DriverLink is now a DVSA Earned Recognition operator, which is only available to operators who have Earned Recognition status and DVSA-approved audit providers and validated IT suppliers.
This latest blog from DriverLink will tell you everything you need to know about the marquee and how it works.
What is the DVSA Earned Recognition Operator Scheme?
The DVSA Earned Recognition program is a voluntary scheme developed to enable vehicle operators, regardless of their size, to prove their commitment to meeting stringent driver and vehicle standards.
To participate in this program, operators regularly share performance information with the DVSA in the form of monthly reports.
This initiative has been cultivated over several years and offers compliant and exemplary operators a distinctive status.
As a result, these operators face fewer roadside checks and experience a more collaborative relationship with the DVSA should any compliance issues arise during their participation in the scheme.
These operators work closely with a dedicated team at DVSA, with this team having access to a wealth of data to ensure that both the operator and its drivers continue to maintain compliance with specific key performance indicators.
How does the DVSA Earned Recognition Scheme work?
To become a DVSA Earned Recognition Operator, certain criteria must be met:
- Operator’s License: The operator must have held an Operator’s License for at least two years.
- Regulatory Action: The operator should not have been subject to regulatory action from the Traffic Commissioner, except for a formal warning, for the previous two years.
- Electronic Record Keeping: The operator must have an electronic record-keeping system provided by one of the DVSA’s validated IT suppliers, which allows DVSA to monitor compliance remotely.
- Compliance Audit: A compliance audit, conducted by a DVSA accredited auditor, must be submitted no more than three months before the application is considered.
This audit must demonstrate that the operator is currently compliant and has effective working systems in place or will have them in place within three months as per a specific action plan. Additional audit reports need to be submitted on a two-year basis.
The key performance indicators are centered around maintenance, drivers’ hours compliance, and fixed penalties or prosecutions incurred by the operator.
These indicators include ensuring that all planned maintenance inspections (PMIs) are completed on schedule, achieving a high initial pass rate at annual vehicle and trailer tests, keeping drivers’ hours infringements to a minimum, and avoiding most serious infringements and unaccounted missing mileage.
What are the Benefits?
Joining the DVSA Earned Recognition scheme has numerous benefits:
- Increased Efficiency – Operators with Earned Recognition status are perceived as safe and compliant, leading to fewer vehicle inspections and checks.
- Recognition – Operators are recognised as DVSA-approved on the official GOV.UK list, and they can display the DVSA earned recognition marque on their website and other promotional materials.
- Competitive Advantage – Earned Recognition status can be used to enhance bidding and advertising efforts, providing a competitive edge in winning new business contracts.
- Commercial Advantage – Membership in the scheme may give operators a commercial advantage when bidding for contracts. DVSA permits the use of the earned recognition marque for this purpose.
It’s essential to note that participation in the DVSA Earned Recognition scheme is voluntary, and operators can choose to withdraw at any point.
The DVSA has the authority to remove operators from the scheme if they can no longer demonstrate compliance or if their actions are likely to bring the scheme into disrepute.
Contact Us
For more information on the DVSA Earned Recognition Marquee, contact the DriverLink team today by calling 01942 826 133.
