Description
Armoured car drivers drive the armoured car to transfer valuable items, such as money, to different locations. They never leave the car. They work in cooperation with the armoured car guards who deliver the valuables to their final recipients. Armoured car drivers ensure vehicle security at all times by following company policies.
Duties
The duties of an armoured car driver include, but are not limited to:
- Operating vehicles which may include sedans, SUVs, or commercial vehicles such as delivery trucks
- Responding to an alarm by using communication devices to notify the appropriate personnel of an incident
- Following a predetermined route to deliver cash to banks, retail outlets, businesses, or other locations where large amounts of money are stored
- Responding to emergencies such as fires, explosions, crime scenes, or accidents to help secure the area and assist first responders as needed
- Reporting suspicious activity to law enforcement officials and making note of unusual events that may be relevant to an investigation
- Performing vehicle inspections to ensure they are in safe operating condition
- Monitoring security cameras inside the vehicle to watch for potential threats or criminal activity
- Operating armoured trucks that transport large amounts of cash to banks and other businesses
- Transporting passengers in armored cars with security features such as bulletproof glass and reinforced steel plating.
Working conditions
Armoured car drivers typically work long hours, often overnight, and may be on call 24 hours a day. They may work weekends and holidays. They typically work in teams of two drivers, with one driver staying in the truck while the other driver makes the delivery. The drivers take turns driving and sleeping.
Armoured car drivers may be required to lift heavy bags of money and may be exposed to hazardous materials, such as cleaning solutions. They may also be exposed to the risk of robbery and violence.
Other titles
The following job titles also refer to armoured car driver:
armoured truck driver
Minimum qualifications
A high school diploma is generally required to work as an armoured car driver. A driverโs license can help them earn a job and may be a necessary requirement for certain positions.
ISCO skill level
ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:
- the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
- the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
- the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.
Armoured car driver is a Skill level 2 occupation.
Armoured car driver career path
Similar occupations
These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to armoured car driver.
armoured car guard
gate guard
cargo vehicle driver
bodyguard
bus driver
Long term prospects
These occupations require some skills and knowledge of armoured car driver. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of armoured car driver with a significant experience and/or extensive training.
hand luggage inspector
court bailiff
store detective
lifeguard instructor
immigration officer
Essential knowledge and skills
Essential knowledge
This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of armoured car driver.
- Road traffic laws: Understand road traffic laws and the rules of the road.
- Security threats: Types of threats to public and private security such as unauthorised entry, aggressive behaviour, molestation, robbery, theft, assault, kidnapping, murder and public demonstration.
- Effective perception of transport environment: Know the local transport topography, including roads, traffic hotspots, and alternative routes to reach a destination. Use knowledge to transport the vehicle to its destination in the most time and fuel efficient manner, and minimising safety risks.
Essential skills and competences
These skills are necessary for the role of armoured car driver.
- Load cargo: Gather goods to be transported and place them in a transportation vehicle.
- Use modern electronic navigational aids: Use modern navigational aids such as GPS and radar systems.
- 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.
- Drive vehicles: Be able to drive vehicles; have the appropriate type of driving license according to the type of motor vehicle used.
- 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.
- Keep time accurately: Measure the passage of time, often with the assistance of a clock or stopwatch.
- Operate GPS systems: Use GPS Systems.
- Maintain vehicle delivery documentation: Ensure that vehicle delivery documents are made up accurately and on time.
- Identify security threats: Identify security threats during investigations, inspections, or patrols, and perform the necessary actions to minimise or neutralise the threat.
- Lift heavy weights: Lift heavy weights and apply ergonomic lifting techniques to avoid damaging the body.
- Interpret traffic signals: Observe lights on the road, road conditions, nearby traffic, and prescribed speed limits to ensure safety. Interpret traffic signals and act accordingly.
- Provide secured transportation: Manage secured transportation of cash or other valuable cargo, like securities, jewellery or important individuals.
- Ensure regulatory compliance concerning distribution activities: Meet the rules, policies and laws that govern transportation and distribution activities.
- Adhere to transportation work schedule: Adhere to assigned work schedule as prepared by the transportation company.
- Handle delivered packages: Administerย delivered packages and ensure that they all reach their destination in time.
- Practice vigilance: Practice vigilance during patrol or other surveillance activities in order to ensure safety and security, to look out for suspicious behaviour or other alarming changes in patterns or activities, and to respond quickly to these changes.
- Manage cash transportation: Manage the appropriate and safe transportation of cash.
Optional skills and competences
These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of armoured car driver. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- Operate radio equipment: Set up and operate radio devices and accessories, such as broadcast consoles, amplifiers, and microphones. Understand the basics of radio operator language and, when necessary, provide instruction in handling radio equipment correctly.
- Unload cargo: Handle safe unloading of goods from transportation vehicles.
- Provide first aid: Administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation or first aid in order to provide help to a sick or injured person until they receive more complete medical treatment.
- Read maps: Read maps effectively.
- Coordinate transportation: Scheduling of transportation operations.
- React calmly in stressful situations: React quickly, calmly, and safely to unexpected situations. Provide a solution that solves the problem or diminishes its impact.
- Comply with the principles of self-defence: Observe the principles according to which a person should only use so much force as is required to repel an attack. The use of deadly force is limited to situations where attackers are using deadly force themselves.
- Ensure vehicle operability: Keep the vehicle clean and in roadworthy condition. Ensure regular maintenance of the vehicle and provide valid official documents such as licenses and permits where appropriate.
- Ensure compliance with types of weapons: Use different kinds of firearms and other types of weapons and their matching ammunition, in compliance with legal requirements.
- Manage major incidents: Take immediate action to respond to major incidents that affect the safety and security of individuals in private or public places such as road accidents.
- Handle surveillance equipment: Monitor surveillance equipment to observe what people are doing in a given area and ensure their safety.
- Analyse road traffic patterns: Determine the most efficient road traffic patterns and peak times in order to increase schedule efficiency.
- Handle conflicts: Mediate in conflicts and tense situations by acting between parties, such as service users, important others like families, and institutions, striving to effect an agreement, reconciliate, and resolve problems.
- Apply advanced driving techniques: Being capable to effectively steer a vehicle in extreme situations using defensive, evasive or offensive driving.
- Prepare transportation routes: Prepare routes by choosing the best possible way and foresee adjustments in case of need, by providing additional running time or adapting capacity and timing in response to changes in circumstances, thereby ensuring an efficient use of resources and achievement of customer relations goals.
- Liaise with security authorities: Respond quickly to security incidents and violations by calling the police and keep in touch with other relevant parties involved in the potential prosecution of the offender.
- Manage theft prevention: Apply theft and robbery prevention; monitor security surveillance equipment; enforce security procedures if needed.
- Deal with aggressive behaviour: Respond promptly to adverse behaviour in a professional manner by taking appropriate and legal action to prevent further aggressiveness, such as verbal warning, lawful removal from the premises or apprehension of the person involved. Report details of adverse behaviour in line with the organisationโs procedures.
ISCO group and title
8322 – Car, taxi and van drivers
References
- Armoured car driver – ESCO
- Armored Car Guard Job Description: Salary, Duties, & More – ClimbtheLadder
- Featured image: By Dwight Burdette – Own work, CC BY 3.0