Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a Route Sales Driver
What route sales drivers actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
What is a typical day like for a route sales driver?
Load the truck. From there, the day usually includes drive routes, deliver products, and stock shelves. Early starts, often finishing by early afternoon.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a route sales driver working full time.
- Load the truck.
- First store delivery.
- Stock shelves.
- Pitch a new product.
- Collect payments.
- Finish the route.
- Settle up at the depot.
Where route sales drivers work
Drivers work in trucks and at customer locations.
Hours and schedule
Early starts, often finishing by early afternoon.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Drive routes
- Deliver products
- Stock shelves
- Take orders
- Collect payments
- Build customer relationships
- Track inventory
Tools you’ll use every day
- Delivery trucks
- Handheld order devices
- Hand trucks
- Route software
- Payment systems
- Phones
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Faster-than-average growth
- Commission potential
- Independence
- Early finish
What’s hard
- Very early starts
- Lifting
- Weather
- Sales pressure
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I like driving
- I like customers
- I like sales
- I can start early
- I can lift
- I want independence
Not sure? Take the free Route Sales Driver fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Drive defensively
- Lift safely
- Use hand trucks
- Watch for traffic when unloading