Bell tells transport managers to toughen up

Senior traffic commissioner Beverley Bell has warned transport managers that they must face up to their legal responsibilities as outlined by Act of Parliament, or get out of the industry.

In a message delivered to the Freight Transport Association’s Transport Managers’ Conference in Chepstow, Bell pointed out that the role of the transport manager was widely misunderstood by employers, their  subordinates and even some transport managers themselves.

Legally they were required to exercise “continuous and effective” management of transport operations and be responsible for the management of vehicle maintenance to ensure safe and legal operations at all times.

“Someone who pops in every so often and drinks coffee while shuffling through tachograph charts is not exercising ‘continuous and effective control,’” she warned.  “The transport manager should be the person who makes sure that vehicles, loads and drivers are properly assigned.”

She said that to be effective, transport managers had to manage upwards as well as downwards, and not allow operational pressures to take precedence over legality and safety. It was important that transport managers took care to protect their own good repute, even if that meant potentially upsetting their employer.

“If as a transport manager you are not being taken seriously by your employer then e-mail your directors and set out your concerns. Keep a copy of the email.

“If you find you don’t know what you are doing then again email your employer with a request to go on a suitable course.

“And if you are incompetent, go and find another job that suits your skills and competences.”

Bell warned that transport management was not for everyone.

“You need to be able to praise what is good and deal quite harshly with what is bad,” she said.