If you run a haulage firm, you already know the cost of an empty cab. A lorry that is not moving earns nothing, a late delivery damages a customer relationship and agency cover is rarely cheap. Learning to recruit HGV drivers directly is one way to take back some control.
This guide explains how hauliers and logistics operators can use online advertising to recruit their own drivers.
How big is the HGV driver shortage?
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, the RHA reported that about 740,000 qualified drivers will be needed by 2029, against about 684,000 active drivers at the time.
The age profile adds to the pressure. 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. Fewer young drivers are coming in, and many experienced drivers will retire in the next decade.
For a haulier, that means competition for every qualified driver, and a stronger case for building your own recruitment pipeline.
Why is relying on agencies risky?
Agencies fill gaps quickly, but there are trade-offs.
- Agency drivers usually cost more per week than your own employees.
- They may not know your routes, customers or equipment.
- An agency can send the same driver to a competitor next week.
A direct campaign will not replace agencies overnight, and you may still need them for short-term cover. But if you are repeatedly paying agency rates to fill the same vacancies, it is worth working out what a steady flow of direct applications would save you.
How do you recruit HGV drivers directly?
Write a clear job advert that leads with what drivers care about, send people to a simple landing page, keep the application form short, reply quickly and track which adverts bring in applicants. Run the campaign on the channels drivers actually use, such as Facebook and Instagram, job sites and search.
Lead with what drivers care about
Drivers choose employers on a handful of things: pay, hours, home time, the type of work, the age and condition of the vehicles and how they are treated. Say these things plainly in your advert and on your landing page. Vague wording like "competitive salary" tells a driver nothing, while a clear pay range, start times and the typical routes give them a reason to apply.
Only publish what is true and what you can stand behind. Drivers talk to each other, and a promise that does not match reality will cost you more than it wins.
Build a simple landing page
Send applicants to a page built for the job, not your general homepage. Show the role, the pay, the hours, the depot location and the licence requirements. Add a few photos of your vehicles and your team. Then give them one clear way to apply.
Keep the application short
Every extra field on an application form loses applicants. Ask for the essentials: name, phone number, licence category, location and a convenient time to call. You can gather the rest in the first conversation. Many drivers will apply from a phone in a lay-by, so the form must work well on a small screen.
Reply within hours
Good drivers get approached by several firms. If someone applies on Monday and hears from you on Thursday, they have probably accepted another offer. Assign someone to follow up the same day, and make the first call friendly and brief.
Reach drivers where they are
Recruitment advertising on social platforms lets you target by location and reach drivers who are not actively searching. Job sites and search ads reach those who are. A mix of both usually works better than relying on one.
Consider bringing in new entrants
With experienced drivers in short supply, some hauliers look at training their own. Funded training routes may help here. As industry reports show, the Department for Education has funded a large share of HGV Skills Bootcamp training for employers, so it is worth checking what support is available to you. A campaign that reaches car drivers ready to upgrade, tied to funded training and a job offer, can widen your pool considerably.
How do you know if your recruitment campaign is working?
Track four numbers:
- Cost per application
- Share of applicants who are suitably licensed
- Share who attend an interview
- Cost per hire
Compare the cost per hire with what you pay agencies for the same role. If applications are cheap but few are suitable, tighten the targeting and the advert wording. If suitable applicants drop away after applying, look at how quickly you respond.
What about winning contract work?
Once your recruitment is running smoothly, many hauliers also want more contract enquiries. The same tracking and landing page approach works for business-to-business campaigns, so you can add them later without starting from scratch.
The takeaway
The shortage is not going away soon, and the firms that fill their vacancies fastest will be the ones with a clear offer, a simple application process and a quick response. Direct recruitment will not suit every vacancy, but for the roles you fill again and again, it can be a better use of budget than agency fees.
44 Tonne builds driver recruitment campaigns for hauliers and logistics operators, from the advert and landing page to the application funnel and tracking. If you would like to know what a direct campaign could look like for your depot, send us a quote request.