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Central North Island Delivery Team – Driver Spotlight

By October 14, 2024Drivers Spotlight

Bruce

What does a typical day look like for you as a driver at Nitrogenx?

Van set up and working out the best route for the next day’s run is done the afternoon before. On the day it is being on the road early to hit the first clinics as soon as they open. Then methodically undertaking what is required per the run sheet and proactively doing the extra jobs that may be required by the clinic.

How did you get into this line of work?

Semi-retired and saw the position advertised.

What kind of training or certification do you need for this job?

Training is a mixture of on-the-job plus in-house training of ‘standard operating procedures and formal classroom training to obtain a Dangerous Goods licence.

What are the biggest challenges you face on the job?

Driving safely and being adaptable and proactive in servicing the clinic etc. Also being careful to apply safety requirements on a day-to-day basis.

Can you describe the different types of waste you handle?

Clinical waste in bags, sharps containers (not always safely closed by clinics) Cytotoxic waste that requires specialist handling, paper waste in document destruction bins and medical oxygen cylinders.

How do you ensure that hazardous waste is disposed of safely?

Check that all containers, bags etc are properly secure before removing from clinics etc and then correctly handled and processed at the warehouse.

What measures do you take to ensure safety while on the job?

Wearing eye protection, gloves and safety shoes always as well as adopting safe lifting methods for heavy items.

How do you manage the physical demands of this job?

Go to the gym!!

What do you enjoy most about your job?

The variety in terms of driving, different business types we interact with and often (but not always) the staff at the various businesses we go to.

What advice would you give to someone looking to start a career as a driver?

Give it a go! Drivers who like to think on their feet, focus on solutions and not problems & can employ their initiative will enjoy this role.

What makes working for Nitrogenx unique?

They are a company that looks after their staff and mainly leave drivers to use their own initiative to plan and execute their runs. There is always backup available if required.

What are the company values that drive your work every day?

Having a desire to make a difference and working as team to meet our customers’ requirements.

Can you describe the teamwork among the drivers?

From the Hamilton base we have very little direct contact but still rely on each other to set up the van for the next day and to bounce ideas off where we need to.

Can you share a story where our service made a significant impact on a customer or community?

Rather than a single story I often feel we are the ‘invisible’ spirits who float through our customers premises and magically make their LN, or waste or sharps problems disappear without fuss or fanfare.

How do our services stand out compared to other companies in the industry?

I think the one-stop-shop concept and single-point-of-contact is appreciated by our customers.

How has working for this company positively impacted your life?

Self-esteem maintained… problem-solving and initiative brain-cells developed and a really enjoyable way to spend a couple of days a week.

What do you enjoy most about being part of our team?

Even though we work part-time and mostly on our own it rarely feels that we are forgotten being out of Auckland.