SNC Transport Solutions
External Transport Manager Services
What will the External Transport Manager do?
An External Transport Manager, abbreviated as ETM, is a designated contracted, competent qualified professional who works part-time, usually for small to mid-sized operators. They ensure that your vehicles are roadworthy and your drivers comply with traffic and drivers’ hours rules.
They are also responsible to the wider public, through the traffic commissioner, for ensuring that an Operator is compliant. That is to say that if the Operator is not doing what the External Transport Manager is asking of them, then they have an obligation to inform the Office of the Traffic Commissioner.
General Duties
The Senior Traffic Commissioner identified the following non-exhaustive list of the types of activity which might be expected of a transport manager.
General 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 Traffic Commissioner 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 driver hours records are kept for a period of no less than 12 months.
- Ensure that all working time records are kept for a period of no less than 24 months.
Driver Management
- Ensure compliance with 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 driver 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.