FAQs

We recommend that the van be no older than 5 years, however, we have no van age restriction when it comes to joining the Exchange. If the van is in good working order, looks presentable and has the required insurances, there won’t be any issues. The colour of the van doesn’t matter either. 

Please remember, the condition of your vehicle is often one of the first things a customer sees, so having a clean and well-maintained vehicle will likely lead to repeat bookings. Reliability is essential if you want to make sure you provide the best service.  

This will be specified on the load requirements when posted. This information can, however, be discussed with the load poster directly when negotiating your booking rate. 

Payment terms are clearly shown on member’s posted load and you can see it before quoting. On average, 90% of our members pay 30 days from invoice/end of the month and 5% pay as soon as 7, 14 and 21 days from invoice/end of the month.  

 You can make use of our feedback system to find companies who are rated highly for paying early or on time according to their payment terms. You can view any member’s payment rating before working with them.  

We have a network of over 7,000 vetted logistics companies who post thousands of loads daily to the Exchange. While most of these loads are ad-hoc/one-off, long-term relationships are often formed off the back of these loads. Contracts for regular/recurring loads do exist on the Exchange, but they aren’t as common as one-off posted loads.  

Unfortunately, we don’t accept cars on the Exchange. The companies on our system prefer vehicles not to have any windows where the goods are on display. A van is more professional and better suited to running a courier business.    

It all depends on what you feel comfortable driving. Being the biggest freight exchange in the UK, you’re lucky because you have thousands of load opportunities for smaller vans up to Luton vans.  

Keep in mind that larger vans mean higher operating costs, but you are not restricted to smaller loads, so your profit opportunities are wider.

For insurance, you must have:  

• Hire and Reward Insurance for the transportation of other people’s goods (specific to light haulage or courier use); 
• If you already have business insurance, it must state that your business is either courier or haulage; 
• Goods in Transit Insurance with a minimum cover of £5,000; 

• If you wish to expand your courier activities into Europe, you must have CMR insurance (Convention Relative au Contrat de Transport International de Marchandises par la Route).  
• If you offer specialised services, you will need ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution), FORS (Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme) and Waste Transportation Insurance, among others.  

In addition to having the correct insurances, you also need: 

• 1 x valid Driving License 
• 2 x proof of address dated within the last 2 months 
• Your private limited company (Ltd) registered on Companies House  

If you need insurance, give them a call on (number) and mention us to get the best rates and tailored insurance for your business type. Courier Exchange has partnered with Business Choice Direct (BCD) to provide our members with the best rates for courier and haulage insurance: https://courierexchange.co.uk/business-choice-direct 

This all depends on your van specifications, location and availability.  

Our platform comes with an extensive directory for relationship-building opportunities. By advertising your live availability to our Exchange, you are opening yourself up to loads posted by 7,000 other members. By using the Journey solution on the platform or mobile app (Future and Return Journeys), you can tell our system where you’re going so we can match you to suitable loads on your way back.  

You set or negotiate your rates directly with the load-poster. We can provide you with an average price per mile guide based on your van specifications, but the rest is decided by you.  

Courier Exchange is the UK’s leading freight exchange platform for same-day courier and express delivery. With 7,500+ trusted logistics companies in our network, it’s the perfect place to find thousands of daily load opportunities, build lasting business relationships and reach profit goals with our digital tools and solutions. 

Courier Exchange isn’t just a load board. Behind the technology is a large team with 20 years’ experience in market-leading freight tech. Our membership includes over 7,000 vetted logistics professionals across the UK, Ireland and Continental Europe. 

With easy TMS and Telematics integration, digital accounting tools, digital PODs and invoicing, real-time maps and a free mobile app, you’ll enjoy full control of your business with profitable opportunities. Members have access to account managers, onboarding, training academy, customer services and complaints teams – all teams working hard to help you grow your business on the Exchange. 

Whether you’re an owner driver, courier company or forwarder, you can choose to work nationally or internationally. Our network consists of over 7,000 members across the UK, Ireland and Continental Europe. You have the freedom to decide how far you’d like to travel when transporting loads. Whatever your preference, national or international, Courier Exchange can work for you. 

We’d love you to join our trading community.  

It’s as easy as, 

1. Registering your business on Companies House;  

2. Providing us with the following documents relevant to your business type (owner driver or courier company):   

• 1 x valid Driving License  
• 2 x proof of address dated within the last 2 months  
• Your private limited company (Ltd) registered on Companies House   

3. Completing our 30-minute online training. 

• 1 x valid Driving License 
• 2 x proof of address dated within the last 2 months 
• If you have your own private limited company (Ltd), to be registered on Companies House 
• Your own van with insurance (Hire and Reward insurance and Goods in Transit insurance)

There are two types of traders operating on the Exchange:

1. Load posters
   Load posters are members looking for carriers to move their freight. Once a suitable carrier is chosen and a rate established for the load, the poster will accept the quote and allocate/sell the load to the carrier.
   
   
2. Carriers
   Carriers quote on loads according to their vehicle specifications, location and availability.