In order to drive through the European Union and non-EU countries that are signatories of the AETR (Accord Européen sur les Transports Routiers) the driver must be in possession of a valid digital tachograph card (Driver Card). The adopted driving time limits, breaks and rest periods rules have to be adhered to and recorded. Let’s take a brief look at the Driver Card.

Since the 1^st of May 2006, all new vehicles that come under the EU or AETR rules on driver’s hours must be fitted with a digital tachograph called the Vehicle Unit (VU). This is a recording device that stores driver and vehicle data relating to driving activities and vehicle data including speeds and distance travelled. The tachometer will record the driving activities onto the Driver Card, storing up to 28 days of data.

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Pinewood Technologies PLC, the provider, administrator and developer of Licence Link, the online licence checking service, became a member of the Association for Driving Licence Verification ADLV in 2014. Pinewood, a Microsoft Partner with multiple accreditations and certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 concerning Quality Management and Information Security was keen to be involved and be a forefront member of the ADLV. So what does this mean for Pinewood and Pinewood’s customers?

The ADLV’s membership ethos, as stated on their website is to:

“continue to maintain and improve the current high standards already achieved, and bring impeccable knowledge and understanding of the complexities industry face when allowing employees or workers to drive on company business.”

This echoes the principles held at Pinewood, where understanding customers’ requirements. setting high standards for quality, security and service dominate the processes and procedures of the business.

But becoming a member of the ADLV is taken very seriously, indeed the requirements of membership involve meeting a minimum standard of entry and the applicant must already be under contract with the DVLA Data Sharing Team.

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Driving passenger carrying or large goods vehicles for hire or reward requires a valid driving licence category and a Certificate of Professional Competence. The CPC Driver Qualification Card or DQC is valid for five years. But how long is a vocational driving licence valid for and what are the requirements?

The third European Directive on driving licences came into force in the UK on the 19th of January 2013. It introduced a common licence type throughout the European Union with harmonised licence categories and entitlement validity dates. For passenger carrying and large goods vehicles, the directive for vocational driving licence categories of D, DE, D1, D1E, C, CE, C1 or C1E, introduced the requirements for medical checks and specific age related renewal periods.

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The published 2017 spring budget Public Sector government spending and revenue for 2017-18 shows a spending total of £820 billion and a receipts total of £744 billion. As of March 2017, the Public Sector net debt stood at a colossal £1830 billion. The need for increased efficiency and cost savings is obvious when it is considered that this period’s debt payments alone will top £46 billion.

With 5.424 million employees as of March 2017, the Public Sector employs 17% of all employed workers in the UK. This is a massive enterprise and where a debt payment is almost the same as the current level of borrowing it is in the interest of every one to encourage thrift and supplier change where cost savings can be made, in order to keep this colossal machine running.

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Studies have shown that one in five new drivers are involved in an accident during their first year of driving. That many have their licences cancelled after totting up 6 or more penalty points within the first two years. Lack of experience can be exacerbated by overconfidence or nervousness. This first year of driving is where the new novice driver learns to drive.

The basics of vehicle control can be mastered within around 15 hours of tuition and practice. Passing the driving test, although an elation, is just the beginning of the driver learning process. The novice driver has yet to develop the skills of hazard awareness and anticipation. Understanding and responding to other road users behaviours only comes with experience. This is a period of risk that should be understood by employers of newly qualified company car drivers.

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Introduced in the UK in 1998, the Working Time Directive (WTD) in association with the existing UK workplace health and safety legislation fundamentally encouraged the decline in long-hours working. What impact has the directive had? Do the benefits outweigh the disadvantages?

The WTD was introduced into the EU in 1993. Intended to regulate the number of hours employees spend at work. The primary purpose was to protect the health and safety of individuals engaged in full-time employment. Five years later, it became UK law, with the regulation being seen as controversial in its perceived attempts to constrict the economic growth of the UK employer and employee.

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For LGV and PCV drivers, the Certificate of Professional Competence requires drivers to do 35 hours training every 5 years. Taking CPC as an example why not have ongoing assessments for all drivers?

Assessing drivers abilities and attitudes to driving can be of significant help to the employee and employer. The qualities of a good driver are derived by attitude, skills and knowledge. Using data to evaluate the driver profile identifies the areas where training and education is required. When all qualities fit together there can be some interesting cost benefits.

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