Driver Hire Nationwide

The logistics market in the United Kingdom has seen strong growth in recent years with the overall number of people employed in the industry increasing year on year. There are now nearly 4 million vans on UK roads – accounting for 10% of all road vehicles, and companies need drivers to drive them. Although van numbers have increased, the number of Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) or Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) drivers has continued to fall, causing the demand for quality drivers to be greater than ever before.

This is where Driver Hire comes in. As the UK’s largest specialist logistics industry recruiter with over 100 offices nationwide, we find work for thousands of drivers and other staff, in temporary and permanent jobs.

What work is available?

As we have over 100 offices across the UK with an array of clients with different requirements, we cannot be explicit about the type of work currently available as this will depend on the local Driver Hire office.

However, the types of roles we are generally continuing to recruit for may include:

• Van Driver (3.5 tonne) – UK Category B licence
• Class 1 Driver – UK Category C+E licence
• Class 2 Driver – UK Category C licence
• 7.5 Tonne Driver – UK Category C1 licence
• Warehouse Operative and/or Forklift Truck Driver

What licences do I need?

In order to drive a car or van (3.5 tonne), you must have a driving licence to drive these vehicle/s. As a South African driver, you will be eligible to transfer and use your licence in the UK straight away (see DVLA advice on driving in Great Britain without a non-GB licence).

However, in order to drive any other vehicle over 3.5 tonne in the UK such as a lorry, bus or minibus, you will need to get a new licence issued in Great Britain. As well as gaining the relevant Class 1, Class 2 or 7.5 Tonne driving licence (see licence terminology), you would also be required to have an up to date Driver CPC / DQC card and digital tachograph. Take a look at the DVLA website for advice on becoming a qualified lorry driver.

Licence terminology

Below is a list of licences generally required to work for Driver Hire and their typical job titles. 

For a comparison on UK and SA driving licences, please look at the UK’s driving licence categories on the GOV.UK website and this illustrative guide to SA licences.

What experience do I need?

The experience required will depend on the type of work you are applying for, or planning on doing. Experience in driving vans carrying out multi drop delivery could be one requirement for a Van driving position for example, or you may need to have previous experience working in a Warehouse operating hand-held scanners as another example.

In addition, some of our clients require drivers a minimum of two years’ driving experience  (usually for insurance purposes) in order to be considered however this is not the case for all companies. We would therefore advise that you contact your nearest office to find out more about the specific requirements.