Guide to maintaining

roadworthiness
Commercial goods and public service vehicles

December 2020
Produced by the Department for Transport in partnership with the transport industry

© Crown copyright 2020

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Any enquiries about this publication should be sent to us at

[email protected].
Guide to maintaining roadworthiness
Commercial goods and passenger carrying vehicles
Helping you stay safe on Britain's roads

Contents

Foreword by the DVSA Chief Executive 6

Foreword by the Traffic Commissioners 8
1. Introduction 10
1.1 About this guide 10
1.2 What this guide contains 14
1.3 Getting it right 15
1.4 Key points of a good maintenance system 16
2. Responsibilities for roadworthiness 19
2.1 Roadworthiness inspections 21
3. Daily walkaround checks 23
3.1 A system of reporting and recording faults 26
3.2 Drivers’ responsibilities 29
3.3 Traction services and third party trailers 30
4. Regular safety inspections and first use inspection 35
4.1 Inspection scope and content 35
4.2 First use inspection 36
4.3 Safety inspection intervals 38
4.4 Case studies 44
4.5 Safety inspection report forms 46
4.6 Intermediate safety checks 48
4.7 Ad hoc safety inspection intervals 48
4.8 Electronic capture and storage of safety inspection data 49
4.9 Safety inspectors 56
4.10 Use of assistants 56
4.11 Authority to remove or reinstate a vehicle 56
4.12 Vehicle cleanliness 57
4.13 Duties of staff 57
5. Safety inspection and repair facilities 58
5.1 Safety inspection facilities 60
5.2 Tyre management 62
5.3 Brake performance assessment 63
5.4 Accessibility (PSV) 68
5.5 Contracted out arrangements 71

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5.6 Drawing up a contract 71

5.7 Contract limitations 73
5.8 Visiting agents 74
5.9 Roadside safety inspections 74
5.10 Planning a safety inspection programme 75
6. Monitoring 77
6.1 Monitoring of drivers daily checks 78
6.2 Annual test results 79
6.3 Operator compliance risk score 80
6.4 British standards 81
6.5 Vehicle safety recalls 81
6.6 DVSA earned recognition scheme 82

Annexes
1. Enforcement of the operator licensing scheme 86
2. Where to get additional help 90
2.1 Technical support 90
2.2 Training 90
2.3 Saving fuel and protecting the environment 91
2.4 Fault finding 91
2.5 Publications 91
3A. Example of a driver’s vehicle defect report (goods vehicles) 92
3B. Example of a driver’s vehicle defect report (passenger vehicles) 93
4A. Example of a safety inspection record (HGV) 94
4B. Example of a safety inspection record (PSV) 98
5. Example of a maintenance agreement 102
6. Specimen maintenance planner 104
7. Useful addresses 106
8. HGV drivers walkaround check 108
9. PSV drivers walkaround check 110

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Foreword by the DVSA Chief

Executive

Gareth Llewellyn, DVSA Chief Executive

Welcome to the latest edition of DVSA’s guide to maintaining roadworthiness.

DVSA’s vision is for safer drivers, safer vehicles and safer journeys for all. An
important way in which we will achieve this is by helping you keep your vehicle
safe to drive. Whether you operate a large fleet or just one vehicle, keeping your
vehicles in a roadworthy condition is good for business, good for the environment
and helps you stay safe on Britain’s roads.

This guide provides you with best practice advice on the responsibilities that
an operator or driver has to ensure the roadworthiness of their vehicles. It also
covers what you are legally required to do and gives information on where to seek
additional help, including technical assistance or training.

To help raise vehicle standards, DVSA will make sure the required standards are
clear and easy to understand; tests will keep up with new technology in vehicles,
and testers and test centres who don’t test to the right standards will be helped

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to improve. We will also provide accessible, up-to-date information about when

a vehicle needs to be checked and fixed because of a safety recall.

We have also introduced an ‘earned recognition’ scheme for operators with

a strong track record of compliance and adherence to standards. Those
qualifying for the scheme will see commercial and financial benefits as we
leave them to go about their business unhindered. This will enable us to
direct our enforcement activities at the serially and seriously non-compliant.
Qualification for this scheme is entirely based on merit, and so I encourage you
to read through this guide, work to the principles it sets out and aim for ‘earned
recognition.’

Gareth Llewellyn
DVSA Chief Executive

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Foreword by the Traffic Commissioners

Sarah Bell Kevin Rooney

As an operator, transport manager, driver or technician, you know just how quickly vehicle
technology continues to progress. That’s why it’s vital for this essential guide to be regularly
updated.

We’re pleased to have worked with DVSA and with those who operate and maintain
commercial vehicles to produce the latest version of the Guide to Maintaining
Roadworthiness. This ongoing collaborative working ensures that the information is
informed, relevant and up-to-date. You will find references to new approaches such as
electronic brake performance monitoring which can remove some of the challenges around
roller brake testing of trailers.

On safety inspection intervals, this edition of the guide no longer features the graph of
mileage vs inspection frequency. We strongly encourage you to take a proactive, evidence-
based approach to setting inspection frequencies. You know your vehicles and your
operations better than anyone. Six weekly is a good starting point for many operators, but
this should be regularly reviewed based on the results of inspections and the performance of
your vehicles. Listening to operators, we learned that some of you felt that the graph was too
rigid and didn’t encourage basing intervals on the reality of operations.

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We also acknowledge the development of technology in helping you with your

operator licence responsibilities. Smartphone apps, for example, now assist
with driver defect reporting. DVSA still finds that between a third and a half of all
prohibitable defects it finds at the roadside could have been prevented by the driver
conducting an effective walkaround check. Undertaking an effective walkaround
check, acting on what is found and recording that action is as much a part of a
driver’s duties as steering the vehicle down the road. Failure to do so puts both
drivers’ and operators’ licences in jeopardy.

This edition of the guide will be launched alongside DVSA’s earned recognition
scheme. The scheme’s introduction has led to the development of a range of new
compliance management tools available to all operators and transport managers.
Whether you seek accreditation or not, your operation could still benefit from using
these tools.

As before, nothing in this guide is mandatory but, by following it, you’ll ensure
that you meet the relevant conditions and undertakings on your licence. If your
maintenance contractor recommends a different approach, it is for you to satisfy
yourself that you will still meet the standards. These are the commitments you
made when you first applied for your licence.

Sarah Bell Kevin Rooney

Lead Traffic Commissioners | Enforcement

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1. Introduction

1.1 About this guide

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has produced this guide to
explain the responsibilities and systems involved in maintaining vehicles in a
roadworthy condition, regardless of operating conditions, fleet size or vehicle
type. The procedures and systems explained in this guide are useful for operators,
drivers and all those who are responsible for operating, maintaining or providing
commercial goods and passenger carrying vehicles. The general principles
apply equally to light goods and passenger vehicles below the operator licensing
thresholds and for vehicles that are otherwise exempt.

Best practice
It is not enough to rely on a maintenance system alone, because this cannot ensure
that vehicles are roadworthy. To ensure best practice, you will need to combine
good quality maintenance practices and skills with supervision and effective
management of the system.

New vehicle operators

If you are a new operator, you will find practical advice on how to devise, install and
monitor a system for ensuring roadworthiness. If you follow the advice given in this
guide, you can make sure you are complying with the law and that your compliance
can be monitored and controlled.

Experienced vehicle operators

If you are an established or experienced vehicle operator, you will be able to
use this guide as a benchmark to assess whether your systems are sufficiently
comprehensive or should be reviewed and improved in order to maintain
compliance. This guidance applies to you whether you carry out your own
maintenance, contract out maintenance or do a combination of both. DVSA do not
specifically define a new or experienced vehicle operator because what constitutes
an experienced operator could vary.

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DVSA's strategy for 2017 to 2022

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However, we do make suggestions as to what could make an experienced operator:

• If you have been trading under this licence or a previous licence for more than
three years
• If you have been trading under this licence for more than 1 year, and you have
been visited by a DVSA inspector and been approved as satisfactory
• If your company has been trading under this licence for a length of time such
that you can prove that your roadworthiness process is effective and fully
established
• If you can demonstrate suitable evidence proving your experience when
questioned by DVSA or the Traffic Commissioner. This could be a combination
of staff experience and skills, maintenance procedure experience and
substantial defect reports/data

Maintaining Compliance
We recognise that there are different methods and systems from those that are described
within this guide that can result in vehicles being maintained in a roadworthy condition.
If you are an operator who wishes to adopt different systems, you must still satisfy
Traffic Commissioners that the system you use is effective. Traffic Commissioners will
only agree to variations that will not reduce the control necessary to ensure satisfactory
maintenance.

There must be a firm management commitment to review and improve maintenance

systems where defects are found on vehicles or when the fleet size or the nature
of the business is changing. As a licensed operator, you can also be assured that
the maintenance systems described in this guide will be accepted by the Traffic
Commissioners, provided that the resulting condition of your vehicles remain
satisfactory. If this is not the case, however, Traffic Commissioners reserve the
right to require more stringent arrangements from you (eg shorter periods between
inspections), and the competence of the persons who carry out safety checks may
be challenged. The ultimate test will be whether a vehicle is, in fact, roadworthy.

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1.2 What this guide contains

The procedures and systems described in this guide relate to responsibilities for
roadworthiness, the different types of inspections, inspection intervals, data storage,
inspection facilities, planner updates and essential reviews. This guide includes many
references to written maintenance records; however, using an electronic vehicle
maintenance system can provide effective management of all relevant data including
safety inspections, maintenance scheduling and driver defect reporting. Keep in mind
that as a general principle computer records are acceptable, provided that they contain
the essential information that can be made available for examination. For further
information, see section four.

Other guidance
It is also important to note that this guide is only concerned with systems of maintenance
for roadworthiness. If you are looking for the maintenance of vehicles to achieve
economy and reliability, we advise you to seek help from vehicle manufacturers, their
agents or the relevant trade organisations. You can find more information on sources of
further help and advice in Annex 2.

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1.3 Getting it right

DVSA recognises that operators of heavy goods or passenger carrying vehicles will not
get everything right all the time. However, we do want you to be vigilant and responsible.
The penalties for and consequences of non-compliance to you the operator and/or driver
– and to the general public – can range from the inconvenient to the very serious and,
sometimes, to the catastrophic. You and your staff may be fined or prosecuted, and your
vehicles may be prohibited. At worst, you may cause serious injury or fatalities because
of badly maintained vehicles.

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1.4 Key points of a good maintenance system

Use these important key points as a guide to help you plan and set up a compliant and
effective maintenance system for your vehicles.

1. A driver or responsible person must undertake a daily walkaround check,

preferably immediately before a vehicle is used.
2. First use inspections are essential for operators who lease, hire or borrow
vehicles. These are especially important where vehicles and trailers have been
off the road for some time.
3. Drivers must report promptly any defects or symptoms of defects that could
adversely affect the safe operation of vehicles. Reports must be recorded and
provision should be made to record details of any rectification work done.
4. Drivers’ defect reports used to record any faults and rectification work must be
kept for at least 15 months.
5. Operators must ensure that safety inspections are carried out at the
stated frequency.
6. Safety inspections must include those items covered by the
appropriate statutory annual test.
7. Safety inspections should be pre-planned, preferably using a
time-based programme.
8. The system of safety inspections must be regularly monitored, especially
in the early stages.
9. Any remedial work carried out as a result of safety inspections must be
recorded.
10. The safety inspection record must include:
• name of owner/operator
• date of inspection
• vehicle identity (registration mark/trailer number)
• make and model
• odometer (mileage recorder) reading, if appropriate
• a list of all the manual items to be inspected
• details of any defects
• name of inspector
• full details of any repair work and who did it
• a signed declaration that any defects have been repaired satisfactorily
and the vehicle is now in a safe roadworthy condition.
11. On certain types of vehicles and for some operations, intermediate safety

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checks may be necessary.

12. Records of safety inspections must be kept for at least 15 months for
all vehicles, including vehicle/s that have been removed from the
operator licence.
13. Staff carrying out safety inspections must be competent to assess the
significance of defects. Assistance must be available to support the
safety inspection process.
14. There must be an internal system to ensure that unroadworthy vehicles
are removed from service, with someone responsible for taking vehicles
off the road.
15. Operators who undertake their own safety inspections must have the
correct tools and facilities for the size of the fleet and type of vehicle
operated.
16. All operators should have access to a means of measuring brake
efficiency and setting headlamp aim. For vehicles showing signs of
visible exhaust smoke, a diesel smoke meter should be used to ensure
that the level of smoke emission is within the legal requirements.
17. Operators are responsible for the condition of vehicles and trailers
that are inspected and/or maintained for them by agents, contractors
or hire companies.
18. Operators who have contracted out their safety inspections must draw
up a formal written contract with an inspection agency or garage, and
this must be retained on file. Such operators should view inspection
records and have a means of regularly monitoring the quality of work
produced for them.
19. The dates when safety inspections are due must be the subject
of forward-planning.
20. A maintenance scheduling system, planner or wall chart should be
used to identify inspection dates at least six months for manual systems
or can be dynamic for electronic systems.
21. Any system of maintaining roadworthiness of vehicles should be
effectively and continually monitored.
22. Any changes by licensed operators to arrangements for safety
inspections must be updated on the vehicle operator licensing system
(VOL).
23. Drivers must be adequately trained and given clear written instructions
about their responsibilities.

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2. Responsibilities for roadworthiness

This section gives best practice advice on the responsibilities that an operator or
driver will have to undertake to ensure the roadworthiness of their vehicle. It covers
what you are legally required to do according to the law.

As a user of vehicles, it is your responsibility to ensure that the vehicles you use are
roadworthy. It is an offence to use an unroadworthy vehicle on the road. The term
‘user’ of a vehicle applies to the driver and the person paying the driver to act for
them.

Legislation
If you are an operator of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and public service vehicles
(PSVs), you must meet the governing legislation that the Traffic Commissioners
have outlined in their Statutory Guidance Document. This is now in legislation,
so if you operate within the UK or outside of the UK, you should ensure vehicles
are roadworthy.

Operators must comply with the declaration they give to the relevant traffic
commissioner that they will ensure that their vehicles are operated in a fit
and serviceable condition. If operators intend making any change to their
maintenance arrangements, they must update the details on the vehicle
operator licensing system.

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Hire, loan or lease vehicles

The vehicle itself may either belong to the user or be in their possession under any
agreement for hire, hire purchase, loan or lease. The user of a towing vehicle is
responsible for the roadworthiness of a trailer even if it does not belong to them

Foreign trailers
If foreign trailers are used then the user is responsible for the roadworthiness in
terms of condition but also in terms of the technical design of the trailer.

Traffic commissioners require that all vehicles be maintained in a fit and

serviceable condition when operated under an operator’s licence. DVSA’s
examiners support traffic commissioners by providing assessments of the
effectiveness of operator’s systems in meeting this requirement. We will,
therefore, focus on the levels of compliance and standards of roadworthiness
rather than how operators achieve the high standards expected. This provides
operators with considerable freedom to tailor their systems to the needs of
their business.

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2.1 Roadworthiness inspections

When it comes to ensuring the roadworthiness of a vehicle, there are two types of
essential inspections – which differ in scope and depth. Each type is used for a different
purpose and requires different levels of skill to be carried out effectively.

The two types of inspection are:

• daily walkaround checks

• first use inspections/regular safety inspections.

An inspection should not be confused with a service. A service contains items requiring
routine maintenance, usually determined in scope and frequency by the vehicle’s usage
and the recommendations of the vehicle’s manufacturer.

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3. Daily walkaround checks

This section looks at the daily walkaround check. It offers best practice advice on
setting up a system for reporting faults and looks at defect reports, while clearly
stating your legal position.

A driver or responsible person must undertake a daily walkaround check before a

vehicle is used. As a driver, DVSA recommend this check is carried out before you
first drive the vehicle on the road each day.

Where more than one driver will use the vehicle during the day's running, the driver
taking charge of a vehicle should make sure it is roadworthy and safe to drive
by carrying out their own walkaround check; however, due to health and safety
implications this may not be practical on all occasions.

An example of a system for managing in-service driver changes is where a

walkaround check is carried out by a responsible person, and the drivers monitor
the vehicle during the day's running. When there is a change in driver during
the day, it is sometimes unsafe to carry out a walkaround check, for example
at a bus stop. This will be considered acceptable where there is a robust driver
defect reporting system in place, which details the initial walkaround check and
any defects or ‘nil’ defects reported during the day for the various drivers of that
particular vehicle.

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The driver is always legally responsible for the condition of the vehicle while in
use. Therefore, conducting a daily walkaround check is a vital part of a driver’s
core role. Operators can delegate the walkaround check to a responsible
person, who must carry out a minimum of one check in 24 hours.

The check should cover the whole vehicle or combination. On multi-trailer

operations, a check should be made on each trailer being used. The check should
cover interior and exterior items that can be safely assessed without necessarily the
use of a workshop [see Annex 8 for walkaround check items].

Assistance may be required at some time during the check, for example, to see that
lights are working. Alternatively, a brake pedal application tool may be used as an
effective way of making sure stop lamps are working, and that the braking system
is free of leaks. In addition, a torch, panel lock key or other equipment may be
needed.

It could be beneficial to incorporate a post use check, to save downtime.

It is important that drivers are aware of the overall vehicle dimensions, including
trailer and load. High vehicles should display an in-cab overall height indicator. It is
also important to consider route planning before starting your journey if low bridges
need to be avoided.

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3.1 A system of reporting and recording defects

There must be a system of reporting and recording defects that may affect the
roadworthiness of the vehicle. This must include how they were rectified before
the vehicle is used. Daily defect checks are vital, and the results of such
checks must be recorded as part of the maintenance system. It is important
that enough time is allowed for the completion of walkaround checks and that
staff are trained to carry them out thoroughly. Drivers should be made aware
that daily defect reporting is one of the critical elements of any effective vehicle
roadworthiness system.

Examples of how to perform a walkaround check can be found on YouTube under

DVSA HGV or PSV driver’s daily walkaround checks.

Drivers’ defect reports

As the driver, you are legally responsible for the condition of your vehicle when in
use on the road.

Drivers must report any defects, or symptoms of defects, that could prevent the
safe operation of the vehicles. In addition to daily walkaround checks, you must
monitor the roadworthiness of your vehicle when being driven, and be alert to any
indication that the vehicle is developing a fault eg warning lights, vibrations or other
symptoms. When a vehicle is on site work, you should walk around the vehicle
before leaving the site to identify any faults. If any safety defects are found, you
must not use the vehicle on the road until it is repaired.

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Providing a written report

Any defects found during the daily walkaround check, while the vehicle is in use or
on its return to base, must be the subject of a written report by the driver or some
other person responsible for recording defects.

The details recorded should include:

• vehicle registration or identification mark

• date
• details of the defects or symptoms
• the reporter’s name
• who the defect was reported to
• assessment of the defect
• rectification work
• date rectification work was completed.

It is also common practice to use a composite form that includes a list of the items
checked each day. Where practicable the system should incorporate ‘nil’ reporting
when each driver makes out a report sheet - or confirms by another means that
a daily check has been carried out and no defects found. Electronic records of
reported defects are acceptable and must be available for 15 months, along with
any record of repair.

Appropriate action
All drivers’ defect reports must be given to a responsible person with sufficient
authority to ensure that any appropriate action is taken. This might include
taking the vehicle out of service. Any report listing defects is part of the
vehicle’s maintenance record and must be kept for at least 15 months, together
with details of the rectification work and repairer.

It is good practice to have ‘nil’ defect reports as they are a useful means of
checking that drivers are carrying out their duties and these forms can be used
for audit purposes.

A ‘nil’ defect reporting system demonstrates a check has been conducted and is a
positive report that the vehicle is free from defects.

If you are an owner-driver, you will probably not have anyone to report defects to,
except your transport manager (if you have one). In these cases, defects and the
remedial action taken can simply be recorded and held for at least 15 months.

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3.2 Drivers’ responsibilities

Drivers must be made aware of their legal responsibilities regarding vehicle

condition and the procedures for reporting defects. Operators must ensure
that all drivers are adequately trained to perform this function, and this may
be part of their driver’s certificate of professional competence training. Driver’s
responsibilities should be detailed in writing, describing defect reporting
systems as well as any other duties they are expected to perform. The driver
should sign to confirm they have received their responsibilities in writing and
understand what is required. A copy of the document should be kept on
file. Drivers share the responsibility for the vehicle’s roadworthiness with the
operator. They may be fined or prosecuted for roadworthiness offences found
on vehicles if they are considered partly or wholly responsible.

Minor repairs by drivers

If you are an operator, you should bear in mind that drivers who are expected to
repair minor defects in service would need appropriate training.

Traffic commissioners can take action against a driver who fails to complete
an adequate walkaround check. This could lead to a driver conduct hearing,
which may result in the loss of the vocational driving licence.

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3.3 Traction services and third party trailers

Operators can provide a traction-only service to customers who wish to

own their own trailers for branding and loading purposes but do not wish to
operate vehicles to pull them. It is also common practice for an operator who
may own trailers but is also contracted to tow third party trailers not owned or
maintained by them.

Ensuring third party trailer roadworthiness can be problematic for the traction
service operator. Usually for short-term use the trailer owner would be
responsible for the routine maintenance of the trailer, including the safety
inspection (SI). Under these circumstances, traction operators are reliant on
the trailer owner to correctly carry out their own safety inspections within their
stated frequency and complete any necessary repairs.

The traction operator is responsible for ensuring a thorough walkaround

check of the tractor/trailer combination is carried out to establish it is safe
prior to use. If defects are identified during the walkaround check, these
should be rectified prior to use.

Traction operators would be expected to work with the trailer owners to

ensure any trailers operated fall within the owner's agreed SI frequency and
that they are roadworthy. It is best practice for the trailer owner to provide
evidence for the operator that first use checks and safety inspections
have been undertaken and demonstrate there are no outstanding defects
reported for the trailer. There must also be a robust system in place to ensure
defects identified during the walkaround check, or develop during use, are
recorded and rectified before the tractor/trailer combination is operated in an
unroadworthy condition.

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The driver/operator bears the full responsibility for the safe operation and
roadworthiness of the tractor/trailer combination at the time it is being driven.

If a PG9 (roadworthiness prohibition) is issued to the trailer for a defect which

would not have been apparent to the driver - either during the walkaround check
or because of faults which would not be evident by the performance, handling or
warning systems of the vehicle during use - there is a potential issue associated
with the trailer owner’s maintenance regime.

Operators are responsible for ensuring any prohibitions issued to vehicles/trailers

used by the operator are cleared or they have notified the vehicle/trailer owner a
prohibition has been issued. Clearance inspection results are normally recorded
against the operator who received the prohibition notice. Failure to take appropriate
action when a prohibition is issued could associate the operator with the offence of
using the vehicle/trailer in contravention of a prohibition notice. Operators are also
urged to proactively follow up potential issues with the vehicle/trailer owner and
third-party maintenance provider with the aim to addressing any shortfall within the
maintenance systems.

Although the operator does not own the trailer, they are ultimately responsible
for using the combination in an unroadworthy condition, and the traction
operator’s compliance risk score will be affected [see Section 6]. It is,
therefore, strongly recommend that hauliers obtain from the trailer owner
or customer the safety inspection interval for the trailer/s concerned and a
copy of the current relevant inspection reports to ensure the trailer has been
correctly inspected within the stated frequency.

A good practice guide for third party trailer operators has been produced A
by IRTE. This details some more useful information on how to operate third
party trailers safely and legally.

good practice guide for third party trailer operators has been produced by

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4. Regular safety inspections and

first use inspection
This section describes why regular safety inspections and the first use inspection
are essential to an effective roadworthiness maintenance system.

4.1 Inspection scope and content

A safety inspection can be a freestanding inspection of just those items affecting

road safety and certain environmental issues. Or it can be part of a more
comprehensive inspection that, in addition, takes into account items relating to the
vehicle’s work, performance and economic operation. Regular safety inspections
are essential to an effective roadworthiness maintenance system. Although a part of
the overall vehicle maintenance plan, the inspections should ideally be undertaken
as a separate, albeit often sequential, operation to routine servicing and repair.

This provides the maintenance programme with the flexibility to intensify or

otherwise change frequency of inspections. It also allows the introduction of ad-hoc
inspections, should they be required, without affecting frequency of servicing and
other routine work (eg when the operating conditions call for more regular checks
or when first use inspections are required). In addition, freestanding inspection
reports can be produced which provide the operator with the means of determining
not only the roadworthiness of individual vehicles in service but also the overall
effectiveness of their vehicle maintenance system, thus enabling the instigation of
any changes that may be necessary.

Being cost effective

Although primarily undertaken in the interest of safe vehicle operations, safety
inspections– together with prompt remedial action– are also cost effective. The
early indication of wear, damage or maladjustment may prevent sudden failure
of components resulting in unscheduled downtime or prevent wear becoming so
advanced that premature replacement becomes necessary.

The driver is always legally responsible for the condition of the vehicle while in
use; therefore, conducting a daily walkaround check is a vital part of a driver’s
core role. Operators can delegate the walkaround check to a responsible
person, who must carry out a minimum of one check in 24 hours.

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4.2 First use inspection

Vehicles brought into use

When a vehicle or trailer is first brought into use with an operator it should have
undergone a first use inspection, which is essentially the first safety inspection.
New vehicles entering service that have undergone a recorded pre-delivery
inspection (PDI) that is as comprehensive as a safety inspection will not require a
further inspection. Used vehicles, not previously operated should be given a full
safety inspection.

Vehicles being returned to use

If a vehicle has been off the road for a period longer than the planned maintenance
inspections, it should be given a full safety inspection prior to being brought back
into use. A note must be placed on the vehicle maintenance file to show the vehicle
has been off the road.

Hire, loan or lease vehicles

If you are the user of the vehicle, it is your responsibility to ensure that any hired,
leased or borrowed vehicle is in a roadworthy condition and has all the necessary
certification when used on the road. Therefore it is essential that you do a daily
walkaround check (as described in Section 3) before any such vehicle is used.
It is your responsibility to be able to provide maintenance records covering the
period of use.

Hired vehicles should be inspected by a member of staff from the rental company
prior to being made available for each rental. This pre-rental inspection should
include all major mechanical parts, exterior and interior condition and electronic
equipment, fluids, tyre condition and pressure. The operator should keep a copy
of this checklist as proof that the rental company has carried out a pre-rental
inspection. This inspection, along with a walkaround check by the operator,
will help ensure that the vehicle being used is roadworthy. If the operator has
any doubt that the rental company has carried out a comprehensive pre-rental
inspection of the vehicle/trailer, then a first use inspection should be carried out.

Rental and leasing companies who are members of the British Vehicle Rental
and Leasing Association are regularly inspected under the BVRLA’s Quality
Assurance Programme, where the maintenance records, branches and vehicles
are inspected by an independent UKAS accredited inspector. This inspection can
be used as part of your regular monitoring of the rental and leasing companies
who provide vehicles for you.

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A safety inspection must include all the items covered by the statutory annual
test. Examples of Safety Inspection forms can be found in Annex 4A(HGV)
and 4B(PSV), the safety inspection form can be any format as long as the
mandatory items listed in Section 1 of this guide are included on the form.

Standards to be applied
Reference should be made to manufacturers’ recommended tolerances to
ensure that each item covered by the safety inspection is inspected properly and
limits of wear and tolerance are adhered to.

In addition, DVSA produces annual test inspection manuals, which give details
of inspection methods and pass/fail criteria. Copies of the annual test inspection
manuals can be downloaded free of charge by visiting the GOV.UK website.

It must be emphasised that the standards for the annual test are the minimum
legal standards and should be used as guidance for the safety inspection.
The inspector will need to consider the frequency of inspection, the age of the
vehicle, expected mileage and type of work undertaken to assess whether a
component would remain in a serviceable condition before the next inspection
is due.

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4.3 Safety inspection intervals

Operational needs must not override safety considerations. Safety inspections

should, where it is practicable, be programmed to follow a time-based pattern. The
frequency at which inspections are undertaken should be determined by assessing
the level of mechanical degradation likely to be incurred over a period as a result of
the vehicle’s usage. This will depend on such factors as:

• the age and type of vehicle operated

• the recommendations of the vehicle manufacturer
• the nature of its load, the equipment and fittings it carries or supports
• the type and range of operations on which it is likely to be engaged
• the type of terrain and the nature of the environment in which it operates
or is likely to operate
• the distance and speeds at which it travels and the journey times.

Assessing the above factors for each vehicle will, in the majority of cases, enable
a time-based programme of inspections to be formulated. Some operations,
however, are subject to continuous change, or vehicles can frequently be
reassigned alternative tasks or routes, making the adoption of a strictly time-based
inspection programme impracticable.

Mileage-based inspection programmes may be more suitable for some operators

but will need to be linked to time.

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Older vehicles and trailers

National statistics show that as vehicles and trailers age, the average annual
MOT failure rate increases and they are more likely to experience in-service
roadworthiness defects than newer vehicles. Therefore, the guidance has reflected
that older vehicles and trailers will need more frequent maintenance, and has
indicated a minimum safety inspection frequency of six weeks requirement for
vehicles and trailers aged 12 years and older. However, depending on usage, ie low
mileage and light conditions, the frequency may be extended.

New vehicle operators

If you are a new vehicle operator, you will not have the benefit of experience or
vehicle maintenance records to call upon.

Setting the inspection frequency will need to take into account the type of work
undertaken, the operating conditions, the age of vehicle and mileage covered.
Whatever the safety inspection interval is, its effectiveness in ensuring that the
vehicle is safe for use on the road must be regularly monitored.

Monitoring is especially important in the early stages.

A guide to safety inspection intervals

An inspection frequency would normally range between 4 to 13 weeks. See table
below for examples of operating conditions.

Operating Conditions Frequency

A. Lightly loaded vehicles– 13–6 weeks

easy operating conditions

B. General haulage– 10–5 weeks

trunking

C. Arduous work– 8–4 weeks

constant heavy loads

D. Off road– 4 weeks

difficult conditions

E. Vehicle 12 years or older 6 weeks

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Experienced vehicle operators

If you are an experienced operator, you are free to tailor these inspections to
suit the nature of your operations and vehicle characteristics. You may even
deploy more than one system across a fleet, where vehicles and the nature
of their work vary, even where one particular aspect of vehicles’ operations
require a greater inspection frequency than the whole vehicle fleet (see case
study 2). Systems will be judged primarily on their effectiveness in maintaining
roadworthiness.

It follows, therefore, that in order to maintain an inspection regime that is

sufficiently flexible to accommodate these changing criteria, it might be more
appropriate to adopt an inspection frequency determined by, for instance,
the vehicle’s mileage. However, if you modify your inspection schedule, it is
sensible to monitor the effect on roadworthiness on a monthly basis. If an
unacceptable increase in defects were seen then a change back to the original
schedule would be necessary.

The Vehicle Operator Licensing system (VOL) records a time based frequency
for both vehicles and trailers. Therefore, if a mileage-based frequency is
adopted, the expected maximum equivalent time-frequency should be entered
into the system (up to 13 weeks). Then ensure the mixed frequency box is
ticked on VOL to record that a varied inspection frequency is being used. This
same process should be used if a mixed time frequency is being used for
different vehicles or trailers on the fleet.

See the case study examples for a better idea of how to adapt your systems.

Leased vehicles
Leasing companies may be able to assist operators with determining the
frequency of inspections.

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Whichever safety inspection interval is decided upon, the inspection

frequency should not be extended without updating the Vehicle Operator
Licensing system. The following safety inspection should be carried out
within the specified weekly or mileage-based time scale, and not beyond.
To allow some flexibility in planning safety inspections it is recommended
that the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) week
numbering system is used. With this system the safety inspection should
be completed within the relevant ISO week it falls. ISO defines the week
as always starting with Monday through to Sunday. See Annex 6 for an
example of a maintenance planner.

Example of a six weekly SI interval has been decided using the ISO week
planner. For this example, the vehicle came into service and had a first use
inspection in week 10 of the ISO calendar. The following safety inspections
should then be completed within ISO week 16, 22, 28, 34, 40, 46……
etc. If a safety inspection was completed outside the planned schedule,
for example because of a breakdown, a new schedule may need to be
created. For the example given above it would not be permissible to carry
out an early SI in week 20 and then have an eight-week interval to week
28. The operator would need to either carry out another SI at week 22 -
and continue with the originally planned schedule - or reschedule 6-week
intervals from week 20 to 26, 32 ….etc. Vehicles that are only used for
part of the year, or that have been out of service for some time, should be
inspected before they are brought back into service.

When they are being used, the subsequent safety inspection intervals should
be determined in accordance with the table above, conditions of use and the
equivalent annual mileage (eg 20,000 miles covered over a six month period
represents an equivalent annual mileage of 40,000).

Trailers not permanently coupled, but in regular use, need to be assessed on

their conditions of work and anticipated mileage.

Where there are doubts about what interval to choose, new operators are
advised to be cautious and make more, rather than less, checks.

Where vehicles operating in difficult conditions - eg in quarry work or on

building or land reclamation sites, and vehicles carrying corrosive substances
where conditions result in accelerated component wear and vehicle damage
- the operator is advised to increase the number of safety inspection checks
above the guidance in the table shown.

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4.4 Case Studies

Case study 1 – N E Hall

N E Hall are a new haulage company who need to implement a maintenance
schedule. They estimate an annual mileage of 100,000 miles and will be carrying out
arduous work. Based on DVSA’s graph they selected an initial time interval of four
weeks for their inspections.

Case study 2 – Bob’s Construction

Bob’s Construction are an experienced operator and have two 7.5 t trucks which
operate on the road and also on building sites. They found that 75% of defects
identified during the four weekly inspections were suspension related due to the
terrain.

They decided to modify their maintenance schedule such that the suspension was
inspected every three weeks and the whole vehicle was inspected every six weeks.
After trialing this for six months they noticed an improvement in the suspension
condition but did not see any deterioration in other parts of the vehicle due to the
reduced frequency. VOL would need to be updated to show the new six week
frequency but also tick the mixed frequency to cover the three weekly suspension
check.

Case study 3 – CJS Couriers Plc

CJS Couriers Plc are a courier company that normally operate within the Bristol area
but occasionally carry out national or continental deliveries. CJS found that, during
normal operations, the four weekly system was too frequent as very few defects
were ever found. However, when there is an increase in national or continental
deliveries they were seeing a spike in defects during that period. Generally, during
a local delivery period, they will drive 50 miles a day on each vehicle. A national
delivery could result in a daily mileage of 360 miles depending on location, and a
continental delivery would be significantly more. They decided to switch the policy so
that the vehicles are inspected every 2000 miles or six weekly, whichever comes first.

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Case study 4 – Pronto Bus Plc

Pronto Bus Plc are a large operator with great experience. They use two different
models of buses: the Speedliner and the Retro. Because of the age difference
between the two models, they found they had significantly different levels of
reliability. The Speedliner vehicles, which were over 12 years old, were very
unreliable and so they needed to inspect them every four weeks to maintain safety.
The Retro, which is a newer vehicle, was much more reliable and so the inspection
frequency was reduced to six weekly. After monitoring this for 12 months, they
found no change in roadworthiness for the Retro model. An update on the Vehicle
Operator License System (VOL) will be required due to the change in the inspection
frequency. The maximum frequency will need to be recorded on VOL. In this case,
six weeks and the mixed frequency box ticked.

Case study 5 – MacDonald Bus Ltd

MacDonald Bus Ltd are an experienced operator who run 152 buses around
the Edinburgh area. They operated a strict 28 day inspection frequency but felt
this was excessive because 75% of the fleet was relatively new. They decided
to reduce the frequency to 42 days for the 114 buses, which are under six years
old, and keep the remaining, older, buses, as they are. This was seen to have no
negative effect on roadworthiness over a 12 month monitoring period.

They were able to reduce their yearly inspections by 300, thus freeing up buses
and staff for other jobs. In this case, the Vehicle Operator License system (VOL) will
need to be updated with the maximum frequency. The mixed frequency will also
need to be ticked.

Case study 6 – Move4U

Move4U are a removal company with a fleet of vans and trucks of various sizes.
They initially used a four weekly inspection as recommended by DVSA but felt this
was too often. They increased this to 12 weekly, but after a six month monitoring
period, they saw a large rise in defects resulting in more prohibitions from DVSA
at the roadside. They then decided to reduce this to six weekly as a more realistic
frequency.

After 12 months of monitoring, the defect level has matched what it was at four
weeks, and so Move4U have decided to use this schedule permanently.

Please note: The case studies are based on fictional examples and not related
to current operators.

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4.5 Safety inspection report forms

A safety inspection report must be completed for each safety inspection

for both vehicles and trailers. If the safety inspection report is to be
stored electronically, then the paper version does not need to be
retained. This does not rule out the use of electronic devices (eg tablets)
in place of paper safety inspection reports.

For further information relating to computer systems, see section 4.8.

Each report must show at least the following:

• name of owner/operator
• date of inspection
• vehicle identity (registration/trailer number)
• make and model
• odometer (mileage recorder) reading (if appropriate)
• a list of all items to be inspected
• an indication of the condition of each item inspected
• details of any defects found
• name of inspector
• details of any remedial/rectification or repair work and who carried
out the work
• a signed statement that any defects have been repaired
satisfactorily
and the vehicle is now in a safe and roadworthy condition.

Examples of suitable safety inspection report forms are given in Annex 4A

and 4B (pages 94–101).

The report may contain details of any work to be carried forward. In

particular, further checks may be needed on certain items deemed likely to
deteriorate during service and make the vehicle unroadworthy before the
next scheduled inspection or routine service.

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4.6 Intermediate safety checks

With some types of vehicle and operation, it may be necessary to check some
components more often than at full safety inspections. For example, a vehicle
used in urban areas such as a public service vehicle or a local delivery vehicle,
or vehicles used in hilly areas, may require a weekly brake component and
adjustment check together with a steering and suspension inspection. It is
sometimes necessary to check components following repair work.

4.7 Ad hoc safety inspection intervals

Safety inspections may be needed at times outside the scheduled programme.

Examples include when the vehicle is used for harder work or covers greater
distances than usual (eg vehicles used on site).

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4.8 Electronic capture and storage of safety

inspection data

Safety inspection and repair work records, whether undertaken by operators

or contracted out, must be kept for at least 15 months as part of a vehicle’s
maintenance history.

Operators must, however, ensure that the electronic records are complete and
available, or can be made available on request for inspection at the operating
centre. If you hire, lease or borrow a vehicle you are responsible for its
roadworthiness and must have available, if required, copies of any inspections
that have been carried out while the vehicle is in your possession.

The right digital solution can add benefits to any maintenance system by
providing ease of access to all relevant data in one place, including:

• safety inspections
• unplanned maintenance
• inspection reports
• driver defect reporting system
• fleet management.

Linking to related data - such as technical information - means that it can be obtained
quickly, as well as giving you the ability to create maintenance schedules, which are
both planned and dynamic.

Systems can be linked to those run by maintenance providers, giving shared data on:

• maintenance history
• scheduled repairs
• invoicing.

The automated processes that can be created help to organise and manage an
efficient and well planned system.

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What the maintenance system needs to do

It’s ultimately the roadworthiness of the vehicles operated that will demonstrate
if the system is well designed and meets the required standards.

Operators, as well as drivers, are responsible for the condition of their vehicles.
Operators need to satisfy themselves that any systems/devices used do not
undermine the running of a safe and efficient fleet.

Software/hardware providers should make sure that any system they design takes
into account the requirements of this guide.

Important features of a computerised system:

• the availability of hard copies of records to be produced on request

• it must be tamper proof (eg records can’t be changed at a later date)
• it must be clear what’s been checked and by whom
• there must be a clear end-to-end audit trail
• data file which covers all maintenance records for the fleet
• fully electronic inspection records
• collaborative digital planners
• drivers walkaround check and defect reporting application
• compliance dashboard
• meet data protection requirements (including the general data
protection regulation)
• data back-up and disaster recovery system.

Any maintenance software should be developed in line with the maintenance

schedule agreed as part of the operator’s licence requirements, and in consultation
with this guide.

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Making sure your vehicle maintenance system is secure

To make certain that your system is secure you should consider:

• digital authentication – eg a login or PIN

• date and time stamping
• an audit trail on both the part of the maintenance provider
and the operator.

Whilst enforcement action for non-compliance rests with the operator, it is their
responsibility to make sure that the system provider can guarantee the reliability of
the data.

Recording the maintenance of hired or temporary

vehicles
Digital systems must take account of such vehicles as defined within this guide.

Keeping old data

Where vehicles or trailers change ownership, the records relating to these - even in
digital format - must still be available to the original operator in accordance with
this guide.

Managing the system

Regular administration and backup of electronic data should be undertaken. It is
ultimately the responsibility of the operator to ensure the safekeeping of such data,
along with an effective management process.

Easy access to the data - for management and enforcement purposes - must also
be available. Data security and integrity must exist with any system used - this may
include some form of clear audit trail.

DVSA do not ‘approve’ any software systems or hardware devices. It is ultimately

the operator’s responsibility to make sure that the maintenance system used
meets the requirements of their operator licence. However, for the DVSA Earned
Recognition scheme, IT systems have been validated to ensure correct reporting of
key performance indicators.

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Conducting the daily walkaround check

The daily walkaround check can be done using a handheld device, and the results
stored digitally.

These can include devices like tablets or smartphones, which can be given to the
driver or allocated to the vehicle. The system must provide:

• a suitable method of digital signature

• secure data input and storage
• confirmation that the vehicle is in a roadworthy condition at the
start of the journey.

Forms can also be completed by hand and then scanned and saved digitally.
Images must be easily accessible by date and vehicle.

It should always be possible to produce a minimum of the current day’s record at

the roadside. Systems must include effective date and time stamping to make sure
data is reliable, including nil defect reporting where it is included.

Nothing in this guide prevents the operator from using systems with
additional functions.

Recording in-service defects

The same systems can record defects which happen whilst a vehicle is in use. This can
be an extension of the same process, with the ability for the driver to ‘add’ a record for
that day including information about the action taken. Such systems should reflect the
requirements as shown above.

In all cases, there must be confirmation that the vehicle is safe to use.

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Creating a safety inspection programme

Planning safety inspections

Safety inspections must ideally be planned six months in advance. Vehicles that
are subject to a statutory annual test can plan their year’s programme - such as
cleaning and major servicing - to avoid duplication of work associated with the test.

A simple method of drawing up a programme is to use a year round planner or

flowchart. Digital systems are equally fine, and electronic record management
and storage systems will often include a planning feature.

Please use the guidance set out in this guide when using a digital system. Such
systems must:

• be capable of providing records in ‘real time’ to the operator

• include an audit process that shows date and time stamping.

Regular safety inspections

You can collect and store safety inspection information using an electronic
device. The records must show a clear audit trail from inspection to sign-off
after repair (if one is needed). It is very important that it includes a declaration
that the vehicle is fit for service or not.

Completing safety inspection report forms

A separate record must be completed for each safety inspection of a vehicle or
trailer. Where the record of the safety inspection is to be stored digitally, then
the checklist used for the inspection does not need to be kept. You can use an
electronic device (eg a tablet) in place of a checklist.

Capturing and storing safety inspection data

electronically
Barcoding or scanning of defects found or work done is acceptable providing
that a means of interpreting each code is available. See important features of a
computerised system.

Safety inspection records stored digitally must be:

• tamper-proof
• capable of producing hard copy information if required.

Computer records must contain the same information as any comparable

manual form.

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4.9 Safety Inspectors

A person undertaking safety inspections must be technically competent

and operationally aware of the safety standards that apply to the vehicles
they examine. They should have been trained in the techniques of vehicle
examination, diagnosis and reporting, and possess a sound working
knowledge of the relevant inspection manuals produced by DVSA. A safety
inspector could prove technical competence by solely time served experience.
However, with modern vehicle systems and working practices, it is strongly
recommended that inspectors obtain relevant technical qualifications and
achieve an automotive technical accreditation such as IRTEC (Inspection
Technician Accreditation) or similar - meeting a recognised quality standard for
the vehicles they inspect.

A safety inspector should not be expected to carry out repair or servicing work
during the course of the examination.

4.10 Use of assistants

There may be times during the course of an inspection when the inspector will
require the assistance of someone to operate certain vehicle controls. The operator
must ensure that this assistance is available when required. The vehicle’s driver can
often provide such assistance.

4.11 Authority to remove or reinstate a vehicle

If you are the operator, you must ensure that someone within your organisation has
the authority to decide whether a vehicle is fit for service at all times.

That person must be available to decide whether a vehicle can be allowed back into
service after repairs. This responsibility may be delegated, in writing (ie in the form
of a standard agreement) provided that it is made clear what their responsibilities
are.

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The transport manager retains legal responsibility for vehicle roadworthiness,

regardless of whether his or her activities are delegated.

4.12 Vehicle cleanliness

Vehicles should be cleaned regularly on top, inside and underneath. This will
make it easier to spot defects at scheduled safety inspections and during the daily
walkaround checks.

4.13 Duties of staff

It is important that all staff with an involvement either directly (eg drivers and
workshop staff) or indirectly (eg transport management) are made fully aware of
the company’s legal and moral responsibilities as an operator of road vehicles.
They should also be made aware of the subsequent importance of ensuring the
effective operation of the vehicle maintenance programme.

Drivers, workshop staff and those otherwise responsible for the condition of
vehicles should be individually informed in writing of their specific duties and
responsibilities – particularly regarding safe vehicle operation.

Emphasis should be placed on the importance of maintaining an effective

safety inspection programme and the role they play in promoting and sustaining
its integrity.

One method might be to write to each relevant employee in duplicate, thus

permitting a returned signed copy to be retained by the company.

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5. Safety inspection and repair

facilities
This section covers the facilities needed to undertake safety inspections and the
arrangements needed if you do not undertake your own inspections. The same
guidance applies to the repair of any defects found during safety checks.

If you are an operator, you must decide whether to undertake your own safety
inspection and maintenance work in-house or to contract all or part of the work
to someone else.

If you decide to provide your own safety inspection facilities, you must ensure
that they are adequate for the job, even if the inspection is contracted out.

It is strongly recommended that the maintenance facility demonstrates their

competence by achieving a recognised accreditation for workshop standards.
This can be gained through manufacturers’ franchised workshop quality
standards or by an independent assessment, like the IRTE National Workshop
Accreditation scheme.

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5.1 Safety inspection facilities

Facilities should include:

• undercover accommodation for the largest vehicle in the fleet. This is required to ensure
that safety checks can be conducted satisfactorily in all weathers (depending on fleet size
the building may need room for more than one vehicle at a time)
• tools and equipment appropriate to the size and nature of the fleet
• an adequate under-vehicle inspection facility
• adequate lighting
• access to brake test equipment (eg a roller brake tester, decelerometer)
• access to headlamp test equipment
• access to emissions testing equipment
• access to steam or pressure under-vehicle washing facilities
• a safe working environment.

If an operator fails to maintain vehicles in a safe and roadworthy condition with the facilities
provided the Traffic Commissioner may take regulatory action.

For guidance on the DVSA approved equipment relating annual test:

www.gov.uk/become-an-mot-station/approved-testing-equipment

Technical information
As part of promoting good practice and improving safety standards, the
Society of Operations Engineers (SOE) has produced a series of technical
guides. Most are free to download and include the best practice for wheel
security and safe working practices.

The SOE technical guides can be found using this link:

www.soe.org.uk/resources/technical-guides

Wheels and tyres

The code of practice for the selection and care of tyres and wheels for commercial vehicles
(developed jointly by the Department for Transport, the British Standards Institute and industry
and trade associations) recommends that following road wheel removal and refitting, the wheel
nut torque should be checked – after the vehicle has been standing for 30 minutes or after having
travelled for between 40 km and 80 km (25 to 50 miles). All re-torque checks must be recorded
and retained on file.

Some further guidance for wheel security can be found on the technical leaflet ‘Careless Torque
Costs Lives’. This can be found using the following link:

gov.uk/government/publications/careless-torque-costs-lives

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5.2 Tyre management system

A robust tyre management system is essential for any professional vehicle operator
and should ensure:

• that tyres in service are appropriate to the vehicle and operating conditions
• that tyre age is recorded and monitored for the entire fleet on the tyre
management system and that tyres aged more than 10 years old must not be
used on the front steered axle(s) of HGV, bus or coach or any single wheels
fitted to a minibus (9 to 16 passenger seats)
• where tyres more than 10 years old are legally used, their age should be
recorded and a specific risk assessment is completed that considers the
distance, speed and loading conditions that the vehicle will operate under (for
example, operating only in urban areas)
• the tyre manufacture date code must be legible on all tyres fitted to HGV, bus
or coach, trailers over 3.5t and minibuses (9 to 16 passenger seats)
• where a date code cannot be seen due to the position on the inside of a twin
wheel fitment, this should be advised on the safety inspection. The operator
should ensure that the date code is present on the tyre
• safety inspections must report all tyre defects, for example where a
manufacturers date code is illegible or whether a tyre is unserviceable and
record the rectification action that has been taken
• when a tyre is 9 years old this should be advised on the safety inspection.
When over 10 years old and cannot be legally used, these must be reported
as a defect
• tyre pressures are monitored, recorded on the safety inspection report, and
maintained to the correct pressure. Where a tyre is found to be under inflated
this should be investigated and any rectification action recorded on the safety
inspection report
• that vehicle tyres are regularly and closely examined for damage and wear
with mechanisms in place to address any identified issues
• that processes exist to distribute best practice in tyre management
throughout the fleet
• that staff dealing with tyre management are properly trained and empowered
to act with sufficient authority
• that any technician dealing with tyre inspections or repairs is properly trained
and qualified
• that any on-site tyres are properly stored
• that drivers are properly trained and equipped to recognise and report tyre
issues

Check the British Tyre Manufacturers' Association guide for more advice about
tyres: www.btmauk.com/advice-about-tyres/professional-road-users.

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5.3 Braking performance assessment

As per the annual test, every safety inspection must assess the braking performance
of the vehicle or trailer. It is strongly advised that a calibrated roller brake tester (RBT)
is used at each safety inspection to measure individual brake performance and overall
braking efficiencies for the vehicle or trailer to the annual test standards. However, it is
also acceptable to use an approved and calibrated decelerometer to measure overall
brake efficiency values for vehicles without trailers.

In the case of trailers, an Electronic Braking Performance Monitoring System

(EBPMS) may be used as a means to assess trailer-braking performance and
provide a brake performance value while the vehicle is in service (for further details
see EBPMS section).

Brake testing should be undertaken with the vehicle or trailer in a laden condition
in order to achieve the most meaningful results; however, due to basic design
limitations or restriction caused by the type of cargo normally carried, this is
sometimes not possible. Further guidance regarding the use of RBT’s can be found
at this link: www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-heavy-vehicle-brake-
test-best-practice-guide/the-heavy-vehicle-brake-test-best-practice-guide

A printout of the brake efficiency test from either the RBT or decelerometer should
be attached to the safety inspection record. If the brake test equipment cannot
produce a printout, efficiency results must be recorded by the inspector on the
safety inspection report.

To help operators arrange a brake performance assessment with safety inspections,

it is acceptable for a satisfactory brake performance assessment to be carried out
within the same week of the planned safety inspection. Brake efficiency testing can
be carried out by either an approved RBT or decelerometer test. Measured braking
performance assessment can be carried out by means of EBPMS.

Where it is impractical to obtain a brake efficiency test or a measured performance

assessment on a safety inspection, the braking performance must still be checked
by means of a road test carried out under controlled and safe conditions.

The use of brake temperature measurement can improve the effectiveness of a road
test and is an established method to assess if individual brakes are operational.
Brake disc/drum temperature readings should be compared across an axle after
a laden road test or by in-service monitoring, using a brake temperature sensor,
which can be a simple handheld device or using a more sophisticated remote
monitoring system.

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Brake temperature readings would need to be well above ambient temperature with
relatively consistent readings taken for each brake across an axle. Brakes which are
cold (ambient temperature) or showing an inconsistent reading from the brake on the
opposite side on the same axle, should be investigated further.

The safety inspection record must be annotated how the braking performance was
assessed. However, a road test to check the braking performance for all planned
safety inspections will usually be inadequate. It is therefore normally expected that
the vehicle or trailer should complete at least three successful brake efficiency tests
spread throughout the year in addition to the annual MOT test.

If deficiencies in brake performance have been identified either during the use of
the vehicle or trailer or at the safety inspection appropriate remedial action must be
taken to address the issue. Where braking system rectification is not obvious, a
laden measured brake efficiency test must also be carried out confirm the brakes are
performing satisfactorily before the vehicle or trailer can be considered as roadworthy.
The results of this brake test must be kept as evidence of repair with the operator’s
maintenance documentation and can be included as one of the brake tests required to
meet the minimum requirement.

Electronic braking performance monitoring system

(EBPMS)
Braking performance of the vehicle and/or trailers can be monitored and assessed
using EBPMS. Braking performance must be monitored and compared against the
statutory requirements for the type of vehicle or trailer fitted with EBPMS.

To enable EBPMS to be used as evidence for the operators’ preventative maintenance

system, ideally, the system would identify the position of a defective brake. It must,
however, be capable of at least identifying overall vehicle braking performance value.

DVSA does not ‘approve’ software systems or hardware devices but does
acknowledge an industry standard specification for EBPMS (see below) which may
be used to supplement the operators’ maintenance arrangements. Ultimately, it is
the operators’ responsibility to ensure their vehicles are operated in a safe condition
at all times, and that the maintenance system used is fit for their particular set of
circumstances and meets the undertakings of the operator licence.

Manufacturers of EBPMS will need to demonstrate how their system adequately

monitors and reports braking performance and that it conforms to the industry
standard specification.

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In-service braking performance defects

The system must be capable of alerting the operator to under-performing service

brakes.

Safety inspection brake performance evidence

It is essential that the system provides braking performance evidence where this is to
be used for the safety inspection braking performance report. Evidence can either be
stored electronically or as a printout, which should be retained in-line with the Guide to
Maintaining Roadworthiness.

Reports must be in a format that clearly identifies:

• the vehicle or trailer

• assessment date and the monitoring period
• a value for the service braking performance for the assessment period.

The monitoring period shall be the period between the scheduled safety
inspection intervals.

Operators who use EBPMS as service braking performance evidence, are expected to
include a braking performance report on every safety inspection record, unless either
a suitable roller brake test, decelerometer test, or brake temperature measurement
was conducted.

If EBPMS provides insufficient data to deliver a service braking performance value

an alternative method shall be used to assess service braking performance and
records retained.

Parking brake performance

Where EBPMS is unable to assess parking brake performance, but the service
brake performance is reported to be performing satisfactorily by an EBPMS, a visual
inspection of the parking brake components and check of system operation would be
accepted as the minimum requirement for a parking brake safety inspection. If there is
any doubt over the parking brake performance, further tests must be conducted.

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Electronic Braking Performance Monitoring System Industry Standard Specification

www.gov.uk/government/publications/electronic-braking-performance-monitoring-
systems

Where operators experience problems with braking performance either at annual

test, roadworthiness inspections or through operational performance and fail to meet
the standards outlined above, the Traffic Commissioner may take regulatory action

Furthermore, if an operator demonstrates an adverse compliance history

whilst meeting the requirements outlined above it will be necessary to introduce further
measures.

Emissions and air quality

For vehicles showing signs of visible exhaust smoke, a diesel smoke meter should
be used to ensure that the level of smoke emission is within the legal requirements.
Information on the levels of permitted exhaust smoke is contained in DVSA‘s annual
test inspection manuals.

Vehicles fitted with emission control systems (ECS) need to be maintained in line
with manufacturers' recommendations. Drivers and operators are required to
monitor the ECS warning lamps, and ensure the diesel exhaust fluid level (AdBlue®)
is maintained correctly.

Any emission control system faults need to be rectified as soon as possible and
repaired in line with manufacturer’s standards.

It should be noted that a person who fails to maintain an emission control system,
or modifies or removes it, could be found guilty of an offence. This would put your
operators’ licence at risk, and the potential penalties are unlimited fines.
www.gov.uk/government/publications/modifying-your-vehicles-emissions

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5.4 Accessibility (PSV)

The Public Service Vehicles (PSV) Accessibility Regulations apply to any Public Service
Vehicle with a capacity exceeding 22 passengers used to provide a scheduled service or local
service. These vehicles are referred by regulation as ‘regulated public service vehicles’.

The schedules within these regulations are:

Schedule 1– Wheelchair Accessibility Requirements.

Schedule 2– General Accessibility Requirements for Single Deck and Double Deck Buses.

Schedule 3– General Accessibility Requirements for Single Deck and Double Deck Coaches.

These requirements have a phased implementation.

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A ‘Regulated Public Service Vehicle’ to which these regulations apply are summarised
in the table below.

Vehicle Type Schedule(s) New Vehicles All Vehicles

Single-deck buses 1 and 2 First used on or after 31 In use on or after 1

weighing more December 2000 January 2016
than 7.5 tonnes (does not apply if manufactured before 1
October 2000)

Single-deck buses 2 But before 1 In use on or after

weighing 7.5 January 2005 1 January 2015
tonnes or less (does not apply if manufactured before 1 must comply with
October 2000)
Schedules 1 and 2

Single-deck buses 1 and 2 First used on or after 1 January In use on or after

weighing 7.5 2005 1 January 2015
tonnes or less (does not apply to chedule 1 if manufactured must comply with
before 1 October 2004)
Schedules 1 and 2

Double-deck 1 and 2 First used on or after In use on or after 1

buses 31 December 2000 January 2017
(does not apply if manufactured before
1 October 2000)

Single-deck and 3 First used on or after In use on or after

Double-deck 31 December 2000 1 January 2020
coaches must comply with
but before 1 January 2005
(does not apply if manufactured before 1 schedules 1 and 3
October 2000)

Single-deck and 1 and 3 First used on or after 1 January In use on or after

Double-deck 2005 1 January 2020
coaches (does not apply to Schedule 1 if manufactured
before 1 October 2004)
must comply with
schedules 1 and 3

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The features within these requirements include:

• a wheelchair space with suitable safety provisions

• a boarding device to enable wheelchair users to get on and off the
vehicles
• a minimum number of priority seats on buses for disabled passengers
• the size and height of steps
• handrails to assist disabled people
• colour contrasting features such as handrails and steps to help partially-
sighted passengers
• easy-to-use bell pushes throughout a bus
• audible and visual signals to stop a bus or to request a boarding device
• equipment to display route and destination.

Familiarisation with all the features of a vehicle is important. Operators must ensure
that drivers are fully aware of the form and function of accessibility features required
by PSVAR.

These features must be taken into account within any safety inspection or drivers
walkaround check to ensure these features are maintained in good condition and
function correctly.

Please see link for more information including training for PSVAR:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/accessible-buses-and-coaches/
bus-and-coach-accessibility-and-the-public-service-vehicle-accessibility-
regulations-2000

Quality standards recognition

It is strongly recommended that providers of vehicle safety inspections and
maintenance have achieved recognised Quality Standards for maintenance
facilities, working practices and staff competence.

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5.5 Contracted out arrangements

If you decide to use a contractor, you are still responsible for the condition
of vehicles that are inspected and/or maintained for you by your agents or
contractors.

Care must be taken to ensure that the facilities used by the contractor
areadequate and that the staff are competent. The list of facilities can be
used to check a contractor. You should also ascertain that the contractor is in
possession of an inspection manual and has suitable inspection sheets.

5.6 Drawing up a contract

It is essential to have a written contract that sets out precise details of vehicles
covered and frequency and type of check, along with a repair policy. Such a
contract must be kept on the operator's maintenance file and produced on request.
You must also make sure the maintenance provider details are up-to-date on the
Vehicle Operator Licensing system (VOL).

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5.7 Contract limitations

Even when a maintenance contract exists between you (the operator) and a
contractor, you remain legally responsible for the condition of the vehicle, the
authorisation of any repair work undertaken and the retention of records. You
need to be satisfied at all times that the level of maintenance agreed matches the
demands placed upon vehicles and that the standards achieved by the contractor
are kept at a sufficiently high level. You should, therefore, talk regularly with the
contractor to ensure that they are familiar with the operational needs of the vehicles
they are required to inspect and repair. This knowledge is important if the contractor
is to be called upon to advise on a particular course of action – particularly when
your technical know-how is limited.

Even when you get on well with a contractor, you should have a system for
regularly monitoring the quality of work done.

Obtaining first time pass rate annual test data from the contractor is one way of
checking that their performance is satisfactory, but this should be supplemented
by other checks.

Any sign of unreliability, incompetence or other shortcomings causing a reduction

in the standards achieved should receive prompt attention. Here again a good
working relationship can help, but if problems persist you may well consider a
change of contractor.

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5.8 Visiting agents

As an operator, you may employ a visiting agent to undertake safety

inspections, repairs and routine maintenance. However, you should ensure
that the agent is qualified to work on the type of vehicles you operate and
that adequate facilities and tools are used. As is the case for contracted-
out maintenance, you are responsible for vehicle condition and upkeep of
records.

5.9 Roadside safety inspections

Only emergency repairs may be done at the roadside. Routine maintenance,

including safety inspections and repairs, may not be carried out on the
public highway.

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5.10 Planning a safety inspection programme

Safety inspections must be planned in advance. Vehicles that are subject to

a statutory annual test may have their year’s programme planned around the
anticipated test date to avoid duplication of work associated with the test,
such as cleaning and major servicing. An electronic scheduling system can
be used to effectively plan maintenance activities for the fleet. Or, a simple
method of drawing up a programme is to use a year planner or flow chart. An
example can be found in Annex 6.

Electronic vehicle maintenance management and storage systems often

incorporate a dynamic electronic planning feature which automatically schedules
the next inspection. The information should be kept in the simplest form
possible and displayed prominently. This will serve as a reminder of programmed
inspections or of any changes that have been necessary.

All vehicles subject to programmed attention should be included. Ideally, planning

systems should set safety inspection dates at least six months in advance.
Vehicles’ test dates should be included, as should servicing and other ancillary
equipment or calibration dates, eg tachograph, lifting equipment, etc.

Any planning system should be updated regularly, indicating the progress of the
programme and recording any extra work carried out. Vehicles that have been
taken off the operator’s licence - or other vehicles temporarily off-road - should
have their period of non use identified, and a note should be made when vehicles
have been disposed of.

The planning system may be used to record other items in the vehicle
maintenance programme, such as servicing, unscheduled work and refurbishing.
Each activity should be clearly identified.

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6. Monitoring
This section examines why the continuous reviewing and monitoring of the
quality of safety inspections is essential for all systems in maintaining a
vehicle’s roadworthiness.

Continuous reviewing and monitoring of the quality of the systems in place is

essential to ensure that they are sufficiently comprehensive to do the job.

One method of monitoring is to invite a technically competent third party to

periodically re-inspect or undertake a safety inspection, irrespective of whether
inspections are done in-house or are contracted out.

The content of completed inspection reports can also be analysed. Checks should
reveal any incomplete records and may also show patterns of faults. If many faults
are reported regularly, this could indicate that:

• there are not enough safety inspections

• daily walkaround inspections are not being completed correctly
• defects are not being corrected promptly or effectively.

If no defects or few defects are reported regularly, safety inspection intervals may
be too short or the quality of the inspection may not be good enough.

Effective monitoring will enable you, the operator, to adjust the intervals between
safety inspections to suit the operation of vehicles. In this respect, there is
considerable flexibility provided within the framework of this guide.

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6.1 Monitoring of drivers’ daily checks

The daily walkaround check is a vital part of any maintenance system,

and so requires continuous monitoring to ensure the checks are being
performed correctly. Electronic driver defect reporting systems can be
effectively used to manage drivers' walkaround inspections. Operators
can also use tachograph analysis to monitor the time taken to carry out
a walkaround check.

A way of monitoring the quality of the daily check is to have a visiting

agent or competent in-house member of staff re-examine the vehicle
as it leaves or enters the operating centre. The inspection result can be
checked against the driver's defect reports to ensure the driver's check is
of sufficient quality.

Another approach could be to use the safety inspection. The person

carrying out the safety inspection could note which defects found should
have been detected during the driver’s daily walkaround check. A review of
the driver defect reports could be performed and appropriate action taken
to establish why the defects were not detected during the walkaround
check.

Continuous monitoring is essential to ensure effective management

control of the maintenance system. A risk-based approach should be
adopted. Where issues are identified more frequent checks should be
carried out and measures put in place to address any problems found.

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6.2 Annual test results

Attention should also be paid to annual test results, the issue of prohibitions
and inspection notices. Regular monitoring of all available information will
enable you to check the effectiveness of your system in keeping your vehicles
roadworthy.

What does the annual test for commercial vehicles involve?

Full details of what is tested can be found in the Heavy Goods Vehicle Inspection
Manual and the Public Service Vehicle Inspection Manual.

What happens at the end of the test?

If the vehicle passed the test, you will be given the annual test certificate, which
you need to keep safe. If the vehicle failed the test, you will be given a copy of the
test card, which lists where the vehicle failed the test. You can also ask for copies
of the smoke test report and the brake test report.

What happens if faults are found?

During the test, the inspector may find minor defects, which you can ask to repair.
If the inspector thinks that these repairs can be carried out quickly and safely, you
may be given permission to do so.

Dangerous defects

Sometimes the test shows up defects that are so serious that the vehicle cannot
be moved on the public highway and a prohibition may be issued.

If your vehicle fails the annual test

If defects on your vehicle cannot be repaired at the time of the test, you will need
to rectify the defects and resubmit your vehicle for retest.

For further information on annual test results, please see link below:
www.gov.uk/government/collections/vehicle-testing-enforcement-approval-
and-safety-defect-data

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6.3 Operator compliance risk score

DVSA uses the Operator Compliance Risk Score (OCRS) system to decide
which vehicles should be inspected during roadside checks. OCRS is used to
calculate the risk of an operator not following the rules on roadworthiness (the
condition of its vehicles) and traffic (eg drivers’ hours, weighing checks).It is
more likely that your vehicles will be inspected if your OCRS is high.

Operators who have a high score are more likely to be targeted than those with a
low score. However, this does not mean that operators with a low score will never
be subject to checks. It does mean, though, that these operators are unlikely to
be targeted on the basis of their OCRS score.

Operators who are accredited for Earned Recognition (see below) have a ‘Blue’
OCRS status, which is the lowest possible score.

Therefore, operators that achieve and maintain good standards are likely to be
stopped less often.

As an operator, you get points when a test or inspection finds a defect or

infringement of the rules. The more serious the defect or infringement, the more
points you attract.

Further information and guidance about OCRS, test histories and roadside check
reports are available on GOV.UK.

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6.4 British standards

British Standard BS EN ISO 9001 is a standard for quality management

systems. If you are an operator who has been awarded this standard,
you must observe systems of working set out in a quality manual. Such
a manual would contain details of the organisation of the business,
responsibilities of staff and methods of operation.

Those businesses aiming for BS EN ISO 9001 accreditation would need

to consider the training, documentation recording, planning, standards
and monitoring aspects of their organisation.

6.5 Vehicle safety recalls

If you receive notification of a safety recall for your vehicle(s) from

a manufacturer, it is important that you act promptly to ensure the
rectification work is undertaken. This will remove the risk that your
vehicle may become unroadworthy due to the potential defect
identified by the manufacturer.

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6.6 DVSA earned recognition scheme

DVSA earned recognition is a voluntary scheme run by DVSA with an aim

to reduce the burden of enforcement on operators with a strong track
record of compliance and adherence to standards.

Operators must be able to demonstrate that they have robust

systems and processes that promote effective and proactive transport
management. By maintaining audited compliance systems, operators
will ‘earn recognition’.

Key performance indicators will provide an effective means of

monitoring the level of compliance, which may avoid the need to carry
out a roadside inspection or operator visit and provide DVSA with the
assurance and confidence that the operator is effectively managing the
transport operation and functioning in a compliant manner.

The main benefits for an operator in DVSA earned recognition are:

• you’ll be provided with a DVSA marque to use on your website

and other publicity materials
• you’ll be recognised as a DVSA approved operator through a
published list on GOV.UK
• your OCRS will show a ‘Blue’ earned recognition status, which is
the lowest risk score
• your vehicles are less likely to be stopped at the roadside
for inspections
• DVSA enforcement staff are less likely to visit your premises
• you’ll have direct access to a DVSA earned recognition team

Operators can find out more about DVSA earned eecognition, and how to
apply, by going to the GOV.UK website.

DVSA earned recognition status will recognise ‘exemplar’ operators

and their investment made in compliance.

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Give your
business a boost
Join the DVSA earned recognition scheme to feel the full benefits of
being a safe vehicle operator.

• No application fees • Have your vehicles stopped less

• Improves your operations • Access to an expert DVSA team
• Reduces your running costs • Works for any business size
• Helps you win more work

Find out how to apply and get started at:

www.gov.uk/dvsa/earned-recognition

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Annexes

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Annex 1 Enforcement of the operator

licensing scheme
1. The Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act 1995 requires that
any person who uses (ie ‘operates’) a goods vehicle or vehicles with
a maximum gross weight over 3,500 kg in the course of a business
must have an operator’s licence (generally referred to as an ‘O’
licence). Operators of public service vehicles also require a PSV
operator licence issued under the Public Passenger Vehicles Act
1981 (as amended). A separate ‘O’ licence is required for each Traffic
Area in which the user has an operating centre, but one ‘O’ licence
will cover any number of operating centres within the same Traffic
Area.

2. When considering an application for an ‘O’ licence, the Traffic

Commissioners must consider, amongst other matters, whether
there will be satisfactory facilities or arrangements for keeping
authorised vehicles in a fit and serviceable condition. They will seek
assurances that the applicant will conduct regular safety checks
and inspections of the vehicles at specified intervals and keep
records of those checks and inspections and their results. These
details are ‘undertakings’ (formerly known as ‘statements of intent’)
made for the purposes of obtaining a licence. Operators must
ensure their listed inspection provider is up to date on the Vehicle
and Operator Licensing service, please see link below:
www.gov.uk/manage-vehicle-operator-licence

3. At any time after a licence has been granted the Traffic

Commissioners may direct that it be revoked or suspended, or that
its scope be reduced on several grounds, including:

• that the holder of the licence gave for the purpose of procuring
a licence an ‘undertaking’ that has not been fulfilled

• convictions relating to the maintenance of vehicles in a fit

and serviceable condition

• the issue of a prohibition on the use of a vehicle (see 8 below).

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4. Examiners (employed by DVSA) provide the Traffic Commissioners with a

technical assessment of a licensed operator’s maintenance arrangements.
This assessment is normally made:

• shortly after the grant of a licence

• when advice might be needed because of a request by the operator

for a variation to the licence or because evidence of maintenance
problems has come to light; following the issue of prohibition notices,
poor annual test results or similar evidence following complaints about
smoky vehicles where no satisfactory response has been received from
the operator; and if the licence is being reviewed for other reasons not
related to maintenance.

5. In the course of a maintenance assessment, vehicle examiners may wish

to examine vehicles from the operator’s fleet, examine records of vehicle
safety inspections kept by the operator, and inspect maintenance facilities.
The extent to which records are inspected will depend on vehicle condition
and the operator’s history. Failure to keep records of safety inspections
is in itself a regulatory matter. The vehicle examiner may discuss with
the operator appropriate safety inspection procedures and will report
whether they consider the maintenance arrangements to be satisfactory;
any deficiency may result in an unsatisfactory report, leading to possible
regulatory action by the relevant Traffic Commissioner. In certain
circumstances, eg where facilities at the operating centre do not allow
adequate inspection, the operator may be asked to bring their vehicles and
records into a suitable location for inspection.

6. Examiners may at any time:

• enter and inspect a goods or public service vehicle and for that
purpose detain the vehicle during such time as is required for
inspection

• enter any premises on which they have reason to believe a goods

vehicle or public service vehicle is kept

• divert vehicles that are stationary at the roadside to another location for
inspection within five miles.

DVSA also employ Enforcement Support Officers who have the power
to stop a moving vehicle for the purpose of examining vehicles. These
activities may be carried out by an officer in uniform standing by the
roadside directing vehicles into a check site or by the use of a marked
vehicle displaying a matrix sign giving directions to the driver.

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7. Examiners may make visits to operating centres to examine vehicles

or to check drivers’ records. They also conduct spot checks at the
roadside. Examiners’ activities may extend beyond a visual inspection.
Examiners have a range of equipment that operators may encounter,
including mobile roller brake testers, exhaust smoke meters, and
equipment to check the function and setting of the speed limiter.

8. When vehicle examiners encounter a defective vehicle at the roadside,

on an operator’s premises or at an approved testing facility, they may
issue a prohibition notice (form PG9) or a vehicle inspection notice,
depending on the severity of the fault(s). A prohibition is a ban on
the further use of the vehicle on a road. Prohibitions may take effect
immediately or may be delayed for up to ten days, depending on
whether there is an immediate danger to public safety. Exemptions
may be issued, eg to allow a vehicle to be towed away for repair. A
prohibition will not be removed until a vehicle examiner is satisfied that
the vehicle is fit for service. As a minimum, this will entail an examination
of the components and systems affected by the defects. However, at
the examiner’s discretion it may be extended to include as much of the
vehicle as needs to be inspected for the examiner to be satisfied it is
roadworthy.

9. Other sanctions available to DVSA Examiners at the roadside include

the issue of a Fixed Penalty Notice in relation to roadworthiness defects.
Defects that relate to brakes, steering and tyres may also be endorsable
and attract penalty points on the driver's licence. In certain circumstances,
your vehicle could be immobilised until the defects are rectified. If your
vehicle is immobilised you will be required to pay a release fee before you
are allowed to use your vehicle.

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Prohibition Notices Endorsed

Against each defect, it is necessary to categorise its significance in roadworthiness
compliance and maintenance:

• ‘S’ for significant failure of roadworthiness compliance

• ‘-‘ (Blank) for defects which may or may not be attributable to poor
maintenance
• ‘X’ where the defect is no reflection on the maintenance system.

Roadworthiness prohibitions both immediate and delayed, will be endorsed ‘S’ if,
in the Examiner’s opinion, any of the defects which led to the prohibition were an
indicator that there is significant failure of roadworthiness compliance. These are
defects that the operator and/or driver should have been aware of through any or all
of the following:

• Long standing defect that should have been detected and repaired at the
last safety check.
• The defect or issue should have been detected at the first use/daily walk
round check.
• Performance, handling and/or warning systems would have made the
defect obvious to the driver.
• Poor workmanship should have been apparent to repairer.
• The nature of the defect(s) observed at annual test were such that they
should have been found before the vehicle was presented for test.
• The number and nature of defects present on this notice indicates a
significant failure in maintenance.

Defects(s) NOT considered to be maintenance related –

‘X’
Appropriate for defects of an entirely random failure nature such as a lighting bulb
failure or a new fracture in a road spring leaf, where it is also apparent that it would
not have been noticed by the driver.

Unable to determine whether a defect is attributable to

poor maintenance:
If it is not possible to determine whether or not the operator, driver or the
maintenance arrangements are culpable, then the defect is not endorsed.

NOTE: If a person obstructs an authorised examiner acting in the course of their

duty, they are guilty of an offence.

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Annex 2 Where to get additional help

2.1 Technical support

The Traffic Commissioners and DVSA provide advice and assistance to
operators to help improve professional standards in the industry. Examiners
can advise on safety inspections and can help operators set up acceptable
record-keeping systems or maintenance facilities. Together with the Traffic
Commissioners, we view this part of our duties as an effective and important
means of improving road safety.

The vehicle manufacturer is an important source of advice on the

characteristics and technical requirements of the vehicles that the operator
is using. Such advice is published in the vehicle handbook and other
publications. Further advice can be obtained from the local specialist dealer
and/or direct from the manufacturer.

The trade associations such as the Confederation of Passenger Transport,

the Guild of British Coach Operators, the Freight Transport Association (FTA),
the Road Haulage Association (RHA) and the British Vehicle Rental and
Leasing Association (BVRLA) are important sources of advice for operators.

The trade associations provide a national inspection service that can range
from a regular programme of safety inspection checks to monitoring those
undertaken by an outside garage or by the operator themselves. They also
provide operator compliance audits, which help ensure continuous and
effective management of maintenance and operator and licensing systems.
The trade associations also represent the road haulage and bus industry
when talking to the Department for Transport. Operators will find it beneficial
to participate in their work in order to understand better the importance of
effective vehicle maintenance.

2.2 Training
The trade associations, individual colleges, training organisations such
as Go Skills, and vehicle manufacturers offer courses and seminars
covering operator licensing and maintenance systems. Further advice and
information regarding training can be obtained from the relevant sector
skills councils (ie Go Skills for public service vehicles and Skills for Logistics
for heavy goods vehicles) and trade associations [see addresses in Annex
7, on pages 107 and 108].

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2.3 Saving fuel and protecting the environment

There are a number of government recognised organisations that offer
help and assistance when considering fuel consumption and protection
of the environment.

The Energy Saving Trust works to cut greenhouse gases and air pollution from
the road transport sector. It promotes cleaner, lower carbon vehicles and fuels,
eco-friendly driving techniques and low carbon transport alternatives.

SAFED (Safe and Fuel Efficient Driving) is the DfT-approved programme, which
has demonstrated average fuel savings of more than 10%, a corresponding
saving in fuel and reduction in carbon and CO2 emissions, and a reduction in
gear changes of 37%. SAFED can qualify as a training module under the EU
Training Directive Driver CPC requirements.

2.4 Fault finding

Many Authorised Testing Facilities (ATFs) and other private sector sites are now
suitably equipped to offer brake performance and other roadworthiness checks.

2.5 Publications
The following publications are available to download free of charge.

• HGV Inspection Manual

Inspection procedures and minimum roadworthiness standards
for the statutory testing of heavy goods vehicles
www.gov.uk/government/publications/hgv-inspection-manual
• PSV Inspection Manual
Inspection procedures and minimum roadworthiness standards
for the statutory testing of public service vehicles
www.gov.uk/government/publications/psv-inspection-manual
• Categorisation of Defects
Standards (primarily for use by DVSA enforcement staff) on the issue
of prohibitions for roadworthiness defects on all classes of vehicles
www.gov.uk/government/publications/categorisation-of-defects
• Enforcement Sanctions Policy
Sanctions and procedures DVSA officers will take for road traffic
and construction and use offences
www.gov.uk/government/publications/enforcement-sanctions-
policy

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Annex 3A Example of a driver’s vehicle

defect report (goods vehicles)
Driver's name: Date:

Vehicle no:

Trailer fleet/serial no.: Odometer reading:

Daily or shift check (tick or cross) *Items refer to vehicle and trailer combinations

Fuel / oil leaks Lights Brake lines*

Battery security (condition) Reflectors / Markers Coupling security*

Tyres / wheel and wheel fixing Indicators / Side repeaters Electrical connections*

Spray suppression Wipers Brakes inc. ABS/EBS

Steering Washers Security/Condition of body / wings

Security of load / Vehicle height Horn Registration plates

Mirrors / Glass / Visibility Excessive engine exhaust smoke Cab interior / Seat belts

Air build-up / Leaks AdBlue® if required Warning Lamps/MIL

REPORT DEFECTS HERE: Defect Assessment and Rectification:

Defects reported to:

Write NIL here if no defects found Driver’s signature:

Defects rectified by:

Signature: Date:

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Annex 3B Example of a driver’s vehicle

Driver's name: Date:

Vehicle no:

Trailer fleet/serial no.: Odometer reading:

Daily or shift check (tick or cross)

Fuel / oil leaks Wipers / Washers Mirrors / Glass / visibility

Battery (if easily accessible) Communication devices with driver Steering

Tyres / wheel and wheel fixing Horn Heating / Ventilation

Brakes (inc. ABS/EBS) Vehicle height Lights

Doors and exits Reflectors Body Interior / Cab

Indicators / Side repeaters Body exterior Excessive engine exhaust smoke

Fire extinguisher First-aid kit Emergency exit device

Seats / seat belts Accessibility equipment / operation Registration plates

Air build up / Leaks AdBlue® if required Malfunction Indicator Lamps

REPORT DEFECTS HERE: Defect Assessment and Rectification:

Defects reported to:

Write NIL here if no defects found Driver’s signature:

Defects rectified by:

Signature: Date:

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Annex 4A Example of a safety inspection

Vehicle Reg Mark: Odometer Reading:

Make and Model Type:

Date of Inspection: ISO Wk No.:

Operator:

Notes ‘Serviceable’ (col 4)– enter the appropriate code:

‘IM Ref’ (col 2)– for more details on = Satisfactory R = Repair Required
each item listed, look under this 
reference number in the DVSA  = Safety Item Defect N/A = Not Applicable
Inspection Manual
M = Monitor (possible maintenance required before next SI)

Part 1 – Inspection
A: Inside vehicle
Check IM Item inspected Serviceable Defect Found Rectified
No Ref By
1 18 Seats

2 3 Seat Belts and Supplementary Restraint Systems

3 22 Mirrors and Indirect Vision Devices

4 23 Glass and View of the Road

5 25 Windscreen Washers and Wipers

6 26 Speedometer / Tachograph
7 27 Horn
8 28 Driving Controls

9 30 Steering Control

10 37 Service Brake Pedal

11 38 Service Brake Operation

12 34 Pressure / Vacuum Warning and Build Up

13 36 Hand Lever Operating Mechanical Park Brakes and
Electronic Park Brake Control
14 39 Hand Operated Brake Control Valves

15 17 Cab Floors and Steps

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B: Ground level and under vehicle (motor vehicles and trailers, see items marked * for trailers)

16 16 Cab Doors

17 1 Registration Plates

18 15 Cab Security

19* 19 Security of Body, Containers and Crane Support Legs

20* 20 Condition of Body

21 5 Exhaust Emissions
22* 6 Road Wheels and Hubs
23* 7 Size and Type of Tyres

24* 8 Condition of Tyres

25* 9 Sideguards, Rear Under-Run Devices and Bumper Bars

26* 10 Spare Wheel and Carrier

27* 41 Condition of Chassis

28 11 Vehicle to Trailer Coupling

29* 12 Trailer Parking and Emergency Brake and Air Line Connections

30* 13 Trailer Landing Legs

31* 14 Spray Suppression, Wings and Wheel Arches
32 33 Speed Limiter

33 42 Electrical Wiring and Equipment

34* 43 Engine and Transmission Mountings

35 44 Oil Leaks

36* 45 Fuel Tanks and System

37* 46 Exhaust Systems

38 54 Steering

39* 48 Suspension

40* 53 Axles, Stub Axles and Wheel Bearings

41 57 Transmission
42 58 Additional Braking Devices

43* 59 Brake Systems and Components

44* 62 Markers and Reflectors

45* 63 Lamps

46 66 Direction Indicators and Hazard Warning Lamps

47 67 Aim of Headlamps
48 74 Other dangerous defects

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IM8 Condition of Tyres (enter N/A if not applicable)

Ck 49 Axle 1 Axle 2 Axle 3 Axle 4

mm mm mm mm
o/s
out psi psi psi psi

o/s mm mm mm
in psi psi psi

n/s mm mm mm
in psi psi psi

n/s mm mm mm mm
out psi psi psi psi

C: Brake Performance D: Road Test

Laden / Unladen Brake temperature assessment
(roller brake / decelerometer test)
Side Axle 1 Axle 2 Axle 3 Axle 4
Check IM Item inspected Efficiency
No Ref O/S °C °C °C °C
50* 71 Service Brake Performance %

51* 72 Secondary Brake Performance %

N/S °C °C °C °C
52* 73 Parking Brake Performance %
Date of Braking Inspector Comments:
Assessment:

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Part 2 – Comments on faults found

Check Fault
No No Fault details

Faults numbered here are Drivers Defect

Report items.

Signature of Inspector:

Name of inspector:

Part 3 – Action taken on faults found

Check Fault
No No Action taken on fault Rectified By

Part 4 – Declaration
“I consider that the above defects have been rectified satisfactorily and this vehicle
is now in a safe and roadworthy condition.”

Name

Position

Signature

Date

Note: it is always the responsibility of the operator that the vehicle is in a

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Annex 4B Example of a safety inspection record (PSV)

Vehicle Reg Mark: Odometer Reading:

Make and Model Type:

Date of Inspection: ISO Wk No.:

Operator:

Notes ‘Serviceable’ (col 4)– enter the appropriate code:

‘IM Ref’ (col 2)– for more details on = Satisfactory R = Repair Required
each item listed, look under this 
reference number in the DVSA  = Safety Item Defect N/A = Not Applicable
Inspection Manual
M = Monitor (possible maintenance required before next SI)

Part 1 – Inspection
A: Inside vehicle
Check IM Item inspected Serviceable Defect Found Rectified
No Ref By
1 18 Driver’s Seat

2 3 Seat Belts and Supplementary Restraint Systems

3 22 Mirrors and Indirect Vision Devices

4 23 Glass and View of the Road

5 24 Accessibility Features

6 25 Windscreen Washers and Wipers

7 26 Speedometer / Tachograph
8 27 Horn

9 28 Driving Controls

10 30 Steering Control

11 37 Service Brake Pedal

12 38 Service Brake Operation

13 34 Pressure / Vacuum Warning and Build Up

14 36 Hand Lever Operating Mechanical Park Brakes and

Electronic Park Brake Control
15 39 Hand Operated Brake Control Valves

16 17 Driver’s Accommodation

17 36 Interior of Body, Passenger Entrance, Exit Steps and Platforms

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B: Ground level and under vehicle

18 16 Passenger Doors, Driver’s Doors & Emergency Exits

19 1 Registration Plates
20 19 Security of Body

21 20 Exterior of Body including Luggage Compartments

22 5 Exhaust Emissions
23 6 Road Wheels and Hubs
24 7 Size and Type of Tyres

25 8 Condition of Tyres
26 9 Bumper Bars

27 10 Spare Wheel and Carrier

28 41 Condition of Chassis
29 14 Wings & Wheel Arches

30 11 Vehicle to Trailer Coupling

31 33 Speed Limiter

32 42 Electrical Wiring and Equipment

33 43 Engine and Transmission Mountings

34 44 Oil and Waste Leaks

35 45 Fuel Tanks and System
36 46 Exhaust and Waste Systems

37 54 Steering
38 48 Suspension
39 53 Axles, Stub Axles and Wheel Bearings

40 57 Transmission
41 58 Additional Braking Devices
42 59 Brake Systems and Components
43 62 Reflectors and Rear Markings

44 63 Lamps

45 66 Direction Indicators and Hazard Warning Lamps

46 67 Aim of Headlamps
47 Ancillary equipment
48 74 Other dangerous defects

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IM8 Condition of Tyres (enter N/A if not applicable)

Ck 49 Axle 1 Axle 2 Axle 3 Axle 4

mm mm mm mm
o/s
out psi psi psi psi

o/s mm mm mm
in psi psi psi

n/s mm mm mm
in psi psi psi

n/s mm mm mm mm
out psi psi psi psi

C: Brake Performance D: Road Test

Laden / Unladen Brake temperature assessment
(roller brake / decelerometer test)
Side Axle 1 Axle 2 Axle 3 Axle 4
Check IM Item inspected Efficiency
No Ref O/S °C °C °C °C
50* 71 Service Brake Performance %

51* 72 Secondary Brake Performance %

N/S °C °C °C °C
52* 73 Parking Brake Performance %
Date of Braking Inspector Comments:
Assessment:

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Part 2 – Comments on faults found

Check Fault
No No Fault details

Faults numbered here are Drivers Defect

Report items.

Signature of Inspector:

Name of inspector:

Part 3 – Action taken on faults found

Check Fault
No No Action taken on fault Rectified By

Part 4 – Declaration
“I consider that the above defects have been rectified satisfactorily and this vehicle
is now in a safe and roadworthy condition.”

Name

Position

Signature

Date

Note: it is always the responsibility of the operator that the vehicle is in a

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Annex 5 Example of a maintenance

agreement

Model agreement between the operator and a garage or agent for safety inspections
and/or repair of vehicles and trailers subject to operator licensing

The Agreement is made on the day of , 20 , between:

a. (‘the contractor’), whose address /
registered office is
, and
b. (‘the contractor’), whose address /
registered office is

of the one part, and:

1. The contractor agrees that they will, in relation to every vehicle mentioned
in the schedule below, every time that vehicle is submitted by the operator as
mentioned in Article 2 below on, or after, the date of this agreement:
a. inspect all the items specified in the maintenance record for the vehicle in
the form currently approved by the Department for Transport
b. if the operator so consents, carry out such renewals and repairs as may
be necessary to ensure that the vehicle and every part of it specified in
that maintenance record is in good working order and complies with every
statutory requirement applying to it
c. complete that maintenance record to show:
(i). which items were in good working order and complied with the relevant
statutory requirements when the vehicle was submitted
(ii). which (if any) items were not in good working order or failed to comply
with those requirements when the vehicle was submitted but have been
replaced or repaired so that those requirements are satisfied
(iii). which (if any) items were not in good working order or failed to comply
with those requirements when the vehicle was submitted and which
have not been so replaced or repaired.
d. provide the operator with a copy of every completed maintenance record.

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2. The operator agrees that they will–

a. submit to the contractor each vehicle mentioned in the Schedule
below in order that the contractor may, as regards that vehicle,
comply with the provisions of Article 1 above:
(i). within weeks of the Agreement, and, thereafter;

(ii). within weeks of the date of the last safety inspection.

b. pay to the contractor such reasonable charges as the contractor may

make pursuant to their obligations under Article 1 above
c. retain, and make available for inspection by an officer mentioned in
Section 42 of the Goods Vehicle (Licensing of Operators) Act 1995
or Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981, every maintenance record
mentioned in Article 1 above for a period of at least 15 months
commencing with the date of its issue.
3. This Agreement may be ended by either party giving to the other
month's written notice of their intention to end it.

Schedule
(Motor vehicles and trailers which are/which it is intended shall become used
in accordance with an operator’s licence held/applied for by the operator under
the Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act 1995 or Part II of the Public
Passenger Vehicles Act 1981)

1. Motor Vehicles (the schedule should give registration numbers & brief
descriptions of each vehicle)
2. Trailers (the schedule should give the trailers’ identification number and
brief descriptions of each trailer)

As Witness (etc)
Signature(s), or seal, of operator Signature(s), or seal, of contractor

Whilst there is no longer the requirement to submit a maintenance agreement

to the Office of the Traffic Commissioner, it remains a requirement to have
an agreement in place with all providers including vehicles on rental and
maintenance (R&M) contracts. Agreements must be retained on file and
provided for inspection when required.

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Annex 6 Specimen maintenance planner

Vehicle Vehicle Month JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL

Registration Make and
Number Type Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Vehicle Vehicle Month MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST

Registration Make and
Number Type Week 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

Vehicle Vehicle Month SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER

Registration Make and
Number Type Week 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54

S = Safety Inspection

I = Intermediate Inspection

M = Major Service & Inspection

A = Annual Test Preparation (Including Major Service & Inspection)

O = Vehicle Excise Duty Renewal

X = Work Completed

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Annex 7 Useful addresses

Many of these organisations carry out training services.

DVSA HQ Freight Transport Association

Berkeley House Hermes House
Croydon Street St John’s Road
Bristol BS5 0DA Tunbridge Wells
Kent TN4 9UZ
Tel: 0300 123 9000
Email: [email protected] Tel: 01892 526171
Fax: 01892 534989
DVSA Operations www.fta.co.uk
Ellipse
Padley Road Road Haulage Association
Swansea SA1 8AN Roadway House
Bretton Way
Tel: 0300 123 9000 Bretton
Email: [email protected] Peterborough PE3 8DD
www.gov.uk
Tel: 01733 261131
Central Licensing Office www.rha.uk.net
Hillcrest House
386 Harehills Lane British Vehicle Rental and
Leeds LS9 6NF Leasing Association
Badminton Court
Tel: 0300 123 9000 Church Street
Email: [email protected] Amersham
Buckinghamshire
Confederation of Passenger HP7 0DD
Transport UK
Tel: 01494 434 747
Fifth Floor (South)
Chancery House www.bvrla.co.uk
53-64 Chancery Lane
London WC2A1QS

Tel: 020 7240 3131

Fax: 020 7240 6565
www.cpt-uk.org

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GoSkills Society of Operations Engineers

Sector Skills Council for Passenger 22 Greencoat Place
Transport London SW1P 1PR
Concorde House
Trinity Park Solihull Tel: 020 7630 1111
Birmingham B37 7UQ
www.soe.org.uk
Tel: 0121 635 5520
Fax: 0121 635 5521 Energy Saving Trust

www.goskills.org 21 Dartmouth Street

London SW1H 9BP
Skills for Logistics
Tel: 0845 602 1425
12 Warren Yard
Warren Farm Office Village www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
Milton Keynes MK12 5NW

Tel: 01908 313360

Fax: 01908 313006
www.skillsforlogistics.org

The Guild of British Coach

Operators Ltd
PO Box 5657
Southend on Sea
SS1 3WT
Email: [email protected]

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Offices of the Traffic Website addresses of

Commissioners bodies responsible for
Enquiries relating to operator licensing
trunk roads:
must be made to the DVSA enquiry
Highways England:
line on 0300 123 9000, or emailed to
www.gov.uk/highways
[email protected]

Transport Scotland:
Eastern
www.transportscotland.gov.uk
Eastbrook
Shaftesbury Road
Cambridge CB2 8BF Transport Wales:
www.wales.gov.uk
North Eastern
Hillcrest House
386 Harehills Lane
Leeds LS9 6NF

North Western
Suite 4–6 Stone Cross Place
Stone Cross Lane Golborne
Warrington WA3 2SH

South Eastern and Metropolitan

Ivy House
3 Ivy Terrace
Eastbourne BN21 4QT

Western
Jubilee House
Croydon Street Bristol BS5 0GB

West Midlands and Wales

38 George Road
Edgbaston
Birmingham B15 1PL

Scottish
Level 6
The Stamp Office
Waterloo Place
Edinburgh EH1 3EG

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Annex 8 HGV driver walkaround check

FAILURE TO COMPLY CAN LEAD TO A PROHIBITION, A

23
18
DV54 21
HGV 22

24

2
!

1. Mirrors + glass 13. Diesel exhaust fluid

(AdBlue)
2. Windscreen wipers
+ washers 14. Excessive engine
exhaust smoke
3. Front view 16
15. Security of body/wings
4. Warning lamps
16. Spray suppression
5. Steering
17. Tyres + wheel fixing
6. Horn
18. Brake lines
7. Brakes + air build-up
19. Electrical connections
8. Height marker
20. Coupling Security
9. Seatbelts
21. Security of load
10. Lights + indicators 22. Number plate
11. Fuel/oil leaks 23. Reflectors + lights
12. Battery security + condition 24. Markers

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9 Check from 8
driver’s seat
1

3
5

4
6
19
7
20

15
13

14
17
10
12

11 DV54 HGV

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Annex 9 PSV driver walkaround check

23 22
FAILURE TO COMPLY CAN LEAD TO A PROHIBITION, A

24

20
!

8
12
Check from
2 driver’s seat

11
4
1

5
7
6

10
3

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19

18
17
15
21
DV54 PSV

16 14

13

1. Steering 13. Diesel exhaust fluid (AdBlue)

2. Mirrors, glass + visibility 14. Fuel, oil + waste leaks
3. Brake + air build up 15. Number plate
(be sure to listen for air leaks)
16. Excessive engine
4. Windscreen wipers exhaust smoke
+ washers
17. Lights + reflectors
5. Heating/ventilation
18. Body exterior
6. Horn
19. Seats + seat belts
7. Warning lamps
20. Body interior
8. Height marker
21. Fire extinguisher
9. Lights + indicators 22. Emergency exit hammer
10. Wheelchair access 23. First aid kit
11. Doors + exits 24. Communication with
12. Tyre + wheel fixing the driver

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DVSA
Berkeley House
Croydon Street
Bristol
BS5 0DA
www.gov.uk/dvsa