Distribution Using carriers

As well as the upfront vehicle costs, there are extra costs to take into account before making the final decision, eg vehicle licences, employee training and fuel and maintenance costs. Your goods may be insured when a carrier transports them, but this may not compensate for losing a customer if their goods arrive in pieces.

Leasing or renting vehicles is an alternative. It gives you more control over transporting your goods than using carriers, and allows you to minimise costs by hiring vehicles only when you need to. ships or the post can be more cost-effective, but not always practical, especially if the goods are perishable. Email is another cost-effective delivery method but is limited to electronic files and data.


If you operate your own vehicles, your drivers are allowed to work a maximum of 60 hours in a single week and no more than an average of 48 hours a week. This is normally calculated over 17 weeks.


Carriers can be more expensive but provide a more complete transportation service. Logistics providers, for example, can manage the entire process for you, including organising any documentation that is needed. See the page in this guide on couriers