Is having a driving licence essential to your job?

[BigJanette]

Could you do your job, or even get to work without one?

No it isn’t - I’ve failed my test too many times to count and got an adult ADHD diagnosis where the psych said not being able to get your head around driving was a common trait. I live in London so public transport does the job. Side note, I’m always astounded at how many people on MN live in a “very rural area” with no transport but can’t drive. Why would you do that?!

Classic example of how bringing the railways back under government control doesn't improve anything, in fact, I'd say it's worse since the government took over the franchise.

Not essential, in any of the roles I’ve been in as I’ve always wfh since my first full time role. I ended up learning last year though just for me.

I’ve never needed a car - or driving licence - for work.

At present, I live in London and have a 25 min walk to my office (at Liverpool St). I can get the Elizabeth line one stop instead if I’m feeling lazy / it’s torrential rain. When I worked further away from my home in London, I usually cycled.

When I lived in Paris I had a 10 min walk to my office.

When I lived in Hong Kong, I worked in 2 different locations so either walked or got the MTR (tube), apart from when I moved flats and then I had to get the ferry and then walk/MTR (the ferry was the best commute ever! I miss it!)

Ironically, I actually LOVE driving!

I don’t have a job, but I learnt to drive when I was 17 because it was expected of us (my parents ran a used car business and repair garage) and we lived rurally. They really saw it as a life skill. I’m glad they did because I became disabled with mobility problems and even though we don’t live rurally anymore, I couldn’t walk to the bus stop. My car is my life line, tbh

A driving license is essential to DS1’s job, and it’s been very helpful in DH’s & DS2’s work.

When I was working - yes essential. Whilst I could easily get to work by train, my job involved lots of site visits. Whilst in one location, this might have been possible by public transport, it would have taken hours of time that were better spent doing actual work.
For my last job, I covered a much more rural area and as it was, site visits often involved most of the day out of the office (visit may be 7-10 different places). There is no way I could have done that by public transport. Provision was sketchy, and even then I would have had to walk for ages to get to some of the farms etc.

@Ratisshortforratthew

I’m always astounded at how many people on MN live in a “very rural area” with no transport but can’t drive. Why would you do that?!

The young don't have a choice where they are brought up. Driving lessons are expensive, so unless you've got a good job, you can't afford to learn. Not many "good jobs" in rural areas - often stuck working in retail or hospitality for minimum wage, because you can't drive and public transport is crap, you can't "commute" to nearby towns/cities for better jobs. No money for the young to up sticks and move to cities as flats are ridiculously expensive and unaffordable for people (especially younger trainees etc) on low wages. So basically a lot of people are effectively trapped in rural areas. And by rural, I don't mean a hamlet on a hillside with a dozen residents - large villages and small towns can have the same problems of lack of public transport and lack of decent local employment besides retail and hospitality, which is often only part time.

Completely different if, say, a middle aged person who didn't drive moved from a city to a village and only then realised they were virtually trapped - that's just lack of research and foresight, and their own stupid fault.

But in most cases, it's where people are brought up - rural poverty is a massive problem, and I'm not just meaning money, I'm meaning "poverty" of transport options, "poverty" of employment options, etc.

No . Although I have a car its too expensive to drive and park for work.

Yes essential. I drive a lot, impossible to do it without.

I live and work in a major city and our office has 2 allocated parking spaces so never drive to work. I sometimes drive to client meetings or site visits so it's useful but I'm sure not essential (although it is essential to claim the car allowance we get as part of our benefits package).

I’m rural and know lots of non-drivers - most of them have always lived here and have just never been able to afford the cost of lessons and running a car.

Yes, sorry, I should have specified I mean people who say they moved there and are now reliant on their partner for lifts as they can’t drive. I don’t mean young people who grew up there and can’t afford to move out. I totally understand why people can’t afford driving lessons or the running costs of a car - it’s the ones who make an active choice to move somewhere like that that baffle me.

don't need to drive as part of my job whatsoever, and can get to work in approx 30 mins by bus or two different trains. Which is good because the traffic near me is terrible!

It's not essential for the job. I can drive but share the car with dh who works 10 miles away, I work a 10 minute walk from our house and pass the school on my way.

Essential. Public transport is unreliable and expensive,

It's not essential for my job as I walk to work

My job is too far to walk. It would take 2 buses, to get there and back. Plus would be more expensive than driving. Sadly, no train station either. So yes without my car, I couldn't get to work.

Maybe they can’t afford to live elsewhere?

Rural areas are often cheap for a reason!

I'm a postie so it's definitely an essential.

If you count being a SAHM a job, then yes, it's essential I drive. I worked in London for 12 years and didn't drive. Then I met DH and he encouraged me to drive, took a few years but I got there.

The whole point I got my licence was so I could pick my wedding dress up without replying on someone else!!
@SJM1988 that's a great reason 😁

Yes, some roles in our department require applicants to hold a full licence.