Setting up a Road Transport Business in the UK

1 Corporate structure

• Which company will trade in the UK? Will you set up a UK subsidiary or trade through your existing business?
• What does this mean for your tax arrangements and ownership of assets?
• Have you you identified your UK advisers e.g. bank, accountants, insurance broker?

2 Employees

• Have you considered the differing employment rights in the UK?
• Are you bringing drivers and other staff members from your current locations? Have you considered their immigration/visa route?
• Have you thought about the pensions rights of your staff?

3 Insurance

• Do you need specific UK cover for your fleet or does your existing policy extend globally?

4 Type of Licence

• Do you require a restricted operator’s licence or a standard operator’s licence? (Will you be carrying only your own goods or will you be carrying goods for other businesses)?
• Do you require a National or International Licence? (Will you be carrying goods only in the UK or will you carry out international journeys?)

5 Finances

• Can you demonstrate the required level of financial resource (financial standing) for the number of vehicles you wish to apply for?

6 Vehicles

• Will you be purchasing or leasing vehicles?
• Will you be importing any non-UK vehicles and registering those in the UK?

7 Operating Centre / Property

• Have you identified a suitable site?
• Are there any restrictions on the site that would impact upon your ability to operate from there?
• Does the site meet the requirements of a suitable operating centre?
• Is there enough parking for all of the vehicles and trailers you wish to operate from the site?

8 Transport Manager

• Who will be your Transport Manager? Do they hold the appropriate CPC qualification?
• Do they have a contract of employment?

9 Driver Compliance

• Do you have a Driver Handbook setting out policies and procedures that you expect drivers to follow? Policy topics to include, for example:
  • Driver distractions (e.g. use of mobile phones)
  • Drivers’ hours’ requirements
  • Safe loading requirements
• Do you have a system for checking driving licences and Driver CPC?
• Will you deliver ongoing CPC training to drivers?

10 Maintenance

• Who will carry out maintenance of the vehicles?
• How often will the vehicles undergo preventative maintenance inspections (PMIs)?

11 Daily Defect Reporting (DDR)

• Driver Daily defect reporting must take place daily. What will the process be to demonstrate that these checks by drivers are carried out effectively?
• What will the procedure be for ensuring defects are rectified?

12 EU drivers hours rules and use of the tachograph

• Will your drivers be subject to EU drivers’ hours’ rules or GB domestic rules?
• What software will you use to analyse drivers’ hours data?
• What will the process be for dealing with driver’ hours’ infringements?