The Maintenance Evidence Trail: What DVSA Looks for on PSV Inspection
For bus and coach operators, maintenance compliance is not judged solely on whether a vehicle appears roadworthy on the day it is inspected. DVSA will also be interested in the evidence behind it, which means the safety inspection records, driver defect reports, repair documentation and management controls that show how the vehicle has been maintained…
Read MorePSVAR Full Enforcement: What the First Months Have Actually Looked Like
For coach operators, 2026 was always going to be an important year for accessibility compliance. The medium-term exemption arrangements that had allowed qualifying home-to-school and rail replacement coaches to continue operating while fleets moved towards PSVAR compliance came to an end on 31 July. That date led to plenty of discussion around the industry about…
Read MoreTransport Manager CPC: When Was the Last Time You Refreshed?
Passing the Transport Manager CPC is a major milestone. But for bus and coach operators, the qualification is only the starting point. Your role as a Transport Manager is built around continuous and effective management of the transport operation. That means keeping up with legislation, understanding regulatory changes, and making sure the systems you use…
Read MorePSVAIR Compliance: What the 1 October 2026 Deadline Requires
From 1 October 2026, vehicles first used on local services between 1 January 1973 and 30 September 2014 must meet the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023. This is the final phase of the roll-out and it catches the oldest vehicles still in service. The regulations require certain journey information to be given to…
Read MoreADR 2027: What Is Changing, When It Applies and What to Review
The proposed amendments to ADR were circulated to Contracting Parties on 1 July 2026 under depositary notification C.N.252.2026. The three-month objection period closes on 1 October 2026. Unless the amendments are rejected under Article 14, the 2027 edition enters into force on 1 January 2027. Nothing about 1 October requires anything of an operator. Objections…
Read MoreWhat the Traffic Commissioners Are Actually Looking for in 2026
For bus and coach operators, Traffic Commissioner compliance can sometimes feel like a long list of individual requirements. Your maintenance records need to be right. Drivers’ hours need to be monitored. Financial standing needs to be maintained. Changes need to be notified. Registered bus services need to operate as expected. But viewed individually, these requirements…
Read MoreOperating Without the Correct Operator’s Licence: What Operators Need to Know
A recent DVSA prosecution in the South West has served as a reminder of the consequences that can follow where a haulage business operates without the correct operator’s licence. A company transporting vehicles to auctions was found operating without an O-licence, prosecuted at magistrates’ court and fined more than £15,000. Once costs and the victim…
Read MoreIn-Person or Remote? How to Make Your Earned Recognition Audit Faster, Cheaper and Less Disruptive
A DVSA Earned Recognition audit does not have to mean several days of disruption, crowded meeting rooms or managers spending hours searching for records while an auditor waits. Many of the systems and documents reviewed during an Earned Recognition audit are now held electronically. Depending on the operator, the audit provider and the complexity of…
Read MorePractical OLAT: What the Traffic Commissioner Now Expects
If you hold an operator licence, or you’re responsible for someone who does, you’ll have noticed a shift. Traffic Commissioners have increasingly made clear that Operator Licence Awareness Training needs to be genuinely practical – not just an overview of the licensing framework, but a working knowledge of how compliance is actually managed day to…
Read MoreThe DVSA Updated the Earned Recognition Operator Standards. What It Means for Your Next Audit
The DVSA made several changes to its Earned Recognition operator standards during 2025. The key changes took place on three separate dates: 31 March 2025: the assessment criteria tables for HGV and PSV operator audits were updated. 27 May 2025: references to EU drivers’ hours rules were replaced with references to assimilated drivers’ hours rules.…
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