What Does a Part-Time Driver Do?

Many of the duties a part-time driver will take on mirror the duties of a full-time driver. These duties will vary depending on the type of vehicle being driven as well as the company for which the driver works. A cab driver, for example, will be responsible for taking passengers to and from various locations within a city or region; a delivery truck driver will need to be able to navigate city streets, load and unload packages, and manage paperwork. The part-time driver will do these tasks on a part-time basis, which means he or she will not work a full work week as a driver.

Before he or she can take a job as a part-time driver, the candidate must possess a valid driver's license, and in many cases the driver must have a commercial driver's license (CDL). Many companies will only hire a part-time driver if he or she does not have any moving violations on his or her driving record, though other companies can be more lenient. If the driver gets a moving violation while on the job, it is likely that the driver will be fired, so any driver must operate safely and within the confines of the law.

Delivery truck drivers must usually operate other pieces of equipment, such as dollies, pallet jacks, and even forklifts in some cases. Additional training may be necessary to qualify the part-time driver to use such devices. Keeping track of invoices and using computerized scanners to keep track of packages often falls on the shoulders of the part-time driver. If the driver must operate a special type of vehicle, he or she will need to undergo training to ensure safe operation of that vehicle at all times. The driver usually isn't responsible for the maintenance of the vehicle, though if the driver is self-employed, the maintenance duties may fall on him or her.

A part-time driver will not work a full workweek as a driver, so it will be necessary for him or her to consult employers to develop a work schedule. The driver must be flexible with scheduling in most cases, which can be difficult if the driver has another job, goes to school, or takes care of family. Many companies are able to give drivers a consistent schedule from week to week, though others will change schedules often, which can be more difficult for a part-time employee who has to balance other jobs or responsibilities.