Terms & Conditions

Last updated: 30 July 2026

These Terms & Conditions (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the External Transport Manager platform, including the website at externaltransportmanager.co.uk, our marketplace, member areas, listings, directories, ETM Desk software and related services (together, the “Platform”). The Platform is operated by Box 4 Digital Group Ltd (T/A External Transport Manager), company number 17253991, registered at Suite 114 Business First, Davyfield Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 2QY (“we”, “us”, “our”, “ETM”). You can contact us at info@externaltransportmanager.co.uk or on 0208 088 8371.

Please read these Terms carefully. They form a legally binding agreement between you and us. By registering for an account, purchasing a paid plan, or otherwise using the Platform, you confirm that you have read, understood and agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, you must not use the Platform.

1. About the Platform and what we do

1.1 External Transport Manager provides an online marketplace and directory that connects UK goods-vehicle operators with external Transport Managers (TMs), training providers and related transport-compliance services. ETM Desk is separate software within the Platform for organising transport-management and compliance records, tasks, documents and workflows.

1.2 For marketplace activity, we provide the technology, listings, directories, profiles, messaging and enquiry tools that allow members and visitors to find and contact one another. ETM Desk provides record-keeping, workflow, reporting and information tools. ETM Desk does not perform the statutory Transport Manager role, guarantee compliance, replace professional judgement, or provide legal or regulatory advice. You remain responsible for decisions, checks, filings, records and compliance action.

1.3 We are not a party to any agreement, engagement or contract that members enter into with each other. We do not employ, supervise, endorse, guarantee or assume responsibility for any Transport Manager, training provider, operator or other member, nor for the quality, legality, safety or suitability of any service they provide. Any engagement between members is strictly between those members.

1.4 We do not provide transport-management services, operator-licence advice, training or DVSA/Traffic Commissioner representation ourselves. Listings sourced from public registers (including the DVSA operator register) are provided for information only.

1.5 We are a listing and subscription service, not a payment intermediary. The only money we collect is the directory membership, claimed-listing or ETM Desk subscription fee that a member pays us for their own account and chosen plan, and the optional Priority Matching Service fee paid by an operator who expressly chooses that service. We do not hold, escrow, process, route or transmit any money between members or between any users of the Platform. Any fee or payment for work that members arrange with each other is settled directly between those members, and we take no part in it and no share of it.

2. Eligibility and accounts

2.1 You must be at least 18 years old and capable of forming a binding contract to register. If you register on behalf of a business, you confirm you are authorised to bind that business to these Terms.

2.2 You are responsible for keeping your login details confidential and for all activity that takes place under your account. Tell us immediately if you suspect any unauthorised use.

2.3 You agree that all information you provide on registration and in your listing or profile is accurate, current and complete, and you will keep it up to date.

3. Membership types, plans and pricing

3.1 The Platform offers directory memberships, listings and separate ETM Desk plans. The plan you choose determines the features available to you. All prices are stated in pounds sterling. Introductory prices apply for the period stated at sign-up and may revert to the standard price on renewal, except where the ETM Desk founding-price protection in clause 3.5 applies. We will make the applicable price clear before you commit.

3.2 The current plan summary is:

3.3 Exact features for each plan are described on the relevant pricing or sign-up page at the time of purchase and may be improved or adjusted from time to time. Where we make a material reduction to the features of a paid plan, we will give reasonable notice.

3.4 Optional Priority Matching Service

3.4.1 Operators submitting a Request TM Support enquiry may choose our optional Priority Matching Service for a one-time fee of £149.99. Standard matching remains available free of charge.

3.4.2 The Priority Matching Service includes: matching your request with a Transport Manager suited to your stated needs; support from a dedicated adviser; priority handling of your matched request; and matching based on the location, skills and requirements you provide.

3.4.3 The fee is paid in advance as a one-time card payment through Stripe. It pays for our adviser-led matching work and does not cover, or form part of, any fee charged by a Transport Manager for their services.

3.4.4 We use reasonable care to identify and introduce suitable active Transport Managers, but we cannot guarantee that a particular Transport Manager will accept your request, that you will appoint a Transport Manager, or that any resulting engagement will achieve a particular outcome. You are responsible for providing accurate requirements and for carrying out your own checks before appointing anyone.

3.4.5 The Priority Matching Service fee is non-refundable once we have identified and introduced at least one candidate who reasonably meets the core requirements in your request. If we are unable to identify and introduce a suitable candidate, we will refund the Priority Matching Service fee. Nothing in this clause limits any statutory rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.

3.4.6 We act only as a matching and introduction service. We are not a party to, and are not responsible for, any discussion, work, agreement or contract between you and a Transport Manager.

3.5 ETM Desk plans and founding prices

3.5.1 ETM Desk Free and the paid ETM Desk plans are separate from directory membership. Starting, changing or cancelling an ETM Desk plan does not by itself change your directory listing, marketplace leads, messages or access to the classic ETM dashboard.

3.5.2 Where you purchase ETM Desk Verified+ at the expressly offered founding price of £9.99 per month, or ETM Desk Premium+ at the expressly offered founding price of £19.99 per month, that monthly price will remain unchanged while that same Desk subscription remains continuously active. Clause 4.4 does not allow us to increase that protected founding price.

3.5.3 An automated second checkout must not be used to change an active paid Desk plan. Contact support to request a plan change. If we move a continuously active founding subscription between Desk Verified+ and Desk Premium+ without cancellation or a gap in paid service, the protected founding price for the new tier will apply.

3.5.4 Cancelling, allowing to expire or terminating that Desk subscription ends the founding-price entitlement. A failed payment does not end it if our normal payment retries complete successfully and the same subscription remains active. A later subscription is charged at the price offered at that time.

4. Payment, billing and renewals

4.1 Directory memberships and claimed listings may be collected by Direct Debit through GoCardless. Paid ETM Desk subscriptions and card services are collected through Stripe. These are separate subscriptions or purchases and may have separate billing dates. By taking out a paid plan you authorise us, through the relevant provider, to collect the fee for your chosen plan and billing cycle. We may change a payment provider from time to time; where we do, we will tell you if any action is needed from you.

4.2 Subscription payments are recurring and continue automatically until you cancel. Monthly plans renew each month and yearly plans renew each year, at the price then applicable, until cancelled, subject to the ETM Desk founding-price protection in clause 3.5.

4.3 You are responsible for ensuring sufficient funds are available. If a payment fails, we may retry collection and may suspend or restrict paid features until payment is received.

4.4 We may change our prices from time to time. Except for a protected ETM Desk founding price under clause 3.5, any change to the price of your existing plan will be notified to you in advance and will take effect from your next billing date; you may cancel before then if you do not wish to continue.

4.5 We do not hold or transmit funds between members. The only payments we collect are directory membership, listing and ETM Desk fees that you pay to us for your own account and chosen plan, and the optional Priority Matching Service fee described in clause 3.4. We do not collect, hold, escrow, process or pay on any money between members, between operators and Transport Managers, or between any other users of the Platform. Any fee, engagement or payment arising from work that members arrange with each other is solely a matter between those members and is settled directly between them. We are not a party to it and take no commission, fee or share in respect of it.

5. Cancellation, downgrade and access

5.1 You may cancel the future renewal of a directory membership or ETM Desk subscription at any time. Cancellation does not shorten or refund the billing period already purchased, except where non-excludable statutory rights apply. Monthly plans remain available until the end of the current monthly period. An annually billed listing remains available until the end of its current annual period and then does not renew.

5.2 Use the cancellation or billing controls made available in your account, or send a cancellation request to info@externaltransportmanager.co.uk. We will acknowledge requests sent to that address. Cancelling a payment mandate or card with a payment provider does not remove your responsibility to tell us that you are cancelling the service.

5.3 When you cancel a paid plan, paid access normally continues until the end of the period already paid for, after which that plan will not renew and its paid features will end. Free-tier and unclaimed listings may remain in line with our normal practice and the Privacy Policy.

5.4 If ETM Desk Premium+ is changed to ETM Desk Verified+, no Desk records are automatically deleted. Up to three operator portfolios can be active at once. Additional operator portfolios and their linked records are retained but cannot be worked on until you assign an available slot or upgrade; you may swap the active slots at any time. Existing vehicle and trailer records remain available for active operators, but no new vehicle or trailer can be added while the account is above the 30-record allowance. Existing documents remain downloadable, but new uploads are blocked while stored documents exceed 1 GB.

5.5 When a paid ETM Desk plan ends, the account moves to the then-current ETM Desk Free limits. Cancelling the paid plan does not by itself delete Desk records. One operator can remain active on Desk Free. Operators outside the active-slot allowance and their linked records are retained but cannot be worked on until you assign an available slot or upgrade. You may swap the available slot between retained operators. Existing vehicle and trailer records remain available for the active operator, but no new vehicle or trailer can be added while the account is above the 10-record allowance. Existing document files remain downloadable from the whole-portfolio document list, including files linked to an operator outside the active slot, but new uploads are blocked while stored documents exceed 100 MB.

5.6 Account closure and deletion requests are handled under the Privacy Policy and the data-processing terms in section 8. Some records may be retained where reasonably required for legal, accounting, security or dispute purposes.

6. Accuracy of listings and member content

6.1 You are solely responsible for the accuracy, legality and completeness of any information, text, images, qualifications, certifications or other content you publish on the Platform (“Member Content”).

6.2 You must not publish content that is false, misleading, fraudulent, defamatory, infringing, unlawful, or that misrepresents your identity, qualifications, accreditations or regulatory status.

6.3 We may, but are not obliged to, review, edit, refuse or remove any Member Content, listing or enquiry that we reasonably believe breaches these Terms or is otherwise inappropriate.

7. Acceptable use and customer data

7.1 You agree to use the Platform lawfully and professionally, and not to:

• use it for any fraudulent, unlawful or harmful purpose;
• scrape, harvest, copy or resell data, listings or content except as expressly permitted;
• introduce viruses, malware or other harmful code, or attempt to gain unauthorised access to the Platform or other accounts;
• interfere with or disrupt the operation, security or integrity of the Platform;
• send spam, or use enquiry and messaging tools for unsolicited marketing or for purposes other than genuine engagement of services;
• impersonate any person or organisation or misrepresent your affiliation.

7.2 If you add personal data about drivers, employees, operators or other people to ETM Desk, you confirm that you are authorised to do so, have an appropriate lawful basis, provide any privacy information required by law, and use that data only for lawful business purposes.

7.3 Do not enter personal data into Atlas unless it is relevant and necessary for the task. You must not submit special-category or criminal-offence data to Atlas unless you have confirmed that doing so is lawful and strictly necessary. Atlas output is informational and must be checked by a suitably competent person before it is relied upon.

8. ETM Desk data-processing terms

8.1 This section applies where you or your organisation is the controller of personal data entered into ETM Desk and ETM processes that data on your behalf. It forms the written controller-to-processor contract for that processing. Nothing in this section reduces either party’s direct obligations under applicable data-protection law.

8.2 The subject matter is the customer-controlled personal data placed in ETM Desk. Processing lasts for the account term and the deletion or return period described below. Its nature and purpose are to receive, organise, store, retrieve, display, back up, secure, export and support the records and workflows selected by the controller, and to send selected one-operator context to Atlas only when an authorised user invokes that function. Personal-data types may include identifiers, contact details, employment or working-role information, licence and qualification details, driver, vehicle and compliance records, documents, photographs, task and diary content, and account or audit information. Data subjects may include the controller’s employees, workers, drivers, contractors, clients and operator contacts. The controller determines the lawful purpose and instructions, remains responsible for the accuracy and lawfulness of the data, and retains all rights and obligations of a controller.

8.3 We will process customer-controlled personal data only on the controller’s documented instructions, including the instructions expressed through authorised use of ETM Desk, and only to provide, maintain, secure and support the service. This also applies to international transfers unless UK law requires otherwise. Where legally permitted, we will tell the controller before processing required by law. We will tell the controller if, in our reasonable view, an instruction infringes applicable data-protection law.

8.4 We will ensure that people authorised to process the data are bound by confidentiality, and we will maintain appropriate technical and organisational security measures taking account of the nature of the data and processing risk. These include controlled account access, private document storage, encrypted transmission, off-server mirroring and operational backup and recovery measures. No online service can guarantee absolute security.

8.5 The controller gives general written authorisation for us to use subprocessors needed to provide ETM Desk. The current providers and provider categories are described in the Privacy Policy. We will give reasonable advance notice of a material new subprocessor that will process customer-controlled Desk data, normally by an account or email notice or a clearly dated policy update, so the controller can raise a reasonable data-protection objection before the change takes effect. We will place equivalent Article 28 data-protection obligations on a subprocessor and remain responsible to the controller for that subprocessor’s performance of those obligations.

8.6 Taking account of the nature of the processing, we will provide reasonable assistance to help the controller respond to requests by data subjects to exercise their rights. We will also provide reasonable assistance, taking account of the information available to us, with security-of-processing duties, personal-data-breach assessment and notification, data-protection impact assessments and prior consultation with a regulator.

8.7 We will notify the controller without undue delay after becoming aware of a personal-data breach affecting customer-controlled Desk data and will provide information reasonably available to us to support the controller’s response. The controller remains responsible for deciding whether it must notify a regulator or affected person.

8.8 At the end of the service, and at the controller’s choice, we will provide a reasonable opportunity to export the customer-controlled Desk data and then delete it, or delete it without export, unless UK law requires retention. The controller should make its choice when requesting account closure. Deletion from live systems and primary off-server document storage will normally be completed within 30 days after identity and authority are verified. Residual database or website backup copies are isolated from normal use and are overwritten on the next successful scheduled backup cycle, normally within 24 hours. Data that law requires us to retain will be isolated and used only for that required purpose.

8.9 On reasonable written request, we will provide information needed to demonstrate compliance with this section and allow a proportionate audit or inspection by the controller or its independent auditor. Audits must protect other customers’ confidentiality and security, use existing independent reports or remote evidence where reasonably sufficient, take place on reasonable notice during business hours, and avoid unnecessary disruption. The controller bears its audit costs unless the audit identifies a material breach by us.

8.10 Where customer-controlled personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will use an applicable adequacy regulation, the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum, or another lawful safeguard, and will apply any supplementary measures reasonably required for that transfer.

9. Leads, exposure and what your membership includes

9.1 External Transport Manager is, first and foremost, an exposure and visibility platform. Its purpose is to put Transport Managers, operators and service providers in front of visitors and businesses browsing the site for services in the regions they have listed. It is not a lead-generation engine and it is not a guaranteed-leads service.

9.2 By signing up you are not guaranteed any leads. Becoming a member gives your profile exposure to the people using the site; it does not promise a set number, value or frequency of enquiries.

9.3 Leads flow through the website and may be allocated by region, service requirement, membership tier and suitability. Eligible or selected members may receive a notification and an opportunity to contact the buyer. Covering a region makes a member eligible for relevant enquiries in that region but does not guarantee that every regional enquiry or notification will be sent to that member.

9.4 If a free Transport Manager member receives a lead or enquiry allocated to their profile, ETM may send that member a limited summary of the enquiry and an opportunity to upgrade to a verified or paid membership in order to view and respond to the full lead details. Unless ETM states otherwise in writing, that upgrade opportunity will remain open for 24 hours from the time ETM sends the notification.

9.5 If the free member does not upgrade or otherwise secure access to the lead within that 24-hour period, ETM may redistribute the enquiry to verified, paid or otherwise suitable members in the relevant region or service category so that the operator is not left waiting. Free-member lead previews must not be treated as a guarantee that the lead will remain exclusively available to that member.

9.6 Specialist enquiries may be offered to premium, verified or otherwise suitable members first where the enquiry requires particular experience, qualifications, urgency, vehicle knowledge, public inquiry support, licence application support, training provision or another specialist service. ETM may, at our discretion, designate a lead as specialist and allocate it to a suitable specialist member instead of sending a general regional alert. Membership tier and suitability therefore affect how and when certain enquiries are distributed to you.

9.7 Members pay us only for their membership or listing, which gives them exposure and the opportunity to receive and respond to enquiries. Any work resulting from an enquiry is arranged and paid for directly between the members concerned. We do not take commission or handle money passing between members.

9.8 Standard visitor requests remain free of charge. The Priority Matching Service is optional and is not required to submit a standard request. We invest in marketing intended to grow site traffic and awareness, but the volume and outcome of enquiries cannot be guaranteed and will vary.

10. Zero-tolerance conduct policy

10.1 We operate a strict zero-tolerance policy on abuse. Behaviour that is rude, hateful, threatening, harassing, discriminatory, abusive or otherwise unprofessional towards our staff, other members or visitors will not be tolerated.

10.2 Any person found to be in breach of this policy may be removed from the Platform immediately and without refund, and we may decline to provide services to them in future. This applies in addition to any other rights we have under these Terms or at law.

11. Refunds

11.1 Except for the specific Priority Matching Service refund provision in clause 3.4, we do not offer refunds. Fees already paid are non-refundable, including where you cancel mid-period, choose not to use the Platform, or are removed for breach of these Terms.

11.2 Nothing in this section removes or limits any rights you may have under applicable UK consumer law that cannot lawfully be excluded, including, where they apply to you, statutory cancellation/cooling-off rights and the right to a remedy where a paid service has not been provided with reasonable care and skill or as described.

12. Suspension and termination by us

12.1 We may suspend, restrict or terminate your access, with or without notice depending on the seriousness, if you breach these Terms, if payment fails, if we are required to do so by law, or to protect the Platform, our staff, members or visitors. Termination for breach does not entitle you to any refund.

13. Intellectual property

13.1 The Platform, its design, software, branding, text, graphics and compilation of listings are owned by or licensed to us and are protected by intellectual-property laws. You may not copy, reproduce or exploit them except as expressly permitted.

13.2 You retain ownership of your Member Content, but grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to host, display, reproduce and distribute it on and in connection with the Platform for as long as it is published.

14. Limitation of liability

14.1 Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot be excluded by law, including for death or personal injury caused by negligence, or for fraud.

14.2 Subject to clause 14.1, we are not liable for any loss arising from the acts, omissions, services, advice or conduct of any member, nor for any business interruption, loss of profit, loss of goodwill, loss of data, or indirect or consequential loss.

14.3 Subject to clause 14.1, our total aggregate liability to you arising out of or in connection with the Platform and these Terms is limited to the total fees you paid to us in the twelve (12) months immediately before the event giving rise to the claim.

14.4 The Platform is provided on an “as available” basis. We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free access and may carry out maintenance or make changes to the Platform.

15. Data protection

15.1 We process personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy, which form part of these Terms. They explain what data we collect, our lawful bases, how we use and share it, how long we keep it, and your rights. Section 8 applies where we process customer-controlled ETM Desk personal data on behalf of a controller.

16. Changes to these Terms

16.1 We may update these Terms from time to time. The “Last updated” date shows when. Material changes will be notified to members where reasonably practicable. Continued use of the Platform after changes take effect constitutes acceptance.

17. General

17.1 If any provision is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue in full force.

17.2 Our failure to enforce any provision is not a waiver of it.

17.3 You may not transfer your rights under these Terms without our consent; we may transfer ours to a successor of our business.

17.4 These Terms are the entire agreement between you and us regarding the Platform.

18. Governing law and jurisdiction

18.1 These Terms and any dispute arising out of or in connection with them are governed by the laws of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction, subject to any non-excludable rights of consumers to bring proceedings in their local courts.

19. Contact us

Box 4 Digital Group Ltd (T/A External Transport Manager)
Company number 17253991
Suite 114 Business First, Davyfield Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 2QY
Email: info@externaltransportmanager.co.uk
Tel: 0208 088 8371