A Black Country transport firm has launched its own training centre in order to tackle the increasing demand for drivers.

RDS Recruitment and Transport Services, which provides both drivers and vehicles to companies across the UK, has opened the facility at its Neachells Lane site in Wednesfield, supported by Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance.

The venture represents a £100,000 investment.

Courses, which include all HGV and LGV categories, as well as refreshers on roping and sheeting, forklift trucks and CPC manual handling, are available to firms and individuals looking to enhance their driving skills or gain a higher class license.

RDS was originally established in 1987 to supply relief drivers across the UK. Recognising a gap in

the market, the company then added a recruitment service to its business and in 1998 a transport division was introduced.

Today, it employs more than 100 drivers, has a fleet of 20 vehicles, varying from courier vans to 44 tonne articulated lorries, and a turnover in excess of £2 million, 40 per cent of which comes from transport.

Melvyn Cowley, founder and managing director of RDS, said: " It is our responsibility to ensure that our drivers have the necessary skills and qualifications in order to do their job safely and efficiently.

"This is also true of other firms, which is why we set up the training centre. We are providing a service whereby drivers can come along and participate in a number of courses to ensure they are not only adhering to the regulations, but also giving themselves the best possible chance of finding employment."

The training centre is not the only investment that has been made in the business. The company recently installed satellite tracking and navigation systems in all of its vehicles and the firm is also looking to move to larger premises in order to have both the recruitment and transport divisions under one roof.

Sue Pendergast, client manager at Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance, which has supported RDS since 1990 by providing a range of asset based lending services, said: "RDS is an example of a business that throughout the years has adapted its service offering in line with the demands of the industry.

"The management team places a great deal of importance on investment, exemplified by the launch of the training centre and the acquisition of a number of new vehicles. This will stand the company in good stead for the future."