Service Driver / Route Operative
Full-time
Based at our Chelford depot (SK11 9BS). Routes across Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Lancashire, Merseyside, North Wales, and the West Midlands. Working Monday to Friday, 07:30 to 16:30 (42.5 hours/week). Occasional Saturday event work paid as overtime.
You will be the face of Chelford Mobile Services on every site we visit — delivering, servicing, and collecting portable toilets, luxury toilet trailers, shower trailers, and welfare units. Most of our customers see you more often than anyone else in the business, so how you carry yourself matters. This is not a desk job. You will be outside, on your feet, driving between sites, and doing genuinely useful physical work. If you take pride in turning up when you said you would and leaving a site better than you found it, you will fit in well here.
What you will do
- On the road: drive company vehicles (typically a 3.5T Mercedes Sprinter vacuum tanker, with progression to larger vehicles available) along assigned routes
- On the road: plan the day's job sheet efficiently — we give you the route, you find the best way to run it
- On the road: navigate to event venues, construction sites, private addresses, and farms across our nine-county coverage area
- At each site: deliver portable toilets, welfare units, and trailers to customer locations
- At each site: position units safely on firm, level ground, with clear access and appropriate setback from traffic
- At each site: empty waste tanks using the vacuum pump system
- At each site: clean interiors thoroughly — floors, seats, walls, door handles
- At each site: restock consumables (toilet roll, hand sanitiser, soap, paper towels)
- At each site: refill fresh water and top up chemical treatment
- At each site: check hinges, locks, and lighting — flag anything that needs repair back to base
- At each site: collect units at end of hire, cleaning down before return loading
- At each site: hand over service notes and waste transfer documentation to site contacts where required
- Around your vehicle: complete daily walk-around inspections before leaving the depot — tyres, lights, fluid levels, bodywork
- Around your vehicle: keep the vehicle clean, organised, and stocked with consumables
- Around your vehicle: log mileage, fuel, and service visits accurately
- Around your vehicle: report any mechanical issues or damage immediately so we can fix them before they become problems
- With customers: introduce yourself on arrival — a quick "hello, I'm [name] from CMS" goes a long way
- With customers: answer practical questions from site managers, event organisers, couples, and homeowners
- With customers: represent CMS as the direct operator — not an agency driver, not a subcontractor
- With customers: report back any feedback we should know about
What you will need
- Essential: full UK driving licence with no more than 6 penalty points
- Essential: reliable, punctual, and presentable — you are the face of CMS on every job
- Essential: physically capable of manual handling — you will lift, push, pull, and be on your feet most of the day (up to ~25kg regularly)
- Essential: good communication skills — plain, polite, and straightforward with customers
- Essential: able to work independently without constant supervision
- Essential: comfortable with basic problem-solving on site (tight access, soft ground, unexpected access constraints)
- Desirable: Class C (7.5T+) or Class C1 driving licence for larger welfare units and trailers
- Desirable: Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) — required for larger vehicles; we can support you through this if you have the right base licence
- Desirable: previous experience in portable sanitation, vacuum tanker operation, plant hire delivery, waste collection, or a similar route-based role
- Desirable: familiarity with the North West / Midlands road network
- Desirable: basic awareness of CDM 2015 welfare requirements (we will train you on the specifics)
- Not required: previous portable toilet experience — we will train you fully
- Not required: a university qualification — common sense, a good attitude, and physical capability matter more
- Compliance: you will complete a basic health screening during induction
- Compliance: satisfactory references required prior to offer; background check under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
- Compliance: you will operate under UK drivers' hours regulations (tachograph where applicable)
- What we provide: direct employment via PAYE (no umbrella companies, no agency fees, no zero-hours contract)
- What we provide: comprehensive paid induction, typically one week covering vehicle operation, servicing, waste handling, documentation, and customer-facing skills
- What we provide: modern, well-maintained CMS-owned company vehicle
- What we provide: all uniform and PPE (hi-vis, safety boots, gloves, eye protection, waterproofs — replaced as it wears)
- What we provide: monthly toolbox talks covering safety, technique, regulations, and customer service
- What we provide: 28 days holiday including bank holidays, plus Christmas closure
- What we provide: workplace pension scheme
- What we provide: progression routes to larger vehicles (Class C), supervisor positions, and operational coordination for the right people