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Career

Driver/Sales Workers

Typical education: High school diplomaHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $38,770 Median per year · $18.64/hr Most earn $22,590–$59,980

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Review lists of dealers, customers, or station drops and load trucks.
  • Inform regular customers of new products or services and price changes.
  • Record sales or delivery information on daily sales or delivery record.
  • Collect coins from vending machines, refill machines, and remove aged merchandise.
  • Maintain trucks and food-dispensing equipment and clean inside of machines that dispense food or beverages.
  • Collect money from customers, make change, and record transactions on customer receipts.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
8% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 45,500 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods20.7%
  • Self-employed (their own business)7.3%
  • Full-service restaurants5.8%
  • Drycleaning and laundry services5.3%
  • Truck transportation2.2%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: Up to 1 month

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: Up to 1 monthEntry-level

This is an entry-level job. Many people start right after high school, and the usual experience needed is up to one month, so you can get started quickly with a diploma and a valid driver's license.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finishing high school gives you the basic education most employers ask for, and building math, customer service, and communication skills here helps with taking orders and handling payments.

  2. Valid driver's license and clean driving record

    Up to 1 year

    Most routes require you to drive a vehicle, so employers will check your license and driving history before hiring you.

  3. Driver/Sales Worker

    Up to 1 month

    You learn your route, how to deliver and sell products, take payments, and stock merchandise on the job, which is usually a short period of training.

Where it can lead

  1. Dispatcher

    1-2 years of experience first

    Dispatchers schedule drivers and vehicles and direct their routes, so you move from driving to planning and coordinating the work of others.

  2. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver

    1-2 years of experience first

    Moving to larger trucks usually means earning the license needed for heavier vehicles and driving longer routes, which often pays more and involves more training.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and business or economics classesMath helps with counting money, making change, and tracking orders, and business classes teach you how sales work.
  • Get a part-time job in customer service or deliveryWorking at a restaurant, store, or delivery service helps you practice serving people and shows employers you can be dependable.
  • Take a driver's education courseDriver's education teaches safe driving habits and helps you earn your learner's permit and license as soon as you're eligible.
  • Join a student club like DECA or FBLA if your school has oneThese clubs build sales, public speaking, and teamwork skills that are useful for selling products to customers.

In college

  • Take courses in sales, customer service, or logisticsClasses in these areas teach how products get from place to place and how to sell and serve customers well, which matches the work of this job.
  • Work a customer-facing or delivery jobHolding a job that involves taking orders, handling payments, or delivering goods gives you the experience employers look for.
  • Keep a clean driving record and maintain your licenseSince most routes require driving, a safe record helps you qualify for jobs and build trust with employers.
  • Volunteer or join a campus organization with sales or event rolesRoles like fundraising or event sales build comfort with selling and handling money in a team setting.
  • Check your state's rules for any extra license or certificateSome states or employers require specific endorsements for certain delivery or commercial vehicles, so look into this early.

Tips for getting started

  • Keep a clean driving record from the start, since employers check it and it matters for almost every driving job.
  • Practice friendly, clear communication with customers, because this job involves taking orders and handling payments as well as driving.
  • Look for part-time work now, like delivery, cashier, or stocking jobs, to build experience and see if you enjoy working on the road.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

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