I've Seen A Multi Drop Delivery Driver Job Advertised, It Says It Requires A High Level Of Numeracy, Why?

[RATTER15]

Any ideas? Seems a bit strange to me.

[TWR]

That's the way Delivery jobs are going Naomi, no wonder there is a shortage, the only job in the country where you can get done for working too hard.

[Prudie]

They need to read and understand house numbers?

[aelmpvw]

I'd equate 'a high level of numeracy' with 'a' level mathematics so no, I don't understand why

[EDDIE51]

In this context 'high level of numeracy' means must own a calculator .

[douglas9401]

It's so you WILL be able to believe the number of idiots on the road when you're trying to get on with your work.

[Prudie]

I wouldn't put it that high, GCSE maybe. Numeracy to me means being competent with numbers, 4 rules and percentages etc. Not algebra,geometry etc

[naomi24]

TWR, it's Ratter's question, not mine. I wouldn't say they're looking for A-level maths, but I can only imagine the job involves keeping track of numbers of parcels loaded and unloaded. For example when our new kitchen was delivered it was in multiple parts. The driver had a huge checklist which he had to ensure tallied with what he'd unloaded. That's all I can think of really.

[aelmpvw]

i think the words 'a high level of' are superfluous

[mikey4444]

I think Prudie has it right here. So many people are leaving school with very poor levels of education, so I am not surprised that employers are asking such questions.

[fiction-factory]

I agree with Prudie. I'm not sure what they mean by 'high' but I think you'd be surprised at how many people can't recognise odd and even numbers, estimate how far number 30s from number 70 or work out how many minutes between 10:50 and 11:05. They may also need to keep some basic forms of accounts- e.g. number of deliveries made, number not made.
As for "the only job in the country where you can get done for working too hard" I don't understand that- many drivers are under pressure to squeeze in lots of deliveries and are paid by delivery- they need to pay own fuel costs and travel between deliveries in their own time.

[mikey4444]

I have regular deliveries from a major multi-drop courier, and we have become friends over the last 5 years. He is always telling me of drivers who have been sacked, because they leave packages at the wrong addresses. Its normally his job to clear up after them.

I also have a friend who is a middle manager with Royal Mail. When he is interviewing prospective candidates for new jobs, as Posties, he is always finding people who can't manage to add up properly and mix their numbers up.

He also tells me that some turn up for interview with a rolled up cigarette behind their ear, although that is off-topic I suppose !

[TWR]

F.F. you have answered the last part of your answer, the driver is under pressure.

[fiction-factory]

Ah, sorry - so when you said "get done for working too hard" you meant "get done for not working hard enough even when you are working too hard really". Yes, they are under pressure to meet targets or at least to earn enough to have a bit left over after they've paid for their own car and fuel

[douglas9401]

Apparently you failed the literacy part of the interview, fiction-factory. :-P

[fiction-factory]

Yep. I didn't want the job anyway, douglas

[TWR]

Some of these company's expect the drivers to run "BENT" F.F. up to the point of, if the driver said anything other I'm NOT, they have the choice.

[fiction-factory]

I've failed the literacy test again because I don't follow that at all, TWR, sorry

[TWR]

Driver A & Driver B goes in for their days work, Driver A say's I cant do that lot as I would run out of time & make me run Illigal, Driver A is given the choice, DO it or else, Been there, they tried it, hard luck mate, I do not, have not run BENT for no company.

[TWR]

Illegal.

[fiction-factory]

Okay thanks- I was picturing a courier crawling on hands and knees or bent over clutcjhing loads of parcels