What should merchants expect from a temporary driver?

For many builders’ merchants, temporary drivers are an essential part of keeping operations moving. Whether they’re covering holidays, sickness, or seasonal peaks in demand, agency drivers are often needed to step in at short notice and deliver the same level of service as a permanent team member.

At the most basic level, reliability and professionalism should be a given. A temporary driver should arrive on time, be properly briefed, and ready to represent your business in front of your customers. They are one of the key faces your customer sees when they interact with your business, so their attitude, communication and conduct matter just as much as their driving ability.

Competence is equally critical. And, in the builders’ merchant sector, that goes far beyond simply holding the right licence. Drivers should be confident operating HIAB or Moffett equipment where required, understand load security, the need to protect materials from damage, and be familiar with the practical realities of multi-drop deliveries to building sites and residential addresses. They should also be able to carry out daily vehicle checks and operate safely within compliance requirements.

Consistency is another factor that is often overlooked. One of the biggest frustrations merchants can face is the lack of continuity, with a different driver arriving each day having little understanding of the branch, routes or customers. In reality, a good temporary driver should quickly become a familiar and trusted extension of your team, learning your processes and delivering a consistent level of service.

Health and safety awareness is non-negotiable. From safe loading and unloading to understanding site risks, a temporary driver should be fully aligned with best practice. This is particularly important in a sector where poor handling or non-compliance can have serious consequences.

Communication also plays a key role. A strong temporary driver will keep the branch informed, flag issues early and work collaboratively with yard teams and transport planners to keep deliveries on track.

In short, merchants should not have to lower their expectations simply because a driver is temporary. The right driver should be skilled, professional, safety-conscious and capable of integrating quickly into the business.

That is exactly where the team at Specialist Driver Resourcing can make the difference. By supplying experienced, fully employed drivers with years of experience working in builders’ merchants, SDR ensures that employing temporary cover doesn’t mean compromising standards in any way. Instead, our focus on consistency, compliance and sector-specific expertise means you can rely on drivers who are ready to deliver from day one.