Planning around the 2026 driver shortage: a transport manager's checklist

The headline driver shortage may have eased, but ask any transport manager about October to December and you'll hear the same story: the market still tightens brutally at peak. The difference between a covered rota and a crisis is planning that starts in summer.

1. Audit your real coverage, not your headcount

Count licences and availability, not names on a list. A bench of twenty drivers with six on restricted hours is a bench of fourteen.

2. Lock peak commitments early

Agency partners allocate their best drivers to clients who commit first. A September volume forecast — even a rough one — moves you to the front of the queue.

3. Treat agency drivers as your own

Sites that induct properly, brief clearly and pay fairly see the same agency faces return week after week. Familiarity is a productivity metric.

4. Build a temp-to-perm pipeline

Your next permanent hire is probably already driving for you. Agree transfer terms up front so converting is a decision, not a negotiation.