The much-anticipated November 2024 update to the Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness has arrived — and it proved something of an anti-climax. Here is what actually changed, and what it means for operators.
By Zed Aziz, Transport Consultant
The much-anticipated November 2024 update to the Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness (GTMR) has finally arrived, and to be fair, it turned out to be something of an anti-climax. Despite the build-up, the new guide brings no ground-breaking changes — in fact, many areas expected to see significant updates have been scaled back. Below, we break down the key elements and explore what they mean for operators.
The most notable change is the emphasis on operators choosing reputable service providers for their Preventative Maintenance Inspections (PMIs). The guide now expects operators to exercise tighter control over their providers and to use accreditation and MOT pass rates as indicators of quality.
The difficulty is that the market for these maintenance and safety inspection providers remains largely unregulated and unaccountable. Operators are tasked with ensuring providers meet high standards, despite having limited control. In theory, competition should drive improvement; in reality, demand far outstrips supply, so providers have little incentive to raise quality and can simply raise prices instead. The idea that operators can "just switch providers" is impractical when there is nowhere else to go.
For operators tied to specific manufacturer service providers — such as Mercedes, Volvo, and Scania — this expectation adds another layer of complexity. These providers often operate as franchises with varied service quality, and operators bound by service packs have little room to manoeuvre or any effective recourse for complaints. Operators who are not tied to a specific provider face the opposite problem: the best independent outfits are already at full capacity and unable to take on new clients, leaving limited options.
One of the most anticipated updates was a requirement for brake tests at each PMI. The result was underwhelming: the guide merely reiterates that at least four laden brake tests should be conducted each year, including the MOT — essentially the same requirement as before. An interesting but impractical addition is the new mandate for a risk assessment every time a laden brake test is not conducted. The guidance is vague on who should perform these assessments, making it feel more like a bureaucratic hoop than a practical safety measure. For more on getting brake testing right, see our guide to the roller brake test.
A further challenge is the inconsistency over the timing of laden roller brake tests. One section suggests the test should take place within 7 days of a PMI, while another extends this to 14 days. For operators on a six-week PMI cycle, a 14-day window seems excessively long and disrupts planning. Operators need clear, consistent guidelines to manage their maintenance schedules; the current ambiguity only adds to the burden.
The new guide also highlights the importance of Electronic Brake Performance Monitoring Systems (EBPMS), particularly for trailers, expecting operators to develop a better understanding and application of these systems. For the majority of operators, however, this will have little immediate impact, as EBPMS is not yet widely applicable across most fleets.
To address the current issues and improve road safety, future updates could usefully include:
The 2024 update may be modest, but the underlying obligation to maintain roadworthiness is as serious as ever — and the Traffic Commissioner will judge you on your systems, not the guide's shortcomings. Our consultants help operators build robust PMI regimes, manage service providers, and keep clean records, while our maintenance calendar and workshop support keep your scheduling on track. To review your maintenance compliance, get in touch for a free, no-obligation consultation.
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