Blog posts for 2015

Over 50% of HGV drivers on M5/M6 exceeded drivers’ hours in 12 months

In a year-long operation on the M5 between and J4 and the M6 between J6 for Spaghetti Junction and J14 more than 200 HGV drivers were…

Are your drivers’ counting the cost of non-compliance?

Two recent cases have highlighted the significant potential cost to drivers for drivers’ hours and tachograph infringements. Driver A – Convicted on two counts of false…

82% unaware of corporate manslaughter legislation

Van fleet operators need to be made more aware of corporate manslaughter legislation and how it could apply if the working condition of their vehicles were…

Off the rails and off the road

The boss of a Newhouse haulage firm has been given a two-year industry ban after an investigation and public inquiry into drivers’ practices. Scotland’s Traffic Commissioner,…

A ‘dangerously incompetent’ Transport Manager will damage your business

A South Wales transport operator has had their licence curtailed after employing a “dangerously incompetent” Transport Manager. Traffic Commissioner for Wales, Nick Jones, said the directors…

First corporate manslaughter driving case and new sentencing guidelines to come?

A crane hire company has become the first firm to be charged with corporate manslaughter after a company driver was killed. It is alleged that the…

DVSA extends period for VU digital tachograph downloads

The maximum limit for downloading digital tachograph VU data has been extended from 56 to 90 days to bring the UK in line with the rest…

Volumetric vehicle exemption loophole to close?

There is growing support to bring ten vehicle exemptions into the O-licensing scheme. It is estimated that this could affect around 40,000 goods and engineering plant…

You’re invited!

From container to customer, customer experience and compliance matters – Transforming customer experience and safeguarding compliance whilst increasing profitability – myth or new reality? Descartes SmartCompliance…

Happy Birthday Driver CPC!

It’s been a year since the deadline for existing HGV drivers to complete their first block of 35 hours of Driver CPC training. Happy birthday Driver…

New measures to stop drivers using their mobile phones will have serious consequences for HGV drivers

Most people should be aware that using a mobile phone or any handheld device while driving is a criminal offence. However, it is surprising how many…

Do you know the risk profile of your drivers?

While the abolition of the paper counterpart may be causing short term disruption for some, having the ability to automatically and routinely check drivers licence details…

Why Transport Operators must adopt a “compliance first” approach

With the DVSA having announced its intent to focus on the worst offending transport operators, technology can help operators demonstrate that they are actively managing their compliance. Caroline…

DVLA licence checking website crashes on day of launch

The DVLA’s new online system to check driving licences following the abolition of the paper counterpart crashed on the day of its launch yesterday. Users of…

HGV Operator investigated as unlicensed driver is sent to jail

Why operators need a robust process for verifying driving licence details. An investigation has been launched into the road haulage company which allegedly hired an ­unlicensed…

Do we need more Police Officers dedicated to Traffic enforcement?

According to the RAC the number of Police Officers dedicated to enforcing traffic offences in England and Wales has been cut by 1,279 (23%) in the…

Abolition of the photocard licence counterpart

What does this mean for employers of professional drivers? The Department for Transport is making an important change to driving licences that will impact HGV and…

Ramping up drivers’ hours enforcement in EU

EU laws regarding tachographs and drivers’ hours are ineffective if there is inadequate enforcement of them. In the UK the DVSA and Police are responsible for…

HGV drivers offences

What are the most common offences for HGV drivers? How might they be avoided? See below HGV drivers offences from 2013 vs 2014 in numbers. Download…

Free EU Drivers’ Hours Law Guide

Download our free guide to EU Drivers’ Hours Law. If you want help in managing your compliance with drivers’ hours see Smartanalysis, the leading tachograph analysis…

Have your say on EU Tachograph regulations

On 4 February 2014 the European Commission published EU Regulation 165/2014 (the new Regulation) on tachographs in road transport. The Regulation can be found here.   This new…

Simplified guidance on EU rules on drivers’ hours and working time

Simplified but far from simple. The Department for Transport have published a new 23 page guide to simplify the EU drivers’ hours and working time rules.…

Undercover police HGV film HGV driver offences

North Yorkshire Police officers driving an un-liveried HGV drove alongside HGVs and found that almost ten per cent of the HGV drivers observed were committing offences.…

Free Guide to GB Domestic Drivers’ Hours Rules

Download our free guide to GB Domestic drivers’ hours. If you want help in managing your compliance with drivers’ hours (EU or GB) see Smartanalysis, the…

New DVSA Guide to Load Security

Load security should be of primary concern for all commercial road transport operators. Effective load securing prevents goods from falling onto roads and ensures that the…

Accidents on Motorways involving foreign HGVs up 14%

Collisions on motorways involving foreign HGVs have increased 14% since 2012 according to statistics from Accident Exchange. The M25 had more foreign HGV accidents than any…

Compliance vs. Optimising Efficiency

Compliance management practices can transform the customer experience. Techniques for optimising road transport operations have become critical in meeting the increasing demands of customs and reducing…

Do you know what is expected of your Transport Manager in 2016?

The Senior Traffic Commissioner, Beverley Bell has recently outlined the responsibilities expected of Transport Managers and the hours they should work. The revised Senior Traffic Commissioner’s…