Salary guide
What transport and warehouse jobs pay in the UK
64 jobs, from the PPT on the shed floor to the tanker on the motorway and the planner in the office. Yearly ranges seen in real UK adverts in 2026, with the hourly rate they work out at on a 40 hour week.
Jump to: Lorry drivers · Vans, buses and delivery · Forklifts and warehouse machines · The warehouse floor · Planning, office and specialist · Supervisors and managers · More transport and warehouse jobs
Lorry drivers
Class 1 and Class 2, and the specialist work that pays more for a ticket or a skill.
| Job | A year | An hour, 40 hour week | Tickets or licence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 1 driver | £32,000 to £45,000 | about £15.38 to £21.63 | Class 1 licence, Driver CPC, digital tacho card |
| Class 1 night driver | £38,000 to £50,000 | about £18.27 to £24.04 | Class 1 licence, Driver CPC, digital tacho card |
| Tramping driver | £40,000 to £52,000 | about £19.23 to £25.00 | Class 1 licence, CPC, tacho card, and a sleeper cab |
| Class 2 driver | £27,000 to £35,000 | about £12.98 to £16.83 | Class 2 licence, Driver CPC, tacho card |
| 7.5 tonne driver | £26,000 to £33,000 | about £12.50 to £15.87 | C1 licence, or a full car licence issued before 1997, plus CPC |
| Dray driver | £28,000 to £36,000 | about £13.46 to £17.31 | Class 2 usually, sometimes Class 1. Heavy manual handling and cellar work, so the advert should say the weights and whether there is a second man |
| Tipper driver | £30,000 to £40,000 | about £14.42 to £19.23 | Class 2 usually, CPC, and often a CSCS card for site work |
| Skip lorry driver | £30,000 to £38,000 | about £14.42 to £18.27 | Class 2, CPC, tacho card |
| HIAB driver | £33,000 to £45,000 | about £15.87 to £21.63 | Class 1 or 2, plus a lorry loader ticket such as ALLMI or CPCS |
| Flat bed driver | £36,000 to £48,000 | about £17.31 to £23.08 | Class 1 or 2, CPC, tacho card, and the load security work is yours: straps, sheets, chains and knowing how to build a load that stays put |
| Moffett driver | £36,000 to £48,000 | about £17.31 to £23.08 | Class 2 usually, plus a truck mounted forklift ticket. Builders merchants and timber yards want this one all year |
| Container driver | £38,000 to £50,000 | about £18.27 to £24.04 | Class 1, CPC, tacho card, and often a port pass. Twist locks, pins and a lot of waiting at the terminal |
| Double deck driver | £38,000 to £50,000 | about £18.27 to £24.04 | Class 1, CPC, and confidence with height: bridges, canopies and yards that were not built for a 4.9 metre trailer |
| ADR driver | £38,000 to £52,000 | about £18.27 to £25.00 | ADR certificate for the relevant classes, Class 1 or 2, CPC, tacho card |
| Tanker driver | £40,000 to £55,000 | about £19.23 to £26.44 | Class 1, ADR with tanks, CPC, and usually a driving assessment |
| Coil driver | £40,000 to £55,000 | about £19.23 to £26.44 | Class 1, CPC, and coil experience specifically. A coil that moves goes through the cab, so firms want somebody who has strapped one before |
| Abnormal load driver | £40,000 to £58,000 | about £19.23 to £27.88 | Class 1, CPC, tacho card, and experience of STGO categories, notifications to the police and highway authorities, and running with an escort |
Vans, buses and delivery
Driving on a car licence or a bus licence.
| Job | A year | An hour, 40 hour week | Tickets or licence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Van driver | £24,800 to £30,000 | about £11.92 to £14.42 | Full car licence, sometimes a clean one |
| Delivery driver | £24,800 to £30,000 | about £11.92 to £14.42 | Full licence, DBS for some contracts |
| Multi drop driver | £24,800 to £32,000 | about £11.92 to £15.38 | Full licence, and a clean one for most contracts |
| Postal worker | £24,800 to £28,000 | about £11.92 to £13.46 | None to start, a driving licence for delivery rounds |
| Bus and coach driver | £28,000 to £38,000 | about £13.46 to £18.27 | Category D or D1 licence, Driver CPC, tacho card |
| Taxi driver | Self employed, about £25,000 to £35,000 | about £12.02 to £16.83 | A private hire or hackney licence from the council |
Forklifts and warehouse machines
Every truck needs its own ticket. The narrower the aisle and the higher the rack, the better it pays.
| Job | A year | An hour, 40 hour week | Tickets or licence |
|---|---|---|---|
| PPT operative | £24,800 to £29,000 | about £11.92 to £13.94 | A certificate of basic training for the truck, which is NOT a licence. There is no such thing as a forklift licence |
| LLOP and pallet truck driver | £24,800 to £30,000 | about £11.92 to £14.42 | An LLOP or PPT ticket, RTITB or ITSSAR. It is the quickest ticket to get and the one most warehouses ask for first |
| Forklift driver | £24,800 to £31,000 | about £11.92 to £14.90 | RTITB or ITSSAR counterbalance or reach ticket |
| FLT driver | £25,000 to £32,000 | about £12.02 to £15.38 | RTITB or ITSSAR counterbalance ticket, in date |
| Counterbalance FLT driver | £25,000 to £32,000 | about £12.02 to £15.38 | RTITB or ITSSAR counterbalance ticket, normally valid three years and then a refresher rather than the whole course again |
| Reach truck driver | £26,000 to £33,000 | about £12.50 to £15.87 | RTITB or ITSSAR reach ticket, in date |
| Flexi and Bendi driver | £29,000 to £38,000 | about £13.94 to £18.27 | A Flexi or Bendi ticket specifically. It is not covered by counterbalance or reach, and warehouses pay more for it because fewer people hold it |
| VNA driver | £28,000 to £36,000 | about £13.46 to £17.31 | VNA ticket, in date, and a head for heights |
The warehouse floor
Inbound and outbound: receiving, putting away, picking, packing and despatch.
| Job | A year | An hour, 40 hour week | Tickets or licence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warehouse operative | £24,800 to £30,000 | about £11.92 to £14.42 | None to start, forklift ticket to progress |
| Goods in operative | £24,800 to £29,000 | about £11.92 to £13.94 | None to start. A forklift ticket puts you ahead |
| Order picker | £24,800 to £28,000 | about £11.92 to £13.46 | None generally. A rate target and steel toe caps, and the employer provides any cold store kit free |
| Packer | £24,800 to £27,000 | about £11.92 to £12.98 | None generally, and lifting given in kilograms rather than as fitness |
| Despatch clerk | £24,800 to £30,000 | about £11.92 to £14.42 | None to start. Knowing the paperwork for exports is worth money |
| Stock controller | £25,000 to £33,000 | about £12.02 to £15.87 | Warehouse system experience, and being comfortable with a spreadsheet |
Planning, office and specialist
The people who plan the loads, clear the paperwork and keep the fleet legal.
| Job | A year | An hour, 40 hour week | Tickets or licence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transport clerk | £24,800 to £30,000 | about £11.92 to £14.42 | None to start. Tacho analysis and WTD knowledge get you the job |
| Transport planner | £28,000 to £40,000 | about £13.46 to £19.23 | Experience, CPC in road haulage to manage |
| Logistics coordinator | £27,000 to £36,000 | about £12.98 to £17.31 | Experience. A CILT qualification helps at the bigger firms |
| Freight forwarder | £26,000 to £36,000 | about £12.50 to £17.31 | Incoterms and shipping documents, training given |
| Customs clearance agent | £26,000 to £35,000 | about £12.50 to £16.83 | CDS experience helps, training given |
| Transport compliance officer | £32,000 to £45,000 | about £15.38 to £21.63 | Drivers' hours and Working Time Directive knowledge, tacho analysis, and an understanding of what keeps an operator's licence intact |
| HGV technician | £36,000 to £50,000 | about £17.31 to £24.04 | Level 3 in heavy vehicle maintenance, and an MOT tester qualification is worth more again. IRTEC is asked for by the bigger fleets |
| Dangerous goods safety adviser | £45,000 to £70,000 | about £21.63 to £33.65 | The DGSA certificate, examined by the SQA and valid five years. Any firm carrying dangerous goods above the threshold must appoint one by law, which is why there are more vacancies than people |
Supervisors and managers
Running a shift, a shed or a fleet.
| Job | A year | An hour, 40 hour week | Tickets or licence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warehouse supervisor | £28,000 to £36,000 | about £13.46 to £17.31 | Experience on the floor, a forklift ticket, and first aid or fire marshal training often asked for |
| Transport supervisor | £32,000 to £42,000 | about £15.38 to £20.19 | Driving background usually expected, CPC in road haulage often asked for |
| Warehouse manager | £35,000 to £50,000 | about £16.83 to £24.04 | Experience running a shift, IOSH or NEBOSH often expected |
| Transport manager | £38,000 to £55,000 | about £18.27 to £26.44 | Transport Manager CPC, and a name on the operator's licence |
| Logistics manager | £38,000 to £55,000 | about £18.27 to £26.44 | CILT helps |
| Operations manager | £40,000 to £65,000 | about £19.23 to £31.25 | Leading teams over several shifts, budgets |
More transport and warehouse jobs
Specialist and less common roles across the trade.
| Job | A year | An hour, 40 hour week | Tickets or licence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warehouse administrator | £24,800 to £28,000 | about £11.92 to £13.46 | None to start |
| Yard shunter | £27,000 to £35,000 | about £12.98 to £16.83 | Category C+E licence usually, Driver CPC card |
| Removals driver | £26,000 to £34,000 | about £12.50 to £16.35 | Category C or C1 licence, Driver CPC card |
| Removals porter | £24,800 to £27,000 | about £11.92 to £12.98 | None to start |
| Driver's mate | £24,800 to £27,000 | about £11.92 to £12.98 | None to start |
| Minibus driver | £24,800 to £29,000 | about £11.92 to £13.94 | Category D1 licence, Driver CPC card, enhanced DBS for school runs |
| Concrete mixer driver | £32,000 to £40,000 | about £15.38 to £19.23 | Category C licence, Driver CPC card |
| Grab lorry driver | £32,000 to £40,000 | about £15.38 to £19.23 | Category C licence, Driver CPC card, lorry loader ticket |
| Car transporter driver | £34,000 to £45,000 | about £16.35 to £21.63 | Category C+E licence, Driver CPC card |
| Returns operative | £24,800 to £26,500 | about £11.92 to £12.74 | None to start |
| Parcel sorter | £24,800 to £26,500 | about £11.92 to £12.74 | None to start |
| Livestock driver | £32,000 to £42,000 | about £15.38 to £20.19 | Category C+E licence, Driver CPC, certificate of competence for animal transport |
| Import and export coordinator | £26,000 to £34,000 | about £12.50 to £16.35 | None generally, customs knowledge helps |
What moves the figure up or down
- Nights and weekends. Usually a few pounds an hour more, or a better base rate.
- Tickets. ADR, Hiab, Moffett, VNA and bendi add real money because fewer people hold them.
- Nights out. Tramping work usually pays a night out allowance on top, commonly about £25 to £35 a night in adverts. Ask whether it is paid for every night away and whether parking at a truck stop is refunded.
- Where you are. London and the South East pay more; so do the big distribution hubs in the Midlands when they are short.
- Agency or direct. Agency rates can look higher per hour; check holiday pay, guaranteed hours and how you are paid (PAYE or umbrella).
The floor nobody can go under
The National Living Wage for anybody 21 and over is £12.71 an hour. Any job paying less, for any reason, is breaking the law. Work out your own take home pay with the free calculator, and see what live adverts on this board are paying on what the work pays.
Every advert on HIRING UK shows the pay, a figure or a range. No "competitive", no "negotiable".
These are advertised ranges, not a survey of what people take home, and they are ranges because the same job pays differently in Birmingham and in London. If one looks wrong for your area, tell us and we will check it. More detail on the bigger trades in the job profiles.
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