The DVSA has recently told industry press that the current trial of remote tachograph sensing equipment (RTSE) at the roadside is set to continue to April 2023. This is ahead of an overview of the analysis learnings by the scheme to determine next steps and future programs.

The new equipment is being moved around the country periodically in order to build a picture of compliance levels and vehicle usage in a number of areas. As well as benefitting local enforcement teams, who can get hands on with this new technology.

Caroline Hicks, DVSA’s head of regulatory services and transformation, told Transport Operator that the agency had been keen to explore how the technology could be used to identify offences in vehicles equipped with smart tachographs.

“The RTSE will help DVSA examiners to identify commercial vehicle drivers suspected of offences anywhere on the road network,” she said.

“It will also assist DVSA with identifying commercial vehicles operators posing a serious risk not only to themselves but other road users.

“DVSA is investing in new technology and transformational practices to support more flexible, efficient, and effective enforcement.

“Our ultimate aim is to always help keep Britain’s road users safe.”

Hicks goes onto suggest that this technology could potentially be rolled out in all traffic enforcement vehicles in order to remotely analyse possible non-compliant tachographs.

“The current plan for the trial is that it will continue through to April 2023. We are also moving the RTSE equipment periodically across locations nationally to gauge compliance and expand staff experience of using the equipment.

“This geographical movement gives us an opportunity to gather data across different regions which may have different volumes and types of vehicles, posing different questions of the tools and the requirements of them.

“As we gather more insight, we will analyse our findings to help us to continue to develop how the equipment is used to best inform on, and improve, road safety to help prevent dangerous incidents.”

Hicks continued: “On completion of the trial, we will build a complete overview of the analysis completed and consider the role this technology will have as part of our overall enforcement strategy.

“DVSA will continue to explore the latest technology available that will enable us to support safer roads, vehicles, and drivers.”

During the schemes announcement last year, August 2022, the DVSA prompted fleet operators of all commercial vehicles to whom drivers’ hours rules applied to ensure their role and responsibilities for compliance were understood and that all tachograph equipment was in working order and well maintained. Additionally, make sure all drivers were aware of the rules around drivers’ hours rules and how to operate their tachograph to log activity.

The DVSA ended on the note of: “If you commit a tachograph violation, it’s now easier for us to find you.”

In which case it’s best not to delay in ensuring that you’re fleet is compliant. Smartercompliance starts here…