When we got our o licence we stated a 6 weekly inspection intervals, we are thinking of changing this to 8 weekly. Would the TC have any problems with this, we are currently grey in the OCRS systems.
Might be ok if you don’t do a very high mileage. How many kms would you cover in 6/8 weeks?
Our truck average 2500 km a week. So 15000km and 20000km.
I’d say you’ve got more chance of getting a ham shank off of the pope then. 
They may be amenable but the key is, if you extend the period, the system must still work as well, or better. If the number of defects found increases you must go back to shorter intervals.
Harry Monk:
I’d say you’ve got more chance of getting a ham shank off of the pope then.
+1 in that sort of mileage. Even if they do agree, you are asking for maintenance inspection visit to be made.
How long have you had your licence if you’re still in the grey band? Generally extended frequency is for the more “experienced” operator
Didn’t things change a while back to do with older vehicles ,over 12 yrs old springs to mind and frequent inspections only ?
We have 13 plate trucks but have been trading less than a year. Look at the feedback I think it would be best to leave it until we have more history. Sounds like I will open a can of worms.
I don’t think it would be a wise move. The first impression this request will give is that you are keen to either to increase profits or that the cost of these inspections is becoming onerous, this especially so in view of your limited trading time and experience of the vehicle you are running, which cannot be considered to be in the first flush of youth. The ‘Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness’ may not be the Holy Grail, but if your category of operation suggests six weeks then you would need to present a pretty convincing case to extend the period.
If you feel that you chose the wrong category to impress at your licence application then you should be compiling evidence now to support an argument that drivers are picking up defects which are of a minor nature; ie one out of eight washers jets blocked etc, but that the incidence of more serious issues is extremely low. This should be supported by what is being recorded on PMI reports and in particular that these reports go on to indicate any items which should be kept under observation. You should scrutinise these PMI reports to ensure that they are picking up developing issues and are not a lazy contractor’s (or his fitters) box-ticking exercise. Simple facts like the vehicle requiring a two year tacho inspection before the next PMI date being specifically highlighted show that due dilligence is being practised.
You do in fact possibly have a good case for extending your PMI intervals two years hence with newer lorries, if you can prove that your system has been working in practice with what has been continually ageing vehicles. One minor point worthy of consideration, but just what the TC is looking for as evidence of a good system would be having a copy of ‘Categorisation of Defects’ to immediate hand for whoever issues instructions to drivers.
You haven’t said but it you are on a restricted licence there is often more prospect.
The guide to maintaining roadworthyness is a good starting point, but even if your operation, according to the guide, suggests pmi’s no more than 6 weeks apart, if you’ve got good history and it can be shown that you stretching the pmi’s to 8 weeks is not detrimental to the safety of the vehicles then they will let you do it.
It shows you are not just paying lip service to the 6 weekly inspection, and that you are fully tuned into the maintenance of your fleet.
I would have thought they may prefer a bit more experience than a year with your o licence, unless you’ve had previous experience, however I don’t see it doing any harm in asking.
I’m sure I read in my CPC notes that the interval should be 6 weeks or 10,000 km, whichever is the sooner? I don’t have them with me right now but if my memory serves me correctly then I can’t see the DVSA going beyond either of these.
Harry Monk:
I’m sure I read in my CPC notes that the interval should be 6 weeks or 10,000 km, whichever is the sooner? I don’t have them with me right now but if my memory serves me correctly then I can’t see the DVSA going beyond either of these.
As Coiler says they are open to flexibility, and an intelligent approach, beyond what the chart shows but defect detection must not deteriorate.
An example would be for an operator, who buys brand new vehicles and keeps them for say five years, to do eight weekly for the first two years then move to six weekly for the last three years, even though the mileage stays the same. Or a seasonal operator, where the trucks sit pretty idle in the summer could do twelve weekly for the summer then six weekly in their busy season that kind of thing.
I’m certainly not against it and I find if I see the same vehicle for inspection again and again and find no defects it does increase the likelihood of it turning into a box ticking exercise and defects can get missed when they eventually occur. Whether it’s viable or a recipe for operators to take the ■■■■ with dangerously prolonged inspection intervals is the sixty four thousand dollar question.
Edit to add: It’s a fairly recent development that they’ve publicly talked about alternatives to a one size fits all approach to maintenance.
A major red flag for the TC is vehicles turning up for PMI with driver detectable defects. If your vehicles go to PMI with minor defects, just a bulb out etc. the TC will consider your maintenance and defect reporting regime inadequate already.
Big burner:
A major red flag for the TC is vehicles turning up for PMI with driver detectable defects. If your vehicles go to PMI with minor defects, just a bulb out etc. the TC will consider your maintenance and defect reporting regime inadequate already.
Hard to win really as they don’t like pages and pages of inspection sheets with no defects found either.
I’ve had 8 weekly inspections for about 8 years now. The age of my tractor units range from 9 months to 12 years for my spare unit. Other than the spare unit they all cover approx 100,000 km per year. My trailers age range from 1 year to 19 years old. They cover 40,000 to 65,000 km per year. At my last maintenance inspection Vosa were quite happy with my system. The guide to maintaining roadworthyness is just that - a guide, not a bible.