Get help if you're a new vehicle operator
Find out about the help you can get to run your business safely and efficiently if you've been a vehicle operator for less than 6 months.
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
You can apply to get help to run your new business safely and efficiently if it transports either goods or passengers by road.
The help you’ll get is through the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) ‘road to DVSA earned recognition’ programme.
It’s a new programme, and DVSA is currently trialling it to make sure it works well for everyone. The way it works might change during the trial.
How the programme works
The road to DVSA earned recognition is a voluntary programme that takes up to 2 years to complete.
It works for organisations of any size.
There are no application or subscription fees.
What you’ll get
DVSA will support you as you work through a set of 8 milestones. This will include:
- help and guidance to create policies and set up processes to keep your business running safely and efficiently
- a tailored work plan for your business to help you prepare for and pass an audit so you can join the DVSA earned recognition scheme at the end of the programme
- direct access to the DVSA earned recognition team throughout the programme to help with any questions or issues you have
This will reduce the risk of things going wrong so you avoid things like:
- your drivers being fined or getting penalty points on their driving licence
- your vehicles being given a prohibition (this means you cannot use the vehicle until a serious safety issue is fixed)
- people in your business or the business itself being disqualified from using commercial vehicles
At the end of programme
You’ll be able to arrange a DVSA earned recognition audit at the end of the programme.
If you pass the audit, you can apply to join the DVSA earned recognition scheme. This means:
- your vehicles will be less likely to be stopped for roadside checks
- you can reduce your running costs
- you’ll be able to prove you’re an exemplary operator if you’re bidding for work
- you’ll be able to apply to add extra modules to your accreditation, helping you secure more work
Eligibility
You must have had your first full vehicle operator licence granted within the last 6 months. This includes any type of operator licence for:
- heavy goods vehicles (HGVs)
- public service vehicles (PSVs)
Any time you had an interim licence does not count towards the 6-month time limit.
You must have also:
- appointed a transport manager (if you have a standard national or standard international licence) or another responsible person (if you have a restricted licence)
- had at least one person, partner, director or responsible person named on the operator licence attend a new operator seminar or currently booked to attend one - contact DVSA if you have not been sent details of how to book
- had no action taken against you (other than a formal warning) by the Traffic Commissioners of Great Britain on any of your operator licences
Who cannot apply
You cannot apply if:
- you only have an interim vehicle operator licence - you have to wait until your full licence has been granted
- your business or organisation already has had other vehicle operator licences in other traffic areas for more than 6 months
- you’ve changed the type of licence you have in the last 6 months but you originally got a licence more than 6 months ago
How much it costs
There are no application or subscription fees to join or be part of the programme.
You’ll need to get an audit at the end of the programme if you want to join the DVSA earned recognition scheme. You’ll need to pay for this. The providers set their own fees.
Apply to join
To apply, you must be either:
- a person, partner, director or responsible person named on the operator licence
- the transport manager named on the operator licence, with permission to apply
You need:
- your new operator licence numbers
- the date you attended the new operator seminar, or the date you’ve booked to attend
What happens next
DVSA will email or call you within 10 working days to arrange a video meeting to tell you more about the programme.
DVSA will ask you to fill in a self-assessment form about your business and send it back. It takes about 30 minutes to complete, and you’ll have 14 days to do it.
After DVSA has reviewed your self-assessment, they will work with you to introduce the programme’s milestones.
Help you’ll get with each milestone
You’ll have a set of 8 milestones that you’ll work towards.
It takes 1 to 2 years to work through all of the milestones. Once you’ve completed the milestones, you can get an audit and apply to join DVSA earned recognition.
You must complete the last milestone within 2 years of starting the programme.
DVSA will have video meetings with you every 3 months to discuss:
- your progress through the milestones
- what policies and processes you need in place to meet the next milestone
You’ll be able to contact the DVSA earned recognition team throughout the programme if you need extra support.
Milestone 1: Meeting the terms of your operator licence
You’ll get help to put policies and processes in place to meet the terms of your operator licence. This includes things like:
- keeping your business details up to date
- documenting the responsibilities of your staff
- having a properly qualified transport manager or other responsible person
- recruiting and retaining staff
- keeping your premises, staff and the public safe
Milestone 2. Keeping your vehicles safe to drive
You’ll get help to document that you’re keeping your vehicles safe to drive. This includes things like:
- setting up key performance indicators on vehicle maintenance, such as safety inspections and MOT pass rates
- carrying out and recording walkaround checks on vehicles
- planning and carrying out safety inspections
You’ll also be introduced to some key performance indicators (KPIs). These are important measures to help you monitor, manage and improve your performance.
Milestone 3. Managing your drivers and other staff
You’ll get help to set up processes and policies to make sure your drivers follow important rules.
This includes things like:
- setting up a process to monitor driver behaviour
- writing a policy to make sure staff and contractors meet work-related road safety rules
- setting up a process to make sure incidents, nearer misses and customer feedback are reported so you can identify patterns
- planning training for staff
- setting up a process to make sure changes to the law are recorded and communicated to all staff
You’ll also get help to report on certain KPIs.
Milestone 4. Planning driver schedules and routes, monitoring drivers’ hours and vehicle compliance
You’ll get help to put policies and processes in place to make sure your drivers follow drivers’ hours rules, that driver schedules and planned routes are safe, and that your vehicles meet legal requirements.
This includes things like:
- having a system in place for scheduling drivers’ duties that takes account of drivers’ hours, working time and health and safety regulations
- regularly downloading data from driver and company cards
- analysing drivers’ hours data
- training drivers who have committed offences
- having a disciplinary procedure in place for repeated offences
- making sure your vehicles are taxed and insured
- planning routes to avoid low bridges and roads that are not suitable for heavy vehicles
- making sure vehicle weight limits are not exceeded
You’ll also get help to report on certain KPIs.
Milestone 5. Measuring your performance
You’ll work with DVSA to measure your business’ performance using KPIs for:
- vehicle maintenance
- driver activity
You’ll get help to set up and document a process to regularly report these to DVSA. This can be from:
- fully digital electronic reporting systems (the systems need to be approved by DVSA)
- a mix of manual systems and digital systems
- manually sending the information to DVSA
DVSA will review your KPIs. They will help you to identify areas you need to improve and give advice about how you can do that.
Milestone 6. Managing areas specific to your business
You’ll get help to work on remaining policies you need to have in place and documented to pass a DVSA earned recognition audit.
You’ll also get help setting up and managing processes for any of these activities that your business does:
- transporting goods internationally
- transporting dangerous goods
- transporting passengers
Transporting goods internationally
You’ll get help to make sure you have the right policies and procedures in place to transport goods internationally.
This includes things like:
- making sure you have the right documents for your drivers and vehicles to travel abroad
- having a process in place to legally transport goods within an EU country (cabotage) or between EU countries (cross-trade) if you do these types of jobs
Transporting dangerous goods (ADR)
If you transport dangerous goods, you’ll get help with meeting ADR regulations.
This includes things like:
- appointing a dangerous goods safety adviser (DGSA)
- setting up a process to produce and keep all the documents you need to transport dangerous goods
- setting up a process to make sure all staff are trained in the areas of ADR relevant to their job
- setting up a process to make sure ADR equipment needed for vehicles and drivers is in place and well-maintained
- setting up a process to make sure vehicles are well-maintained and have a schedule in place for maintenance, testing and getting appropriate certificates
Transporting passengers
If you run a local bus service or other passenger carrying service, you’ll get help following rules specific to your sector.
This includes things like:
- setting up policies and processes for your particular type of service (for example, local services, international tours and so on)
- setting up a process to tell the Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain when you make a change to your service
- setting up a process to make sure you meet any local council rules and follow any restrictions
Milestone 7. Working through your action plan
You’ll work through an action plan that DVSA creates for you.
The action plan is designed to get you ready to prepare for your DVSA earned recognition audit.
It will include:
- anything extra that you need to do to get ready for your audit
- help creating any extra policies that your business needs to be safe and efficient
- help to refine the processes you’ve put in place so far
- collecting evidence you’ll need for your audit
- help with writing reports
Milestone 8. Preparing for your DVSA earned recognition audit
You’ll have a training session from DVSA so you understand the workbook the auditor will use during your DVSA earned recognition audit.
You’ll then be able to prepare everything you need ready for the auditor’s visit.
Get a DVSA earned recognition audit
You must have been part of the programme for at least a year before you can get your DVSA earned recognition audit.
You’ll need to arrange the audit with an auditor approved by DVSA.
You’ll have to pay any fees they charge. Each provider sets their own fees.
Find a DVSA earned recognition auditor.
If you pass the audit, you can apply to join the DVSA earned recognition scheme.
When you’ve joined the scheme
You’ll be able to apply for accreditation for extra modules that show you meet the requirements to work on certain projects. These are optional and require you to meet additional audit standards or to provide extra information to DVSA.
HGV operators can apply for extra modules on:
- High Speed 2 (HS2)
- London Power Tunnels (LPT2)
- TfL Contractual Requirements
PSV operators can apply for extra modules on:
- TfL Contractual Requirements
- The Guild of British Coach Operators