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Beverage Distribution
PepsiCo, Coca-Cola Consolidated, Keurig Dr Pepper
Driver/Sales Workers
Driver/sales workers spend most of the day on the road, delivering goods, restocking equipment, and collecting payment from regular customers. The job stands out because it mixes driving with direct sales and customer service, so the work is as much about keeping accounts and relationships in order as it is about moving product. The tradeoff is that the pay is modest for a physically demanding, customer-facing role, but the entry bar is low and the work is steady.
Also known as Route Sales DriverDriver Sales RepresentativeRoute SalespersonDelivery Sales DriverRoute Delivery Driver
Median Salary
$37,130
Mean $39,670
U.S. Workforce
~417K
51.3K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+8.8%
451.5K to 491.3K
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Driver/Sales Workers sits in the Business category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~417K workers, with a median annual pay of $37,130 and roughly 51.3K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 451.5 K in 2024 to 491.3K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma or equivalent, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Route Helper / Delivery Assistant and can progress toward Route Sales Supervisor. High-value skills usually include Commercial Vehicle Operation & Pre-Trip Inspections, GPS Routing, Route Planning & Electronic Logging Devices, and Cash Handling, POS Systems & Receipt Reconciliation, paired with soft skills such as Active Listening, Speaking, and Service Orientation.
Core Responsibilities
- Drive a truck or van along a set route to drop off food, newspapers, medical supplies, or other products.
- Refill vending machines or store displays, take out old items, and set up promotional materials for customers.
- Let regular customers know about new products, service changes, and price updates.
- Collect cash or other payments, make change, and hand over receipts.
Keep exploring: more Business careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Drive a truck or van along a set route to drop off food, newspapers, medical supplies, or other products.
02 Refill vending machines or store displays, take out old items, and set up promotional materials for customers.
03 Let regular customers know about new products, service changes, and price updates.
04 Collect cash or other payments, make change, and hand over receipts.
05 Write down each delivery, sale, and payment so the day's records stay accurate.
06 Clean the vehicle and servicing equipment, and handle small maintenance issues or report bigger problems.
Industries That Hire
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Foodservice Supply
Sysco, US Foods, Performance Food Group
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Medical Supply Distribution
McKesson, Cardinal Health, Medline
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Vending and Micro Markets
Canteen, Aramark, Sodexo
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Newspaper and Print Delivery
Gannett, The New York Times, Lee Enterprises
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can enter the field with a high school diploma and short-term on-the-job training, so the barrier to starting is relatively low.
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The job has a large and steady labor market, with 417,420 workers now and about 51.3 thousand annual openings.
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You work with real products and real customers every day, which is a good fit if you prefer hands-on work over a desk job.
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There is variety in the industries that hire for this role, from food and beverages to medical supplies and vending services.
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The route structure gives the day a clear rhythm, with defined stops, set responsibilities, and concrete results you can see immediately.
Challenges
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The pay is not especially strong for the amount of work: the median is $37,130 and the mean is $39,670.
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The job is physically demanding because it involves driving, lifting, stocking, cleaning equipment, and moving products throughout the day.
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A lot of the work is customer-facing, including complaints, payment collection, and service issues, so mistakes can quickly become tense conversations.
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Growth is positive but not explosive at 8.8% through 2034, so this is a stable field rather than a fast-rising one.
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The career ceiling can be limited unless you move into supervision, dispatch, or a different sales role, and route automation or centralized distribution can reduce some stop-heavy work over time.
Career Progression
Route Helper / Delivery Assistant
0-1 years
$29K-$34K
New workers usually ride along, help unload product, and learn the route, customers, and payment process.
Driver/Sales Worker
1-4 years
$35K-$41K
Workers run their own route, deliver goods, restock products, collect payments, and handle routine customer issues.
Senior Driver/Sales Worker THIS ROLE
4-8 years
$42K-$48K
Experienced workers take on more complex routes, larger accounts, and extra responsibility for records and service quality.
Route Sales Supervisor
8-12 years
$49K-$58K
Supervisors coach drivers, monitor route performance, and help solve customer or logistics problems across a team.
Education Paths
High school diploma or equivalent
BLS lists this as the typical entry point for the job, and it matches the low training barrier of the role.
Post-secondary certificate
This is the most common formal education level in the O*NET distribution, held by 44% of workers in this role.
Commercial driver's license and employer route training
A CDL plus short employer training can be enough for applicants who want to move directly into driving and delivery work, even though it is not the main education pattern in the distribution.
Key Skills
Technical
Commercial Vehicle Operation & Pre-Trip Inspections 92%
GPS Routing, Route Planning & Electronic Logging Devices 90%
Cash Handling, POS Systems & Receipt Reconciliation 86%
Route Accounting, Delivery Logs & Mobile Order Entry 84%
Merchandising Displays, Stock Rotation & Inventory Replenishment 82%
Vending Machine Servicing & Basic Equipment Maintenance 80%
Soft Skills
Active ListeningSpeakingService OrientationSocial PerceptivenessTime ManagementCritical Thinking Job Outlook and Trends
+8.8%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
51.3K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 451.5K to 491.3 K over the next decade, representing 8.8% growth. Around 51.3 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.