Location: Watford Distribution Hub
Job type: Self employed contractor (full time or part time)
Pay: £600 - £1000 per week
Typical start time: Around 9:00 am
Vehicle: Own van required can also refer a vehicle hire company with good rates
About the opportunity
We are recruiting reliable self-employed owner van drivers to support a large-scale e-bike battery replacement operation across West, North West and Central London.
The operation is based from our Watford depot. Drivers collect fully charged batteries, travel into London and replace depleted batteries on Lime e-bikes.
Once a load has been completed, depleted batteries are returned to Watford for charging. Drivers can then collect another available load of fully charged batteries and return to London to continue completing battery swaps.
This is flexible self-employed gig work. There are no fixed shifts or required working days. You choose when you want to make yourself available and how long you want to work.
Areas of operation
The main operating area covers West and North West London, extending into Central London where demand requires.
Regular areas include:
- Harrow
- Harlesden
- Greenford
- Acton
- Ealing
- Wembley
- Neasden
- Stanmore
- Edgware
- White City
- Hammersmith
- Willesden
- Brent
- Surrounding West London areas
- Selected Central London locations
Battery demand varies throughout the day and drivers may work across different areas depending on where available battery swap tasks are concentrated.
How the operation works
When you choose to work:
- Travel to the Watford depot
- Collect an available allocation of fully charged batteries
- Use the driver app to locate Lime bikes requiring battery replacement
- Travel into the relevant operating area
- Replace depleted batteries with fully charged batteries
- Safely store depleted batteries in your van
- Return depleted batteries to Watford
- Place returned batteries into the charging operation
- Collect another available load of charged batteries if you wish to continue
- Return to London and complete further swaps
The operating cycle is straightforward:
Watford → Charged Batteries → London Battery Swaps → Watford → Recharge & Reload → London
Drivers can complete multiple runs depending on demand, battery availability and how long they choose to work.
Every journey should have a purpose. Drivers should plan their routes efficiently and maximise the number of battery swaps completed from each battery allocation.
Battery Service Windows
To manage the supply of charged batteries and reduce unnecessary waiting at the depot, battery allocations are organised around three service windows:
7:00 pm – 3:00 am3:00 am – 11:00 am11:00 am – 7:00 pm
These are battery service windows, not working shifts.
The windows allow us to organise battery charging, availability and collection so that drivers have access to batteries when they choose to work.
Drivers are not required to work for the entire eight-hour window.
You can:
- Choose which days you want to work
- Decide when you want to start
- Decide when you want to finish
- Take breaks whenever you choose
- Finish early if you wish
- Work for other companies or clients
- Choose not to work on a particular day
- Work as many or as few days as you choose, subject to battery and task availability
If you collect a battery allocation, the aim is to make effective use of those batteries by completing as many available swaps as practical before returning depleted batteries to Watford.
What a typical working period could look like
You choose to make yourself available during one of the battery service windows.
You arrive at Watford and collect an available batch of charged batteries.
You check the driver app and identify areas with available battery swap tasks.
You travel into London and complete battery replacements.
Once your depleted battery capacity is reached, or you decide to return, you travel back to Watford.
You unload depleted batteries into the charging operation.
If you want to continue and another allocation is available, you collect more charged batteries and head back out.
If you want to finish, you finish.
There is no requirement to remain working until the end of the service window.
Key responsibilities
- Collect charged batteries from the Watford depot
- Complete battery replacement tasks through the driver app
- Locate Lime bikes requiring battery swaps
- Replace depleted batteries safely and correctly
- Safely transport charged and depleted batteries
- Return depleted batteries to Watford
- Place returned batteries into the correct charging process
- Keep batteries allocated to you secure and accounted for
- Plan efficient routes around demand and traffic
- Report damaged bikes, batteries or other operational issues
- Follow battery handling and safety procedures
- Maintain professional driving and safety standards
- Provide practical feedback where routes or processes can be improved
What we offer
- Regular battery swapping opportunities across London
- Flexible self-employed gig work
- No fixed working days
- No fixed shifts
- Three battery service windows operating throughout the day
- Freedom to decide when you start and finish
- Freedom to take breaks when you choose
- Freedom to work for other companies and clients
- Clear battery collection and return process
- Driver app showing available tasks
- Operational support
- Long-term opportunities for reliable contractors
- Work supporting sustainable transport across London
Work and battery availability will vary according to operational demand. There are no guaranteed hours or guaranteed task volumes unless separately agreed in writing.
Contractor requirements
You will need:
- Full UK driving licence
- Proof of the right to undertake the work in the UK
- Valid DBS check where required
- Your own suitable van
- Smartphone with mobile data
- Confidence driving across Watford, West London and Central London
- Good navigation and route-planning ability
- Ability to safely handle and transport e-bike batteries
- Good time management
- Ability to work independently
Previous experience in courier work, multi-drop driving, transport, logistics, e-bike operations or scooter operations is useful but not essential.
Operational and battery safety instructions will be provided.
Preferred vehicles
We are particularly interested in owner drivers with:
- Medium or large panel vans
- Long wheelbase Ford Transit or similar
- Mercedes Sprinter or similar
- Other vans with suitable load capacity
- Electric vans
Electric vans are preferred but are not required.
The most important consideration is that the vehicle is suitable for safely carrying the allocated batteries.
Pay: £600.00-£1,000.00 per week
Benefits:
Work Location: On the road
