Find a Transport Manager for Event Logistics

The best time for an event-logistics Transport Manager to intervene is before the schedule is issued, not after the tachograph infringements appear. A candidate should be able to challenge travel, loading, build and breakdown plans that cannot be completed within the relevant driving, working-time and rest rules. They also need authority over hired vehicles, temporary drivers, maintenance and mixed loads when production changes at short notice.

ETM is an independent matching marketplace. It helps operators present the requirement to Transport Managers and consultants, but it does not make the appointment or represent GOV.UK, DVSA or the Office of the Traffic Commissioner. Formal nominations are considered through the operator licensing process.

Describe the calendar, not just the fleet

Vehicle numbers alone do not show the workload. Include event dates, build and breakdown windows, overnight movements, international legs, driver accommodation, venue access restrictions and seasonal peaks. Explain whether drivers also load, build, operate equipment or work on site, because those duties may affect working-time and rest planning.

State whether you need a statutory Transport Manager for a standard licence, a consultant for a restricted operation, application support, a compliance audit or short-term help during a regulatory process. Any request linked to a period of grace should identify the application status and deadline.

Test whether sector knowledge is practical

Ask candidates to review an anonymised tour day. They should question travel assumptions, suitable parking, loading duration, other work, rest and the effect of late venue access. A useful response will identify a decision point and escalation route rather than suggest that the driver “makes the time up”.

Event fleets also use hired rigids, trailers, agency drivers and mixed flight-case loads. The Transport Manager should explain how these enter the licence, maintenance, defect, tachograph and load-security systems before use. Tail-lift examination and maintenance should be understood separately from daily checks and safe operation.

Authority matters when the show is at risk

Agree who can delay a departure, reject a vehicle, change a driver or require extra accommodation when the production plan becomes non-compliant. The Transport Manager needs timely access to the schedule, vehicle and trailer availability, maintenance records, tachograph data, driver information and the senior manager controlling production spend.

A candidate who is only informed after decisions are fixed may not be able to exercise continuous and effective management. Discuss how far in advance schedules will be supplied, who attends planning meetings and how out-of-hours changes are communicated.

Give candidates enough information to assess capacity

• Licence type, legal entity and current application or licence status.
• Authorised vehicles and trailers, including expected hires.
• Operating centres, storage sites and event geography.
• Driver numbers, agency use and non-driving duties.
• Typical tour, exhibition or production schedule.
• Maintenance, brake, tail-lift and tachograph arrangements.
• International work and document support.
• Known compliance concerns or regulator correspondence.
• Required attendance, availability, reporting and start date.

Interview questions that reveal genuine fit

• At what stage will you approve or challenge a tour schedule?
• How will build and breakdown duties be included in the working-time picture?
• What happens when venue access moves by several hours?
• How will short-term hires be authorised and inspected before allocation?
• What evidence will you require for agency and temporary drivers?
• How will wheeled cases and irregular equipment be restrained and checked?

Ask the candidate to describe a reporting rhythm that fits the event cycle. Weekly reporting may be sensible during a tour and excessive when the fleet is inactive. The arrangement should still include prompt escalation of prohibitions, serious defects, repeated infringements and management obstruction.

Check commitments before agreeing the fee

External Transport Managers are limited to four operators and 50 authorised vehicles in total, with lower workable limits possible. Ask for all current commitments, travel demands and peak-period conflicts. A person may appear available in January but be committed to several event fleets during summer.

Verify Transport Manager CPC evidence, current CPD, proposed hours and site presence. Agree expenses, out-of-hours contact, additional audit or application work, notice periods and what happens if the event programme grows materially.

From request to appointment

ETM may share the submitted brief with members whose profile and location appear relevant. Respondents can outline experience, availability and approach. You decide whom to interview and undertake due diligence. Duties should then be documented and any statutory nomination completed through VOL. ETM matching does not guarantee acceptance by a Traffic Commissioner.

Event operator FAQs

Can the Transport Manager work only during event weeks?

The arrangement must cover continuous and effective management of the licensed operation, including preparation, maintenance and post-event review. A purely nominal event-day presence may be inadequate.

Do freelance drivers reduce the Transport Manager’s workload?

No assumption should be made. The operator still needs checks, induction, defect control, hours records and supervision for work it controls. Status should be assessed correctly and responsibilities documented.

Should the candidate know international touring?

Include international routes if relevant. The candidate should state their current competence and identify where customs, permit or specialist advice is needed rather than improvising.

What should we send first?

A concise brief with fleet, licence, dates, sites, driver use, maintenance arrangements and the key problem is enough for initial matching. Detailed personal or commercially sensitive records can follow under appropriate controls.

Sources for event logistics management

• Senior Traffic Commissioner: transport managers
• DVSA: drivers’ hours and tachographs
• DVSA: securing loads
• DVSA: Guide to maintaining roadworthiness