Driver Handbook
Driving with 1st Class Express
Standards, expectations and operating information for drivers working on 1st Class Express delivery, linehaul and fleet assignments.
01About 1st Class Express
1st Class Express Pty Ltd provides reliable freight delivery, professional driver and fleet-management services across Sydney and interstate routes.
Established in 2013, our business is supported by experienced transport and logistics professionals with extensive knowledge of freight operations, road networks, route planning and customer-focused delivery services.
We provide flexible solutions for parcels, cartons, pallets, fragile freight, dangerous goods and other specialised transport requirements. Every service is planned around the customer’s schedule, operational needs and delivery expectations.
Our team works to maintain high standards of safety, presentation, communication and reliability. We follow relevant WHS, OHS and standard operating procedures while protecting freight throughout transit.
Whether a customer requires a single delivery, recurring transport support, dedicated drivers or a complete fleet solution, 1st Class Express is ready to support their business.
Depending on the customer’s requirements, drivers can be allocated to dedicated delivery runs and presented as an extension of the customer’s organisation. What a customer sees of us is, most days, what they see of you.
02Our commitment
Our goal is to provide dependable service, professional communication and carefully managed transport from collection through to final delivery. Every driver contributes to the following:
- Safe and secure freight handling
- Reliable pickup and delivery times
- Professional customer interaction
- Flexible short-term and long-term solutions
- Cost-effective transport planning
- Consistent service quality
- Strong, long-term business relationships
03Driver standards
Drivers are selected based on their experience, driving history, communication skills and ability to represent clients professionally.
They are trained to prioritise safety, protect the quality of goods during transit and complete deliveries efficiently. Their knowledge of Sydney roads, delivery zones and interstate routes supports reliable and timely operations. The standards below apply across every assignment.
- 01Previous commercial driving and delivery experience
- 02Police and background checks
- 03Driving-history and licence verification
- 04Australian working-rights verification
- 05Professional training and induction
- 06Appropriate insurance coverage, subject to role and operating requirements
- 07Neat, hygienic and well-groomed presentation
- 08Clear and professional communication
- 09Client-approved uniforms, where agreed
- 10Compliance with WHS, OHS and operational procedures
- 11Safe handling of customer freight
- 12Reliable attendance and delivery performance
04Requirements and verification
Requirements vary by role. The items below are common expectations rather than a guarantee that every item applies to every position.
- Valid Australian driver licence
- The correct licence class for the role applied for
- Relevant heavy-vehicle driving experience, where required by the role
- A safe driving history
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Reliability and punctuality
- Ability to complete required transport and freight documentation
- Legal right to work in Australia
- Willingness to follow fatigue-management, safety and company procedures
Police and background checks, driving-history and licence verification, and Australian working-rights verification are completed as part of onboarding.
05Roles and licence classes
Assignments are matched to licence class, experience and availability. The responsibilities listed for your role form the baseline of what is expected on every run.
Interstate Heavy Vehicle Driver
HC or MC- Type & base
- Full-time / Casual — Sydney-based, interstate linehaul routes
- Experience
- Recent interstate or linehaul driving experience preferred
Responsibilities
- Interstate linehaul freight movements
- Pre-trip and post-trip vehicle checks
- Accurate freight and trip documentation
- Compliance with fatigue-management requirements
Local Delivery Driver
Car or LR- Type & base
- Full-time / Part-time — Sydney metropolitan area
- Experience
- Local delivery or courier driving experience preferred
Responsibilities
- Metropolitan pickup and delivery runs
- Customer-facing delivery service
- Proof-of-delivery and freight documentation
- Safe loading and unloading of freight
HC Driver
HC- Type & base
- Full-time / Casual — Sydney and regional NSW routes
- Experience
- Demonstrated HC driving experience
Responsibilities
- Rigid and semi-trailer freight movements
- Route and scheduling adherence
- Vehicle safety checks
- Safe handling of palletised and bulk freight
MC Driver
MC- Type & base
- Full-time / Casual — Interstate linehaul corridors
- Experience
- B-double or road-train experience highly regarded
Responsibilities
- B-double and combination-vehicle freight movements
- Interstate route and fatigue-management compliance
- Load-restraint and safety checks
- Accurate trip and freight documentation
HR Driver
HR- Type & base
- Full-time / Part-time / Casual — Sydney metropolitan and regional NSW
- Experience
- Rigid-truck driving experience preferred
Responsibilities
- Rigid-vehicle freight and delivery runs
- Warehouse loading and dispatch support
- Customer-facing delivery service
- Vehicle safety and maintenance checks
Relief or Casual Driver
Car — MC- Type & base
- Casual — Sydney metropolitan, with regional and interstate work as required
- Experience
- Reliable availability and the relevant licence class for the assigned vehicle
Responsibilities
- Backup coverage for leave and peak-demand periods
- Assignment to local, regional or interstate runs as required
- Compliance with the same safety and documentation standards as permanent drivers
06Vehicles you may be assigned
Vehicle selection is matched to freight dimensions, weight, access and route. Availability is confirmed per booking.
| Vehicle | Use | Best for | Capability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Tonne Vans | Agile vehicles for urgent items and smaller consignments. | Parcels, cartons and metropolitan deliveries | Local |
| Pallet Trucks | Practical palletised freight support with easier loading access. | Pallets and general commercial freight | Local |
| Rigid Trucks | Versatile capacity for mixed loads and larger delivery tasks. | Multi-drop and commercial freight | Local |
| Prime Movers | Linehaul capability matched to the required trailer configuration. | Long-distance and interstate freight | Local & interstate |
| Semi-Trailers | Higher capacity support for large and consolidated consignments. | Bulk and linehaul freight | Local & interstate |
| B-Double Configurations | Higher-volume linehaul on approved Australian routes. | Assessed high-capacity freight | Interstate |
07Services you deliver
Same Day and Next Day
Responsive transport for time-sensitive freight across metropolitan and regional routes. Pickup and delivery timing is confirmed after route, access and freight details are assessed.
After-Hours and Weekend Transport
Flexible movements outside standard business hours, arranged around your operating window. After-hours and weekend work is subject to route, driver and vehicle availability.
Interstate Linehaul
Planned freight movements from Sydney to Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane, with Adelaide and Perth assessed per movement. Linehaul routes, timeframes and configurations are confirmed for each movement.
Bulk Freight
Coordinated transport for larger consignments, regular movements and higher-volume freight. Vehicle selection is matched to freight dimensions, weight, access and route.
Backup Drivers
Professional driver support for leave coverage, demand peaks and operational continuity. Driver placements are confirmed by licence class, experience and availability.
Home Deliveries
Customer-facing residential deliveries handled with care and clear communication. Access, item size, handling needs and delivery windows are checked before booking.
Logistics Support
Practical transport coordination, warehouse support and ongoing delivery planning. Support can be tailored around regular runs, fleet needs and dispatch operations.
Dangerous Goods Transport
Assessed transport support for classified freight and compliant dangerous-goods movements. Acceptance is subject to freight classification, documentation, equipment and qualified personnel.
Never accept, load or move freight outside the scope confirmed for your run. If something on the dock does not match the paperwork, contact dispatch before departing.
08Where we operate
Interstate destinations
- Sydney, NSW
- Brisbane, QLD
- Melbourne, VIC
- Adelaide, SA
- Perth, WA
Service areas
- Sydney Metropolitan Area
- Sydney CBD
- Wollongong
- Canberra
- Wagga Wagga
- Narrandera
- Griffith
- Albury
- Blue Mountains
- Lithgow
- Bathurst
- Orange
- Mudgee
- Dubbo
- Parkes
- Central Coast
- Newcastle
- Muswellbrook
- Tamworth
09Work we support
Driver placements cover the following types of work. Your assignment may move between them as operational needs change.
- Regular metropolitan delivery runs
- Same-day and next-day deliveries
- Warehouse and dispatch operations
- Customer-facing delivery services
- Short-term driver replacement, subject to availability
- Long-term dedicated driver placement, by agreement and availability
- Peak-period and weekend support
- Day and night operations
- Emergency backup coverage, subject to availability
- Interstate transport routes
10Performance and support
Delivery runs are actively managed. The following sit behind every assignment, and are the mechanisms through which your work is reviewed and supported.
- Monthly KPI reporting
- Delivery-performance monitoring
- Route and run reviews
- Restructured delivery-run specifications
- Driver rotation and backup planning
- Fleet supervision
- Operational improvement recommendations
- Customer-service performance support
A note on safety
Operations follow fatigue-management, WHS and safe-driving procedures. Pre-trip and post-trip vehicle checks, load restraint and accurate trip documentation are not optional extras — they are part of every run, and they are what allow us to put a driver in front of a customer with confidence.
11Who to contact
- enquiry@1stclassexpress.com.au
- Company
- 1st Class Express Pty Ltd — Australian privately owned, established in 2013. Serving Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide.
12Acknowledgement
I confirm that I have received and read the 1st Class Express Driver Handbook. I understand the driver standards, the requirements for my role, and my responsibility to follow fatigue-management, WHS, OHS and operational procedures on every assignment.
Retain a copy of this page with your onboarding record. Requirements vary by role and assignment; items marked subject to availability or agreement are confirmed for each engagement.