Increasingly ‘knowing-your-driver’ has become a key fleet compliance requirement. As technology permits more frequent checking across a wider range of datasets, fleets are taking the opportunity to increase their awareness of their drivers. Improving risk profiles, insurance rates, HR strategies and road safety are all rolled-up in this. However, much depends on being actually able to access the data often held by government bodies.
One example of this is professional driver training. Knowing what courses a driver has attended reduces duplication and allows firms to be more selective. This data is managed by the DVSA, and the Association for Driving Licence and vehicle Verification (ADLV) felt it useful to survey fleets to make the case on behalf of its member companies to the relevant authorities to release this data.
The ADLV’s recent survey, carried out with senior transport and logistics managers, delivers an emphatic business case for the DVSA to allow operators greater access to Driver CPC training course attendance data.
The survey results revealed that training data is a crucial element of fleet driver management and compliance, with over 75% of respondents indicating that that they take Driver CPC training into consideration when hiring. Nearly all carry out Driver Qualification Card checks and whilst 17% wait for them to be presented by the drivers, the majority (over 52%) use the DVSA temporary password look-up system. This requires passwords to be supplied each time.
Most respondents are keen to end this current ‘wait-for-a-password’ system which causes frustration and thwarts rapid onboarding. Significantly, nine out of 10 respondents wanted course information to be available either directly or through their data supplier. The ADLV believes this could be achieved by adding it to existing readily accessible DVLA licence data.
A similarly high percentage felt that visibility of non-compliance alerts and notifications would also help. In addition, over 80% felt that if the information was available with current expiry dates, it would also help drive compliance.
Survey respondents also felt that being able to identify a driver’s training topics, through the data, would prevent course duplication and therefore save money. it would ensure too that drivers don’t slip through the net and therein support greater road safety.
By allowing employers access to Driver CPC training course data, fleets could gain a single source of truth about a drivers’ training – helping them to ensure compliance, efficiency and ultimately road safety.
Glyn Jones, board member, Association for Driving Licence and vehicle Verification
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