For a recruitment agency, candidates are the stock on the shelf. Clients will always come to the agency with vacancies, but the agency only earns when it can put a licensed, available person in front of them. In HGV and plant recruitment, that is getting harder.
This guide explains how driver and plant recruitment agencies can use online advertising to bring in applicants at a cost they can plan around.
Why is HGV and plant recruitment so hard?
The shortage is well documented. The Road Haulage Association (RHA) said in November 2025 that the UK needs to train about 60,000 new HGV drivers each year over the next five years. In February 2025 it reported that about 740,000 qualified drivers will be needed by 2029, against about 684,000 active drivers.
The age profile makes it tougher. The RHA reports that most drivers are aged 50 to 59, while the number of 25 to 34 year olds is at a five-year low. Every agency is competing for the same limited pool, and the usual routes, such as job boards and word of mouth, are crowded.
What is a cost-per-applicant approach?
A cost-per-applicant approach means you advertise for candidates directly, track how many applications each campaign produces and know exactly what each applicant costs. Instead of hoping the job boards deliver, you run your own campaigns and measure them like any other part of the business.
The benefit is predictability. Once you know that a Class 1 applicant costs a certain amount to attract, you can plan your budget around the vacancies you need to fill.
Where do HGV and plant candidates come from?
Candidates are not all in the same place, so a good campaign uses more than one channel.
- Social media. Facebook, Instagram and TikTok reach drivers and operators who are not actively searching but would move for the right role. You can target by location and interests.
- Search. Some candidates search for terms like "HGV driver jobs near me" or "Class 1 driver vacancies". These people are ready now, and search ads put you in front of them.
- Job site style landing pages. Candidates are used to the layout of job sites. A landing page that shows the role, pay, location and a simple apply button feels familiar and trustworthy.
How do you write adverts that licensed drivers respond to?
Lead with the details a driver cares about, and say them plainly. Pay, hours, home time, location, vehicle type and licence requirements are what drivers compare. "Class 1 driver, nights, weekly pay, Leeds depot" works harder than "exciting opportunity with a leading employer".
Keep the claims honest. Drivers talk to each other, and an advert that overpromises damages your reputation with the very people you need.
What should the landing page include?
A landing page for each type of role converts better than a general "register with us" page. It should show:
- The role, location and licence required
- Pay or a pay range, and the hours
- A short description of the client or the type of work
- A short form asking for name, phone number, licence category and location
- A phone number that is answered
Keep the form short. Every extra field loses applicants, and you can gather the rest in the first call.
How fast do you need to reply?
Within hours, not days. Good candidates are approached by several agencies. If someone applies on Monday and hears from you on Thursday, they have probably been placed elsewhere. Assign someone to call new applicants the same day, and consider an automatic text message that confirms the application has arrived.
Should you build a talent pool or advertise per vacancy?
Both have a place. Advertising per vacancy fills urgent roles, while a standing campaign for common roles, such as Class 1 nights or CPCS excavator operators, builds a pool of candidates you can call when a client's vacancy appears. The pool is what turns a slow week into a quick placement.
How do you measure whether it is working?
Track these numbers for each campaign:
- Cost per applicant
- Share of applicants who hold the right licence
- Share you can reach by phone
- Cost per placement
If applicants are cheap but few hold the right licence, tighten the advert and the targeting. If applicants are suitable but you cannot reach them, look at your form and your reply speed. If placements are slow, check whether the roles you are advertising match what clients are asking for.
What about plant operators?
The approach is the same, but the targeting changes. Plant candidates usually hold specific tickets, such as CPCS or NPORS cards for particular machines, so build adverts and pages around those tickets. An advert for "360 excavator operator, CPCS card" attracts the right people and filters out those who do not qualify.
What should you avoid?
- Sending applicants to a general homepage instead of a page for the role
- Long application forms that put people off
- Slow replies that let candidates go to a competitor
- Counting applicants without checking how many are properly licensed
Where to start
Pick the two roles you place most often, build a landing page for each and run a small campaign on one social channel and one search campaign. After a few weeks you will know what an applicant costs, and you can scale up the roles that work.
44 Tonne builds candidate campaigns for HGV and plant recruitment agencies, including the adverts, landing pages and tracking. If you would like to know what a licensed applicant could cost you, send us a quote request.