What is an external transport manager?
An External Transport Manager, or ETM for short, is a freelance consultant transport manager. An ETM is a competent qualified transport manager professional whose job it is to ensure you are compliant at all times. That your vehicles are roadworthy and your drivers are complying with all relevant rules and legislation.
Small to medium-sized businesses usually don’t have sufficient requirements to employ a full-time transport manager. So instead choose to employ the services of an external transport manager.
What will the ETM do?
The external transport manager is there not only to ensure you are compliant but can help reduce your fuel bill, review your current H&S policy status and develop driver training.
Top line duties
- Manage and review compliance systems to ensure that they are effective.
- Address any shortcomings such as prohibitions and/or annual test failures.
- Ensure that relevant changes are notified to the TC in accordance with operator licence requirements.
- Keep up to date on relevant changes in standards and legislation.
Driver Admin
- Ensure that drivers hold the appropriate licence for the vehicle they are driving (including non-GB vocational drivers from EU member states who are required to register their driving licences with DVLA within 12 months of being resident)
- Ensure that regular checks are carried out on the drivers’ licences
- Ensure that vocational drivers hold a valid driver CPC qualification (DQC)
- Ensure that all drivers hours records are kept for a period of no less than 12 months. they must be made available upon request
- Ensure that all working time records are kept for a period of no less than 24 months. They must be made available upon request.
Driver Management
- Ensure compliance with the driving hours rules (EU or Domestic Hours rules)
- Ensure that drivers are recording their duty, driving time and rest breaks on the appropriate equipment or in drivers’ hours books and their records are being handed back for inspection as required
- Where appropriate, download and store data from the vehicle digital tachograph unit. This should be at least every 90 days and from the drivers’ tachograph smart cards, at least every 28 days
- Ensure that drivers’ hours records are retained and are available to be produced during the relevant period
- Ensure that records are retained for the purposes of the Working Time Directive (WTD) and that they are available to be produced during the relevant period
- Ensure that drivers are adequately trained and competent to operate all relevant vehicles and equipment
- Contribute to relevant training and subsequent disciplinary processes as required.
Driver Operations
- Ensure that drivers are completing and returning their driver defect reporting sheets and that defects are recorded correctly
- Ensure that all drivers and mobile workers take adequate breaks and periods of daily and weekly rest (as per the relevant regulations which apply).
Vehicle Admin
- Ensure that vehicle maintenance records are retained for a period of no less than 15 months and are made available upon request
- Ensure that vehicles are specified as required and that operator licence discs are current and displayed correctly
- Ensure that vehicle payloads notifications are correct, height indicators are fitted and correct, and tachograph calibrations are up to date and displayed
- Ensure that there are up-to-date certificates of insurance indemnifying company cars, commercial vehicles, and plant
- Ensure a suitable maintenance planner is completed and displayed appropriately, setting preventative maintenance inspection dates at least 6 months in advance. This should include the Annual Test and other testing or calibration dates.
Vehicle Management
- Ensure that vehicles and trailers are kept in a fit and roadworthy condition
- Ensure that reported defects are either recorded in writing or in a format that is readily accessible and repaired promptly
- Ensure that vehicles and trailers that are not roadworthy are taken out of service
- Ensure that vehicles and towed equipment are made available for safety inspections, service, repair, and statutory testing
- Ensure that safety inspections and other statutory testing are carried out within the notified O-licence maintenance intervals (ISO weeks)
- Liaise with maintenance contractors, manufacturers, hire companies, and dealers, as might be appropriate. They also make certain vehicles and trailers are serviced in accordance with manufacturer recommendations.