Biggest challenges facing HGV fleets highlighted in annual report

Maintenance shortages and drivers’ hours are some of the biggest challenges facing heavy goods vehicles (HGV) fleets, according to the Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain.

The Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain are responsible for the licensing and regulation of the operators of HGVs, buses and coaches, and the registration of local bus services in Great Britain.

It has published its latest annual report following a delay caused by the General Election.

The report now links to real cases to allow the reader to gain a deeper understanding of the issues seen at public inquiry.

Work undertaken around local bus services, such as bus open data, enhanced partnerships and bus franchising also feature.

A spokesperson, on behalf of the Traffic Commissioners, explained: “The report represents an assessment of the service, as of April 2024, and part way through a period of considerable change for the support functions.

“Those changes are intended to result in improved services.  

“Following changes in the Traffic Commissioner team and assurances of the importance of our work, there is further work to do.

“The Traffic Commissioners need to be able to support innovation in bus service provision, to prepare fleets for the future and to deliver ever-improved guidance about the legal standards.

“There is an opportunity to work with stakeholders to shape processes and to pursue the recommendations made for the Traffic Commissioner function.

Transport managers 'failed' in their duties

Some of the key findings from the annual report include a review of transport managers and their role within fleets.

The report states: “In the case of transport managers, it is becoming increasingly evident that, with new technology and differing ways of working, the role has changed.

“It is important for transport managers, particularly those who have been in the role for some time, to receive up-to-date training on managing the responsibilities they now have.”

Traffic Commissioner said it has seen a number that have failed in their duties despite holding a Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) qualification.

It says transport managers now need to be able to understand the implications of the technical readout they receive from tachographs and preventative maintenance inspections, as well as the employment status of their drivers.

The report further states: “Traffic Commissioners continue to highlight that there is a difference between obtaining a paper qualification and the ability to actually exercise effective and continuous management of a transport operation, which is the statutory requirement of a transport manager.

“The Commissioners would like to see the transport manager CPC reviewed in the same way as drivers to ensure that it is fit for managing the modernisation of vehicles.”

Qualified mechanics difficult to find 

Last year, the Commissioners commented that the availability of timely and good maintenance was in short supply.

The report says many maintenance providers are still struggling to find qualified mechanics and fitters.

This problem has not abated and recent cases serve to highlight this.

The report says: “Operators should be aware of the changes to the DVSA Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness from April 2025 in that a laden roller brake test or electronic braking performance monitoring system (EBPMS) will be the only accepted methods to assess brake performance.”

Drivers' hours infringements on the rise

The Commissioners have seen an increasing number of cases regarding drivers’ hours over the last year.

They have included cases of driving without using tachograph cards, altering tachograph records and using the card of another driver to avoid resting.

An extreme example, which the Traffic Commissioner for the West Midlands described as the worst case he had ever presided over concerning a person who was both the director, transport manager and driver.

One of the operator’s drivers was found to be using two cards and avoiding rest breaks, further compliance checks then uncovered that an unauthorised operating centre was being used and a breach of trust by using vehicles registered to another company which had since been dissolved. The operator’s licence was revoked.

The report adds: “It has almost been 25 years since the then Transport Tribunal ruled that adherence to the rules relating to drivers’ hours is fundamental to road safety.

“Industry should be in no doubt that the commercial advantage gained by engaging in such practices and the threat to road safety from tiredness cannot be tolerated.”