Earned recognition - what are the benefits?

More than lip-service needs to be paid to keeping our roads safe…

If you’re a HGV operator, then the DVSA’s ‘Earned Recognition’ concept offers a simple, hassle-free way to prove the standards of your drivers and vehicles, while simultaneously minimising vehicle downtime and protecting your company’s finances.

So, what’s the catch…? Quite honestly, there isn’t one!

The scheme simply requires you to voluntarily share vehicle performance information with the DVSA on a regular basis, in return for less unscheduled roadside stops and official recognition for your company.

As a voluntary scheme designed for operations of all sizes, ‘Earned Recognition’ is there for the taking, however, in order to participate you will need to be operating an IT system that documents both vehicle maintenance and driver hours.

These two factors will be monitored by the DVSA, on an ongoing basis, to ensure that Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are being met; with the promise that if anything does fall through the net the agency will work by your side to fix any issues

…it’s that simple!

So, why join the ‘Earned Recognition’ pilot scheme?

Chevin’s ‘top 10’ reasons are revealed below…

• Your drivers are less likely to be stopped at the roadside
• You will routinely conduct vehicle and driver safety checks, which will make the UK’s roads a much safer place
• Your company will receive automatic entry to the official scheme, once launched post-pilot
• On completion of the pilot, your company will receive recognition for meeting the DVSA’s specified standards
• Going forwards, your company will be considered an exemplary operator in the DVSA’s eyes, with the ability to use such a status in any future bidding processes
• You will receive rights to use the DVSA’s ‘Earned Recognition’ marque on your website, and other publicity materials
• Your company will be officially named as a DVSA-approved operator on GOV.UK
• A DVSA Business Manager will be allocated to your company, whom you will have direct access to for the duration
• Regular checks will result in DVSA enforcement staff being less likely to visit your premises
• There is no application fee to join either the pilot, or when launched, the full ‘Earned Recognition’ scheme

All things considered – and even if your only reason to join the pilot is to reduce the number of roadside stops – volunteering for the scheme is a no-brainer if your company meets the criteria.

Any driver will know the frustrations of roadside stops and downtime that is suffered as a direct result – even a stop without complications can take up to 45-minutes, but when it comes to business-critical schedules, every second counts.

It’s important to bear in mind that the DVSA will, of course, still stop vehicles they deem to be in an obviously dangerous condition, nevertheless, for both drivers and operators there are clear advantages of being part of the pilot scheme.

How to apply:

You must first find out whether your IT system and audit provider have registered with the DVSA. If they have not yet done so, they can send an e-mail to [email protected], to request all of the necessary documentation.

Secondly, you need to personally e-mail the DVSA, at the same e-mail address, to request an application form. Full guidelines will also be shared with you at this stage.

Finally, if you meet the eligibility criteria, complete the application form before sending it back to the DVSA.

Terms and conditions:

Your company must have held a heavy goods vehicle or public service vehicle operator licence for a minimum of two years. It must also have a digital management system that documents vehicle maintenance and drivers’ hours; tracks Key Performance Indicators (KPIs); automatically reports if KPIs are missed; and track records of good compliance with driver and vehicle standards.