Agency Compliance Review: 5 Questions Every Transport Operator Should Ask
During busy periods, agencies are under pressure to fill shifts quickly. That’s exactly when compliance processes matter most.
We’ve put together a practical Agency Compliance Review to help transport operators understand what good compliance looks like. It’s not about questioning your current supplier; it’s about asking the right questions to protect your drivers, your operation and ultimately your O-Licence.
1. How are driver checks monitored after registration?
It’s one thing to verify licences and right-to-work documents. It’s another to ensure they’re continually monitored and revalidated.
2. How is Working Time Directive and Drivers’ Hours monitored?
Does your agency identify issues before they become problems, or only after an infringement has occurred?
3. Can your agency prove compliance?
Technology should provide visibility and an audit trail—not just reassurance.
4. Who owns compliance?
Strong compliance relies on clear accountability, consistent processes and effective onboarding.
5. What happens when something goes wrong?
Every operation experiences infringements from time to time. The important question is how they’re managed, investigated and prevented from happening again.
Driver Agency Excellence Scheme
Employ Recruitment are proud to be part of the Agency Excellence Scheme with Logistics UK. The scheme is a voluntary initiative which has been developed alongside driver agencies and operators. It aims to recognise, encourage, and promote good practice within the sector. The benefits of using an agency that is part of the scheme include auditing, raising standards for drivers, recruitment and driver management.
Sadie Weston, Employ’s Managing Director says, “This is the only industry accreditation that ensures compliance to the highest standard. I have personally experienced the impact of working for a
non-compliant agency back in 2003 and have spent the last 17 years setting up Employ Recruitment, whom I benchmark to be one of the most compliant agencies in the UK, along with the others that hold seats on the governance group for the scheme.”
Driver awareness campaigns
Providing our drivers with information related to issues such as wellbeing, increases awareness regarding compliance as well as improving performance and decreasing the likelihood of an accident. Our recent driver wellbeing campaign communicated via videos, presentations and telephone calls, focused on areas such as fatigue, speed awareness, stress management and physical health.
Industry Compliance & Policy Guide
Copies of all our policies and processes are available upon request.
EU Drivers Hours
Working Time Directive
Driver CPC
Agency Workers Directive
Equal Opportunity & Diversity
Modern Slavery
Recruitment Process
Quarterly Licence Check
Incident & Accident Procedure
Ethical & Responsible Sourcing
Data Protection
Complaints Procedure
GDPR Policy
Privacy Policy
Website Policy
Cookies Policy
REGISTRATION COMPLIANCE
Our compliance process starts at the point of recruitment when we ensure that either of the following are met by drivers before registering: Standard: have an entitlement (licence C or C + E) for 6 months and have driven on the entitlement for 60 days with no more than 6 points and no major endorsements; are 21 years of age or over. Heightened: have held an entitlement (licence C or C + E) for 12 months and have driven on the entitlement for 60 days with no more than 6 points and no major endorsements; are 21 years of age or over. Once online registration is complete all drivers have to provide the following documents:
- Driving Licence
- Driver Card
- Driver Qualification Card
- Passport OR ID card
- Proof of National Insurance Number
- Proof of bank details
- Right to Work documentation (if applicable)
A face-to-face interview either in person or via video takes place and ID checks are completed. Our thorough registration process ensures that our drivers are legal, experienced and knowledgeable of their roles to allow them to pass your assessments first time. We ask all of our drivers for a degree of flexibility to ensure we have enough resource to meet your needs. We work to the highest of standards in recruitment processes to provide you with top quality drivers, profiled to your requirements.
IR35 OVERVIEW
From April 2021, the Government is extending the off-payroll rules into the private sector. The new rules will apply to work done by contractors working as personal service companies (PSC). IR35 is the term used to describe the UK tax legislation for contractors.
Our software DRS is IR35 compliant. To read more click here
TEAM TRAINING
All staff members are trained to support driver wellbeing by using active listening skills to offer advice based on their extensive knowledge, in order to ensure our drivers are on time, and happy which reduces risk of untoward incidents/ accidents.
As a logistics specialist recruitment agency, we believe it is important that our staff have the knowledge required to ensure 100% compliant shift coverage. This is why we have invested in the training. Our senior managers hold their Transport Managers CPC and we have a inhouse Compliance Manager who holds their Transport Managers CPC.
Driver LMP Legal Support
We provide 24/7 legal assistance service with LMP Legal who ensure any of our drivers involved in a police attended/blue light attended collision will be offered immediate legal support. The partnership offers national coverage which enables them to provide immediate support from the roadside. Crucially, this is not an insurer helpline or an ‘FNOL’ (First notification of loss) service. It is a direct route through to a criminal lawyer for immediate advice and representation. Aside from the cost and reputational implications, both LMP Legal and Employ believe that it is morally right that drivers are protected when they are driving through the course of their employment.
RESOURCE / DRIVING CENTRE
In a digital world driven by convenience, orchestrated by automation, we believe direct communication has never been more important to build and develop our driver network.
Our Resource section – ‘Driving Centre’, features our latest news, newsletters, campaigns, surveys, initiatives, and videos which we optimise to connect with our drivers.
Click here to view.
