Transport Manager Services

Transport Manager Service offered by Oplas Transport Consultancy, is a solution, giving Operator Licence applicants or holders the ability to contact directly people who have obtain a Certificate of Professional Competence, or CPC. Who are willing to provide their skills, & services, as a nominated Transport Manager on a self-employed (Sub-Contract/Outsourcing/Freelance), basis to Operator Licence applicants or holders, as per the current regulations, surrounding the use of external transport management.

Please see below Information on the Transport Manager Service, offered by Oplas Transport Consultancy. Plus, please read some basic, but important information, that all Operator’s Licence holders need to consider before engaging a Transport Manager on an external basis.

How to Use our Transport Manager Services…

Please see below on how the Transport Manager Service process works in relation to finding Transport Managers willing to offer their skills, services in your area.

1: Interested Parties looking for the services of an external Transport Manager will enter, or confirm via a on-line declaration the following information, as shown below. Before Oplas Transport Consultancy, on-line system will check to see if there are, willing parties prepared to offer their skills, & services as a external transport manager.

• Their contact details of the current or proposed operator licence holder
• If they are a current operator licence holder, (If so, they will be asked for their operator licence reference number as part of the request for their information), or applying for an operator’s licence for the first time.
• The location in which their current or proposed operating centre will be located
• Number of vehicles they wish the external Transport Manager to be responsible for, or the current authority on the operator licence they hold
• The Current Operator Compliance Risk Scores (OCRS), of the Operator Licence held
• Have they ever had action taken against them, or are they in the process of facing regulatory action by DVSA (Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency) or The Office of the Traffic Commissioner

2: Once the above information has been confirmed, by Oplas Transport Consultancy website. The website will search Oplas Transport Consultancy database of Transport Managers. To find those who match the requirements of the current regulations and guidance, and a contact list will be created containing the contact information of those parties.

Once the contact list is created, the party looking for the services of an external Transport Manager must agree to the terms and conditions, of the use, of the data they are going to receive. Then a fee paid, and the contact list is emailed to the enquiring party. The enquiring party is then free to contact the Transport Managers to see if they are willing to offer their skills, & services.

Please find below details on the contact information, that the list will contain for the Transport Manager(s). In addition, the parties named on the list will as be contact, (email), to inform them that their contact details have been past to a party, looking at the possible use of their, skills, & services as an external Transport Manager. This will include the name, & contact details of the enquiring party

PLEASE NOTE: NO RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS INFORMATION WILL BE PART OF ANY CONTACT LIST, OR EMAIL SENT TO ANY PARTY AS REFERENCE.

• The Transport Manager first name (initial only)
• The Transport Manager’s full surname
• The Transport Manager’s contact phone number, (As originally submitted by the CPC Holder, to be kept on Oplas Transport Consultancy CPC Holder database)
• The Transport Manager’s contact email, (As originally submitted by the CPC Holder, to be kept on Oplas Transport Consultancy CPC Holder database)

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE TRANSPORT MANAGER IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO OFFER THEIR SERVICES IF CONTACTED, AND THE ENQUIRING PARTY IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO USE THE SKILLS, & SERVICES OF ANY TRANSPORT MANAGER WHOSE CONTACT DETAILS ARE SHOWN ON THE LIST, OR MAY BE CONTACTED

What are the Costs for Using the Transport Manager Service?

There is only a one-off charge for using the external Transport Manager Service, offered by Oplas Transport Consultancy, that cost, is £225, after which all other payments, & the amounts in relation to the use of the skills, & services of the Transport Manager acting as the nominated transport manager. Are between the Transport Manager, & the Operator Licence Holder. (No middle man). To help those considering using External Transport Management as part of their system of work, for compliance to the Operator Licensing Regime. Oplas Transport Consultancy has shown below the typical costs, as it understands them to be, so any enquiring party, can make a more informed decision, in relation to the possible use of an External Transport Manager.

Normal practice when using External Transport Management, Is that all fees, are paid monthly in advance, there can also be a separate upfront payment, at the start of any agreement between the parties, which can be up to three months, or more of the agreed monthly fee, A minimum contractual term is also not uncommon, but some Transport Managers are happy with flexible term contracts.

Also, fees can be based on primarily on two factors, there are other factors, but these in most cases relate to the individual circumstances surrounding the Transport Manager’s requirements, & those requirements of the operator licence holder. One is the authority of the operator’s licence (The number of vehicles, & trailers which could be used under the authority of the operator’s licence. Two is what is known as the Operator Compliance Risk Scores (OCRS), of the Operator’s Licence Holder. Operator Compliance Risk Score, or OCRS, is a system by which the regulatory, & enforcement bodies, determine which operators are more likely to be non-compliant with the operator licencing regulations.

OCRS places all Operator’s Licence Holders into bands of risk levels, from green for low level risk, amber for medium risk, & red for high risk. The system was created by DVSA to calculate the likelihood of an operator being non-compliant with Operator Licence Regime (legislation), It is not a rating system on how well operator licence holders conduct their commercial activities. If you wish to know more about OCRS then please follow the link to our information page on www.oplas.co.uk

In the case of new Operator Licence applications, then the costs as shown against a Green operator are a good guide to follow, for new applicants, who are considering the use of external transport management.

Operator’s Licence with OCRS Rating Green:

The first vehicle is chargeable at between £350-£450, & each additional vehicle thereafter, £125-150.

Operator’s Licence with OCRS Rating Amber:

The first vehicle is chargeable at £500-£600 and each additional vehicle thereafter, £150-£175.

Before agreeing to be the nominated transport manager, on an Operator Licence with an OCRS rating of Amber. The Transport Manager may ask for a compliance audit, to be carried out, by an independent party, As the Operator Licence is considered by the enforcement, & regulatory bodies as being at risk of being none compliant.

The Transport Manager may wish to know about the problems, & areas with compliance that the Operator Licence has. Before agreeing the use of their name against, any transport manager nomination presented to the Office of the Traffic Commissioner. When the Operator Licence has an OCRS rating of Amber.

If an Audit is required by the Transport Manager, as part of any agreement to become an External Transport Manager. Then those fees for any audit to be carried out, are paid by the Operator Licence Holder.

Operator’s Licence with OCRS Rating Red:

All rates in the case of red rated Operator Licences would be for the Transport Manager to confirm, with the Operator Licence Holder. This is due to the high risk associated with an Operator Licence with a red OCRS, & any party with a formal connection with it, i.e. the nominated Transport Manager. 

Those Operator Licence holders, which are rated red. Are considered by the enforcement, & regulatory bodies, as being of high risk of being none compliant. It will most likely be the case, that before a Transport Manager will consider butting their name against an Operator Licence with a red rating that a full compliance audit, will have to be carried out by an independent party. As previously mentioned, the costs of such an audit are paid by the Operator Licence Holder.

Along with an audit, the Transport Manager will most likely wish to have an undertaking (Which will be most likely be part of the required Contract of Services between the Transport Manager, & the Operator Licence Holder), by the Operator Licence Holder. That every effort will be made to keep with the Operator Licence regime, & to follow their advice on all matters relating to compliance to the Operator Licence regulations, if the Transport Manager is willing to become the nominated Transport Manager for the Operator Licence.          

What is a Contract of Services for an External Transport Manager?

The statutory definition of “transport manager” as defined in the Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act 1995, & was amended by Regulation (EC) 1071/2009, states that a transport manager must be “a natural person employed by an undertaking (The undertaking meaning Operator Licence Holder), or if that undertaking is a natural person, that person or, where provided for, another natural person designated by that undertaking by means of a contract, who effectively and continuously manages the transport activities of that undertaking”. Article 4.1 of Regulation (EC) 1071/2009 refers to that person having a genuine link to the undertaking, such as being an employee, director, owner or shareholder, or administering it by means of a contract.

Therefore, from reading the above, if an Operator Licence Holder wishes to use the option of having an External Transport Manager, to for fill the statutory requirement of having a nominated transport manager who is suitable qualified for the position, i.e. the holder of a Certificate of Professional Competence, or Transport Manager. Then the need to have a “Genuine Link” or Contract of Services is a must. If any nomination is to be successful.

Oplas Transport Consultancy advice is that when entering into any legal obligation such as a Contract of Services. It is always best to seek the assistance of your own legal advisor. However, Oplas Transport Consultancy has a template, which has been used on a number of occasions, as part of successful external transport manager nominations. You are welcome to contact us, if you would like to use it as a template for your own Contract of Services. Were you, & your legal advisors can adjust it, to suit your requirements.

Please Note: Oplas Transport Consultancy; Accepts no responsibility, for any legal, or regulatory issues arising from the use of contract of services template, supplied by Oplas Transport Consultancy, for external transport management, or any use it may be used for by another party, other than by use by itself.  

Please find below examples of the areas a Contract of Services, for external transport management should mention:

Appointment/Termination
Duties
Fees, invoicing and expenses
Confidentiality
Delivery up documents
Tax liabilities and indemnity
No employment
Data protection
Force majeure
Survival of causes of action
Severability
Waiver
Notices
Law and jurisdiction    

Why Use Oplas Transport Consultancy CPC Holder Service?

• Large database of over of two thousand people, which gives close to nationwide coverage
• Every Transport Manager on our database has agreed to offer their skills & services on a self-employed basis.
• Oplas Transport Consultancy has had a number of years of experience & is happy to advise on the requirements of sourcing of an external Transport Manager.
• With such a large database, with virtually total nationwide coverage, gives you a high percentage change of finding a willing qualified person to act as your nominated Transport Manager
• Oplas Transport Consultancy Transport Manager Solutions offers a cost-effective way for Operator Licence Holders to maintain their obligations, in relation to the requirement of having a Transport Manager nominated on either their Operator Licence application, or the current, & valid Operator’s Licence that is held. as you are directly dealing with the prospective Transport Manager, i.e. no middle man, adding to the costs, as Oplas only charge a one-off fee for sourcing prospective Transport Manager contact details, from its database for you to contact them directly.
• You could within minutes of completing the quick on-line process, be contacting prospective Transport Manager, & negotiating with them to be the nominated Transport Manager on your operator licence application, or on the current operator’s licence that you or your company hold. Thereby saving time, which again keeps your costs down.
• Contacting & dealing with Transport Manager directly, goes a long way for filling the genuine & direct link between the Transport Manager, & the operator licence applicant, or holder. As per the regulatory requirement.
• Nobody knows your business, & it needs better than you, so by dealing with any prospective Transport Manager, a person who is going to keep both you & your business on the right side of the law. Must be something that dealing directly with that person, & not via a third party is the best way for you & your business, but have the backup of an independence & experience of Oplas Transport Consultancy, to advise if necessary.
• By using Oplas Transport Consultancy Transport Manager service, & the solutions offered, will help you to reach the professional competent standards set by the enforcement & regulatory bodies. Plus, those standards, you would expect in relation to your business

Important Information When Considering the use of an External Transport Manager

The nominated Transport Manager, & Operator Licence Holder both have a legal responsibility for the Operator’s Licence that either has been named, or nominated on. It is not sufficient that the Transport Manager is a faceless name on an Operator’s Licence; Or that the Operator Licence Holder believes that the Operator’s Licence compliance is the sole responsibility of the Transport Manager in regards to the Operator Licence held.

Therefore, it’s crucial that the nominated External Transport Manager, & the Operator Licence Holder are active & present, & understand they are part of a team making sure that the Operator’s Licence, they are either named, or nominated on. Meets the standards of compliance set out by the enforcement & regulatory bodies & that they understand the responsibility for compliance is a dual and equal one between the Operator Licence Holder & the nominated Transport Manager.