The DVSA has confirmed it intends to launch a trial scheme this year that targets enforcement at operators that don’t provide open access to their records and maintenance programmes.
Work on the ‘Earned Recognition’ scheme remains in its infancy, but it is understood that firms that sign up must provide the agency with their tachograph, MoT and servicing data.
The DVSA can then gauge how compliant the fleet is, freeing up resources to pull unknown HGVs at the roadside.
DVSA’s director of policy and stakeholder management, Adrian Long, said: “We are working with the industry to explore a new approach to enforcement that will reduce the burden for those who operate their business legally.
“We will continue to communicate with stakeholders as we develop our plans.”
A DVSA spokesman said it aimed to roll it out during the 2015/16 financial year and that the scheme is likely to be voluntary.
Transport lawyer Anton Balkitis said Earned Recognition sounded like an extension to the current OCRS system. He added that uploaded documents can only tell you so much about an operator’s compliance.
“I think it’s unclear as to what weight would be placed on membership of the scheme and although DVSA has said it does not want to set up a rating system for hauliers to be used in a commercial setting, it is inevitably the case that we are heading to a point where business shall be won or lost based upon accreditations,” said Balkitis.
Tacho analysis firm TruTac is helping the DVSA create Earned Recognition. Sales director Dean Baker said: “I think it’s a brilliant scheme. It takes the onus off roadside stops and puts it on a voluntary online scheme. It’s efficient for the fleet and efficient for the DVSA: they will be targeting the fleets that are not part of it.
“You would have to question why they are not part of the scheme. Are they hiding something that they don’t want DVSA to know?”
