subject: Is A Courier Driver Paid A Salary Or A Commission? [print this page] You are interested in a position as a courier driver. How are the courier drivers compensated? What are the employment requirements for the position?
To be a courier in Atlanta you are required to have a current driver's license from the state of Georgia, a good driving record, and the ability to walk, talk and lift fifty pounds with little effort. You must be clean, courteous, and be conversant in English. They must be able to read and write and follow directions as well.
Other requirements are to have a clean driving record with no accidents or driving under the influence charges. They must be insurable and bondable; they must not possess a felony charge or have legal convictions against you. It is important that they are trustworthy and honest in all their dealings; the packages that they deliver will be important to the shipper and the recipient. Sometimes these packages have checks, contracts, wills and legal documents enclosed so they have to be carried with care.
Courier companies require a complete physical before they will hire you as a driver. You must be able to see accurately, hear ongoing traffic and be aware of traffic noises, and be able to lift, push and carry packages up to the weight of fifty pounds. In addition, you must be able to walk for hours a day, carrying the packages up to the home or business.
For these services and loading the truck, driving safely, and returning the truck in usable condition, a courier in Atlanta makes a competitive salary of over $40,000 a year in the American market. In addition, a courier will also have medical and health benefits, a company retirement plan with a 401(k), and usually stock options after five years' of service. Uniforms are provided and sometimes the company will also pay for the cleaning and repair of the uniforms. Courier drivers do not, however, earn a commission.
Since courier drivers work holidays and long hours, compensation is added in the form of hourly incentives and compensation time for working inconvenient shifts. Double pay is offered for the Christmas holiday and the week before Christmas, as some delivery and courier services will move and deliver over a million packages a day in the busy season! Courier companies also offer extra incentives in the form of cash prizes, gifts, gift cards and bonuses for working overtime during their busiest season. It is very lucrative to work for a courier company because they treat their employees well.
