Shunter Driver
Job description
Original text imported from Reed
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Vehicle Shunting and Yard Operations
- Safely shunt and manoeuvre waste collection vehicles, trailers, and associated plant within the depot and waste transfer station.
- Position vehicles correctly for loading, unloading, washing, and maintenance activities.
- Conduct routine vehicle safety checks and report defects in accordance with Council fleet procedures.
- Maintain safe traffic flow within the site, always ensuring segregation of pedestrians and vehicles.
Weighbridge Operations
- Operate the site weighbridge system for all inbound and outbound vehicles.
- Accurately record vehicle weights, waste types, origins, and destinations in line with Duty of Care and regulatory requirements.
- Issue weighbridge tickets and maintain accurate electronic and manual records.
- Consult with drivers, supervisors, and managers to resolve discrepancies or operational issues.
Waste Transfer Station Operations
- Direct vehicles to designated tipping and loading areas in accordance with site rules.
- Monitor waste loads to ensure correct segregation and identify non-compliant or prohibited waste.
- Assist with the loading of bulk haulage vehicles, containers, or transfer trailers as required.
- Maintain high standards of housekeeping and cleanliness across the site.
Health, Safety and Environmental Compliance
- Work in accordance with all relevant health and safety legislation, risk assessments, method statements, and safe systems of work.
- Comply with environmental permit conditions and Council environmental policies.
- Wear and promote the correct use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Report accidents, incidents, near misses, hazards, or unsafe practices in line with Council procedures.
- Support site emergency arrangements, including fire prevention, spill response, and evacuation procedures.
General Duties
- Assist with routine site inspections and basic maintenance tasks as required.
- Communicate effectively with colleagues, contractors, and members of the public where appropriate.
- Undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post, as required by the service.
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
Experience
- Experience of working in a waste management, depot, or similar operational environment.
- Experience of vehicle manoeuvring or shunting within a controlled yard environment.
Knowledge and Skills
- Knowledge of health and safety requirements in high-risk operational environments.
- Ability to follow procedures, risk assessments, and safe systems of work.
- Basic IT skills, including data entry and use of weighbridge or similar systems.
- Good communication skills and the ability to work as part of a team.
- HGV driving licence (Category C or C+E).
Key skills
AI-extracted from the job advert
Application advice
5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.
⭐ Place your HGV Category C or C+E licence prominently in your CV header or Personal Statement, as this is listed as an essential criterion in the Person Specification.
📊 Quantify your yard or depot experience: e.g. 'Shunted 20+ vehicles daily across a 5-acre waste transfer depot, maintaining zero pedestrian incidents over 18 months'.
🎯 Explicitly mention any weighbridge system experience by name (e.g. Weightron, Loadmaster) — the advert specifically requires weighbridge data entry and record-keeping skills.
🌐 Reference your knowledge of Duty of Care regulations and environmental permit compliance in your work history, as these are regulatory requirements called out in the advert.
🤝 Include a bullet in each relevant role about reporting near misses, defects, or hazards, as the advert emphasises a strong health and safety reporting culture aligned with Council fleet procedures.
Suggested CV bullets
3 bullets our AI drafted for this specific advert, mirroring its ATS keywords.
Add these 3 bullets under your most recent experience:
- •Shunted and positioned 25+ waste collection vehicles and trailers daily across a 4-acre depot, maintaining a zero pedestrian-vehicle incident record over 14 months.
- •Operated a Weightron weighbridge system to process 80+ inbound and outbound vehicles per shift, achieving 99% data entry accuracy across weight, waste type, origin, and destination records.
- •Conducted daily Category C HGV pre-use safety checks and submitted defect reports via Council fleet procedures, contributing to a 15% reduction in unplanned vehicle downtime over 6 months.
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Letter preview — tailored to JOB SWITCH LTD
Dear Hiring Manager,
Job Switch Ltd's Shunter Driver vacancy at the West Lancashire waste transfer station is a strong match for my background in HGV operations and yard management. With a Category C+E licence and hands-on experience of vehicle shunting within controlled depot environments, I am confident in my ability to maintain safe traffic flow, operate weighbridge systems accurately, and uphold Duty of Care record-keeping standards from day one.
My background in waste management and depot operations has given me a thorough grounding in health and safety legislation, risk assessments, and environmental permit compliance. I have routinely conducted pre-use vehicle safety checks, reported defects through formal fleet procedures, and supported site housekeeping to a high standard across busy operational sites.
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Interview questions
10 questions generated from this advert.
Technical
- ›Describe the process you follow when conducting a pre-use vehicle safety check on an HGV before shunting.
- ›How do you operate a weighbridge system, and what information do you record for inbound and outbound vehicles?
- ›What steps do you take when you identify non-compliant or prohibited waste arriving at a transfer station?
- ›How do you ensure safe segregation of pedestrians and vehicles within a busy depot yard?
- ›What environmental permit conditions have you worked under, and how did you ensure compliance day-to-day?
Behavioural
- ›Tell me about a time you identified a safety hazard in a yard or depot environment and what action you took.
- ›Describe a situation where you had to resolve a discrepancy in vehicle or weighbridge records with a driver or supervisor.
- ›Give an example of when you had to follow a strict procedure under pressure — how did you manage it?
- ›Tell me about a time you had to communicate a problem to a colleague or manager clearly and promptly.
- ›Describe a situation where you helped maintain high housekeeping standards on a busy operational site.
STAR answer examples
Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.
Tell me about a time you identified a safety hazard in a yard or depot environment and what action you took.
Describe a situation where you had to resolve a discrepancy in vehicle or weighbridge records with a driver or supervisor.