Driver recruitment company Drivers Direct on the right road to major success

A SPECIALIST and rapidly growing driver recruitment company launched in the height of the recession is on the right road to major success.

The Drivers Direct franchises for Northampton, Nuneaton and Leicester have built turnover from less then half a million to a massive £3 million annual business in just over a year.

Directors John Major, Mike Geoghegan and Bev Major believe that Drivers Direct’s focus on quality training plays a major part in driving the company forward. All three also have many years combined experience in the driver recruitment industry, which gives Drivers Direct and its franchise branches a strong competitive edge.

With newly released figures showing that 60 per cent of all road haulage companies are struggling to fill vacancies, Mr Major said Drivers Direct’s success in providing quality highly trained drivers for its clients ensured it was able to meet this increased market demand.

Mr Major said: "When we bought the Drivers Direct franchise we liked the way the company operates, particularly the training provision and the enviable reputation it has built over the years. With our own combined expertise in the transport industry, this has proved to be a perfect match for us.

"We’re incredibly proud of what we have achieved to date. Industry knowledge, a background in franchising and good support from Drivers Direct has played a key role, as has our commitment to first class customer service. Moving forward, we are targeting a further 30% increase in our turnover across the Northampton, Nuneaton and Leicester offices."

Vacancies for HGV drivers increased to 25,720, up from 11,041 in 2009, and from 17,344 in 2007. And van drivers increased from 7,000 last October up to 10,193 this year. The increased driver demand in the lead up to Christmas means that the franchise branches are going to be busier than ever.

Mr Major added: "When we started the franchise branches, we initially had 10-12 drivers and about four clients. We now have over 150 regular drivers and a strong database of clients, many of which are blue chip companies with household brand names. This means we can now meet their demands, even during busy periods, whilst maintaining the standards they have come to expect from us.

"The future is looking very bright and we’re anticipating further growth throughout 2011."