“After redundancy,” he said, “I knew I had to take control of my income, especially with a child on the way. So, I became a one-man-band – a trucker for hire, finding agency work and building relationships.” That decision laid the foundation for Direct Driver Ltd, launched in 2018 with a single van and, most importantly, an incredibly strong work ethic.
The pandemic, the catalyst
Like much of the transport industry, Direct Driver faced an existential challenge when COVID-19 brought the events sector to a halt in early 2020. But rather than pause operations, Kurtis’s fledgling business pivoted. Leveraging a government Bounce Back Loan, he purchased a 3.5-tonne Iveco van and re-entered the market as a courier.
Through basic face-to-face networking, a proactive social media presence and relentless drive, the business began to rebuild a client base from the ground up. “I just hit the road, introduced myself to businesses across Huddersfield, and followed up consistently. It wasn’t easy, cold calling, but it worked,” Kurtis recalls.
By 2022, the company had outgrown its van-only fleet. An Operator’s License was secured, and an 18-tonne DAF rigid brought new capabilities and larger contracts. Since then, Direct Driver has brought in artics and more rigid vehicles, with plans afoot for a 26-tonner. Today, the business operates a fleet of eight vehicles and employs nine full-time staff, servicing clients in furniture, construction, manufacturing and beyond.
FORS Bronze and beyond
With growth comes complexity, and also heightened customer demands and expectations. So, to keep pace, Direct Driver gained FORS Bronze accreditation in early 2025. “For us, FORS was about more than meeting contractual requirements.
