Job Suggestions Please - Driving Based Ones!

[mrbounce]

I am after a few suggestions that I may not have thought of. 

Due to a recent restructure at work, my job no longer exists, and that which they proposed to replace it with was a non starter. After 15 years for my current employer, I resigned. I have been doing time-critical, mistake-free computer based work for those last 15 years, and being honest, I am totally burnt out. 

I do not wish to sit behind a desk looking at a screen every day any more, and as I love to drive, I figured that some sort of driving job may suit me. I don't chase vast sums of money (I come from a long period in the Public Sector, where a good salary is not a thing) so unless it's absolutely bottom of the pile, I am not too worried. 

I have thought about potentially doing Fleet Deliveries or maybe even parts delivery to local garages - just as long as it is not behind a desk I am not too fussy - I just fancy doing something driving based.

Some things to note: I am 52, with a full clean driving licence - HOWEVER - note that I am type 1 Diabetic which restricts my licence. This means that I cannot drive anything over 3.5 tonnes GVW, or drive a Minibus. I also cannot drive a public service vehicle of any type such as Taxis, Buses or Trains. 

Give me some ideas - I'd be happy to take any suggestions on board.

Thanks 

PS here's a picture of a Retro I might like to deliver:

[skinnylew]

Public sector you say.......not sure what's out there but my job is, was, might be again, a highways technician for a local council, which means I have 250 roads to look after, maintain, and deal with complaints on. I might go in the office every other day for an hour or two but the rest of my time is spent in my car on a tablet remote working. I enjoyed it/enjoy it depending on how my future pans out here at rehab......

[braaap]

Oct 28, 2024 22:31:50 GMT mrbounce said:

I also cannot drive a public service vehicle of any type such as Taxis, Buses or Trains.

Does this include non-public transport like Uber?

[mrbounce]

Oct 29, 2024 7:06:54 GMT braaap said:

Oct 28, 2024 22:31:50 GMT mrbounce said:

I also cannot drive a public service vehicle of any type such as Taxis, Buses or Trains.

Does this include non-public transport like Uber?

Yes. Uber counts as a Taxi.

[grumpybadger]

I think you'll struggle to get anything much over minimum wage for sub 3.5t vehicles.

I know some evri drivers can make decent money but its heavily weighted towards the Christmas season.

The post office parcel drivers are on more than minimum wage but not by much.


If you're ok with part time then Hearse/ funeral driving looks nice and calm.
I don't know if you need a taxi licence for that though as technically you're driving the public hire or reward still.

Good luck with it

[Mercdan68]

Do not touch any parcel multi drop jobs
I was in that game for 25 years

Absolutely awful nowadays the worst being dpd and dhl , it’s a struggle to get money off them come invoice time
I’ve got mates still doing it and there health and personal life’s are a mess
I’m now in sales for a food company which does include driving
But it is sales driven, pardon the pun

[Mercdan68]

If your not chasing the dollar id say go the
Motor factors places
Euros or GSF or mpd

[grumpybadger]

One other thing i would say is that if you like driving now you probably won't after you've done it for a living.

[ChasR]

I've done driving in the past, and now have a dual based job, mainly desk based, but also going into meetings, and seeing issues on cars in the flesh. It's not hard but the politics make it so.

IMHO, something like the motor factor side of things would be better.

[dazcapri]

I drive a 8 wheel tipper for a living,hate driving now. I did about 3500 miles in my own vehicles last year 2500 of them were going to work if I can avoid driving I do.

As for the original question as others have said avoid parcel deliveries at all costs,maybe try local factories etc who may need someone to deliver locally also have you checked about hgv work with type 1 diabetes they changed the rules a while back so that people with type 1 could drive them

[LowStandards]

Lots of money in parcel deliveries


Can pull a really good wage with the likes of Evri


Plus side, you’ll keep fit and you’ll get to know folks on your round etc, bad side, you’ll have to keep fit and it rains 😂

[Mercdan68]

There’s no money in parcel delivery anymore
I spent the best part of my life with my own vans
The profits have gone in that job
And will only get worse with unregulated people in cars and poorly maintained small vans doing it
Our Evri lady is struggling to survive running her van now and on 140 drops per day

[mrbounce]

Oct 29, 2024 19:26:46 GMT dazcapri said:

I drive a 8 wheel tipper for a living,hate driving now. I did about 3500 miles in my own vehicles last year 2500 of them were going to work if I can avoid driving I do.

As for the original question as others have said avoid parcel deliveries at all costs,maybe try local factories etc who may need someone to deliver locally also have you checked about hgv work with type 1 diabetes they changed the rules a while back so that people with type 1 could drive them

Thank you - I was not aware of this. I shall investigate further. 

[austinpowers]

Car dealerships need drivers to collect and drop off cars. Sometimes customers cars or sometimes sales cars between dealerships.

[Fred W B]

I don't know if it would be suitable in your country, and even if it possible to get into it but someone I know works as a freelance mobile insurance assessor for cars needing repairs.

For minor incidents where the car is still mobile he goes to wherever the owner has the car.

Struck me as a fairly interesting job for someone into cars and that is happy to drive around quite a bit.

[LowStandards]

Oct 29, 2024 21:07:54 GMT Mercdan68 said:

There’s no money in parcel delivery anymore
Our Evri lady is struggling to survive running her van now and on 140 drops per day

140 is half a days work though



Average has got to be around 230-250 parcels @70p per parcel


250x0.70 is £175 a day, 6 days a week is £4k a month




And that's if you want to graft, you can easily pick a rural/small route and do less drops, work 3 days, 4 days etc

[Mercdan68]

Go work out your fuel costs insurance
And don’t forget your income tax
It’s not a good earner …..as I suggest stay well clear
I’m earning a lot more employed than I ever did self employed that’s with two vans running six days a week
And add to that a proper van is £23k plus now and servicing and tyres etc

[LowStandards]

I have

I've done it

I know a lot of people living very VERY comfortably doing it


Maybe £3-4k a month isn't a decent wage in Kent? I don't know?





Either way, it's there for the OP to consider

[Mercdan68]

Easy job mr bounce with no risk go and get a motor factors driving job if your not chasing the dollar as said
And it’s a wage 👍

[rapidyellow]

I do milk delivery and am a similar age to you mrbounce and also a diabetic on insulin with a 3 year licence.

I work 3 nights a week, about 200 calls, in a smallish area, no traffic and no people and no waiting for somebody to answer a door, its really easy work. I am usually home for 4am and after a couple of hours sleep, I have the day to myself.

there might be a dairy near you, they WILL want somebody who understands how streets work. Yes you have to deliver in all weathers, you soon adapt - I came into my milkman job from an office job that had to close due to covid, it was a massive change for me but suits me perfect.


My second choice would be car parts delivery, but that would be a 5 and a half day week for definate, massive traffic everywhere working in the daytime.

Last choice and perhaps not a choice now for me, would be parcel delivery, often its self employed work with a nearly new van you have to buy or hire, you cant use an old shitter no matter how reliable it might be, no holiday or sickness cover. up to many hundreds of delivery's per day, sounds like hell.


there are other types of courier, but that business is again largely for self employed.

I too thought being a "Private Ambulance Driver" might be a good thing to do, picking up dead people from wherever to take to the mort/undertakers, sadly its just not that simple and some ads I have seen say you might have to handle a dead person [dead weight!] by yourself and the circumstances of that get worse the more you think about it.