How to set realistic hours for an external transport manager

An external transport manager remains responsible for managing the transport function even when routine work is delegated to competent staff.

This guidance concerns the Great Britain operator licensing system. Northern Ireland has separate operator licensing arrangements.

Start with the Annex A figures

Senior Traffic Commissioner guidance gives these indicative weekly starting points:

Additional time may be needed for trailers.

These figures are intended to start a sensible discussion about capacity. They do not mean every five-vehicle operation can automatically be managed in four hours.

Work out what those hours actually contain

Before agreeing a number, list the recurring work.

For a normal HGV operation this may include:

• checking preventive maintenance inspection performance;
• reviewing driver defect reporting and repairs;
• monitoring MOT and other statutory dates;
• reviewing tachograph and drivers’ hours reports;
• following up infringements and repeated driver problems;
• checking driving licences and qualifications;
• monitoring vehicle and trailer use;
• reviewing operator licence changes and undertakings;
• auditing records rather than relying entirely on staff reports;
• attending operating centres and speaking with drivers;
• dealing with DVSA or Traffic Commissioner correspondence when required.

Safety inspection and maintenance records must normally be kept for at least 15 months. Keeping records is only part of the job. The transport manager also needs enough time to review what those records are showing.

Trailers can change the workload considerably

A vehicle count alone can make a busy operation look simpler than it is.

Trailers require defect reporting, maintenance planning, safety inspection control and repair follow-up. A fleet with five vehicles and fifteen regularly used trailers may therefore demand more management time than another five-vehicle operation with no trailers.

Ask how many trailers are actually in use, including hired and seasonal equipment.

Also check who controls their allocation and how the transport manager can see maintenance status before equipment is used.

Multiple operating centres consume real time

An external transport manager needs effective access to the operation, not merely remote access to a spreadsheet.

Two operating centres forty miles apart create a different workload from one compact depot. Consider travel, visit frequency and the time needed to inspect records, speak with staff and test whether procedures work in practice.

Do not hide travelling time outside the calculation simply to make the declared transport manager hours look smaller.

A workable arrangement should explain how the manager maintains oversight between visits as well.

Previous compliance affects the starting workload

A tidy operation with stable systems may require less corrective work than a business recovering from repeated failures.

Before accepting an appointment, an external transport manager should understand matters such as:

• recent prohibitions and MOT performance;
• missed or late preventive maintenance inspections;
• incomplete driver defect reporting;
• tachograph infringement trends;
• outstanding undertakings;
• recent DVSA contact;
• records that are missing or difficult to retrieve.

An operation needing substantial corrective work may require extra hours initially. Declaring a low permanent figure does not make that remedial workload disappear.

Staff support helps, but responsibility remains

Good administrative support can make transport management considerably more efficient.

A competent member of staff might schedule inspections, download tachograph data, prepare infringement reports or maintain licence-check records.

The transport manager still needs to supervise those systems, review exceptions and act when something goes wrong.

Delegating data entry is not the same as delegating the transport manager’s responsibility.

When agreeing hours, identify exactly who does each task and how the transport manager verifies the result.

Check the external manager’s other commitments

An external transport manager can normally act for no more than four operators and a combined maximum of 50 vehicles.

Those are upper limits, not a target.

Someone managing several geographically separated fleets may reach their practical capacity well before either number. Other employment, driving duties or business commitments can also affect availability.

The question is not simply, “Are you below 50 vehicles?” It is, “Can you properly manage this operation as well?”

Put the agreed hours on a practical footing

A sensible discussion should cover:

1. authorised and currently operated vehicles;
2. number and use of trailers;
3. number and location of operating centres;
4. current compliance condition;
5. existing staff support;
6. required site attendance;
7. the external manager’s other appointments;
8. additional work expected during incidents or regulatory enquiries.

Then agree an hours commitment that can genuinely accommodate the work.

If circumstances change, review it. Adding vehicles, another operating centre or a large trailer fleet may alter the answer.

Check the current guidance

The official starting points and capacity factors are set out here:

• Senior Traffic Commissioner statutory guidance on transport managers
• Goods vehicle operator licensing guide

Read the current guidance before agreeing an arrangement solely from an old contract or previous operator’s hours.

If you need an external transport manager

Operators should discuss the fleet, trailers, locations and existing compliance position before agreeing an appointment.

You can find an external transport manager and discuss the actual commitment required.

FAQs

Are external transport manager hours calculated per vehicle?

No. Vehicle count provides a starting range, but the complete workload and the manager’s availability must be considered.

Can some transport manager hours be worked remotely?

Some checking and administration can be carried out remotely, but the arrangement must still provide effective management and suitable operating-centre oversight.

Do unused authorised vehicles always create the same work as active vehicles?

Not necessarily. The operator and proposed manager should explain the real fleet position and ensure the declared arrangement remains credible.

Should extra hours be agreed during a compliance problem?

Where additional investigation, corrective action or regulatory work is required, the practical time commitment may need to increase.