A 15-year HGV operator with a Transport Manager 'in name only', fragmented maintenance and no tachograph control. Here is how FTC restored licence governance in six months.
A long-established HGV operator — 15-plus years in business, running six vehicles — came to us in a precarious position. Their External Transport Manager was in place "in name only", with no current CPC, no refreshers and no site visits. Maintenance was fragmented, there was no tachograph control, and vehicles were operating off-licence from an unlisted operating centre. The operator was at real risk of a Public Inquiry. New leadership was determined to fix it fast and sustainably, so we delivered a 12-week remediation and 12-week embedding plan.
The picture at outset was critical:
We agreed clear targets with the new leadership team: stabilise to the legal minimum within 12 weeks; appoint a qualified External Transport Manager and secure a Period of Grace; implement robust systems and evidence across all core areas; and reach DVSA-ready status with a demonstrable improvement curve. The CEO's commitment to fixing compliance quickly and sustainably was central to the plan's success.
Sustainable compliance needs the right tools. We deployed digital walkarounds and defect close-out via DDIR, our free PMI Review and Sign-Off process plus an RBT policy, a tachograph download and analysis platform, driver licence checks (photocard, CPC and tacho card), vehicle recall checks with an audit trail, and a board-ratified policy suite with a training matrix.
| Weeks | Focus | Actions |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Governance | Secure Period of Grace; appoint qualified ETM with a visit cadence; correct licence entries (vehicles, OCs, TM) |
| 3–5 | Maintenance | PMI calendar discipline; PMI review and sign-off live; RBT scheduling; VOR and defect escalation policy |
| 6–8 | Tachograph | Routine downloads (drivers and vehicles); analysis dashboards; infringement debrief workflow and sign-offs |
| 9–10 | Driver and fleet | Licence-checking cadence; recall checks and evidence trail; records centralised and auditable |
| 11–12 | Policies and training | Policy suite across five core areas; toolbox talks and refresher training; training matrix and renewal triggers |
The embedding phase turned fixes into habits. By week 24 the operator had achieved 100% on-time PMIs with documented reviews and sign-offs, routine tachograph downloads and analysis with infringements debriefed, fully restored licence governance, an implemented policy suite with live training evidence, and DVSA-ready status backed by a clear six-month improvement trend.
"FTC gave us a clear plan and the tools to execute it. In six months we went from firefighting to a system we trust." — CEO (anonymised)
We offer confidential advice and rapid mobilisation for operators facing DVSA scrutiny or Public Inquiry risk. If your operation needs to move from critical risk to inspection-ready, speak to a transport consultant — or explore our consultancy services.
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