Logistics & transportFor employers7 min read
Agency HGV Drivers: An Employer’s Guide for 2026
The driver shortage headlines have gone quiet, but ask any transport manager trying to cover nights in November. The pool is tighter than it looks, and the operators who get the best agency drivers are the ones who make it easy to do a good job.
- Only around 60% of licence holders have a valid Driver CPC, so the real pool is smaller than it looks.
- An agency checks the driver. You stay responsible for how your vehicles are run.
- A ten-minute handover prevents most first-day problems.
- Book ahead for the weeks you already know will be tight.
Where the HGV driver market is in 2026
Logistics UK’s Employment and Skills Report 2026 describes a sector that has moved from an acute shortage to a deeper skills problem. There are around 283,000 HGV drivers in work, barely 1% more than at the height of the 2021 crisis, and 61.6% of them are aged 45 or over.
The third figure is the one to remember. Nearly a million people hold a Category C or C+E licence, but only about 587,000 have a valid Driver CPC. The Road Haulage Association estimated in 2025 that the UK needs 200,000 new HGV drivers over five years, around 40,000 a year, just to keep pace with retirements.
What a good agency should check
Before a driver reaches your gate, these should already be done. Ask your agency to confirm each one.
- Right to work in the UK.
- Driving licence checked with the DVLA, including categories and endorsements.
- Driver Qualification Card (Driver CPC) in date.
- Digital tachograph driver card in date.
- Any extras the job needs: HIAB, ADR, Moffett, MPQC or site cards.
- Recent experience on the vehicle type and work you are booking for.
What stays with you
Using an agency does not move your operator licence duties. You are still responsible for how your vehicles are used, and that includes agency drivers.
- Drivers’ hours and tachograph compliance for work done in your vehicles.
- Roadworthiness, daily walkaround checks and defect reporting.
- Safe loading, and any site or customer rules.
- Analysing tachograph data and acting on infringements.
Hours worked for another operator count towards a driver’s daily and weekly limits and rest. Ask what the driver has done in the days before your shift, and expect your agency to ask too.
Brief the driver properly
Most first-day problems are information problems. A short, consistent handover fixes nearly all of them.
- Vehicle familiarisation: controls, height, tail-lift, any quirks.
- Walkaround check and how defects are reported.
- The route, the drops and any timed or restricted deliveries.
- Paperwork or handheld: PODs, returns, damages.
- Site rules at your depot and at the customer.
- A name and number that will be answered if something goes wrong.
Write it down once and use it every time. Drivers notice, and the good ones ask to come back.
Driver CPC: what changed
Drivers still need 35 hours of periodic training every five years. Since the Driver CPC reforms, there are two routes. International Driver CPC is unchanged and covers driving in the UK and EU. National Driver CPC is for UK-only driving and is more flexible, with shorter courses of at least three and a half hours and more e-learning allowed.
For most domestic operators either is fine. If your work crosses the Channel, check the driver holds the international qualification.
Plan cover before you need it
You already know most of your tight weeks: school holidays, the run-up to Christmas, and the days your own drivers have booked off. Tell your agency early and you get first pick.
| Need | Best route | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday and sickness cover | Ad hoc temporary drivers | Book by the shift, no long commitment |
| A driver has let you down today | Late-notice cover | One call and we get to work on it |
| A regular gap on the rota | Temp to perm | See how they drive before you take them on |
| Volume across a busy depot | On-site recruitment | A recruiter based with you, running it daily |
Rules to keep an eye on
Agency drivers have rights from day one, including access to shared facilities, and are entitled to equal basic pay and conditions after 12 weeks in the same role under the Agency Workers Regulations. The Employment Rights Act 2025 is also being phased in, with measures on guaranteed hours, shift notice and short-notice cancellation payments expected to reach agency workers in 2027. Dates are not final, so check the latest position before you plan.
Agency drivers you can rely on.
The difference between good and bad agency haulage cover is the agency behind it. Here is why employers choose DROPP.
Class 1, Class 2, HIAB, 7.5 tonne and van drivers, checked before they reach your gate, anywhere in the UK.
Talk to the driving deskAgency HGV drivers: quick answers
Who is responsible for an agency driver’s hours?
The operator remains responsible for drivers’ hours and tachograph compliance for work done in its vehicles, including work by agency drivers. Hours worked elsewhere also count towards the driver’s limits.
What should an agency check before sending an HGV driver?
Right to work, a DVLA licence check, a valid Driver Qualification Card, a valid digital tachograph card and any job-specific tickets such as HIAB or ADR.
Is there still an HGV driver shortage in 2026?
Logistics UK reports around 283,000 HGV drivers in work, with 61.6% aged 45 or over. The Road Haulage Association estimates the UK needs about 40,000 new drivers a year.
Do agency drivers need Driver CPC?
Yes. Professional HGV drivers need a valid Driver CPC and must complete 35 hours of periodic training every five years.
How far ahead should I book agency drivers?
As early as you can for known busy weeks and holidays. Late-notice cover is available, but early bookings get the widest choice of drivers.
- Logistics UK, Employment and Skills Report 2026 (as reported by trans.info, July 2026)
- Road Haulage Association, 200,000 HGV drivers needed in next 5 years (February 2025)
- Backhouse Jones, Driver CPC: changes in 2024 and 2025
- Hill Dickinson, Employment Rights Act 2025 tracker
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, so check the current official guidance before you act on it.