Class C + E Driver

The department and team

24 hours a week, working Saturday and Sunday

apetito is the UK’s leading supplier of food and catering solutions to care homes, local authorities & hospitals and the transport and distribution area of the business is a critically important part of our supply chain.

Our drivers are the key link between our business and the customers we work with; ensuring our work is delivered professionally, efficiently and on time.

Your regular hours will be 6am to 6pm Saturday and Sunday. 24 hours per week. 

The main function of this role will be to transport frozen goods between our Factory in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, and national warehouse at our transport hub in Portbury, Somerset. 

However, you must be prepared to drive to locations across the country and manage a demanding delivery schedule – our customers depend on our food and we depend on you. 

Who we are

We’re the leading food producer for the health and social care sector, providing delicious, nutritious and sustainable meals for people at home or in care.

We’re also the parent company of Wiltshire Farm Foods, the UK’s premier home-delivery service for ready-made meals.

Through our wide range of well-presented, nutritious meals to suit every taste and dietary need, we aim to make a real difference to lives of elderly and vulnerable people in care

.

We’re proud to be a Living Wage employer and member of the Ethical Trading Initiative. We support British food and farming and operate a successful programme of waste reduction and resource efficiency across our whole business.

In addition to your salary you will receive a comprehensive training program, 33 days annual leave holiday entitlement, the ability to buy additional annual leave, retail discounts, free car parking, free turkey (or voucher) at Christmas and much more!

• Undertake pre & post trip vehicle inspections to ensure road worthiness
• Full compliance with drivers’ hours, tachographs and road traffic regulations.
• Driving style - damage free and economical.
• Be an ambassador of the company.
• Undertake minor vehicle service activity such as cleaning and refuelling of both vehicle and refrigerator
• Maintenance of a clean vehicle both internally and externally.
• Delivery and collection of vehicles as required to rental suppliers including any due inspections
• Inspection of hire vehicles pre and post rental
• Actively participate in a daily debrief process, working with your supervisor to identify safety, service and operational improvements as and when they arise
• Supervise and assist with loading activities at the Cross dock sites.

Essential:

• Full Class C+E Licence
• 2-3 years C+E driving experience
• Customer Service experience
• Excellent understanding of driver hours regulations, working time directive and tachographs
• Good operational knowledge of modern commercial vehicles
• Good geographical knowledge of UK
• Driver CPC

Desirable:

• Clean driving license
• Experince driving temperature controlled vehicles.
• Experience of multi drop deliveries
• Experience operating tail lifts & double deck trailers
• Experience working with wheeled delivery equipment

Personal Qualities:

• Able to demonstrate excellent communication skills at all levels towards both customers and colleagues
• Able to juggle the demands of a busy schedule, traffic conditions and other road users with safety, customer service and time / efficiency targets
• Must be calm under pressure
• High standard of personal presentation to uphold the company brand, including uniform / vehicle cleanliness
• Flexible and responsive to business needs e.g. if required to complete a different route/start at different time on occasions
• Must be physically active due to the nature and demands of the role; for example dealing with heavy goods and moving loaded dollies over uneven ground

Circumstances:

• Must be prepared to drive in different weather conditions.
• Must live within a reasonable travelling distance to the depot.
• The driver needs to show a great deal of flexibility within this role as the work will be varied and there may be changes to start times if required to cover another night trunk