A recruitment platform for HGV drivers is set to double the number of its users as the Government pushes for more trained drivers to get back behind the wheel.
Avail Technologies, based in Stockton, removes the need for traditional recruitment agencies for short-term contracts, allowing hauliers to reduce costs and drivers to earn more and comply with IR35 legislation.
Founded in 2018 by former British Army logistics specialist Erin Short, Avail currently employs five people at its headquarters and earlier this year it received £300,000 from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF), managed by Mercia, to support its expansion plans and develop its app and driver platform.
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Now the business says it has seen a huge surge in demand, putting it on target to double the number of registered users on its platform to over 20,000 by the end of the year, after getting an official seal of approval in a Government drive to find more HGV drivers.
The number signing up has risen sharply following a letter from the Department of Transport to the 海角视频’s one million licensed HGV drivers, asking those who had stopped driving to reconsider - and including a link to industry body Logistics 海角视频 which lists Avail as one of only five official recruitment providers.
The Road Haulage Association has previously estimated there is a shortage of around 100,000 qualified 海角视频 HGV drivers, caused by a combination of factors including Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic.
The widespread shortage is leading to delivery delays across all sectors, including retail, food and construction, but Avail says it is positioned well to help alleviate the situation.
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Steven Rogers, head of marketing for Avail, said: “The Avail driver app is perfect for the current environment. It means that employers can simply post their job and it will be sent to all appropriate drivers, while drivers out on the road can receive notifications of new work and apply with a few taps of the screen.
“We were thrilled to have Logistics 海角视频 give us their seal of approval.
"The volume of sign-ups suggests that there are many HGV licence holders out there who are actively looking for work. We are proud to be doing out bit to help drivers and hauliers navigate this difficult situation and get the supply chain working more efficiently again.”
Connie Smith of Mercia added: “Avail is revolutionising the way haulage firms recruit drivers for short-term contracts and is playing an important role in the current crisis.
“By enabling hauliers to recruit drivers remotely and reduce recruitment fees, it is helping to improve wages, entice drivers back behind the wheel and keep the nation’s shelves stocked.”
Sean Hutchinson at British Business Bank said: “Demand for HGV drivers has been building over recent years and Avail’s technology helps to streamline the recruitment process, saving haulage firms time and money. With the shortage of drivers coming to a head, Avail is providing an important solution to a 海角视频-wide challenge.
“First backed by NPIF in 2018, Avail is a prime example of how important it is to provide Northern businesses with the means to grow.”
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