Ensuring compliance, advancing performance
November 26th 2009

The Freight Transport Association represents the transport interests of UK industry whether moving goods by road, rail, sea or air. There are over 14,000 FTA members who between them operate over 220,000 lorries – almost half the UK fleet – over a million vans, consign over 90 per cent of the goods moved by rail, and over 70 per cent of UK exports by air and sea.

FTA is one of the largest trade associations in the UK with a turnover of £25 million and employing around 500 staff. It has offices in Tunbridge Wells, Leamington Spa, Leeds, Stirling, Cardiff, Belfast and Brussels. FTA combines representational and advisory services with day-to-day member support services including vehicle inspections, tachograph analysis, training, publications, consultancy and information.

Membership of FTA is open to any company requiring the use or supply of transport services as part of their operation. As such, members include all of the major supermarkets and retailers, the manufacturing industry, farmers, local authorities, health trusts, and a host of companies from all sectors of British industry – butchers, bakers and candlestick makers...

This unique multi-modal and multi-sector mandate enables FTA to speak authoritatively on all aspects of freight based on the broader transport needs of industry in the economy. As such, FTA has a strong representational presence at local, national and European level which enables timely, accessible and relevant information and support for its members to ensure a safe, legal and efficient transport operation.

This knowledge also underpins FTA’s industry leading services where, for example, FTA training results in high pass rates for transport qualifications, members’ legal compliance records are audited and benchmarked, and consultancy services are able to provide bespoke advice on a range of distribution and other matters.

Recent years have seen major changes in legislation as it applies to the road transport industry, including the application of the Working Time Directive, the introduction of the digital tachograph and major changes to drivers’ hours regulations. For each of these matters FTA was closely involved with the Government in the construction and content of regulations and, subsequently, in a comprehensive programme of advice and support for members in their application. Through the issue of regular news updates, compliance guides and the organisation of briefing meetings FTA was able to provide expert and practical guidance together with a trouble-shooting service via its Member Advice Centre.

FTA has produced updated compliance guides on each of these subjects together with other more recent matters including smoking bans, the use of mobile phones, the introduction of a Graduated Fixed Penalty Scheme and operational guidance on carbon footprint measurement and management within freight transport.

FTA’s Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) provides inspection of all vehicles covered by an Operator’s Licence, cars and vans, buses and coaches, tankers, lifting equipment and end of lease vehicles.

Tachofta provides advice, analysis and auditing data from digital and analogue tachograph charts. It audits systems and procedures to ensure compliance with the law regarding tachographs, drivers’ hours and working time.

FTA is committed to providing its members with market leading, high quality training in all aspects of freight transport legislative compliance and operational best practice. It offers this through public day release and residential courses and in-company training. FTA’s team of instructors and training managers across the UK delivers training courses ranging from driver level to fleet and operations managers. And with the introduction of the Driver CPC, FTA now offers modular courses to make its introduction more manageable.

FTA believes that congestion on road and rail represents a major operational problem for UK industry, generating late or even lost deliveries, problems on reliable scheduling, and resultant higher than necessary costs. Accordingly FTA campaigns for a greater understanding of the importance of the supply chain to the whole of the UK economy and for a greater Government investment in the transport infrastructure.

As such FTA calls for a long-term and sustainable financing process for major transport infrastructure projects which both recognises and provides for a sound economic and social return, to the benefit of our 21st century society and economy. The UK must also develop an integrated ports policy which reflects the multi-modal nature of supply chains and the increased globalisation of the British economy. FTA says that the planning process for major strategic transport infrastructure projects must be simplified and speeded up in order to prevent waste of both time and money resulting from delays to projects which will inevitably, and necessarily, be constructed.

The Freight Transport Association is run by its members and for its members. The depth of knowledge of the industry, which results from its daily on-site provision of services to members, informs the construction and promotion of policies which are recognised as practical and sensible. The needs of the industry identified by FTA’s immersion in the day-to-day operation of freight transport are quickly fed to Westminster and Brussels, as well as to the local town hall. Members therefore enjoy the joint benefits of custom made services for the transport professional and a platform to express their own views in the highest circles. FTA – ensuring compliance, advancing performance.

More articles from Freight Transport Association: