Are you worried about compliance?
Do you struggle to ensure you are running legally and following the DVSA Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness?
Transport Compliance – What is it and why is it so important as an HGV or PSV Operator in York?
Operating in York, compliance is essential to safeguard your Operator’s License and keep your transport business running safely, efficiently, and legally. Your license is a contract with the Traffic Commissioner, promising that all your HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicles) and PSV (Public Service Vehicles) operations will meet the highest standards of roadworthiness, management, and record-keeping. This is especially critical in 2025, as new enforcement standards demand more detailed documentation, proactive maintenance, and ongoing staff competence for all York operators.
What are the core undertakings for York operators?
- Maintain all vehicles in a roadworthy condition with scheduled, preventative maintenance and thorough inspection at every PMI (Preventive Maintenance Inspection), including regular brake tests and up-to-date safety records. Changes in 2025 mean HGVs must now pass four roller brake tests per year, conducted under a minimum 65% load, and must demonstrate compliance with stricter safety-critical checks.
- Keep meticulous, accurate records of all maintenance activities, defect reports, servicing, and repairs. These records must be easily accessible for the Traffic Commissioner or DVSA examination, and kept for statutory periods.
- Ensure all maintenance is planned and preventative, rather than reactive, thus minimizing mechanical failures and enhancing road safety, in full accord with the DVSA’s Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness.
- Conduct and document daily walkaround checks, with drivers reporting all defects and ensuring no vehicle is released before faults are repaired.
- Guarantee all drivers are trained, competent, hold a valid Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence), and complete regular refresher courses to stay abreast of the latest legislation, regulations, and best practice.
- Strictly enforce the Working Time Directive and drivers’ hours rules to prevent fatigue, maintain driver alertness, and secure legal compliance for your operation.
- Specify a suitable operating center within York, with enough capacity to park, inspect, and maintain your vehicles, as set out in operator licensing requirements.
If clarity on compliance is needed, The Transport Consultancy for York can guide you with the right systems, so you operate legally, safely, and efficiently.
How can York operators keep their HGV or PSV Operator’s License safe?
The Transport Consultancy supports York businesses by keeping them compliant and away from DVSA and Traffic Commissioner scrutiny. The first step is to conduct an independent compliance audit, which will show where you stand and highlight needed improvements before problems arise.
Why are regular compliance audits essential for York operators?
- Regulatory Compliance – Verify that all your York vehicles meet licensing, recordkeeping, driver hours, tachograph, and maintenance requirements as set out by the DVSA Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness.
- Safety Assurance – Lower risk by proactively addressing faults, updating records, and showing authorities your commitment to public and driver safety.
- Operational Efficiency – Refine fuel usage, route planning, and maintenance timing, reducing downtime and costs.
- Risk Management – Identify compliance gaps and correct them before they affect your business or put your license at risk. Stay audit-ready—arrange your independent audit today.
Tachograph Analysis – Ensuring Compliance with Drivers’ Hours and the Working Time Directive in York
Tachograph monitoring is mandatory for all operators—a crucial part of legal operation, especially in 2025 with the introduction of the 56-day driver records rule for international journeys.
- Download driver card data every 28 days and vehicle unit records every 90 days. For operators on international routes, retain and produce 56 days of tachograph and working hours data on request, including digital records, analog charts, and manual logs.
- Review, analyze, and act on tachograph infringements, taking remedial action and supporting drivers to comply with all legal requirements.
- Schedule regular Tachograph Analysis Healthchecks for York operators—these safeguard your operator’s license and help avoid heavy fines, prosecution, or loss of authority to operate.
Maintenance Scheduling and the 6-Month Compliance Planner in York
Maintaining an up-to-date planner is a license condition. Operators in York must:
- Schedule all vehicles for PMIs, services, repairs, and MOTs at regular intervals, typically every 6, 8, or 10 weeks, depending on vehicle use. For HGVs, a minimum of four roller brake tests annually with at least 65% loading is required from 2025.
- Use the planner as a record-keeping tool: it demonstrates to DVSA and other enforcement officers that an effective, proactive maintenance regime is in place.
- Identify and fix issues in advance, optimize workshop resource allocation, and limit breakdowns, downtime, and compliance failures.
If you’re struggling to plan or keep records, The Transport Consultancy offers hands-on Maintenance Planning Sessions in York.
Avoiding DVSA Desk-Based Assessments and PG9 Prohibitions in York
A DVSA Desk-Based Assessment (DBA) or receiving a PG9 prohibition is disruptive and risky. York operators can minimize threats by:
- Keeping all records thorough, consistent, and up-to-date.
- Responding immediately to enforcement notices, rectifying all defects, and reinforcing inspection processes to strengthen maintenance regimes.
- Documenting remedial actions and reviewing inspection regimes to prevent repeated issues that would trigger license review or public inquiry.
Conducting regular compliance health checks with The Transport Consultancy will keep your York business off the DVSA radar and ensure audit-readiness.
Tachograph Support and Remedial Action in York
Both digital and analogue tachographs must be checked and analyzed, with data downloaded at the required intervals. Operators have a legal duty to:
- Retain records for 12 months (domestic work) or 56 days (international). Review and act on any infringements, using clear procedures and robust driver training to minimize repeat offenses.
- Maintain disciplinary and remedial action policies for persistent breaches.
- Seek guidance and training when necessary to solve tachograph compliance weaknesses efficiently.
The Transport Consultancy in York supplies full tachograph audits, training, and driver supervision systems.
Responding to a PG9 Roadside Prohibition in York
If a York vehicle is issued a PG9 by DVSA, it must not be operated until all defects are repaired and proper authorization is granted. Immediate action should include updating records, investigating inspection failings, and ensuring all team members are aware of corrective procedures.
- Repeated PG9s or enforcement action increases the risk of a desk-based DVSA assessment or license review, so it’s vital to continuously review systems and address weaknesses proactively.
The Transport Consultancy can help you review cases and implement changes quickly to protect your York Operator’s License.
Monthly Auditing for York HGV & PSV Operators – Stay Audit-Ready All Year
Monthly compliance audits ensure that your York operation keeps pace with changing standards, maintains audit-readiness, and fosters a culture of compliance so your team never worries about sudden DVSA or Traffic Commissioner checks. By subscribing to ongoing audits, you reduce operational risk and build your business reputation for reliability and safety.
Book your monthly compliance audit in York now with The Transport Consultancy—and keep your Operator’s License secure, your records up-to-date, and your staff ready for any inspection.