New Zealand Truck & Driver

Job-by-job driver hire to meet post COVID-19 uncertaint­ies

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A COMPANY OFFERING TRUCK DRIVERS FOR HIRE on a job-by-job basis believes it can help transport operators facing uncertaint­ies over staffing levels in the wake of New Zealand’s COVID-19 lockdowns.

DGH, which says it has a pool of almost 1000 contract drivers available nationwide, believes that “many trucking and transport businesses are facing worrying workload uncertaint­y.

“Some have seen major decreases in demand – where others have seen increased workloads, putting extensive pressure on resources.

“Businesses are challenged with complicate­d and expensive staffing decisions – holding staff during unproducti­ve periods or recruiting new staff to service uncertain demand.”

DGH founding director Bodhi Vette says that its solution lies in the fact that – “unlike hiring a permanent member of staff – all our drivers are available on request, for fixed terms, seasonal assignment­s or one-off jobs, to help businesses get back on the road to recovery quickly and efficientl­y.

“During such unpredicta­ble times, DGH allows businesses to scale their additional driver needs up or down, dependent on workload and demand.”

Vette says that “the fallout COVID-19 has caused to the trucking and transport industry is evident.

“We are seeing heightened pressure on crucial supply chains, longterm operationa­l disruption­s, unforeseea­ble job losses and employment freezes.

“In this volatile economic climate, business owners and operation managers are experienci­ng extensive pressure to control operating expenses and still maintain service levels.

“During such unpredicta­ble times, hiring permanent members of staff may no longer be a viable. Our business offers companies the option to hire skilled drivers one job at a time, offering full flexibilit­y and an alternativ­e way to source drivers based on workload and demand.”

The eight-year-old company claims to have “the biggest pool of skilled drivers available for hire in the country and are experts in what we do.”

Vette says that DGH comprehens­ively vets each driver that’s registered with it “before putting them forward for a job – conducting background checks, interviews, health and safety onboarding, drug tests and previous employment checks.

“We then invest our time and resource into finding the right driver for each job, saving businesses time and money in advertisin­g, recruitmen­t and driver acquisitio­n fees.”

Once a driver is selected, DGH helps organise necessary training requiremen­ts “to get the driver signed off and working as quickly and safely as possible.”

It quotes each job on an hourly rate, which includes the cost of driving, associated jobs, the HR management of DGH drivers, assignment management within DGH, legal agreements and a level of insurance.

Says Vette: “For years other industries have been embracing different outsourcin­g models and reaping the rewards. DGH is an outsourcin­g model for trucking and transport operators – providing a platform to connect with an experience­d pool of flexible additional drivers, allowing our clients to operate more leanly and efficientl­y.”

Central Transport general manager Robbie Hislop says, in working with DGH for two years, he’s found it “to be reliable, resourcefu­l – providing us with the right drivers for our diverse business.”

T&D

 ??  ?? DGH founding director Bodhi Vette
DGH founding director Bodhi Vette

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