Occupation Details
Driver/Sales Workers
Drive truck or other vehicle over established routes or within an established territory and sell or deliver goods, such as food products, including restaurant take-out items, or pick up or deliver items such as commercial laundry. May also take orders, collect payment, or stock merchandise at point of delivery.
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Interests
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Enterprising
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Work Values
Relationships
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$29,290.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$31,820.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$42,920.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
15,070
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
24,960
+989 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
3,165
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.7%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
Some Training - Certificate or hands-on training
Experience Requirements
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Education Requirements
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Training Details
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, tellers, and dental laboratory technicians.
School Programs
School Programs information is not available for this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
State License and Certifications Requirements are not currently associated with this occupation.
Skills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Food Production
Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Transportation
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Public Safety and Security
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Production and Processing
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Independence
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Social Orientation
Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Barcode scanners
- Delivery vans
- Dollies
- Handheld computers
- Laser facsimile machines
- Laser printers
- Pallet movers
- Personal computers
- Propane delivery trucks
Technology
- Computer Directions Route Sales Tracker
- GEOCOMtms A.Maze Planning
- IBM Domino
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Regulussoft Route Accounting
- Route planning software
- Soft Essentials Vending Essentials
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- maintain or repair cargo or passenger vehicle
- service vehicle with water, fuel, or oil
- maintain records, reports, or files
- use vehicle repair tools or safety equipment
- use local or regional geographical knowledge to transportation
- follow traffic laws
- use established traffic or transportation procedures
- use knowledge of sales contracts
- sell merchandise
- call on customers to solicit new business
- arrange merchandise display
- perform safety inspections in transportation setting
- plan or organize work
- collect payment
- provide customer service in surface transportation
- read maps
- move or fit heavy objects
- load, unload, or stack containers, materials, or products
- fill money changers in vending machines
- drive automobile, van, or light truck
- drive truck with capacity greater than 3 tons
- drive tractor-trailer truck
- transport passengers or cargo
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Drive trucks to deliver such items as food, medical supplies, or newspapers.
- Arrange merchandise and sales promotion displays or issue sales promotion materials to customers.
- Collect coins from vending machines, refill machines, and remove aged merchandise.
- Inform regular customers of new products or services and price changes.
- Record sales or delivery information on daily sales or delivery record.
- Listen to and resolve customers' complaints regarding products or services.
- Collect money from customers, make change, and record transactions on customer receipts.
- Maintain trucks and food-dispensing equipment and clean inside of machines that dispense food or beverages.
- Write customer orders and sales contracts according to company guidelines.
- Review lists of dealers, customers, or station drops and load trucks.
- Sell food specialties, such as sandwiches and beverages, to office workers and patrons of sports events.
- Call on prospective customers to explain company services or to solicit new business.
Learning Resources
More information on this occupation may be found in the links provided below.
Truckdrivers and driver/sales workers
Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.
Learn More