Consistency of work is more important than pay for drivers when choosing which recruitment agency to register with. But face-to-face contact with the agency is the last thing on their wishlist, a new poll suggests.

ADR Network, which supplies permanent and temporary drivers, has mapped out work trends in the sector. It surveyed Class 1 drivers nationally, with 76% of large goods vehicles (LGV) drivers saying direct contact with an agency is the least important factor when choosing who to drive for.

More than half (53%) of drivers said that consistency of work was the main factor in choosing an agency, while only 28% of drivers listed pay as the most important factor. There is little agency loyalty in this sector, with 61% of drivers having driven for between two and five agencies. And 5% have driven for more than 10.

Six in 10 drivers choose an agency in the first place for flexibility, but nearly all drivers polled believed they could get a full-time driving job if they wanted to.

ADR Network managing director Emma Guyton said the survey indicated that the industry was short of younger drivers: only 20% had a licence for fewer than five years. High demand and the ageing profile of the driver population, she said, was causing “an unprecedented constriction in supply”.

She added: “It is clear that there is a group of drivers who enjoy the flexibility that agency driving offers, yet at the same time a regular supply of work is expected if drivers are to remain loyal to an agency. Both agencies and logistics companies need to work together to provide an attractive mix of flexibility and consistency of work.”