Owner drivers need skills, haulage vehicle and licence
Date: 27 March 2008
An owner driver is a courier or freight driver with the skills, licence and vehicle to undertake logistics work on the road.
Usually they are sole traders, but may sometimes employ other drivers, reports RoadTransport.com, which has compiled a guide to becoming an owner driver.
The main things you need to become an owner driver include a vehicle, an operator's licence (granted by the Traffic Commissioner), a place to use as an operating centre, an HGV driving licence and other relevant qualifications, and a Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC).
The operator licence is granted to those people who demonstrate relevant finance and maintenance knowledge, and the CPC must either be held by you or by someone who oversees your operation.
In terms of managing an owner driver business, a detailed business plan is important, as is a strong cash flow. Also, having more than one client is vital, and ideally individual clients should provide no more than ten per cent of your income.
Drivers who have identified a niche in the market are also likely to be successful.
For more of the latest haulage and transport news, please visit the Haulage Exchange Haulage News page - all the latest for owner operators and haulage companies.
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