Blog articles about HGV

Falling asleep at the wheel

Shocking footage of a driver falling asleep at the wheel of a HGV travelling on the M5 in November was recently posted on YouTube. Driver fatigue…

HGV driver eating out of a bowl at the wheel

A HGV driver was caught by an undercover police officer eating from a bowl whilst driving on the M1. The driver was stopped after he was…

HGV Levy to be suspended to help with COVID-19

The Government will suspend the HGV Levy for 12 months from August 1. The 12 month suspension is to help reduce financial liabilities for UK and foreign hauliers…

What are the top 5 prosecuted offences for HGV operators?

Statistics published by the DVSA (Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency) for FY 2017-18 shows that drivers’ hours and tachograph records offences are still the most common…

Top prohibition defects … and how to avoid them

The Office of the Traffic Commissioner recently updated the data they report from DVSA examiners on the checks conducted on vehicles and operators. The information the…

DfT publishes evaluation of increased HGV speed limits

The Department for Transport has published its first-year evaluation of a three-year study following the HGV speed limit increase in April 2015 to 50 mph on…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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.…

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…

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…

HGV safety this winter

Every winter, hundreds accidents involving Heavy Good Vehicles were due to snow and ice. Statistics, from the Department for Transport, show the risks of adverse weather…

Ramping up enforcement of drivers’ hours and tachograph regulations in the EU

Thirteen HGV drivers were found guilty of tachograph fraud during a large Police Operation that took place in November in Aalter in Belgium.    In total fifty…

Suspended prison sentences for drivers convicted of tachograph fraud

Four drivers pleaded guilty and were convicted at Newry Crown Court in Northern Ireland for offences connected to fraud and forgery of tachograph records. Prison sentences…

New to digital tachographs – What are the driver’s and operator’s basic responsibilities?

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) have reported that some transport operators have been using vehicles fitted with digital tachographs, but with no idea on…

Revised DVSA Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness

According to the VOSA Effectiveness Report in 2012/13, 144,472 mechanical checks were conducted resulting in 56,144 prohibitions (38.9%). The top prohibition defects include all the basics…

Who are the real beneficiaries from the HGV Road User Levy?

The Department for Transport (DfT) revealed that almost 150 fines were issued to road transport operators for not paying the HGV Road User Levy in the…

HGV Task Force issue 450 prohibitions and warnings for drivers’ hours offence in 4 months

The dedicated HGV Task Force (a joint venture with Transport for London (TfL), DVSA and the Police) issued over 600 prohibitions for un-roadworthy vehicles in just…

Conclusions from the Traffic Commissioners report for 2012/13

The TC recently published their report for road transport and it provides some interesting reading. The number of O-licences has fallen from 110,067 in 1999/2000 to…

HGV Road User Levy Bill – 6% to pay more?

On Mon 18th July Stephen Hammond MP corrected a figure quoted in debating the HGV Road User Levy Bill, on Tuesday 23 October 2012 and Tuesday…

HGV registrations up in 2012 – How to safeguard your future compliance when buying a new HGV in 2013.

Whilst 2012 was a challenging year for the entire UK commercial vehicle market, HGV registrations grew by 6.4% to 45,702 units in 2012.  The lucky transport…

3ppl increase in fuel duty cancelled – One small step for Road Transport Operators?

Road transport operators will be giving a cautious welcome to the cancellation of the 3p per litre fuel duty increase planned for January 2013. The Chancellor…

Have your say on speed limits for HGVs

The maximum speed limit for HGVs over 7.5 tonnes on single carriageway roads is currently 40 miles per hour.  Whilst the speed limit for smaller HGVs…

Foreign truck drivers to pay £10 a day to use British roads – Be careful what you wish for.

The Department for Transport have revealed plans for new legislation to charge foreign truck £10 a day to use British roads by 2015.  The new Transport…

Will HGV sensors protect cyclists?

Recently an influential group of MPs said hauliers should be encouraged to fit new sensors to their fleet to protect cyclists. The Transport Select Committee (TSC)…