Driver CV: delivery, HGV and private hire guide

A driver CV is judged on proof, not on good intentions

Driving jobs are in near-constant demand: delivery drivers for last-mile e-commerce, HGV drivers for national and international haulage, private hire drivers for passenger transport. Yet most CVs sent into this sector read the same — "reliable, punctual, full licence" — without answering the one question a transport recruiter actually has: can this person get behind the wheel tomorrow, legally and safely, with no extra training required?

A transport manager, a fleet supervisor or a private hire operator does not hire on stated motivation. They hire on verifiable facts: licence category, current certificates, experience on a specific vehicle type, known coverage area and documented safety record. This guide shows how to structure a driver CV that puts that proof front and centre, whether you are applying as a delivery driver, an HGV driver, or a private hire driver.

What a transport recruiter checks first

Before reading your work history, most recruiters in this sector scan three areas of your CV:

1. Licence category — Category B (car), C1 (up to 7.5t), C (rigid HGV, "Class 2"), C+E (articulated, "Class 1"), or D (PCV, passenger-carrying vehicle). A missing category rules out an application immediately.
2. Professional certificates — Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence, both Initial and Periodic), a valid digital tachograph card, ADR certification if you carry dangerous goods, and a private hire driver licence (issued by the local council or TfL) if you drive for hire.
3. Real driving experience — annual mileage, route type (urban, regional, national, international), vehicle type driven, and a documented safety record, such as years without an at-fault incident if you can evidence it.

If these three blocks are not visible within the first ten seconds, your CV risks being rejected even when your experience is solid.

Structuring an effective driver CV

1. Job title — state the driving type clearly

A vague title like "Driver" tells a recruiter nothing about the vehicle or the context.

Avoid:

• ❌ "Professional driver"
• ❌ "Multi-drop driver"
• ❌ "All-round driver"

Prefer:

• ✅ "Delivery Driver — Category B, 6 years' last-mile e-commerce experience"
• ✅ "HGV Class 1 Driver — Driver CPC current, national and European routes"
• ✅ "Private Hire Driver — TfL licensed, Central and Greater London"

2. Profile summary — worth including from 2 years' experience

For newly qualified or entry-level drivers, a licence and certificates section carries more weight than a profile summary. For experienced drivers, a short summary gives immediate context.

Example — HGV driver:

"HGV Class 1 driver with 9 years' experience in national haulage, specialised in express groupage. Driver CPC and ADR (base) current. Digital tachograph card held, 420,000 miles driven with no at-fault incidents."

Example — delivery driver:

"Delivery driver with 4 years' experience in urban last-mile distribution. Manages routes of 80–110 drops per day with a 97% first-time delivery rate. Confident using route optimisation apps and electronic proof of delivery."

3. Work experience — give the driving context, not just "delivered parcels"

For each role, state the vehicle type, the volume handled and the area covered. These three details let a recruiter picture your day-to-day immediately.

Example — delivery driver:

DPD, Manchester depot Delivery Driver — Permanent (2021 – present)

• Daily routes of 90–120 parcels across urban and suburban postcodes
• Handheld scanner use for proof of delivery and returns processing
• First-attempt delivery success rate consistently above 95%
• Trained two new drivers on route planning and handheld device use

Example — HGV driver:

Eddie Stobart, Birmingham depot HGV Class 1 Driver — Permanent (2018 – present)

• National and cross-Channel routes (UK, France, Belgium, Germany) on curtainsider trailers
• Full compliance with EU/UK drivers' hours and Working Time Directive rules
• Responsible for CMR documentation, delivery notes and customs paperwork post-Brexit
• No at-fault incidents in 6 years; vehicle checks and defect reporting completed daily

Example — private hire driver:

Self-employed, Greater London Private Hire Driver — TfL licensed (2020 – present)

• Over 6,000 trips completed via the Uber and Bolt platforms
• Average customer rating of 4.9/5 across the full period
• Strong working knowledge of central London routes and peak-time traffic patterns
• Vehicle maintained to private hire licensing standards (age, condition, insurance)

4. Licences, certificates and qualifications — a dedicated section

This is the core of a driver CV. Always state the exact category, the date obtained and, where relevant, the expiry date.

• Driving licence categories: B (car), C1 (up to 7.5t), C (rigid HGV), C+E (articulated HGV), D (PCV)
• Driver CPC — Initial Qualification and Periodic Training; state your 35-hour periodic training status and next deadline
• Digital tachograph card — mention if current; it is checked for regulated HGV work
• ADR certification — core, packages, tanks or class-specific modules depending on the goods carried
• Private hire driver licence — issued by TfL or the relevant local council; state the licensing authority and expiry date
• Forklift or FLT training if you also handle loading/unloading, naming the provider where relevant

5. Skills — go beyond "reliable and punctual"

For delivery drivers:

• Route optimisation, navigation apps (Google Maps, Circuit, ROUTE4ME)
• Manual handling, use of tail lifts and sack trucks
• Customer-facing delivery handling, managing returns and disputes

For HGV drivers:

• Fuel-efficient driving, digital tachograph reading
• Drivers' hours regulations, Working Time Directive, cabotage rules
• Load security, walk-around checks, paperwork (CMR, delivery notes)

For private hire drivers:

• Detailed local area knowledge and route planning
• Platform management (Uber, Bolt, Free Now) and self-employed status
• Customer service, conflict de-escalation, discretion

Common mistakes in a driver CV

Leaving out certificate expiry dates. Missing or expired Driver CPC training, tachograph card, ADR certificate or private hire licence can block an immediate start. Include the date obtained, the expiry date and the licensing authority where relevant.

Being vague about the vehicle type. "Drove lorries" says nothing useful. Specify the tonnage, body type (curtainsider, refrigerated, tipper, tanker) and the nature of the routes.

Omitting mileage and safety record. Annual mileage and a clean incident record are strong selling points in this sector — many candidates never mention them, even though they make a real difference.

Sending the same CV for last-mile and long-haul roles. A depot hiring for local delivery is not looking for the same strengths as an international haulage firm. Tailor the CV to the route type in the job advert rather than sending a generic document.

In summary

A strong driver CV:

• States the exact licence category and current certificates near the top of the document
• Specifies the vehicle type, route volume or trip count, and the area covered
• Quantifies mileage, on-time rate or customer rating wherever possible
• Is tailored to the segment applied for: last-mile delivery, long-haul HGV, or private hire

Further reading

• Logistics and supply chain resume: 2026 guide
• Certifications on a CV: which ones matter and how to list them

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