The verdict in three sentences
For a 180-driver haulier in London, a dedicated careers site at GBP 6,000 to 12,000 pays for itself in under a year if it replaces part of the GBP 34,000 spent annually on job boards. The key is the 60-second application with no CV, designed for a driver applying from a phone at a services stop. The cost per application drops from GBP 30 to 70 on job boards to GBP 7 to 13 direct, provided the site is fed with some targeted advertising.
What a haulage careers site costs
| Item | 2026 range (GBP) | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Careers site (8 to 12 pages, jobs, depots) | 6,000 to 9,500 | Present Class 1, Class 2, van, warehouse and workshop roles |
| 60-second mobile application form | included to 1,300 | Name, phone, licence category, Driver CPC, preferred area |
| Employer brand pages (pay, rota, fleet) | 1,300 to 2,600 | Reassure on home time and equipment |
| ATS integration (Tribepad, Workable, Teamtailor...) | +2,100 | Centralise applications |
| Video shoot of 3 driver testimonials | 1,700 to 3,800 | The format that converts best on mobile |
| Maintenance and hosting | GBP 70 to 170 per month | Updates, security, new vacancies |
The standard timeline is 8 weeks: 2 weeks of scoping and content (pay grid, fleet photos), 4 weeks of design and build, 2 weeks of testing and publishing the first vacancies.
Job boards versus direct hiring
| Indicator (2026 order of magnitude) | Job boards only | Careers site + targeted campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per application | GBP 30 to 70 | GBP 7 to 13 |
| Share of applicants with valid C/C+E and Driver CPC | 40 to 55% | 60 to 75% |
| Average time to hire a Class 1 driver | 6 to 9 weeks | 3 to 5 weeks |
| Mobile form abandonment | 60 to 80% (CV required) | 15 to 25% |
| Annual spend for 60 hires | about GBP 34,000 | GBP 13,000 to 19,000 (site amortised) |
| Candidate data | held by the job board | yours, reusable |
The site does not remove job boards overnight. It lets you keep them for hard-to-fill roles and capture spontaneous applications from Google ("Class 1 driver jobs London", "HGV driver vacancies Dartford").
Features that make a driver apply
- Pay shown on every vacancy, including night-out allowance and bonuses.
- Clear shift pattern: trunking, multi-drop, home every night.
- Apply by phone or WhatsApp in addition to the form.
- Real photos of the trucks and depot, no stock images.
- Call-back within 24 h promised and delivered, managed from the ATS.
- UK GDPR compliance: retention period for applications stated.
Mini case study
Sarah, HR director of a 180-driver haulier in London, hires 60 people a year and spends GBP 34,000 on job boards, about GBP 570 per hire. She invests GBP 9,800 (site, mobile form, ATS integration), then GBP 130 per month of maintenance and GBP 700 per month of Meta and Google campaigns. Annual cost: 9,800 + 1,560 + 8,400 = GBP 19,760, and she keeps GBP 5,000 of job boards for workshop roles. Total: GBP 24,760, a saving of GBP 9,240 in year one, then more than GBP 17,000 a year after. She also gains 2 to 3 weeks per hire, which cuts agency cover costs.
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FAQ
How much does a careers site for a haulier cost in 2026?
Between GBP 6,000 and 12,000 depending on ATS integration, videos and number of depots. Maintenance costs GBP 70 to 170 per month.
Do drivers really apply without a CV?
Yes, and it is the condition for them to apply at all. A 5-field form (phone, licence, Driver CPC, area, availability) cuts abandonment by three compared with a CV upload.
Do we still need to pay for advertising?
A budget of GBP 450 to 900 per month on Meta and Google is usually enough for Greater London. It generates 50 to 100 qualified applications a month.
How long before the first results?
Targeted campaigns produce applications from week one. Organic traffic from Google takes 3 to 6 months.
Can we manage several depots?
Yes, each depot gets its own page and vacancies, with applications routed to the right transport manager. Count GBP 250 to 500 per extra depot.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your annual hiring volume, your depots and your ATS: we will price a mobile careers site with an indicative budget and launch in 8 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
