Author: Pinewood

Driving licence checking tools help businesses save hours.

Driving licence checking doesn’t have to be a headache

5th October 2021 No Comments Features

Handling driving licence checking can be a chore, taking up valuable time from HR and Fleet Managers. Businesses that manage driver checks manually waste a significant amount of time (and subsequently, money). That’s where Licence Link comes in! HR teams can manage hundreds of drivers at once, with results returned in real-time. It’s a no brainer.

Licence Link makes it easy for employers to keep track of every driver in the business. The system is intuitive and has a range of useful tools to help businesses in every sector comply. Alongside Driver, CPC and Tacho checking, Licence Link includes features to help with:

Managing Driver Transfers

Businesses with employees that work (or transfer) between branches can manage their teams seamlessly in Licence Link.

There’s no need to delete or recreate drivers. Records are accessible across all branches, to provide total visibility. This saves on cost and admin time.

Licence Link sends each driver a digital approval. Once signed, any branch can run a licence check on the driver for the next three years. This is simple to set up within the systems permissions.

This is explained by Leigh Lafever-Ayer, AVP HR UK and Ireland at Enterprise-Rent-a-Car:

“With digital approvals and instant real-time checks, new drivers can be on the road in minutes, rather than days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car has peace of mind knowing that we are managing our Duty of Care responsibilities with Licence Link.”

Handling Associated Drivers

If employees share their company car with a partner or spouse, the business is responsible for checking both drivers’ records.

Any endorsements could potentially invalidate the business’s insurance policy. With Licence Link, employers can track both records as one, seamlessly. The system automatically deletes any associated drivers, if the employee leaves, to comply with GDPR.

Licence Link removes the time involved when processing and maintaining associated drivers. This includes regaining approval, as both employee and partner can be prompted at once, plus automating the checking routine. Here, both employees and partners can be automatically checked on a recurring basis – based on the risk they pose.

For example, drivers with 6+ points who pose a high risk can be checked bi-annually, and lower-risk drivers annually. Once set up, Licence Link automates the entire process, with minimal human intervention required.

For fleets with potentially hundreds of drivers, Licence Link reduces the risk and time involved significantly.

Insufficient Credit Alerts

In Licence Link, users can order credits upfront to pay for their driving licence checking needs, on mass. The system notifies users when these are running short, allowing the business to re-order. This prevents the risk of missed checks and saves hours of inputting details for each individual driver.

In comparison, managing licence checks manually is slower, less secure and runs the risk of human error.

Frequency Groups

Licence Link is completely adaptable to the business needs. Users can categorise employees – such as by risk, or vehicle category. This makes it easy to filter the built-in reports in the system, or when scheduling checks, saving hours of unnecessary admin.

Users can simply set up automated alerts and schedule checks in advance, based on how frequently they wish to check each category. This eliminates the risk of missed checks (and unidentified endorsements), along with the hefty fines which would result.

Businesses managing this process manually must keep their own record of all driver checks – an arduous task. They refer to spreadsheets and paperwork to calculate how often each driver needs to be checked, then must remember to do so.

“The system gives you the control that you need, allowing you to check company drivers and manage risk effectively. It’s completely automated, with notifications eliminating any manual intervention. This definitely is a benefit with over 460 locations and over 4,000 drivers nationwide.” – explains Lafever-Ayer at Enterprise Rent-a-Car.

Built-in Reports 

Licence Link’s reporting suite provides access to historic checks in just moments. It’s easy to manage drivers, with access to real-time results, customisable reports, and automated scheduling. These factors remove hours of hassle, associated with manually managing driver checks.

How Can Businesses Seriously Save?

The benefits of Licence Link’s driving licence checking services are substantial. Businesses can easily meet their Duty of Care requirements, whilst avoiding the costly consequences of non-compliance. HR Managers can focus on adding value in their role, rather than co-ordinating hundreds of drivers, separately. The tools and reports they need are available at their fingertips in a matter of clicks.

See how Licence Link can benefit your fleet business today.

Take check of your drivers, or your fleet could end up in hot water

9th July 2021 No Comments COVID-19

With the lifting of coronavirus restrictions fast approaching, business owners should be prepared. According to Licence Link, the return to ‘normality’ could see a spike in driver endorsements – following the imminent reopening of nightlife and the return of commuters. Now it’s time to take stock of your drivers’ licence points or risk serious consequences.

According to figures released by DVLA, 92,000 UK drivers already have between 9 and 11 points on their driving licence, making them a high risk to employers. * This figure is only set to rise too – with motorists having racked up a hefty 1.5 million points during the first half of 2020 alone, amidst a full lockdown. **

With these figures in mind, it’s crucial to consider how your business may be affected if your staff were to incur points – whether they’re employed as a driver, have access to a grey fleet vehicle, or are insured on your fleet policy. For example, being convicted of drink driving, speeding, or using a mobile behind the wheel – even out of working hours – could result in anything from 3 points to a driving ban. From invalidating your insurance to rendering your business temporarily driverless, this could have a serious impact.

What’s more, if the employee fails to disclose this information, your business could be held liable for fines (or worse), so it’s imperative to always keep check of drivers. With Licence Link’s real-time licence checking tool, Fleet Managers can set automated checks for their workforce – reducing the risk of missed or undeclared points. They can flag high-risk drivers to check more frequently too, providing peace of mind that new endorsements will be identified quickly.

Melvin Jeffers, Sales and Customer Relations Leader at Licence Link explains:

“With thousands of employees still awaiting a return to the workplace, its inevitable HR teams will be overrun in preparation. Using Licence Link is a significant time-saver, safeguarding against the risk of missed checks. It’s so easy to make mistakes when tracking results manually, often for hundreds of drivers. For less than a few pounds per check, you can be sure your staff have a valid licence and pose no risk to your business. Your HR team can focus on other priorities, with no hassle of managing compliance.”

With the lifting of restrictions just weeks away, now’s the time for businesses to prepare – identifying high-risk drivers, checking the terms of insurance, and scheduling regular driver checks. All this can be managed seamlessly with a provider like Licence Link.

References for figures:

*  THISISMONEY.co.uk, 2021, ‘On the brink of a driving ban: Britain has 92,000 motorists with between 9 and 11 points on their licence – and are just one offence away from losing it.’, [online]. Available from: https://bit.ly/3hmjoGy [Accessed: 08/07/21]

** TTC Protecting people on the move, 2020, ‘Motorist speeding offences soar during lockdown’, [online]. Available from: https://bit.ly/2TEjboZ [Accessed: 08/07/21]

Discover time-saving features in Licence Link

Free checks or false economy? Weigh up what’s best for your fleet

7th June 2021 No Comments Benefits

Driver compliance is critical and failure to check licences can result in hefty fines for employers. According to Licence Link, buying checks from a certified provider, rather than using the free GOV.UK online service has substantial benefits – especially for busy HR teams managing several employees. Both services access driver details from the DVLA, then return these results, but what’s the difference from an employers’ view?

With the free GOV.UK checking service, employees manually apply online – they’re sent a one-time code valid for 21 days, allowing their employer to view their licence details. This relies on all drivers returning a code and the HR team following it up, which isn’t easy to track, especially for potentially hundreds of drivers. Licence Link makes it easier to manage, explains Andy Bealing, Fleet Manager, Exeter City Council:

“Licence Link’s digital checking service allows us to ensure we’re compliant with the DVLA at all times. It’s removed a number of administrative duties, giving us more time to carry out other tasks.”

For a small fee, the pressure is taken off both the business and employee. With Licence Link’s automated service, drivers can sign their consent digitally in a matter of seconds, staying valid for 3 years. It saves hours of admin time – which can end up costing significantly more than a few pounds for a check. Unlike the GOV.UK checks, Licence Link provides a full audit trail, including any past checks.

Employers can schedule routine checks as frequently as they like in Licence Link, with results returned in real-time. Again, this isn’t possible with the GOV.UK service. This makes it simple to keep watch of any new endorsements, which without attention could result in severe consequences – from invalidated insurance to driver downtime to breaking the law. Nicola Bradshaw at Cheshire West and Chester Borough Council explains:

“The reports in Licence Link are very useful, keeping us on top of driver risk. They save us time, providing all the relevant information we need to fulfil our roles successfully and efficiently.”

Ultimately, for any sizeable fleet there are stand-out benefits of using a provider like Licence Link – saving time, relieving pressure, and gaining a trackable record. Free checks are (on the surface) cheaper, but when managing more than a handful of drivers, the process can quickly become more time consuming and costly on a check-by-check basis. It’s essential to weigh up the cost to check versus the time taken by your HR team to manage the process.

Team back from furlough? Don’t forget to check their licences

7th May 2021 No Comments Advice for HR Teams, COVID-19

More employees are returning to the workplace – some for the first time in months, as the UK lockdown continues to ease. Licence Link urges employers to take precautions before returning team members to the road again – a simple licence check can save getting stung.

During the furlough period, many businesses temporarily paused their routine licence checks for absent team members. It’s important to be aware of any driving convictions incurred, affecting their licence, before staff return. Failure to check could result in devastating consequences for a business.

From clocking points for a speeding ticket to more serious convictions, if an employee fails to disclose a change to their licence, their employer could face penalties. This includes insurance exemptions (above a certain level of points), driver downtime (loss of licence) or even breaking the law. Failure to check can result in hefty fines, or worse.

Over 2.8 million motoring offences were issued in 2018 and 2019* alone. Although the pandemic will have affected this volume for 2020/1, it clearly shows that motoring offences are not a rarity – so they should be anticipated. Employers are naive if they fail to take precautions as part of their duty of care, they must ensure the safety of other road users and essentially cover their backs.

Melvin Jeffers, Sales and Customer Relations Leader at Licence Link explains:

“As a business, your staff are your responsibility – why risk it? With Licence Link, each check costs less than a cup of coffee. We return the results in real-time, so there’s no delay when it comes to getting your team back on the road. It couldn’t be easier.”

For businesses with drivers yet-to-return from furlough, don’t forget to check licences before employees take to the wheel – it could save your business thousands.

NHS driver checks

Licence Link API gets key workers on the road quicker

15th March 2021 No Comments COVID-19

Licence Link has assisted the NHS throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Coinciding with the early stages of the pandemic, the Birmingham-based driving licence checking firm introduced a new API for NHS Fleet Solutions, speeding up the driving licence checking process for employees.

A representative of NHS Fleet Solutions shared how the API has been beneficial:

“During COVID-19, our NHS teams and key workers have worked tirelessly around the clock. Licence Link made it simple for us to check and manage the driving licences from public sector employees applying for lease cars.”

With increased pressure on the emergency services, the API was introduced at the ideal time, vastly speeding up the process to check licences for key workers. Many public sector staff get their lease cars through NHS Fleet Solutions, so the API made the process much faster for all, eliminating rekeying between systems. Admin staff now only have to input licence data once – returning results quickly and seamlessly.

With Licence Link, key workers can authorise checks to their licence electronically.

Licence Link’s API will continue to provide value and speed up the process for key workers to lease a vehicle through NHS Fleet Solutions.

Free checks keep fleets compliant during COVID pandemic

17th February 2021 No Comments COVID-19, CPC and Tacho Checks

With the UK amidst its third national lockdown, new factors and costs are constantly arising so it’s easy for driver compliancy to slip. To protect road users and prevent breaking the law, businesses must prioritise compliance – ensuring key workers meet requirements.

Licence Link have made the process easier and more feasible to manage – offering free CPC and Tacho card checks to all customers when checking their entitlement to drive.

Those responsible, usually Fleet and HR Managers, can feel at ease knowing their drivers have received the correct training (holding a valid Certificate of Professional Competence) whilst also monitoring hours worked in the driving seat, to ensure they comply with the law.

Melvin Jeffers, Licence Link Team Leader explains:

“Giving our customers free CPC and Tacho checks has been a great help. Licence Link has saved our customers hours, manually organising checks. Freeing up extra time and funds means they can focus on running their business without worry. From delivery drivers to doctors, Licence Link has helped keep key workers on the road.”

Checks are accessible in real-time, with minimal contact. Licence Link’s eDec (electronic declaration) feature allows drivers to provide approval by eSignature – the entire process taking just moments. This has been a huge benefit, as employers strive to restrict contact throughout the pandemic.

The consequences of driver downtime, missed checks or failure to notice and rectify non-compliance could lead to detrimental consequences. Using a trusted provider such as Licence Link can substantially reduce the risk and hassle for your team.

Licence Link takes the hassle out of handling licence renewals

5th November 2020 No Comments Benefits, COVID-19

Keeping on top of licence checking is a time consuming yet critical task for fleet businesses, ensuring that every driver they employ is in possession of a full, valid driving licence to comply with the DVLA and the law.

The issues surrounding COVID-19 meant that the DVLA provided an 11-month extension period on driving licences due to expire between 1st February and 31st December 2020. This has complicated the tracking of expiry dates for potentially hundreds of employers, fleets that track records manually or where systems don’t account for the extension.

Licence Link removes the hassle and confusion of keeping check of driver data across the fleet – automating the entire process and saving hours of admin time. Automated reminders can be set up easily to flag upcoming licence renewals via the DVLA for company drivers.

Once a driver has been added to the Licence Link system and they’ve electronically signed to approve checks, the employer will be notified when each licence is due for renewal. Working closely with the DVLA, Licence Link accounts for the 11-month extension period, enabling the admin team to notify drivers in advance of the correct renewal date.

In addition to reminders, businesses can schedule automatic alerts – triggering frequent licence checks on an ongoing basis, to keep on top of any penalties, fines or disqualifications employees may acquire. This eases the risk of businesses unknowingly allowing employees to drive with an invalid licence, and the associated consequences.

Get in touch to see how Licence Link can help reduce risk and save time for your fleet!

Contactless licence checking

Contactless licence checks prevent COVID spread

6th October 2020 No Comments COVID-19, Features

As COVID-19 restrictions tighten, businesses are being urged to further implement precautionary measures, minimising risk in the workplace. Licence Link provides a contactless driver licence checking service, enabling Fleet Managers/ HR to safely check drivers’ records for penalties or disqualifications, removing the need to handle any paperwork which could potentially carry the virus. Licence Link can also be used to check CPC and digital tachograph cards, all in line with DVLA standards.

“It’s easy, an electronic declaration can be sent straight to the driver to digitally sign and approve their licence check. There’s no need for a physical signature, avoiding any unnecessary interaction. Since GDPR was introduced, it’s vital to get approval to look up a licence with the DVLA and we wanted to make sure that Licence Link does all of the hard work for you.” Says Melvin Jeffers, Sales & Customer Relations Leader for Licence Link.

Upon gaining approval, Licence Link returns the drivers’ record to the Fleet Manager in real-time, providing a fast and effective digital response. By switching to paperless permission, the entire process is quicker than ever before, so drivers can get out on the road with minimal disruption, whilst Fleet Managers/ HR can ensure drivers are compliant.

Licence Link user Andy Bealing, Fleet Manager at Exeter City Council explains how adopting a digital process has been essential during lockdown:

“Here at Exeter City Council, we have a large fleet of drivers that have been working throughout the COVID crisis, including Civil Enforcement Officers who’ve been delivering welfare packages to the vulnerable in our community. Thanks to Licence Link, we can keep on top of all driver licences, CPC and Digital Tachograph Cards. Their digital checking service allows us to provide a safe and efficient service to our community, making sure we are compliant with the DVLA at all times. Licence Link has removed a number of administrative duties which has allowed more time for other tasks to be carried out.”

Licence Link are an ADLV member (Association for Driving Licence Verification), and all data is held securely and compliant with the strictest ISO 27001 guidelines which constantly protects businesses and their drivers.

With restrictions only likely to heighten and the festive season likely to see increased demand for deliveries, now is the ideal time for businesses to prepare, ensuring their drivers are compliant and ready to go with Licence Link!

GDPR compliance

Licence Link takes the hassle out of handling licence checks

13th January 2020 No Comments GDPR Compliance

Licence Link’s three in one licence checking service has brought significant benefits for fleet customers, enabling HR Managers to check driving licence records, Certificates of Professional Competence (CPC) and Digital Tachograph cards, quickly and digitally.

The introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) triggered new challenges for businesses. HR and Fleet Managers already faced the endless task of capturing consent when checking their teams’ entitlement to drive. With renewal now required every 3 years, Licence Link removes the hassle from the process. Here’s how:

Digital Approvals: 

Licence Link’s digital approvals boost efficiency and speed up the process. Fleet Managers can automatically request the driver’s approval, then see a response returned in real-time, reducing administration significantly. It’s simple to set up and a real time-saver, supporting fleet businesses to meet their duty of care requirements.

HR and Fleet Managers can also check associated drivers using digital approvals – including the licence holder’s spouse, partner or children. In the event the main driver leaves the business, all associated records are automatically deleted in the system, complying with GDPR rules.

Licence Link API:

The Licence Link Application Programming Interface (API) is now available, providing customers with efficient access to the licence checking service via their own website or software services. The API can be used to extend the customer’s existing product and service line, or incorporated into the customers’ HR or Fleet system.

The API brings substantial efficiencies, speeding up the time taken to check drivers’ entitlement, whilst ensuring they’re qualified for the correct vehicle category.

Summary:

With these advancements having transformed processes for customers, Licence Link are continually improving their cloud-based licence checking service, and continue to roll out further developments, streamlining the process for customers.

Licence Link API

The Licence Link Application Programming Interface (API)

16th April 2019 No Comments API service, Features

Licence Link’s real-time licence checking service is now more accessible than ever. Using their Application Programming Interface (API), customers can now access fast, hassle-free licence checks directly from their own website or other software systems.

The API enhances and speeds up the process of ensuring that drivers are legally entitled and safe to drive vehicles leased, provided or related to their vocational role.

Customers can now integrate Licence Link’s real-time checking service into other branded products, enabling them to add licence checking to their service portfolio. The API is already being used by customers in both the public and private sectors, bringing positive feedback, whilst allowing customers to boost revenue as a result. This is seamlessly managed via the API.

What are the benefits of the Licence Link API for customers?

  • They can easily incorporate licence checking into their own product or systems
  • Extend their service portfolio to attract new business, boost revenue and increase competitiveness
  • A cost-effective way to better meet customer needs
  • No expertise, development or infrastructure cost is required
  • No ongoing costs for updates, legislative changes or development – it’s all handled by Licence Link
  • Can rely on Licence Link for secure, accurate data

Licence Link, the API and all of the above benefits are provided by Pinewood Technologies PLC – an ADLV Approved Operator, Microsoft Gold Partner and ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified, so customers can be sure their data is protected.

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