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Shunt Driver

Loading, unloading, moving and organizing.

How would you like to be responsible for thousands of dollars worth of goods without having to travel very far to ensure that everything reaches its destination? That's exactly what you'll do as a Shunt Driver. Before goods get moved or shipped, it will be up to you to make sure that things are precisely where they need to be. So if you're looking to get started in trucking, consider a career as a Shunt Driver. Where you go from here is up to you!

How do I get to be a Shunt Driver?

Here are some conditions you may have to meet to become a Shunt Driver:

Education
Although there are no specific mandatory education requirements, most companies require new employees to have at least a high school diploma. As a Shunt Driver, you'll likely have to follow a regular commercial driver training program and be employed “shunting” in order to fine-tune your backing/parking/docking skills. “Shunting” is an excellent way to gain behind-the-wheel experience if you would like to eventually become a Professional Driver.

Technical Training/Certification/Licensing
 This is usually dependent on where you live. Employers have different requirements, such as regular refresher training or specific training. Examples include:
  • training to obtain a Class 3 (Ontario Class D) licence (straight truck) or Class 1 (Ontario Class A) licence (articulated trucks)
  • air brake endorsement (if air brakes are employed on the equipment you'll be driving)
  • Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) endorsements (if you are transporting hazardous materials)
  • other Occupational Health and Safety (OH+S) training may be required (first aid, Workplace Hazardous Materials Information Systems, etc.)
Physical/Medical
Generally, there is no specific physical or medical requirement. However, some Shunt Drivers may have to help load and unload trailers, which calls for a reasonable level of physical fitness.

Language
There is no specific language requirement to work as a Shunt Driver.

Other Attributes
Strong customer service and communication skills are useful.