- Start Up Cost:
- Franchise Type:
- Sector Type:
- Investment Type:
- Market:
- £32,000
- Office Based
- Recruitment
- Start-up
- B2B
Established in 1983 (and franchising since 1987), Driver Hire is a B2B management franchise in the vibrant recruitment sector.
With over 100 UK offices, our franchisees specialise in supplying commercial drivers and other logistics staff to the private and public sectors. We provide high-quality temporary staff to cover holidays, sickness, and longer contracts.
Driver Hire is part of the £35.9bn UK recruitment and staffing industry and the UK market for temporary drivers alone is estimated to be worth at least £2.2bn.
There is very strong demand for our core services, and additional revenue streams include permanent recruitment and non-driving staff.
Recognition and performance
Driver Hire is one of the UK’s top franchises, winning the prestigious bfa HSBC Franchisor of the Year award in 2019. This is the sixth time this management franchise has won a bfa HSBC Franchisor of the Year award.
The Driver Hire network contains very successful franchisees, who consistently deliver great results. The average turnover figure for a Driver Hire franchised office (single unit) in the most recent year (2021/22) was an impressive £1,230,183. The top Driver Hire franchised business (single office) generated over £3m in sales.
Our intensive two-week Foundation programme helps to provide all the core knowledge needed to run a successful business, even if you are new to the industry. This can be supplemented with time in a Driver Hire office.
Foundation Course topics include important transport and recruitment industry legislation, and all aspects of day-to-day operations, including finding and winning new customers, candidate recruitment, finance, marketing, IT systems, compliance, and much more.
Further ongoing training and updates are provided on a regular basis.
Every day is different. Typical tasks – depending on how the team is structured – will include sales calls and customer visits, interviewing candidates, filling bookings (job assignments), advertising for further candidates, holding team meetings, and planning local marketing campaigns. You will receive plenty of guidance and support with the above, from Driver Hire’s head office team of 70+ staff.
Driver Hire offices provide a 24/7 service. This doesn’t mean someone has to be based in the office round the clock, as staff normally take turns being on call.
Working in a Driver Hire office can be hectic, but it’s rewarding!
Jordan gained an early taste of business when studying Business Management at Borders College - winning the college’s Business Student of the Year Award, for running a successful fundraising event.
Following a couple of short-term jobs, Jordan joined Driver Hire, to work for a very successful Driver Hire franchisee. “I knew shortly after taking on a management role within Driver Hire that I wanted to own a Driver Hire business. I felt I made a positive impact managing teams at two Driver Hire offices - helping to significantly improve turnover. This gave me the confidence I could be successful in my own right.”
Jordan’s faith in himself is fully justified. The business he took over is growing rapidly and has just smashed its previous record year, reaching over £1.6m turnover in 2021/22.
“Joining Driver Hire was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made; it really has been life changing. I’ve won awards, smashed personal and business-related goals, and still get that feel good factor every day.”
Before buying his Driver Hire franchise in November 2012, Gary hadn’t really considered owning a recruitment business. “I was a serviceman in the Royal Corps of Transport and had worked in sales for a number of big brand courier companies. Recruitment wasn’t on my radar.
The business model seemed pretty straightforward, where the ingredients to a healthy business income are simply matching candidates with clients at the right time, good sales activity and providing excellent customer service.”
Having bought the business as a resale – the business was already established – Gary soon achieved significant business growth and started winning awards. In 2013 Gary was recognised at the annual ‘Startups Awards’, winning ‘Franchisee of the Year’ and was named Driver Hire’s ‘New Start of the Year’.
Gary has also since gone on to also establish the Driver Hire Podcast with one of his fellow franchisees which has been highly entertaining and successful. Gary adds: “Operating at close to the £2m turnover mark (2021/22), I’m looking to grow the business even further to maximise its future sale price. The business has changed my life and my family life considerably compared to being employed. The business affords a good lifestyle, but you must put the work in at the start and have a good team around you to achieve this. It’s been a great move and I love what I do.”
With a business background in derivatives and money-broking, Ed joined Driver Hire in November 2014. Prior to buying Driver Hire Uxbridge, Ed had spent 28 years working in major financial centres around the world: London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and New York.
“Driver Hire appealed as an opportunity to return to the UK, and build a real business focussed on two key groups: the drivers and the clients,” comments Ed. “The franchise offered me an opportunity to take a proven model and adapt it to the opportunities within my defined franchise postcode area.”
“Over the past four years turnover has grown six-fold, and the office has expanded and moved to modern new premises, with an on-site training room. The team has increased from one employee to five. Ed concludes, “Whilst the financial side is key, I just enjoy running a Driver Hire franchise. We’ve taken people who were unemployed on to our books and found them full-time jobs. That’s an amazing feeling.
James Craven was in his early 30s and enjoying a successful career as a change management consultant in Switzerland when he decided to return to the UK to run his own business. Having done some initial research into franchising, James attended The National Franchise Exhibition in October 2015. There, he made initial enquiries with several exhibiting franchise brands, but his focus was on Driver Hire.
“I’d heard good things about the Driver Hire franchise opportunity from an acquaintance who’d already experienced success with them.” By June 2016 James bought the Driver Hire Bournemouth business.
“I enjoy the independence of running my own business – the planning, decision making and leading the team I have built – but I’ve benefited from the ready-made formula a franchise offers. “I’ve got an asset which is increasing in value and I reap the rewards of my own hard work. It’s very satisfying that my team also benefit from our success; they are on the journey too!”
Having worked in management for Driver Hire for many years, Diane Maxwell jumped at the chance when offered the opportunity to run her very own Driver Hire franchise in 2012. The business has gone from strength to strength and is one of the top 10 performing Driver Hire offices in the UK, turning over £2m+ per year.
On what made her move from the somewhat cosier world of employment to that of being her own boss: “In the first instance, I just love the business,” says Diane. “Having run it for someone else, I could see the potential, and the idea of making it mine was an exciting one. I still feel the same. The big difference I’ve noticed is that, as your own boss, you really cherish success.”
“Running your own business can be hard work. As my business grew, I was able to take on staff and achieve a much better work/life balance. Building a team you can trust means you can step away from your business and know that it is in safe hands.”
Driver Hire has a network of over 100 offices, with every franchisee selling at some point. Please request more info for the latest resale options.
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