Ask a driver about real situations, not general qualities: previous employers and why each job ended, the routes and vehicles they know, how they handle delays and breakdowns, and their expectations on hours and pay. Then confirm the answers with references and a supervised trial drive in your own car.
- Interview length
- 20–30 minutes
- Best evidence
- References + trial drive
- Focus
- Real situations, not adjectives
Why the questions matter
Almost every candidate will say they are honest, punctual and experienced. Good questions move past those words to evidence: specific employers, specific routes, specific problems handled. Prepare your questions in advance and ask every candidate the same ones so you can compare fairly.
Questions about work history
- Who were your last two employers, and how long did you work for each?
- What did a normal day look like in your last job?
- Why did that job end?
- May I call your previous employer?
- What was the hardest part of your last job?
Questions about driving and vehicles
- Which cars have you driven regularly? Automatic, manual, hybrid?
- Which areas of the city do you know best?
- How do you plan a route when there is heavy traffic or a road closure?
- What checks do you do on the car before the first trip?
- Have you had any accidents or traffic fines? What happened?
Situational questions
- A passenger is late for an important meeting and asks you to drive faster. What do you do?
- The car shows a warning light on the motorway. What do you do?
- Two family members ask for the car at the same time. How do you handle it?
- You are waiting at a school and the child is not there at the usual time. What do you do?
- A passenger leaves a phone in the car. What happens next?
How to interview an office driver
Office drivers need organisation as much as driving skill. Add these questions for company roles:
- How do you keep a vehicle log and fuel record?
- How would you handle two managers requesting the car at the same time?
- Which business districts, banks and government offices do you know?
- Have you handled documents, cheques or deliveries for a company?
- How do you dress for work?
Questions about expectations
- What hours are you comfortable working?
- Which day off do you prefer?
- Are you comfortable with occasional late evenings?
- Do you prefer live-in or live-out?
- What salary are you expecting, and what did you earn before?
How to evaluate driver experience
Experience is not just years; it is relevant years. Five years driving a delivery van is different from five years with a family. Look for experience that matches your role and vehicle, and confirm it with references.
- Relevance: similar role, similar passengers, similar car
- Continuity: long stays with previous employers
- Verification: employers you can actually reach
- Calm: how the candidate talks about problems they solved
What to check before and during a driver trial
Before the trial, confirm the licence is valid for your car and that your insurance allows another driver. During the trial, drive your real route.
- Smooth acceleration and braking
- Mirrors, indicators and lane discipline
- Safe distance and patience at junctions
- Parking in a tight space
- Handling of your car’s features
- Calm, polite communication
A simple scoring sheet
| Area | What good looks like | Score 1–5 |
|---|---|---|
| History | Long, verifiable employment | |
| Relevant experience | Similar role and vehicle | |
| Situational answers | Calm, safe, sensible | |
| Trial drive | Smooth, attentive, respectful | |
| Expectations | Match your hours and pay |
Let us do the first round
HireDriver.pk shortlists drivers against your brief so your interviews start with suitable candidates. Call or WhatsApp 0339 1222233.
Extra questions for a family driver
- How would you handle a child who will not wear a seatbelt?
- What do you do if the person who normally collects a child is not at the gate?
- How do you drive differently with an elderly passenger?
- Have you worked in a household before? What were the rules?
- How do you keep the car clean when children eat in it?
Extra questions for a chauffeur or executive driver
- Describe a VIP or airport pickup you have handled.
- How do you prepare the car before an important guest?
- What do you do while waiting outside a meeting?
- How do you handle confidential phone calls in the car?
- What is your dress standard on duty?
What to listen for in the answers
Good answers are specific and calm. A strong candidate names real places, real employers and real problems, and explains what they did step by step. Be cautious of answers that are only about speed (“I will get you there fast”), that blame every previous employer, or that promise to work any hours for any pay; they often signal a short placement.
Take notes during each interview using the same questions so you can compare candidates fairly afterwards, then confirm the most important claims with reference calls.
Questions to ask the driver’s previous employer
- In what role did the driver work for you, and for how long?
- What were the normal hours?
- Was the driver punctual? Can you give an example?
- How did they treat the car?
- How did they handle money and receipts?
- Why did the job end?
- Would you hire them again?
Compare the answers with what the driver told you. Small differences are normal; big ones are a warning sign.
Key terms explained
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Placement agency | A business that finds and shortlists candidates for an employer. The employer interviews, chooses and employs the driver directly. |
| Full-time placement | A permanent driving job on a monthly salary, usually a full day six days a week, as opposed to a daily or hourly booking. |
| Placement fee | The amount paid to the agency for a successful placement. At HireDriver.pk it is charged once and equals the driver’s first monthly salary. |
| Replacement guarantee | A promise to find another driver without a new fee if the placed driver leaves within a set period. Ours is six months, for any reason. |
| Minimum wage | The lowest lawful monthly pay for full-time work, set by each province or territory for 26 working days. |
| CNIC | The Computerised National Identity Card issued by NADRA; the basic identity document every driver should show in original. |
| LTV licence | A licence for light transport vehicles such as vans and pickups used commercially. |
| HTV licence | A licence for heavy transport vehicles such as buses and trucks. |
| Police character certificate | A certificate issued by the police confirming a person’s record, available through provincial police services. |
| Probation | A short trial period at the start of employment, often one month, with a simple notice rule for both sides. |
| Overtime | Work beyond the agreed normal hours, paid at an agreed rate or fixed amount per late evening. |
| Live-in / live-out | A live-in driver stays at or near the employer’s home; a live-out driver commutes daily. Hours and pay should be agreed either way. |
Knowing these terms makes it easier to compare agencies, read an employment agreement and ask the right questions before a driver starts.
How to hire a driver in Pakistan
What questions to ask when hiring a driver. Call or WhatsApp 0339 1222233 with your requirements and we will explain availability, salary expectations and next steps.
What to check before driver trial. Every placement follows the same steps: a clear brief, a careful shortlist, a trial drive in your own car and a written agreement.
Hiring a driver through HireDriver.pk
HireDriver.pk is a driver placement agency at Chandni Chowk, Rawalpindi. We place full-time drivers for your own car in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and 13 other cities. You share your brief, we shortlist suitable drivers, you interview them and take a trial drive in your own car, and you employ the driver directly on a monthly salary. Our fee is charged once and equals the first monthly salary; there is no monthly commission. If the driver we place leaves for any reason within six months, we provide a replacement without an additional agency fee.
To start, call or WhatsApp 0339 1222233 with your area, your car, the duty hours and the kind of driving you need, or use the enquiry form on our website. We will explain realistic salary expectations for the role and the next steps before any shortlist is prepared.
Frequently asked questions
What questions should I ask when hiring a driver?
Ask about previous employers, routes and vehicles, situations like delays and breakdowns, and expectations on hours and pay.
How do I interview an office driver?
Add questions on vehicle logs, competing trip requests, business districts and document handling.
How do I evaluate driver experience?
Look for relevant, continuous and verifiable experience with similar roles and vehicles.
What should I check before a trial drive?
Licence validity for your car and insurance cover for another driver.
0339 1222233Hire a Driver