It was established to provide trained and disciplined drivers for the Royal Artillery, a service that had previously relied upon civilian contractors.

[10] Major-General Sir Alex Dixon stated in 1838 that the system provided for better economic and efficient use of men, with 5,000 artillerymen able to do the work previously carried out by the 7,000-strong Corps of Royal Artillery Drivers.

The new system, which was to be maintained even in times of war, was said to be particularly suited to the British Army, which needed units to be made ready at short notice for foreign or colonial service.

[1] (The Field Train Department was responsible for the provision and distribution of guns, ammunition and stores to the Artillery on active service, and maintained 150 guns and 30 howitzers 'in a perfect state of readiness for any service' at its headquarters in the Grand Depôt, Woolwich;[1] it therefore had to have a close working relationship with the corps, which provided, in a similar state of readiness, the horses and drivers to move them.)

It was commonplace, for example, for officers of the Royal Waggon Train to be promoted into line infantry regiments once they had accumulated sufficient years of service in their rank.

A notable exception was a first lieutenant-commissary of the Corps of Royal Artillery Drivers who was granted special permission to become adjutant of the Ceylon Regiment in 1810.

[16] Unusually, and 'contrary to every military principle',[5] the privates of the Corps of Royal Artillery Drivers were not provided with any offensive or defensive weapon.

[1] By 1810 the corps comprised a colonel-commandant, three lieutenant-colonels, a major, nine captains, 54 subalterns, 2 adjutants, 8 veterinary surgeons, 45 staff sergeants, 405 other non-commissioned officers, 360 artificers, 45 trumpeters, 4,050 drivers and 7,000 horses.

[18] In addition to their guns, the drivers and horses of the corps conveyed ammunition and stores for the Field Artillery units.

The establishment of the Corps of Royal Artillery Drivers included a riding house troop, for training riders in equestrianism.