How to Write a CV for a Van Driver Job in the UK (2024 Guide)

Landing a van driver job in the UK is more competitive than many people expect. With logistics and delivery roles booming thanks to e-commerce growth, employers are still selective — and a poorly written CV will see you overlooked before you've had a chance to prove yourself behind the wheel. Whether you're applying for a multi-drop delivery role, a courier position, or a specialist transport job, your CV needs to do serious work. This guide walks you through exactly what to include, how to structure it, and the common mistakes that cost drivers interviews every single day.

Start With a Strong Personal Statement

Your personal statement sits at the very top of your CV, directly below your name and contact details. It should be three to four sentences that immediately tell the hiring manager who you are, what you offer, and the type of role you're targeting. For a van driver position, lead with your licence category, years of experience, and your strongest selling point — whether that's a clean licence, knowledge of a particular region, or experience with time-critical deliveries. For example: 'Reliable and punctual van driver with over five years of multi-drop delivery experience across Greater Manchester. Holder of a full UK Category B licence with zero penalty points. Known for outstanding customer service and accurate proof-of-delivery completion.' Avoid vague openers like 'hardworking individual seeking an opportunity.' Be specific. Recruiters scan dozens of CVs daily — a sharp, relevant personal statement makes you memorable from the first line.

List Your Licences and Certifications Clearly

Licences are the single most important credential for any driving role, so make them impossible to miss. Create a dedicated section near the top of your CV — immediately after your personal statement — and list every relevant qualification. Include your full UK driving licence category (B for standard vans, C1 for larger vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes), your licence number if you're comfortable sharing it, and your expiry date. Also list your Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) if applicable, your DVLA-issued digital tachograph card, any ADR certification if you carry hazardous goods, and your Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check status if you've had one conducted. Don't bury these details inside a job description — employers need to see them at a glance. If your licence is clean, say so explicitly. A clean licence is a genuine competitive advantage and many employers ask about it directly in job adverts.

Write Your Work Experience the Right Way

List your work history in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent role. For each position, include the company name, your job title, the dates you worked there, and four to six bullet points describing your key responsibilities and achievements. Generic bullet points like 'responsible for driving a van' add no value. Instead, be specific and results-focused. For example: 'Completed an average of 80 multi-drop deliveries per day across South London with a 98% on-time delivery rate.' Or: 'Reduced route completion time by 15% by proactively planning daily schedules using Google Maps and local knowledge.' If you've worked for well-known logistics companies such as DPD, Amazon Logistics, Hermes, or Royal Mail, name them — brand recognition matters. If you have gaps in your employment history, be prepared to address them briefly. Honesty is always the best policy, and a short explanation is far better than leaving a recruiter to draw their own conclusions.

Highlight the Skills That Employers Actually Want

A dedicated skills section lets you quickly signal your suitability for the role. For van driver jobs, the most in-demand skills include safe and defensive driving, route planning and navigation, time management, customer-facing communication, manual handling, vehicle checks and basic maintenance, and familiarity with handheld scanning devices or delivery apps. Tailor this list to the job advert in front of you. If the employer mentions they use a specific system like Paragon routing software or a particular type of tail-lift vehicle, reference your experience with it directly. Soft skills matter too — punctuality, reliability, and a professional attitude towards customers can genuinely set you apart, especially for roles that involve doorstep deliveries. Tools like StackedCV.com can help you identify the specific keywords from a job description and weave them into your CV naturally, improving your chances of passing applicant tracking systems used by larger logistics firms.

Format Your CV for Maximum Readability

Hiring managers in transport and logistics are often time-pressed. A cluttered, hard-to-read CV will be skipped over instantly. Keep your CV to two pages maximum — one page if you have under three years of experience. Use a clean, professional font such as Arial or Calibri at size 10 to 12. Use clear headings, consistent formatting, and bullet points rather than dense paragraphs. Avoid graphics, photos, coloured backgrounds, and tables — these can cause issues if your CV is uploaded to an applicant tracking system (ATS), which many larger employers use to screen applications before a human ever sees them. Save your CV as a PDF to preserve formatting, unless the job advert specifically asks for a Word document. Make sure your contact details are prominent: full name, phone number, email address, and your general location — you don't need to include your full home address. A well-formatted CV signals professionalism before an employer has read a single word.

Tailor Your CV for Every Application

One of the most common mistakes job seekers make is sending the same generic CV to every employer. Even small tweaks can dramatically improve your response rate. Read each job advert carefully and mirror the language used. If the advert says 'multi-drop delivery driver,' use that exact phrase. If it emphasises customer service, make sure your CV reflects strong customer interaction experience. Check what vehicle types are mentioned and confirm yours match. Adjust your personal statement for each role so it speaks directly to what that particular employer needs. This doesn't mean rewriting your entire CV from scratch — it means spending five to ten minutes customising the top third of your document. If you're applying for multiple roles at once, StackedCV.com can speed up this process significantly by rewriting and optimising your CV around a specific job description using AI, saving you hours of manual editing while ensuring your application is genuinely competitive.

A strong van driver CV is not about padding it with unnecessary detail — it's about making it instantly clear that you have the licence, the experience, and the professionalism an employer needs. Lead with your credentials, be specific about your achievements, and tailor every application to the role in front of you. If you want to give yourself the best possible chance, head over to StackedCV.com and let our AI-powered CV rewriter transform your existing CV into one that gets noticed. With the right CV, your next delivery role could be just one application away.