The Question I Am Asked More Than Almost Any Other
Every week I speak to operators across the UK — in Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds, and London — who have some version of the same question.
The Legal Position — Who Actually Needs a Transport Manager
If you hold a Restricted Operator Licence — you are not legally required to appoint a CPC-qualified Transport Manager.
If you hold a Standard National Operator Licence — you are legally required to have a CPC-qualified Transport Manager named on your licence at all times. This is not optional.
If you hold a Standard International Operator Licence — you are equally required to have a CPC-qualified Transport Manager named on your licence at all times.
An operator who is operating without one is in serious breach of their licence undertakings. If DVSA identifies this, the consequences can include a Traffic Commissioner Public Inquiry and potential revocation.
What a Transport Manager Is Actually Required to Do
The Traffic Commissioner requires continuous and effective management of the road transport activities of the operator. A Transport Manager must be actively involved — overseeing driver hours and tachograph compliance, monitoring vehicle maintenance and PMI schedules, reviewing defect reports, being accessible to drivers and management, and keeping records that demonstrate their involvement.
The Three Options for Meeting the Requirement
Option 1: Employ a full-time Transport Manager. Typically between £40,000 and £65,000 per year. For smaller operators this cost is difficult to justify commercially.
Option 2: The operator or a director holds CPC and acts as Transport Manager. Many owner-operators who attempt this find that running the business leaves insufficient time to manage transport compliance properly.
Option 3: Appoint an External Transport Manager. A CPC-qualified professional named on your licence, fulfilling the continuous and effective management requirement at a fraction of the employment cost. This is what Aegis provides.
At Aegis, when I am appointed as External Transport Manager I carry out regular site visits, review tachograph data, oversee vehicle maintenance, monitor your OCRS score, deal with DVSA correspondence, and produce a monthly compliance report. Call today for a free consultation.
Liam Gafoor — Founder, Aegis Transport Compliance Limited
Liam has 19 years of hands-on experience at the highest levels of UK transport operations and compliance, including heading up a £450 million operation for the fifth largest company in the world.