Could you prove every vehicle on your Operator Licence was 100% roadworthy? We help operators build the systems, records and culture that demonstrate genuine control of fleet maintenance to the DVSA and Traffic Commissioner.
A thing every operator should bear in mind: if a vehicle under your jurisdiction is involved in a serious accident resulting in injury or death, you — as the holder of the Operator Licence — and the driver will come under intense scrutiny. The question that follows is simple but unforgiving: do you have the systems and processes in place to prove the vehicle was 100% roadworthy?
Maintenance compliance is not just about fixing vehicles; it is about evidencing control. At Fleet Transport Consultants, our CPC-qualified Transport Managers help you identify the gaps and, more importantly, provide practical solutions that work for your workforce.
Under your Operator Licence, each vehicle is inspected on a cyclical period — typically between 6 and 13 weeks depending on the age and use of the vehicle — across several areas: inside the cab, the exterior, the engine compartment, under and alongside the vehicle, brake tests and tyres. A vehicle must be signed off as roadworthy after a PMI before it is allowed back on the road.
PMIs contain valuable data on the condition of each vehicle, and a detailed inspection of every PMI report is a mandatory part of an operator's obligation — with particular attention to brake performance and tyres. PMIs can be performed in-house, but it is often more cost-effective and prudent to use a third-party maintenance provider. Either way, ensuring those checks meet the required standard remains your obligation. Good record keeping — signed-off inspection sheets and invoices — paints a wholesome picture of how you manage your fleet. Our DDIR Workshop app runs the full DVSA inspection workflow on a tablet for £1 per PMI.
Every CPC-qualified driver knows that before using a vehicle, or at the start of a shift, they must perform a Daily Driver Inspection (DDI). This should highlight obvious ailments — missing or cracked mirrors and windscreens, faulty bulbs and indicators, oil leaks, tyre pressures and dashboard warning lights. These must be recorded and reported as a Driver Defect Report (DDR) to the relevant parties immediately.
Operators must have robust systems that allow the full follow-through of a fault from identification to remedy — for example, a mobile mechanic visiting to fix the issue — with a paperwork trail that satisfies an investigating DVSA officer. Our DDIR walkaround app captures geo-tagged, time-stamped checks and routes defects straight to managers in real time.
Operators must have a sound, well-communicated wheel and tyre safety policy. Regular inspection of tyres and brakes is standard practice among well-run fleets, and good record keeping of torque-wrench usage — including re-torque when wheels are removed — is mandatory. As the saying goes, a stitch in time saves nine: safe, well-maintained vehicles make legal, business and profitability sense.
In our experience, the quality of the driver walkaround is the single best indicator of compliance across an organisation. Where the walkaround is good, compliance usually follows. A thorough walkaround covers lights and indicators, dashboard warnings, tyres and wheels, brakes, fluid levels, mirrors, load security, couplings, the trailer, reflectors, number plates, suspension, safety equipment and documents — and rarely takes more than 15 minutes.
Drivers must keep a written or app-based record, as these may be requested during a DVSA or VOSA roadside check, and the records must be archived for a minimum of 15 months. If walkaround quality is a struggle, we help embed cultural change through gate checks, tachograph-based "key-to-drive" analysis, observation, structured post-PMI feedback and regular training.
Brakes are among the most important systems on any vehicle. The Roller Brake Test (RBT) measures braking performance per wheel and is central to PMI quality. From April 2025, safety inspections must either perform a laden brake test or evaluate an EBPMS report where fitted. Our consultants — and our RBT training guide — help your team interpret these reports correctly rather than simply filing the word "PASS".
We can identify the areas that need improvement and, crucially, provide practical solutions that work for your workforce — backed by the free Fleet Maintenance Calendar and recall checking. Contact us for a free, no-obligation review of your maintenance systems.
Book a free, no-obligation consultation and we'll talk through exactly what your fleet needs — no pressure, no jargon.
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