HOW TO RECRUIT DRIVERS

With a national driver shortage, what can you do to find drivers?

Specialists in Driver Recruitment Services for the South Coast

If your business relies on drivers and in particular HGV drivers to operate, then you are probably already very aware that there is a national shortage of drivers. In October 2019, the shortage of HGV drivers in the UK reached a whopping 59,000, with 64% of transport and storage businesses reporting severe shortages, according to the Logistics Skills Report October 2019, by the Freight Transport Association (FTA).

This shortage is due to a number of factors including Brexit, artificial intelligence, low unemployment, and declining EU net migration, but the biggest problem seems to be an aging workforce and difficulties in attracting younger people to the sector.

According to the report, 60% of HGV drivers are over 44 years of age, with just 19% being under the age of 35. Younger people just don't seem to be considering careers in HGV driving. This is most likely due to a combination of factors such as:

 

A lack of understanding of the logistics industry

Truck driving having a generally poor image

Long/unsociable working hours

A lack of quality driver facilities

What can you do to fill your driver vacancies? Here are our top tips for recruiting drivers:

1. Know Your Market

As there is a national shortage of drivers, it’s fair to assume that your competitors are also probably desperately trying to attract prospective drivers. As such, knowing the industry and your competition is vital. Look at what other employers are offering potential recruits and how your offering compares. Do they pay more? Do they offer better benefits? Do they give free training?

A good market/competitor analysis is an important first step in working out how you should be promoting your vacancies to potential drivers in order to best compete against other trucking companies. It will also indicate where you should be spending your money whilst attracting drivers.

If you look at what your competitors are doing and see that your rates of pay are below average, but you're spending vast amounts on advertising your vacancies, you might be better off re-routing that advertising budget to increase rates of pay. However, if you discover that your rates of pay are average, but you offer much better benefits, you know that's what you need to focus on in your recruitment strategy.

2. Consider Targeting Drivers over the Age of 50

Often recruitment campaigns are aimed at younger generations, with online ads and applications, but there is a large pool of potential recruits over the age of 50. This age group is often better reached by way of more traditional, offline methods such as leaflets, posters and newspaper ads.

There are benefits to employing older drivers as well. The don't tend to have young families, so will often be more willing to work unsociable hours and stay away from home and many will already be experienced drivers, so won't need lots of training.

3. Consider Targeting Female Drivers

The vast majority of HGV drivers in the UK are men and always have been. Even now, only around 2% of the current workforce in haulage is female. There has been a gradual rise over the last 10 years, but for logistics businesses, the female workforce is a massively untapped resource, that could offer a solution.

Strategically targeting women with recruitment campaigns, in a way that demonstrates the benefits of working in an industry, that they most likely haven't considered before, is a great way to find new talent.

4. Consider Offering Apprentiships

In the UK, you can now only leave full-time education before the age of 18 if you have an apprenticeship or traineeship to go to. There are a number of government schemes available to support businesses that take on apprentices and attending careers fairs and liaising with colleges is a great way of recruiting young and enthusiastic trainee drivers.

However, recruiting this way means playing the long game and you won't immediately have a qualified driver on hand. It is a solid investment for the future though and something that could be looked at now to run alongside your other recruitment methods in order to plan for the future.

5. Offer a Referral Scheme

Why not introduce a referral scheme, so that your existing drivers get a reward or incentive for helping to recruit new drivers?

As they already work for you, they know what it’s like to work for the business and will have a good idea of who is likely to be a good fit. They may well also have friends who work in the industry, so a referral scheme could give them the incentive to speak to their friends about job vacancies, when they otherwise may not have thought to.

6. Use a Specialist Driver Recruitment Agency

Recruiting drivers at a time when the UK is 59,000 drivers short is never going to be an easy task, so sometimes it's just easier and more cost effective to call in the professionals.

Recruitment agencies have long had a bad reputation for being an expensive way to hire staff but using an agency can often save you valuable time and money.  Your fleet manager will no longer have to spend hours of time each week trawling through CVs and holding interviews; you won’t have to pay for placing ads on job boards and social media; and most importantly, you won’t have to turn down work because you are short-staffed, potentially giving you quite an advantage over your competition.

However, it is important to use a recruitment agency that you can build a strong relationship with as they need to have a good understanding of exactly what your requirements are. Check that they are experts in driver recruitment and that they pay their drivers properly, so that you don't find yourself having issues with HMRC and the looming changes to IR35 regulations.

Drive Personnel are a specialist HGV driving recruitment agency based in Southampton. We specialise in the transport and logistics industries and our experienced team are always on hand to offer support and advice.

If you need help recruiting drivers for your business, call us today on 023 8069 5600 to find out how Drive Personnel can help you.

What Our Drivers Say...

I have now worked for Drive Personnel for the past five years.  During this time the team have supported me in providing work to suit the qualifications I have as well as encouraging my progression by supporting me in gaining further qualifications.  Looking forward to many more years with DP

I have worked as a driver for Drive Personnel for over 4 years now and never had anything to fault with their management. Their dedication and professionalism really shows - nothing is too much hassle for them

News & Posts from Drive Personnel Read the Latest in Driver Recruitment Services and Industry News

Take a look at the articles below to find out what our driver recruitment services team have been up to, the latest success stories from some of our dedicated drivers and to read hints and tips to help you. If you've got something you'd like to shout about get in touch and tell us all about it!

HGV Licensing Requirements – A Guide for Aspiring HGV Drivers

If you’re considering a career as an HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) driver, understanding the licensing requirements is essential. This guide breaks down each step in the licensing process, covering the types of HGV licenses, eligibility requirements, and the training involved. Drive Personnel, specialists in HGV driver recruitment in Southampton, created this guide to help you…

Read More

What is an HGV Class 2 Driver?

An HGV Class 2 driver, also known as an HGV 2 driver, holds a Category C license, allowing them to operate large, rigid vehicles over 7.5 tonnes without a detachable trailer. These drivers handle essential transport roles, such as local deliveries and hauling construction materials, often using vehicles like refuse trucks, delivery lorries, and concrete…

Read More

How to Become an HGV Driver

With the growth in logistics and transportation, becoming an HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) driver is a promising career choice. The path to becoming qualified is clear but involves specific steps, including licensing, training, and certification. Here’s a straightforward guide on how to become an HGV driver in the UK and start a career in this…

Read More

Masquerade Ball To Raise Money for Mountbatten

Drive Personnel is delighted to be supporting another fundraising event for Mountbatten Hampshire next month, to help raise money for the Hospice’s fantastic facilities and services. The Masquerade Ball, sponsored by The Skin Hair and Beauty Lounge, will be held on Saturday 27th May. Drive Personnel is thrilled to be a part of this fantastic…

Read More

How TikTok Could Help End the HGV Driver Shortage

You might have heard of TikTok, or even scrolled through it yourself, but are you familiar with the ‘Truck-Tok’ side of the app? Apart from delivering viral funny skits, TikTok has served as a hub for truckers to share the ins-and-outs of their profession with a wide variety of audiences. This growing online community has…

Read More

5 Health and Wellness Tips for HGV Drivers

Making healthier lifestyle choices is an important and yet often overlooked component in minimising driver error and improving reaction time. Investing in your health does not have to take a lot of time and effort; it can start with small commitments that contribute to improvements in your day-to-day life. Although prioritising health and wellness will…

Read More

Mountbatten Hampshire ‘Light up a Life’ Service

Whether you are a driver looking for a new role, or a business trying to fill a vacancy to meet customer needs, a driver agency can save you time and hassle. As a leading HGV driver agency in Southampton, Drive Personnel works with local businesses to place the best drivers in suitable roles throughout Hampshire.

Read More

Top Tips for Breakdown Safety

Whether you are a driver looking for a new role, or a business trying to fill a vacancy to meet customer needs, a driver agency can save you time and hassle. As a leading HGV driver agency in Southampton, Drive Personnel works with local businesses to place the best drivers in suitable roles throughout Hampshire.

Read More

Top Tips for Safer Driving This Winter

Whether you are a driver looking for a new role, or a business trying to fill a vacancy to meet customer needs, a driver agency can save you time and hassle. As a leading HGV driver agency in Southampton, Drive Personnel works with local businesses to place the best drivers in suitable roles throughout Hampshire.

Read More

The Benefits of Working with an HGV Driver Agency

Whether you are a driver looking for a new role, or a business trying to fill a vacancy to meet customer needs, a driver agency can save you time and hassle. As a leading HGV driver agency in Southampton, Drive Personnel works with local businesses to place the best drivers in suitable roles throughout Hampshire.

Read More