Here at Copart, our drivers perform a very unique role that is so much more than just driving and requires specialist vehicle movement skills. And it’s a role that continues to become more and more skilled and diverse, given the ever-changing car parc and the huge (and expanding!) range of services we provide to our customers.
Whether it’s recovering a vehicle directly from a policyholder, safely handling EVs and hybrids, or delivering one of the hundreds of thousands of vehicles we handle every year to a buyer, we know how important it is to provide a highly skilled and trustworthy workforce to deliver our world class logistics across the UK.
Our drivers are often the first and only point of contact a policyholder has with Copart, so there’s so much more to the training we provide through the academy than just driving.
The presence of our branded transporters and uniformed drivers provides consistency and reassurance during what can be a difficult time following an accident, so it is important that our drivers have the necessary skills and confidence to communicate professionally, concisely, and empathetically.
To support our drive to recruit and train suitable candidates for this specialised role, in 2022 we launched our Driver Academy Programme.
This has not only helped to help counter the industry-wide skills shortage, but also ensures that we continue to provide highly skilled drivers across our fleet – now and in the future.
A significant shortage of HGV Drivers in the UK is as big a topic as ever in 2024, despite some signs of improvement compared to previous years. According to the Road Haulage Association, the ever-increasing gap between retiring and new drivers is set to triple the rate of unfilled driver vacancies to over 60% by 2026.
To date, we’ve had 60 enrollees into the programme, including four women, with 90% now graduated and out on the road!
The programme also offers supporting modules for qualified drivers to help them maintain their periodic CPC training and upskill.
We’re pleased to say that 25% of our graduates have since upskilled to Class 1 (C+E), the most comprehensive HGV license available – with over 90% passing first time.
And of course, operating responsibly is always forefront in our mind. For every Driver Academy graduate, we plant a tree to off-set any carbon created by the vehicles used during the programme, directly aligning to Copart’s formal Plan-Net-Zero sustainability commitment.