deliveries may be made between two companies, a manufacturer and a company, or a company and a customer. Drivers may operate a tractor-trailer or a small van, or anything in between. But regardless of vehicle, their mission remains the same: Deliver the product to its destination as quickly (and safely) as possible.
Trucks are the most commonly used mode of transportation for goods. Even though trains, planes and ships play a large role in transporting a lot of goods, all goods spend at least part of their time on trucks. Flatbed trucks are specialized vehicles that transport very large loads, due to the lack of sides on the trailer. These vehicles are driven by flatbed drivers, who are very experienced truck drivers.
Courier drivers provide a vital service in the business community by delivering parcels on deadline schedules. A number of businesses regularly use courier drivers to make deliveries, including financial institutions, medical facilities, legal institutions and commercial ventures. Many courier drivers work as independent contractors, meaning they are in business for themselves and make deliveries on behalf of a number of courier companies. Courier and delivery companies also sometimes hire staff drivers.
Every day, millions of people travel around the country in buses. From schoolchildren to long-distance travelers to city commuters, buses provide a vital transportation resource. Bus drivers are the workers responsible for ensuring that these vehicles get passengers to their destinations. Bus drivers can be found in almost any community, though most work in large cities or communities with higher population density.
The job of a route driver for a company that is responsible for keeping their clients stocked with the products needed is very important. The delivery of new merchandise is only one aspect of this position. A route driver may also be responsible for product sales, inventory and merchandise display. It is important for a route driver to have a good relationship with their customers, to ensure that he continues to do business with the company.
Forklift drivers are most commonly found working in warehouses. This position mainly moves pallets and other materials around the warehouse. They can move materials quickly allowing other departments to do their job. Forklift drivers report to the shift supervisor.
Many organizations that cater to the public, such as hotels, have positions for van drivers and building attendants. However, for smaller businesses, keeping two people on staff to perform the duties for these jobs can be cost prohibitive. But, since the duties of each job are complementary, it's possible to combine the two into one.
A tank wagon carries large quantities of liquids or gases from distributors to wholesaler retailers, such as transporting gasoline to a chain of service stations. Tank wagon drivers operate tank wagons, ensuring that these goods arrive to their destinations safely.
A transit mixer truck carries concrete from manufacturing plants to construction sites, and by the time the truck reaches the site, the mixing is typically completed or nearly complete. Transit mixer drivers operate these important construction vehicles.
Drivers, ranging from long-haul truck drivers, delivery and route drivers, and to taxi and chauffeurs, deliver products and provide services throughout the United States.
Van drivers provide transportation services for passengers. They typically operate as taxi, chauffeur or delivery drivers, delivering passengers or products to their destinations.
An armored driver or messenger transports currency, valuable goods and confidential documents on behalf of financial service institutions, retailers and government agencies. Within most organizations, these are separate roles that work in tandem to carry out all required duties.
A patient driver, often referred to as a patient transporter, works for a hospital, nursing home or assisted living facility and transports patients to and from clinical facilities.
A limousine is a long, luxury vehicle, where passengers ride in the back amidst comfortable surroundings. A chauffeur or limousine driver is the professional responsible for operating the car and transporting passengers to their destinations.
Hearses are long vehicles used to transport caskets from funeral homes or home viewing sites to cemeteries for burial and often to religious places of worship. At funerals, hearse drivers are the professionals responsible for operating these vehicles.
A forklift is a ride-on machine that uses prongs to lift and move heavy loads. Forklift drivers are the individuals who operate forklifts in warehouses, factories and store stockrooms.
Heavy-haul drivers are transportation workers who carry loads with 18-wheelers or other large trucks. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the demand for heavy-haul drivers will increase by 10 percent through 2016, resulting in the creation of 193,000 new jobs.
Commercial drivers operate trucks, vans and freight vehicles for material transport. Responsibilities, pay scale and skills ] vary depending on the size of vehicles and types of material in cargo. This career is expected to have significant growth, with active recruiting in schools and vocational programs.
A taxi driver, also called a cabbie, transports individuals and groups from one location to another. He may be hailed, called upon in advance or scheduled for regularly scheduled pickups.
A valet driver is a professional in the service industry who is hired to drive passengers between locations so they don't have to drive themselves. Sometimes, valet drivers are hired by high-end establishments (such as restaurants and luxury hotels) to park cars for their patrons. Valet services are generally considered a luxury, and valets sometimes work with wealthy clients. They generally earn a base wage plus tips.
There are several types of truck drivers, classified according to the type of trucks they operate, distances traveled, and the length of travel. Unlike long haul drivers who drive from city to city, sometimes for weeks at a time, short haul drivers normally drive trips of 100 miles or less and have a regular route and schedule daily. They drive from their home base and usually have several deliveries within a single trip, after which they return to their base.
A limousine (or "limo") driver is a transportation professional. Also known as a chauffeur, a limo driver operates a sedan or limousine, picking up and dropping off passengers to predetermined destinations. Unlike a taxi driver, a limo driver does not pick up fares from the street. Potential customers must make an appointment in advance to have limo service.
A family driver or chauffeur is a domestic professional who is responsible for transporting the members of a family. The automobile that he drives is typically owned by the family. He may be required to work nontraditional hours such as evenings, weekends and holidays.
In the United Kingdom and across Europe, driving a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) requires a special kind of license, and only a licensed HGV driver can drive a heavy goods vehicle. To get licensed, a driver needs to take a test sanctioned by the government. The formal name for HGV as set by the European Union (EU) is large goods vehicle (LGV). It was changed from HGV to LGV because not all European countries have a word for "heavy."
