Dangerous Goods Driver
Snapshot
Dangerous goods drivers transport fuel and bulk liquid, hazardous products and chemicals by road.
Dangerous goods drivers are skilled professionals who transport fuel, bulk liquids, hazardous products, and chemicals by road. This role demands a high level of responsibility, attention to detail, and adherence to strict safety regulations. Your work directly impacts the safe delivery of critical resources, and requires you to be well-versed in handling and transporting potentially hazardous materials.
- • Planning routes and ensuring compliance with transport regulations for dangerous goods.
- • Conducting pre-departure vehicle checks and ensuring all safety equipment is functioning correctly.
- • Loading, securing, and unloading dangerous goods according to established procedures.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Figures cover Drivers and mobile plant operators — 52 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and 15 more.
Longest-running shortage: Belgium, 3 years.
Where it is regulated, your qualification would need formal recognition before you could practise.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person’s chances. It describes a market.
Reported demand · Typical pay · Where it is heading (United States, Ireland, Australia, Malta, United Kingdom)
| Reported demand | Typical pay | Where it is heading | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Not reported | $49,450 2025-05 | +1% 2024–2034 · BLS 2024-2034 |
| Ireland | Shortage reported ELA/EURES 2025 * | — | +11.2% 2023–2035 · Cedefop 2026 * |
| Australia | Shortage reported Jobs and Skills Australia 2025 * | — | — |
| Malta | Shortage reported ELA/EURES 2024 * | — | +47.9% 2023–2035 · Cedefop 2026 * |
| United Kingdom | Not reported | £39,141 2025-provisional | — |
* Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS)
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Open Government Licence v3.0
Do you guide students, clients or employees? Use this occupation data in your organisation.
Future Outlook for dangerous goods driver
The outlook for dangerous goods driver reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could dangerous goods driver change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
Model-based estimate. Use it as a planning signal, not a guarantee.
Compare this to your profile
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- revise certifications for dangerous good transportation
- interpret traffic signals
- use different communication channels
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- operate GPS systems
- check dangerous goods transport unit
- operate emergency equipment
Tasks most exposed to automation
- maintain logbooks
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Supply Chain & Transportation
A typical day as a dangerous goods driver
09 09:00 · Morning revise certifications for dangerous good transportation
10 10:30 · Mid-morning anticipate foreseeable problems on the road
12 12:00 · Midday control the performance of the vehicle
14 14:00 · Afternoon maintain logbooks
15 15:30 · Late afternoon parallel park vehicles
17 17:00 · Wrap-up perform defensive driving
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
What you need to do this work
The skills, knowledge and tools this role calls for — and the traits and rewards that come with it.
-
control the performance of the vehicle
Understand and anticipate the performance and behaviour of a vehicle. Comprehend concepts such as lateral stability, acceleration, and braking distance.
-
anticipate foreseeable problems on the road
Anticipate problems on the road such as punctures, pursuit driving, understeering or, oversteering.
-
practice emergency stops
Practice emergency stops. Know the interchange with anti-lock braking systems (ABS), as this must to be disabled before the execution of an emergency stop.
-
parallel park vehicles
Parallel park motorised vehicles in a variety of spaces.
-
perform defensive driving
Drive defensively to maximise road safety and save time, money, and lives; anticipate the actions of other road users.
-
maintain logbooks
Maintain the required logbooks according to practice and in established formats.
-
operate emergency equipment
Utilise emergency equipment and tools such as fire extinguishers, wheel chocks, pocket lamps, and warning signs.
-
use different communication channels
Make use of various types of communication channels such as verbal, handwritten, digital and telephonic communication with the purpose of constructing and sharing ideas or information.
-
revise certifications for dangerous good transportation
Check if the goods to be transported and their certifications meet regulations , ensure that certifications correspond to the goods. Drivers must ensure that they secure the load to their vehicle, which for dangerous goods requires a signed packing certificate (this certificate may form part of the Dangerous Goods Note).
-
transport dangerous goods
Classify, pack, mark, label and document dangerous goods, such as explosive materials, gases and flammable liquids. Adhere to international and national regulations.
-
check dangerous goods transport unit
Ensure that a vehicle about to transport dangerous materials complies with safety and legal regulations. Perform visual checks to identify and report leaks or other forms of damage.
-
stay alert
Stay focused and alert at all times; react quickly in the case of unexpected events. Concentrate and do not get distracted performing a task over a long period of time.
-
manoeuvre heavy trucks
Drive, manoeuvre and park tractors, trailers and lorries on roads, around tight corners, and in parking spaces.
-
operate GPS systems
Use GPS Systems.
mechanical components of vehicles
The mechanical components used in vehicles, their maintenance needs, potential malfunctions and resolution actions.
vehicle cargo capacity
The capacity and the limits of the commissioned vehicle in terms of weight, type of cargo it can handle, and other cargo loading specifications.
international carriage of dangerous goods by road
The fundamental principals and requirements laid in the Agreement of 30 September 1957 concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR). The purpose of ADR is to ensure that dangerous materials, including chemicals and hazardous waste, are able to cross international borders as long as vehicles and drivers are in compliance with regulations.
- hazards associated with loading dangerous goods
- health and safety measures in transportation
- transport topography
Path to become a dangerous goods driver
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Upper secondary education
Regulated in 7 countries on record. Minimum EQF 3–4, depending on the country.
Reflects the EU regulated-professions database. Not legal advice — confirm requirements with the relevant national authority before relying on this for a career or immigration decision.
20 programmes in 11 countries teach the core skills of this job. Plus 282 short courses that build single skills.
A few examples, taught in the language of this page:
Universal College of Learning · New Zealand
Työtehoseura ry · Finland
Certificate in Customs and Dangerous Goods Awareness
South East Technological University · Ireland
These are 3 of 302.
Sources
- 1. Source: Study with New Zealand (studywithnewzealand.govt.nz), Education New Zealand. Copyright in the material is owned by Education New Zealand (All content (c) Education New Zealand). Listings are provided by the education providers, are for information and promotional purposes only, and are not endorsed by Education New Zealand; each provider is responsible for its own content.
- 2. Source: Opintopolku.fi (Finnish National Agency for Education)
- 3. Source: Europass Qualification Dataset Register (European Commission)
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does dangerous goods driver fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
For organisations
The data on this page, working for your students, clients and staff.
Frequently asked questions
What specific training is required to become a dangerous goods driver?
What are the key personality traits that would make me successful in this role?
What are the typical work conditions for a dangerous goods driver?
How much does Dangerous Goods Driver pay in the United States?
Is Dangerous Goods Driver a regulated profession?
Sources: ESCO O*NET ELA/EURES Cedefop BLS Data updated October 3, 2026 About our data