Operator Licensing - How to comply

The Operator MUST ensure that:-

Every driver employed by the company, including part-time and agency drivers', are legally entitled to drive the type and size of vehicle you operate; ALWAYS adheres to the drivers' hours regulations; carries out regular and meaningful walk round checks on the vehicle they are assigned to and that they ensure that any defects found are reported immediately and recorded. What's more, the Operator should ensure that the defect is rectified and the rectification is noted.

If you operate vehicles registered since May 2006 they will be fitted with digital tachograph vehicle units - ONLY DRIVERS WHO HAVE BEEN ISSUED WITH DIGITAL TACHOGRAPH DRIVER CARDS CAN LEGALLY DRIVE VEHICLES FITTED WITH DIGITAL TACHOGRAPH VEHICLE UNITS. If a driver hasn't been issued with a personal driver card you must not allow him/her to drive a digital tachograph fitted vehicle.  It's no good just printing off the record, that won't be acceptable to VOSA or the Traffic Commissioner. Don't ever allow a driver to use someone else's personal driver card, this is fraud and the consequences to the driver and the operator will be harsh. It is an offence to drive or permit someone to drive a digital tachograph fitted vehicle unless they have been issued with a personal driver card by DVLA.

Every vehicle and trailer that you have specified on your operators licence (as well as those on the fleet that are not - i.e. cars/vans) must ALWAYS be fully compliant with all the requirements of safe operating of road going vehicles.  Make sure that you and everyone you employ to look after your fleet has a copy of the latest VOSA Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness and they have read it and understand it.

The Traffic Commissioners are keen for every operator and their employees to be fully aware of their obligations to ensure full compliance and Truck UK would strongly recommend every Operator consider booking their Transport Managers on the VOSA HGV standards and procedures course, which is presented in Bristol and Manchester throughout the year. I would recommend that you check to make sure that your preventative maintenence inspection provider has also been on the course.

For full information about the VOSA standard and procedures courses telephone VOSA on 0117 9543359, or e-mail:training@vosa.gov.uk

Any company you use to carry out maintenance and inspection on your vehicles must do a good job!  Sounds obvious, but do you check the written or electronically generated reports they give you and do you or your nominated Transport Manager personally make sure that what they say they have done has actually been done? It's always worth carrying out your own 'quality control' now and again, or get Truck UK to carry it out for you!  Why not check round one of the fleet before it goes in for inspection and make a note of any problems you note. When the vehicle comes back see if the same issues have been spotted by the garage ... and if they're not then it's time to ask why not!

NEVER EVER FORGET ..............

It's your money and even more importantly, it's your Operator licence!

A third party provider does not have any worries regarding compliance............ you do!

You may have bought a brand new truck off a very reputable dealer representing one of the established manufacturers and they have 'promised the Earth' to get you to buy their truck........... but always remember the only person the Traffic Commissioner will take action against if things go wrong is ......................... YOU!!!

How to comply:

Train your drivers in how you operate when they first come to work for you and continue to train them throughout their employment, or get Truck UK to do it for you.  You may think time away from actual driving of the truck is time wasted ... it's not .... training more often than not pays dividends in the long run. Now that the mandatory Driver CPC periodic training is with us it is an opportunity to make sure that all your drivers' receive annual refresher training on what they should be doing to help you keep compliant.

Keep your fleet maintained to the highest levels and keep a record of every single defect, rectification, repair and the fitting of new parts that is carried out. Keep the reports as part of your maintenance records. Maintenance records must be kept by Operators and be readily available for a maintenance assessment by VOSA for at least fifteen months.

Operator licence obligations are not optional ...... they're mandatory

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