A real day
This comes from the O*NET task lists for light truck drivers (53-3033.00) and driver/sales workers (53-3031.00), read October 31, 2026.
- Before you roll. You check gas, oil, tires, lights and brakes. You check the load against the paperwork and load the van yourself if no one else does.
- The route. You follow your directions stop by stop. One Amazon delivery contractor says its drivers typically have at least 150 stops and deliver 200 to 300 packages a day, and more in dense areas (Amazon, March 19, 2024). That is one company's report, not a national number.
- At each stop. You park, find the package, walk it up, and record it. Route sales drivers also restock shelves or vending machines, collect money and take complaints.
- The parts people dislike. Traffic with a deadline. Stairs. Rain and ice. Reporting every delay or scrape. Changing a tire yourself: emergency repairs are on the O*NET list.
What it demands from your body and schedule
Share of workers who told O*NET this describes their job (read October 31, 2026).
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| Demand | Light truck drivers | Driver/sales workers |
|---|---|---|
| Time pressure, every day | 56% | 92% |
| Outdoors in all weather, every day | 71% | 100% |
| Very hot or cold, every day | 35% | 82% |
| Bending or twisting, continually or almost | 21% | 59% |
| More than 40 hours a week | 72% | 81% |
Most drivers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours. Drivers with regular routes may start very early or work late. They often work weekends and holidays (BLS OOH, read October 31, 2026). Hours split by employer: production workers at couriers and messengers averaged only 33.9 hours a week in August 2026, a preliminary figure (BLS). So a posted job may mean long weeks in December and short ones in February. Ask what last February looked like.
The injury numbers. Couriers and messengers had 8.0 recordable injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers in 2024, against 2.3 for all private industry (BLS SOII, 2024). That is about 3.5 times the average. Cases with days away from work ran 4.2 against 0.8, about five times. Local delivery was higher still, at 8.5.
What that means: this is the most injury-prone of the eight job types JobPin covers in this series, by industry rate. BLS gives two causes: lifting and moving heavy objects, and car accidents (BLS OOH, read October 31, 2026). Being careful on the road does not protect your back on the 150th stop. Ask how many stops a route runs, what the heaviest package is, and whether there is a hand truck.
What you would take home
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| Job (BLS code) | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light truck drivers (53-3033) | $14.81 | $21.57 | $38.61 |
| Driver/sales workers (53-3031) | $10.86 | $18.64 | $28.84 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. For your metro, see pay benchmarks.
If you are an employee and the company supplies the van:
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| Example | Hours | Gross | SS and Medicare | Federal tax | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light truck driver, slow week, $21.57 | 34 | $733.38 | $56.10 | $46.08 | $631.20 |
| Light truck driver, full time, $21.57 | 40 | $862.80 | $66.00 | $61.61 | $735.19 |
| Light truck driver, peak week, $21.57 | 50 | $1,186.35 | $90.76 | $100.44 | $995.15 |
| Route sales driver, $18.64 | 40 | $745.60 | $57.04 | $47.55 | $641.01 |
Assumptions: single filer, standard W-4, paid weekly, using IRS Publication 15-T (2026). Social Security and Medicare at 7.65% (IRS Topic 751). No state income tax, as in Texas; most states take more. Overtime at time and a half after 40 hours. Federal overtime generally holds if you drive a vehicle of 10,000 pounds or less. It may not on heavier trucks in interstate work (U.S. DOL Fact Sheet 19, revised November 2009).
The same work in your own car. Three setups can look alike in an ad:
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| Setup | Who pays for the vehicle | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Employee, company van | Employer. Amazon says its contractors' drivers get a delivery vehicle with gas and insurance provided | Amazon delivery contractors (read October 31, 2026) |
| Employee, your car, miles paid | You own it, but miles are reimbursed | UPS Seasonal Support Driver, Dallas: $23.00 an hour plus $0.76 a mile (posted October 22, 2026) |
| Independent contractor, your car | You, all of it | Amazon Flex says most drivers earn $18 to $25 an hour, before your costs (read October 31, 2026) |
Here is a contractor week with assumed numbers. Use your own.
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| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| 30 hours at $22, inside Flex's stated range | $660.00 |
| Minus vehicle cost: 200 miles at the IRS rate of 76 cents | −$152.00 |
| Net from the work | $508.00 |
| Minus self-employment tax, 15.3% on 92.35% of net | −$71.78 |
| Left before income tax | $436.22 |
| Per hour worked | $14.54 |
The same 30 hours as an employee at $21.57 takes home $561.87, after income tax withholding too. The IRS rate is a tax measure, not your real cost, and yours may be higher or lower (IRS, updated July 28, 2026). You must pay self-employment tax once net earnings reach $400 a year, and you may owe estimated tax during the year (IRS, updated October 30, 2026).
Check your insurance before your first run. Most personal auto policies sold in Washington state do not cover losses during gig work (Washington Insurance Commissioner, read October 31, 2026). Other states differ, so ask your agent in writing.
Good fit, bad fit
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| Good fit if | Bad fit if |
|---|---|
| You like working alone and moving all day | Your knees or back complain on stairs |
| Your license is clean and you drive calmly under a deadline | You have recent tickets or a suspension |
| You can start early and work weekends and holidays | You must be home at a set time. Routes end when they end |
| Rain, heat and ice do not stop you | Weather affects your health |
| For gig work: you track miles and save for taxes | For gig work: one car repair would wreck your month |
Want the same paycheck without the road? Read the warehouse jobs guide, or compare the two in warehouse vs delivery. Thinking bigger trucks? Read the driver jobs guide.
How to start
This week: pull your own driving record from your state's motor vehicle agency, so nothing surprises you. Then apply to one employee job before you try any gig app. Ask this first:
"Am I an employee or a contractor? Whose vehicle is it? Who pays for gas, insurance and repairs? How many stops is a typical route, and what happens if I do not finish it?"
What postings and BLS actually mention:
- License. All delivery drivers need a driver's license (BLS OOH). Regular license is enough under the CDL line. The weight rules are in driver jobs that do not need a CDL.
- Lifting. The UPS Dallas posting says up to 70 pounds, and Saturday and holiday availability (read October 31, 2026).
- Your vehicle. The same posting asks for registration, state-minimum insurance, a vehicle under 10,000 pounds, four doors if a car, and no logos.
- Age. Amazon Flex requires age 21. Driving on the job is on the federal hazardous list for under 18 (29 CFR Part 570).
- Screening. Requirements differ by contractor, so read the posting. A record may not end the road: fair chance warehouse and driving jobs and background checks explained.
- Pay timing. UPS states weekly pay on the Dallas posting read October 31, 2026. More: jobs with weekly pay. For holiday routes: UPS seasonal jobs and Amazon seasonal jobs.
Where it can lead
For employees there is a ladder. For gig drivers there is almost none: you can get more blocks, but no promotion.
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| Next step | National median | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy truck driver, with a CDL | $28.19 | BLS OEWS, May 2025. See how to get a CDL |
| Transportation or material moving supervisor | $30.23 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Union parcel driver with seniority | "Average top rate" of $49 an hour | Teamsters, on the UPS contract, August 22, 2023. A union statement about a top rate, not a starting rate |
Some delivery drivers begin as package loaders at warehouse facilities, especially at large companies (BLS OOH). BLS projects light truck jobs to grow 6.3% by 2035, with 107,200 openings a year (BLS, 2025 to 2035).
Current openings
See delivery jobs nationwide. By city: Dallas, Houston and Seattle. All driving work: driver jobs.
Source-linked openings
Current source-linked listings could not be confirmed in this sample. Check the category search and each original posting for availability.
How to verify a listing
Every opening on JobPin links to its source posting. Open it and find the real employer's name: many delivery jobs are run by a contractor, not the brand on the package. Amazon says each delivery contractor is an independent business. Honest employers never ask you to pay to get a job, and a posting that makes you buy a vehicle or kit first is a warning sign (FTC, read October 31, 2026). More: how JobPin verifies listings.
How JobPin dates and sources listings: How JobPin verifies listings and events. Report a listing.