You take a week off — which you're entitled to and should absolutely take, as outlined by Fair Work Australia annual leave entitlements — and you come back to a mess. Half the manifest is returns, customers are complaining, and the relief driver apparently couldn't find half the addresses you deliver to blindfolded. It's frustrating. But once you understand why it happens, it actually makes sense — and it's a reminder of how much value experienced, permanent drivers bring to a run.
What You Know That Nobody Else Does
Local knowledge. You know that 42 Smith Street has a side gate that's always open but the front gate is locked. You know the apartment block on Main Road needs you to buzz unit 1 to get into the building. You know Mrs Henderson at number 7 wants her parcels behind the green pot plant, not on the doorstep. This knowledge lives in your head — it's not written down anywhere, and no relief driver has it.
Route knowledge. You know the fastest sequence through your suburbs. You know which streets are one-way, where the speed bumps are, which intersection to avoid at 8:30am, and which driveway you can use to turn around. A relief driver follows the GPS, which doesn't know any of this.
Loading system. You've spent months perfecting how you load your van — reverse delivery order, certain shelves for certain suburbs, oversized items in a specific spot. A relief driver loads however they load, and then spends the whole day searching for parcels. That alone can add an hour or more to the run.
Why It Matters
This isn't about criticising relief drivers — most of them are doing their best with no local knowledge, no loading system, and a route they've never seen before. It's actually a testament to how much skill and experience goes into doing a run well. The difference between a permanent driver and a relief driver is measured in hours of finish time, dozens of failed deliveries, and customer satisfaction scores.
It's also worth remembering this when you feel undervalued. Your employer might not always say it, but the chaos that erupts when you're away proves exactly how much you contribute. That local knowledge has real, measurable value.
What You Can Do About It
Write a run guide. A one-page document covering the key things a relief driver needs to know: tricky addresses, access codes, loading tips, problem dogs, dock quirks. It won't replace your experience, but it'll prevent the worst failures.
Label your van. If you have a consistent loading system, stick labels on shelves or sections so a relief driver can follow your layout.
Accept it. Some drop in performance when you're away is inevitable. Don't stress about it — take your leave, recharge, and come back fresh. The run will survive a week without you, even if it's not pretty.