Guides · United Kingdom · field sales & industrial desks
Own-car, clean licence, and “local only”: geography and transport on the draft
Field-sales and industrial desks still paste own car essential, clean driving licence, and local candidates only by default. This guide helps you read what those lines do on the published advert — and rewrite toward the travel the role actually needs. Wording literacy only; not fleet policy, not reasonable-adjustment casework, and not Equality Act clearance.
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Why these lines get flagged
Blanket driving requirements may disadvantage disabled applicants who cannot drive or do not own a vehicle. Public tribunal and guidance materials discuss when a driving requirement must be justified by the role. VacancyCheck flags sample patterns 04 and 07 on the sample full report — for human review, not a verdict.
“Local candidates only” without a response-time or on-call reason is a second look: it can read as a geography filter rather than a task requirement.
How to read the cue on a draft
- Is daily multi-site travel genuinely essential? If cover is occasional, say so.
- Are alternatives named? Pool vehicle, public transport, taxi with advance notice — when the business can offer them.
- Does “local only” state a reason? Emergency call-out within X minutes is different from “we prefer locals”.
- Is “clean licence” doing work the role needs? Name the driving task (site visits, equipment transport) rather than a blanket trait filter.
Fictional sample rewrites
| Pattern on draft | Rewrite toward |
|---|---|
| “Must have own car and clean driving licence” | “Occasional second-site cover (advance notice); pool vehicle / public transport / taxi options considered” — OR — “Daily multi-site travel required; driving essential” (only if genuinely essential). |
| “Local candidates only” | “Must be able to attend [location] within [X] minutes for emergency call-outs” — OR remove the line if there is no operational reason. |
| “Car owner preferred” | “Travel to client sites [frequency]; mileage reimbursed / pool car available for [days].” |
Distinct from warehouse fully fit / able-bodied lines — this page is field-sales and multi-site cover.
Desk habit before the board goes live
- Paste the draft — not the client brief verbatim — see client brief vs agency job ad.
- Review flags on the eligibility / logistics block.
- Archive the signed text your desk publishes.
FAQ
Can I keep “driving licence essential” on a van-driver role?
When driving is the core duty, name the task and shift pattern clearly. VacancyCheck still prompts human review — we do not clear a line as “lawful”.
Does VacancyCheck advise on reasonable adjustments?
No. We flag wording patterns on pasted drafts. Adjustment process design is out of scope.
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Not legal advice. Not Equality Act clearance. Fictional samples only.