Category: Benefits

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

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.

Licence Link takes the hassle out of handling licence renewals

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!

Licence Link reduces risk for Public Sector drivers

Until recently, Local Authorities were able to check driving licences using the DVLA’s Driving Licence Checking (DLC) service, however, this was decommissioned on the 1st of December 2018. This left a service gap, with hundreds of drivers in the Public Services still requiring regular licence checks to ensure they are safe and fit to drive in their role.

A handy replacement for the DVLA’s DLC service, Licence Link is available to bridge the gap. With decades of experience providing Driver, Tacho and CPC checks for fleets in every sector, they offer a secure and reliable alternative. Licence Link streamlines the process of checking driver records, ideal for those affected by the decommissioning – including for drivers in Waste Collection, Social Care, Fire, Public Safety, and in the licencing of drivers with hackney carriages or private hire vehicles.

It’s still essential to ensure that drivers are licenced, entitled and safe to be on the road. Licence Link helps to meet the duty of care responsibilities and legal obligations of the Public Services (and other employers), identifying any risks and endorsements in just moments.

With Licence Link, both Public Service organisations and private employers can benefit from: 

  • Real-time checks for drivers
  • One price includes all three checks – Driver, CPC and Tacho
  • No upfront cost – single price per check, less than a small coffee!
  • 24-hour accessibility of checks, 7 days a week
  • Access to Driver, CPC and Tacho checks
  • Digital approvals, with permissions lasting 3 years
  • Ability to meet Duty of Care requirements
  • Ease to view historic check results
  • No implementation required

Licence Link is a worthy successor to the decommissioned DLC service. It’s a robust, cost-effective and efficient Driving Licence, CPC and Tacho card checking service, experienced with the needs of reducing risk, protecting the public and serving Local and Public Authorities.

Get in touch to see how your business can benefit.

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