Working with a driving agency

February 28th, 2020

Using a driving agency should be simple – the agency driver arrives, collects the instructions and keys and goes out and delivers the goods. However, things aren’t always that straight forward and don’t always go according to plan.

We believe that all drivers we supply are perfectly competent; however, sometimes they are under pressure working for different and new clients every day. Transport is a fast-paced environment. Quite often drivers get canceled or moved to different assignments and this is just part of the job. As well as being flexible, they also need to adjust to different vehicles, equipment, procedures, and paperwork. Quite often agency drivers lack the training their full-time colleagues can access so they need to be proactive and pick things up quickly.

At NN1, our drivers are keen to prove themselves, hoping they are booked by the client for on-going and regular work.

When working with recruitment agencies here are some tips to consider:

Compliance

You should be confident all drivers supplied are 100% fit for work. Does the agency comply with the Agency Workers Regulation Act (2010) AWR? Has the agency checked for drivers’ references, or right to work permits? Are you sure they all meet your criteria? Are they qualified in the right category? When does their CPC card and tacho card expire? Do they have the right experience and age to be covered by your fleet insurance? Are they covered by agency driver’s negligence insurance? Are you being sent the driver’s DVLA checks?

Set expectations upfront

Be transparent from the start. For a driving agency to meet your demand, they need to understand your transport business in detail. Are there any site rules/Safe Systems of Work that drivers need to follow? Do you have any specific requirements in terms of the driver’s appearance? Do you use certain paperwork/timesheets that you need agency drivers to fill out? You can help the agency by being clear from the start about what your expectations are.

Give as much detail as possible

When booking a driver, please tell your agency as much information as possible. Is loading or unloading by the driver required? Who do they report to? What are the office and out of hours phone numbers? All this information should be used by the agency to ensure they send you the right person and it will also be passed to the driver in advance.

Build a mutually respectful relationship

Good communication is key when working with your driving agency. We know some agencies have bad reputations; however, once you find the right supplier, invest your time in building the relationship.

A good driving agency should be contactable, highly responsive, reliable and honest. They need to make you feel reassured knowing they have everything in hand.

The UK is experiencing a massive shortage of qualified HGV drivers. Having a good relationship with your driving agency benefits you, especially in the peak periods where drivers are hard to find.

Check our other blog post with top tips for getting the best out of your driving agency

At NN1, most of our drivers come to us through recommendation and, so far, we have had a 100% attendance record. We believe we only work with the best clients and we are also selective about who we employ. This is because we have brilliant relationships with all our clients. For example, we became the first point of call for three clients within just two months of working together – you can read our client testimonials here.

If you have any queries about using a driving agency, we’d be happy to help you. Simply call us on 01604 626355 or 07955 233144

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