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The Traffic Commissioner has issued a reminder to operators regarding their drivers’ hours responsibilities.
In the run-up to Earned Recognition, the TC’s office brought drivers’ hours responsibilities to the attention of ‘O’ Licence holders in the UK.
As confusion around the new fixed penalty rules peaked, the TC’s office published guidance on legal obligations. The reminder was distributed online for the reference drivers and operators alike.
For easy access, we’ve included the full list of operators’ drivers’ hours responsibilities, as published by the TC, here.
If you’re an operator, you must ensure that:
- Your drivers continue to meet their requirements around drivers’ hours.
- You have a company card to lock in the data to your organisation, and subsequently download vehicle units.
- The data is downloaded from drivers cards at least every 28 days (best practice weekly).
- Data from the vehicle unit is downloaded at least every 90 days (best practice monthly).
- You analyse data from the recording equipment and drivers cards to check for breaches regarding missing mileage (driving vehicles without a card inserted).
- The recording equipment is functioning correctly and is used properly, and any defective systems are repaired without delay.
- The recording equipment is calibrated every two years.
- Drivers only have one card in use.
- The serial number of the driver card being used matches the most recent driver card issued, by making checks online with DVLA.
The TC’s publication can be found here.
In line with the reminder, the TC seems also to have placed emphasis on the importance of awareness training. After a spate of inquiries having turning up discrepancies between operator practice and compliance requirements, a refresher course is becoming a go-to recommendation for operators to bone up on their responsibilities.
Upon having been directed to attend an awareness course, however, many transport professionals have been left confused as to which course they need. Operator Licence Awareness Training and Transport Manager Refresher courses are similar in content, but not comparable in terms of compliance. It is crucial professionals know which course they go any further. Readers can find an introduction to the OLAT here:
