They don't ask much do they?

Sidevalve:

Freight Dog:

Sidevalve:

Freight Dog:
An odd one. Not sure if they slipped this in whilst being on a liability limiting roll, or it’s a mistake

Be aware of the vehicle inspection rota for servicing & MOT
in line with the Operator Licence requirements

Maintenance scheduling and compliance is an arena I understood the DVSA were readjusting their focus on after the fatal Bath lorry incident.

The word Operator is a hint. Insisting a driver is aware doesn’t affect their liability. Inspection and service scheduling responsibility is their ballywack. As is “Operator licence requirements”. The requirements are managed by the accountable CPC holder who holds the qualifications.

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Agreed, they are; however in own-account places like this it’s not uncommon for the drivers to take some responsibility (whether a legal requirement or not) for sorting out inspections etc. The TM will be either the depot manager who has warehouse and everything else to run, or someone who’s responsible for several depots and may not be based full time at that one. Whilst the TM holds ultimate responsibility the drivers may have to arrange servicing and inspection direct with the garage to fit around their deliveries. I suspect that’s all it means.

Oh, I’m with you. Just the way they wrote it I think.

I suppose you could read it that they shouldn’t take the lorry out delivering (or perhaps load it the night before) without first checking that the gaffer hasn’t booked it in for service; which is common sense really.

I gave them the benefit and considered that myself but dismissed it. Most places I worked if a vehicle was due for maintenance they wouldn’t give you the keys for it or they’d stick a note on the dash or even VoR plate as part of their operator requirements is managing what their vehicles get up to. When i tramped they told you on the phone if it was due in. That was quite a cowboy firm too.

Suppose if it’s the kind of operation that is a little remote where the drivers have their own trucks, keep the keys and it’s up to them to check it’s not rostered for maintenance then fair enough. If a truck misses a service due driver taking it out, they’d prob not shirk their responsibility. DVSA would prob ask probing questions as to how much effort they put in to notifying the driver it was overdue.

I’ve long since advocated a tech log system for fleet trucks, similar to aircraft. The service due dates, mot dates and any maintenance action taken are part of the same folder as the fault reporting book. It’s a closed loop feedback system, works well.