Around this time of year, many transport operators across the UK are finding out if they’ve been successful in securing home-to-school transport tenders for the 2025/26 academic year. Others are still waiting on the outcome. If you’ve just received the good news, or you’re in the final stages of tender negotiations, one challenge looms large: having enough compliant, reliable drivers ready to go.

At DrivenPeople, we specialise in providing split-shift drivers for home-to-school contracts. Over the last few years, we’ve helped dozens of operators scale their workforce at speed, either to confidently bid on new opportunities or to get contract-ready with a strong driver pool.

Here’s how we can help — and why acting now is so important:

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1. Win Contracts You May Have Otherwise Missed

We often speak with operators who have the vehicles, the local knowledge, and the operational experience — but don’t go after new tenders because they’re worried about driver availability. With Driven People, that barrier can be removed.

Our platform gives you access to a growing pool of professional, fully vetted drivers who are open to temp, temp-to-perm, or permanent roles. We can help you build a bench of drivers in new geographical areas, giving you the confidence to bid beyond your usual patch. If you win, we’ll be ready to support with fast, high-quality driver placement.

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2. Prepare Now — Even if the Contract Starts in September

If you’ve already been awarded a new home-to-school contract, now is the time to start building your driver team. The worst position to be in is scrambling for cover in late August when many drivers are on annual leave or already committed.

With Driven People, you can start onboarding a backup pool today. These may be drivers who:

• Want part-time or split-shift work
• Are semi-retired but still active
• Are looking for term-time-only roles
• Are open to trialling a new operator on a temp-to-perm basis

Even if you’re fully staffed now, having backup drivers in place is critical. Local authority contracts come with zero tolerance for missed journeys, and the risk of contract penalties or reputational damage from a single no-show can be costly.

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3. Don’t Underestimate the Power of a Compliant Driver Pool

Councils rightly expect all drivers to have:

• Enhanced DBS checks
• Relevant PCV licences and CPC cards
• Experience working with children or vulnerable passengers
• A professional, punctual and people-focused attitude

Driven People ensures all drivers meet these standards before they’re matched with operators. You’ll also have full visibility of their credentials, feedback from previous assignments, and real-time availability.

By starting early, you can not only meet these requirements — you can exceed them.

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4. Scaling Quickly, Without Compromising on Quality

Traditional recruitment methods often take too long — job ads, phone calls, interviews, and vetting can take weeks. Our digital platform simplifies this:

• Post your requirements
• View ready-to-work, compliant drivers in your area
• Book directly or start a conversation via the app
• Scale up as your contract demands grow

Whether you need 10 drivers next week, a team of backup staff for September, or just a few to trial new routes, Driven People makes it possible.

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Winning a home-to-school contract is a great achievement. But delivering a safe, reliable, and consistent service from day one is the real challenge. Whether you’re preparing for a newly awarded tender or lining up a bid for the next round, Driven People is here to make sure drivers aren’t the reason you fall short.

Let’s build your driver pool now — so you’re ready when the new term begins.

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Need help scaling up your workforce?

Speak to a member of our team today and get in touch with Matt at matt@drivenpeople.co.uk.