Multi-drop means exactly what it says: one shift, many deliveries — often 60 to 120+ drops across a defined area. It's the backbone of UK parcel and home delivery, and it's the work most self-employed van drivers do. Here's what a real day looks like, how you're paid, and whether it'll suit you.
What multi-drop driving is
Instead of one big collection and one delivery, multi-drop is a route of many smaller stops — parcels to homes and businesses across a town or a cluster of postcodes. You collect everything from a depot at the start of the day, then work through your route stop by stop, scanning each delivery as proof.
A typical day, start to finish
- Early start at the depot. Most rounds begin first thing. You check in, find your loaded cage or sort your own parcels.
- Load and plan. Load the van in roughly reverse delivery order so the first drops are easiest to reach. Many routes come pre-planned on a handheld or app.
- Run the route. Drive to each stop, deliver, and scan or capture proof of delivery (a signature or photo). Handle the odd "not in" with a card or safe-place drop per the client's rules.
- Returns. Anything undeliverable comes back to the depot at the end, scanned in so it's accounted for.
- Done when the route's done. Finish times vary with drop count, traffic and how spread out the round is.
How the pay works
Multi-drop is often priced per route or per drop rather than strictly by the hour. A good setup adds an overrun rate past a threshold so an unusually long day doesn't leave you working for free. For the actual numbers, see how much delivery drivers earn in the UK — typical 3.5t van work runs around £14–£20/hr or £110–£200 per route, depending on region and demand.
The honest pros and cons
| What's good | What's hard |
|---|---|
| Independent — you and the road, no desk | Physical: lots of in-and-out, lifting, all weathers |
| Steady, predictable type of work | Early starts and variable finish times |
| You learn your area fast | Tight schedules on busy routes |
| Flexible if you pick your own shifts | Peak periods (pre-Christmas) get intense |
What you need to do it
- A full UK category B licence — covers 3.5t vans (more on licences)
- A reliable van — your own, leased or rented
- Hire and reward insurance on the vehicle
- Reasonable fitness for a day of frequent stops and lifting
- Patience and a decent sense of direction
Who it suits
Multi-drop suits drivers who like being out on their own, don't mind an early start, and want steady work they can build a routine around. If you're self-employed, picking your own shifts means you can run a full week or just fit rounds around other commitments.
Try it with FlexiDriver
With FlexiDriver you choose the van and multi-drop shifts that fit your week and your area, keep the rate you see, and get paid every Friday by Bacs. Start your registration — it takes under a minute — and pick up your first round when you're ready.