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PapaHR · Mike Pritula Academy · Roles

Delivery Driver: Role Profile, KPIs and Interview Questions

Find delivery driver responsibilities, key performance indicators (KPIs) and hiring materials here. Use them to assess goods handling and paperwork, plan initial delivery runs and review performance.

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  2. In PapaHR the profile turns into a job ad, an onboarding plan and probation goals.
  3. After 90 days, review the person against the same KPIs and competencies.

Job profile

Why the role exists

Deliver complete, undamaged orders safely, with accurate delivery records.

Result in a year

The driver completes agreed routes independently, hands over goods without losses and closes delivery runs on time; delays and discrepancies have documented causes.

Place in the structure

  1. Reports toLogistics manager, or the owner where there is no separate department.
  2. Direct reportsNone
  3. Works withDelivery coordinator — routes, delivery windows and changes during runs., Warehouse operative — goods collection, discrepancies and returns., Sales representative — handover arrangements and customer enquiries., Accounts team — paperwork, payment records and run reconciliation., Fleet contact — defects, servicing and replacement vehicles., Recipient — arrival, unloading and confirmation of receipt.
Key result areas
  1. Customers receive orders within agreed delivery windows — On-time delivery plan attainment100% of planned on-time deliveries completed safely.
  2. Goods arrive complete and undamaged — Complete, damage-free handover rate100% of handovers complete and undamaged.
  3. Delivery paperwork is accepted first time — Paperwork acceptance rate without corrections100% of document sets accepted without corrections.
  4. The vehicle is checked before departure — Pre-departure vehicle check rate100% of runs start with a vehicle check.
  5. Returns, paperwork and expenses are reconciled after each run — On-time run closure rate100% of runs closed on time.
  6. The coordinator hears about problems promptly — Timely exception reporting rate100% of identified exceptions reported on time.
Requirements

Experience: Goods delivery experience, including load acceptance and documented customer handovers.

Formal: A driving licence appropriate for the company vehicle.

Should know

  • Safe driving, parking and manoeuvring practices.
  • Vehicle checks required before departure.
  • Load positioning and restraint principles.
  • Goods acceptance, handover and returns procedures.
  • Delivery paperwork and proof of delivery requirements.
  • Actions for breakdowns, damaged goods and refused deliveries.

Should be able to

  • Drive the relevant vehicle type safely.
  • Sequence stops around delivery windows.
  • Check package counts, labels and packaging condition.
  • Use navigation and delivery apps while safely parked.
  • Complete paperwork and retain proof of delivery.
  • Discuss discrepancies calmly with recipients.
Competencies at three levels

Delivery run safety

Collisions and unsafe vehicles put people, goods and business operations at risk.

  1. Checks the vehicle, keeps a safe following distance and parks before using a phone.basic
  2. Anticipates hazards, reports fatigue and refuses unsafe departures.solid
  3. Reviews dangerous situations and recommends changes to routes, loading or schedules.strong

Care of goods

Losses during collection and transport create replacement costs.

  1. Counts packages and checks packaging and restraints before departure.basic
  2. Records discrepancies before acceptance and checks goods after unloading.solid
  3. Identifies recurring damage causes and recommends changes to loading or handovers.strong

Route organisation

Missing a delivery window means another journey and extra cost.

  1. Checks addresses, contacts and delivery windows before departure.basic
  2. Allows for unloading and breaks, and flags potential delays early.solid
  3. Suggests route changes using actual time spent at delivery stops.strong

Accurate delivery records

Missing proof of delivery makes order closure and claims difficult.

  1. Checks the order, recipient and completed proof of delivery.basic
  2. Documents partial refusals and returns, and checks records before closing runs.solid
  3. Spots recurring paperwork errors and helps remove their cause.strong

Recipient communication

Calm explanations help complete handovers and maintain customer relationships.

  1. Introduces themselves, confirms unloading arrangements and explains the handover politely.basic
  2. Establishes reasons for refusal and agrees a solution with the responsible colleague.solid
  3. Defuses complaints and offers practical options within their authority.strong

Handling delivery problems

Early reporting gives the team time to reroute deliveries and warn customers.

  1. Reports the problem, location, order and facts.basic
  2. Makes the situation safe, records details and agrees next steps.solid
  3. Reviews causes after the run and suggests how to prevent recurrence.strong
Builder

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Tick what this person does at your company. On the right is the ready profile: copy it or open it in PapaHR.

Delivery Driver

Deliver complete, undamaged orders safely, with accurate delivery records.

Duties
  1. Check the vehicle before departure and report defects.
  2. Review the route, delivery windows and recipient contacts.
  3. Check package counts and labels against delivery paperwork.
  4. Record packaging damage and discrepancies before accepting goods.
  5. Check load positioning and restraints before moving.
  6. Drive safely and report risks to delivery times.
  7. Hand goods to the agreed recipient and record receipt.
  8. Record refusals, shortages and damage with the recipient present.
  9. Accept authorised returns and take them back to the warehouse.
  10. Submit delivery records, expense receipts and the run report.
  11. Collect delivery payments and reconcile funds with supporting records.
  12. Collect goods from suppliers against agreed paperwork.
  13. Track reusable packaging and confirm its return.
  14. Monitor load temperature and record readings.
  15. Unload goods using the agreed equipment and assistance.
  16. Complete agreed long-distance runs with planned stops.
  17. Take the vehicle for servicing as scheduled.
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Delivery driver KPIs

  1. On-time delivery plan attainment — Deliveries within agreed windows / planned on-time deliveries × 100%. Mistake: Changing agreed delivery windows retrospectively to hide late arrivals.weight 25% · month
  2. Complete, damage-free handover rate — Complete, undamaged handovers / all handovers × 100%. Mistake: Hiding shortages or damage; blaming drivers for damage recorded before acceptance.weight 20% · month
  3. Paperwork acceptance rate without corrections — Document sets accepted without corrections / all submitted sets × 100%. Mistake: Accepting paperwork as complete without the required proof of delivery.weight 15% · month
  4. Pre-departure vehicle check rate — Runs checked before departure / all runs × 100%. Mistake: Accepting a tick without checking vehicle condition and recorded defects.weight 20% · month
  5. On-time run closure rate — Runs closed on time / all completed runs × 100%. Mistake: Closing runs before returns, paperwork and collected payments are handed in.weight 10% · month
  6. Timely exception reporting rate — Exceptions reported on time / all identified exceptions × 100%. Mistake: Hiding exceptions; recording 100% instead of ‘no data’ when none occurred.weight 10% · month
Calculator

Work out the KPI bonus

Enter how much of each target was met, in percent, and the bonus at 100%. You can change the weights.

KPIWeight, %Achieved, %Share
On-time delivery plan attainment
Complete, damage-free handover rate
Paperwork acceptance rate without corrections
Pre-departure vehicle check rate
On-time run closure rate
Timely exception reporting rate
KPI total
Bonus
Sum of weights

The weights are an example. They should add up to 100%.

Interview questions

Scorecard

Run the interview and get the result

Score each answer from 1 to 5 and the total is worked out by competency. Keep this page open on your phone during the interview.

Delivery run safety

Describe a delivery run where deadlines pushed you towards an unsafe decision. What did you do, and what happened?

✓ Listen for: Assessed risk, acted safely, informed the coordinator and agreed revised timings.

⚑ Red flag: Boasts about speeding or skipping rest to meet deadlines.

Tell me about a vehicle defect you noticed before departure. What did you check, who did you tell, and what happened?

✓ Listen for: Explains warning signs, stopping departure and confirming the vehicle was safe after repair.

⚑ Red flag: Drove with a known dangerous defect to avoid delaying deliveries.

Care of goods

When did package counts or packaging differ from the collection paperwork? What did you do, and what was the outcome?

✓ Listen for: Recounted, recorded discrepancies and agreed corrections before accepting goods.

⚑ Red flag: Signed without checking and planned to resolve discrepancies after the run.

Describe goods damage on one of your runs. How was it found, recorded and prevented from happening again?

✓ Listen for: Gives facts, their own role, records and changes to restraints or handovers.

⚑ Red flag: Hid damage or tried handing goods over without recipient inspection.

Route organisation

Describe a route with several delivery windows. How did you prepare, what changed during the run, and what was the result?

✓ Listen for: Checked addresses and windows, allowed unloading time and agreed changes with the coordinator.

⚑ Red flag: Considered distance alone and ignored receiving hours.

Tell me how slow unloading affected later stops. When did you report it, and what could you change?

✓ Listen for: Recorded the delay, reviewed remaining windows and agreed the revised route early.

⚑ Red flag: Reported lateness only after the next recipient complained.

Accurate delivery records

Describe a partially refused delivery. How did you document the handover, return and run closure?

✓ Listen for: Separated accepted goods from returns, obtained confirmations and reconciled stock with the warehouse.

⚑ Red flag: Left original quantities on paperwork and corrected them later from memory.

When was your paperwork returned for correction? What was wrong, how did you fix it, and what changed afterwards?

✓ Listen for: Identifies the error, recovered evidence and a specific check before submission.

⚑ Red flag: Signed for the recipient or changed records without authorisation.

Recipient communication

Describe an upset recipient who refused delivery. What did you say, who did you contact, and how did it end?

✓ Listen for: Established the reason, calmly explained options, agreed a solution and recorded the outcome.

⚑ Red flag: Argued, pressured the recipient or promised an unauthorised discount.

Tell me about arriving when the agreed recipient was absent. What did you do, and how did you confirm the outcome?

✓ Listen for: Checked contacts, called the responsible colleague and handed goods only to an agreed person.

⚑ Red flag: Left goods with a random employee without proof of delivery.

Handling delivery problems

Describe a breakdown during deliveries. What did you do first, what information did you share, and how was the run completed?

✓ Listen for: Made things safe, reported location and goods condition, and agreed support and remaining deliveries.

⚑ Red flag: Continued driving unsafely or hid the problem until the shift ended.

Describe a recurring problem at one delivery stop. How did you gather facts, propose a solution and check the result?

✓ Listen for: Showed delay timings and causes, agreed a change and compared subsequent runs.

⚑ Red flag: Only complained about the customer without providing verifiable facts.

Score at least one answer and the result shows up here. ·
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Test task

Plan a delivery run and handle disruptions · 2 hours

Training scenario: a vehicle leaves the warehouse at 09:00 with 12 packages. Stop A receives deliveries from 09:30 to 10:30, B from 10:00 to 12:00, and C from 11:30 to 13:00. Driving times from the warehouse are 30 minutes to A, 40 to B and 60 to C. Between stops: A–B takes 20 minutes, A–C 35 and B–C 25. Times apply in both directions; allow 20 minutes for unloading at each stop. Four packages are for A, five for B and three for C. During loading, you find torn packaging on one package for B. Prepare your goods acceptance and safe departure checklist, route and expected arrival times. Then respond to two developments: unloading at A took 60 minutes; the recipient at B refused the damaged package, if it remained on board after agreed acceptance. Explain whom you would inform and when, how you would document handover and returns, and what you would submit after the run. Write a short message to the delivery coordinator and complete a training proof of delivery for B. The employer supplies a blank form, contacts and approval procedures; list questions for missing information. All addresses and documents are fictional; no actual driving is required.

How to assess it

  • Checks the vehicle, load restraints and discrepancies before departure.
  • Records damaged packaging and agrees next steps.
  • Calculates a route allowing for delivery windows and unloading.
  • Recalculates arrivals after delays without proposing unsafe driving.
  • Reports facts, consequences and a proposed next step to the coordinator.
  • Separates accepted goods from returns and retains evidence.
  • Identifies missing information and checks all run closure records.

Ready job ad

Delivery Driver in [city]

At [company], we deliver [goods] to customers across [delivery area]. Join us to collect goods, deliver safely and record handovers using [company vehicle].

What you will do

  • Check the vehicle before departure.
  • Accept goods after checking package counts and packaging condition.
  • Check load positioning and restraints.
  • Deliver orders within agreed windows.
  • Record handovers, refusals and returns.
  • Report delays and other problems to the delivery coordinator.
  • Hand in paperwork and returns after each run.

What we need

  • Driving licence suitable for [vehicle category].
  • Experience driving [vehicle type].
  • Experience delivering goods and recording handovers.
  • Ability to check goods and complete paperwork.
  • Ability to use navigation and delivery apps.
  • Commitment to reporting risks and working safely.

What we offer

  • Pay: [salary in $] plus [bonus terms].
  • Hours: [schedule], shifts starting at [time].
  • Warehouse: [city], [warehouse address].
  • Vehicle: [model, condition and equipment].
  • Fuel and servicing: [company payment arrangements].
  • Unloading: [equipment, assistance and manual handling involved].
  • Induction: [mentor and number of accompanied runs].

In PapaHR this text becomes a job opening with a careers page and a candidate pipeline.

90-day onboarding plan

Before day one

  1. Share the warehouse address, start time and manager’s contact details.HR
  2. Check licence suitability for the vehicle and assign a mentor.Manager
  3. Prepare delivery app access and work communication tools.IT

Day one

  1. Explain when to stop unsafe work and how to report it.Manager
  2. Demonstrate the vehicle, pre-departure checks and load restraint equipment.Mentor
  3. Demonstrate goods acceptance and proof of delivery procedures.Mentor
  4. Practise checking goods and completing a delivery record.New hire

First week

  1. Complete accompanied runs covering collections, handovers and returns.Mentor
  2. Practise reporting delays only after parking safely.New hire
  3. Check run closure and discuss paperwork errors.Mentor
  4. Assess readiness to handle a route independently.Manager

30 days

  1. Complete assigned routes and close runs independently.New hire
  2. Check goods acceptance, restraints and paperwork on selected runs.Mentor
  3. Agree delivery targets and deadlines for reporting exceptions.Manager
  4. Review actual unloading times and reasons for delays.Manager

60 days

  1. Practise partial refusals and breakdowns through training scenarios.Mentor
  2. Review delivery, paperwork and exception reporting timeliness.Manager
  3. Suggest improvements for a difficult stop using run records.New hire

90 days

  1. Compare performance with probation period goals and investigate gaps.Manager
  2. Agree routes, support and training for the next period.Manager
  3. Record the probation period outcome and new starter feedback.HR

Probation period goals

  1. Prepare the vehicle and goods for safe runs independently.Every independent run starts with a check; the mentor confirms inspection and load restraint skills during an accompanied run.
  2. Meet the agreed delivery plan within recipients’ windows.By day 90, achieve 100% of the agreed plan for the final month; review delay causes using run records.
  3. Hand over goods and close runs with complete supporting records.By day 90, achieve 100% of the agreed paperwork and run closure targets; the warehouse confirms every return.
  4. Report exceptions independently and document agreed decisions.Report all identified exceptions within agreed deadlines in the final month; use a training scenario if none occur.

Career path

Trainee Delivery Driver

Completes accompanied runs and learns the vehicle, delivery stops and paperwork.

To move up: Demonstrate safe driving, independent goods acceptance, handovers and run closure.

Delivery Driver

Completes routes independently and agrees actions for delays, refusals and returns.

To move up: Meet the agreed plan consistently and demonstrate the full delivery cycle to new starters.

Senior Delivery Driver

Trains new starters, supports difficult stops and improves goods collection and handovers.

To move up: Learn route planning, workload allocation and delivery data analysis.

Delivery Coordinator

Plans work for several drivers, agrees delivery windows and arranges support during disruptions.

To move up: Develop delivery budgeting, team management and supplier management skills for a logistics manager role.

Questions for a 1:1 meeting

  1. Which stops take longer to unload than planned?
  2. Where do routes or schedules cause rushing or fatigue?
  3. Which vehicle defects or equipment problems affect safe working?
  4. Which loading discrepancies keep recurring, and how do we record them?
  5. Which documents are returned most often, and what needs simplifying?
  6. When were you unable to reach the delivery coordinator quickly?
  7. Which recipient refusals need clearer instructions?
  8. What should we change next month to reduce repeat journeys?

Mistakes in hiring and managing

  1. Hiring on driving experience alone without checking goods handling.
    Better: Use a training scenario covering goods acceptance, partial refusal and delivery records.
  2. Rewarding only stop counts and delivery speed.
    Better: Include goods protection, paperwork and safety; review dangerous actions separately from the overall score.
  3. Blaming the driver for every shortage or delay without investigation.
    Better: Check collection records, routes and proof of delivery to establish each discrepancy’s cause.
  4. Assuming unloading, payment collection and vehicle servicing are understood duties.
    Better: Agree additional duties, equipment, assistance and time allowances before hiring.
  5. Sending a new starter out alone with only recipient addresses.
    Better: Provide accompanied runs and check responses to refusals, breakdowns and returns.
HR in money

What a bad hire costs: Delivery driver

The same calculation as in PapaHR «HR in money»: the cost of hiring plus the salary for the months the new hire worked at half capacity.

One leaver
A year

In the first months a new hire delivers about half the result, so the company pays the other half of the salary for learning. In PapaHR the calculation uses your real leavers.

Questions and answers

How does a delivery driver’s role differ from other driving jobs?

This role includes accepting goods, handing them to recipients and submitting delivery records, alongside driving. Agree returns, unloading and payment collection duties separately when hiring.

What are a delivery driver’s main duties?

The core cycle covers vehicle checks, goods acceptance, load restraint, delivery, documented handover and run closure. Add temperature monitoring, payment collection and long-distance runs when the business needs them.

What driving licence does a delivery driver need?

The licence must suit the specific company vehicle. State the vehicle type and required licence in the advert, then check suitability before assigning runs.

Does a delivery driver have to unload goods?

Unloading may be handled by the driver, a helper or the recipient, depending on the delivery setup. Specify package weights and dimensions, equipment, assistance and time allowed at each stop.

How should delivery driver performance be measured?

Review delivery windows, goods condition, paperwork and timely run closure. Investigate delays using facts, including waiting at the warehouse and customer premises. Assess safety separately so a strong overall score cannot hide dangerous actions.

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