Whichever way you're set up: sole trader, co-op or group
Running your own lorry isn't the same as coordinating hundreds. If you're on your own, start with the tachograph guide for freelancers and how to handle the self-employed driver's admin without drowning in paperwork. If you're a co-op, each member keeps their own but it's controlled together. And as it grows, scalability is what keeps the system from outgrowing you.
Everything under one control (multi-company)
The base is the multi-company setup: each company with its own data, but you seeing the whole. With real-time sync, the downloads from every depot reach you without waiting for them back at base, and with clear dashboards you see at a glance which company or driver needs an eye on it today.
What you gain: hours, legal cover and payroll
Having it all together isn't just convenience. Operationally, you plan routes around each driver's real driving and rest hours. Legally, if a desk-based audit lands you answer in seconds and keep the company's liability for what drivers do under control. And financially, you connect the data to the cost and allowance control to settle payroll across several subsidiaries without arguments.