According to the Road Haulage Association (RHA), as reported in Commercial Fleet, the driver shortage is hitting crisis levels in the UK. It’s calling on the Government to urgently introduce a range of measures to help recruit and train drivers.

So how are we backing this drive? How do we support our highly valued driver colleagues within the business? And what does it take to be a Keyline driver?

Our drivers are a vital part in our overall operations, supporting us in ensuring our customers get the right civils products, on time and delivered to the highest safety standards. 

Given the importance of this function we have lots of training and ongoing advancement programmes in place, improving working conditions and diversity. We are proud of our working environment and our drivers are a diverse mix of people with a wealth of experience from various career backgrounds.

Testament to our commitment to going above and beyond with regards to safety and quality standards is our continued FORS Gold accreditation across our nationwide fleet of over 200 vehicles. The Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme’s (FORS) Gold accreditation is the highest standard achievable and it’s the tenth consecutive year we’ve achieved it.
 

We also have a robust training programme, which has recently been improved further as part of our goal to reduce our carbon emissions. Our innovative virtual reality training technology across the Travis Perkins Group helps us to achieve more efficient driving standards, delivering significant environmental benefits.

Our Driver Bonus scheme, which has reduced our impact on the environment and improved results for our fleet operation, was recently shortlisted for a Sustainable and Environmental Initiative of the Year award in the Builders Merchant Awards. You can read more here.

We are committed to career development and providing colleagues with the training and resources they need. That’s why we recently launched a Certificate in Driving programme, a 12-month Apprenticeship where you can ‘earn whilst you learn’ and qualify for your Category C (Class 2) drivers' licence.

Drivers who start with us are continually trained to become a professional driver, which incorporates all the training that feeds into the driver bonus scheme. All CPC courses are also funded by Keyline and tailored to Keyline, so they directly relate to the materials our teams handle.  
 

We also reward those who go the extra mile (pun intended) with our Driver of the Year award.

A job in driving has now become an increasingly diverse and broad role - and is attracting lots of colleagues from all backgrounds. 

In a driving job, you get to meet lots of different and interesting people. 

Routes and logistics are varied and no two days are the same, so there are always new friendly faces to interact with. Like our branch colleagues, Keyline drivers will meet customer teams, on site, and help us deliver a friendly and helpful service.  This requires a certain level of communication and people skills, which we are proud to nurture within the Travis Perkins Group.
 

There are many different types of driving jobs that you can choose from, including warehouse backup drivers to HGV drivers. Whatever the role, we give our drivers great responsibility in delivering first class service and with that, we’ve found they build natural relationships with customers and team members alike.

A driving career is ideal if you like to get out and about, rather than being confined to a desk. If you like a constant change of scenery and have good geographical and road knowledge skills, you’ll enjoy driving for a living.

Whilst our drivers get out and visit various destinations on the road, they also play an important role in our warehouse teams. Although our business has grown over the years, we always maintain a strong sense of community and camaraderie, which is one of the many reasons our people stay with us for so many years.

We are looking for people who have an enthusiasm for driving, a positive attitude and above all, are safety conscious. There are more details on our driver roles here.