CONNECTED - Issue 4 Autumn 2023 by aquariusit.com

By In this issue:

REMOTE DOWNLOADING

Why it’s fundamentally about logistics, practicality and ease – to ensure compliance

Customer Spotlight Issue 4 - Autumn 2023

Woodland Logistics reflect on their digital journey of ‘firsts’

TALKING COMPLIANCE

The latest on the new Gen2v2 tachograph, from recording loading activities to what the delays mean

CONTENTS

Get in touch with our team using the contact details provided below. Customer Support: 0330 333 8788 Sales Team: 0330 333 8789

Issue 4 - Autumn 2023 PAGES

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Aquarius’s Mark Johnston discusses the latest on remote Page

WELCOME

From Director Mark Johnston, welcoming everyone to this Autumn issue of Connected.

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CUSTOMER TALK

A round-up of our customer’s news and recent successes.

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CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT

As an early adopter of compliance technology, Woodland Logistics share their digital journey of firsts’.

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HOT TOPIC

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In response to the latest Hot Topic report on compliance, Aquarius’s Liz Haselden shares why the survey’s findings on the cost of third-party repair and maintenance piqued her interest.

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downloading and APIs – with a case study from Phoenix Bussing on why remote downloading for them is fundamentally about logistics, practicality and ease.

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VIEWPOINT

RESTRICTED LICENSES Chris Cuffe shares his advice on restricted operator licences … the rules, the practicalities, the importance of training and how software can help lighten the load.

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As a ‘newbie’ to the industry, Aquarius’s Alex Young shares his viewpoints on transport compliance.

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NEWS ROUND UP

The latest company news from our IT, support, and compliance teams. PAGE

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TALKING COMPLIANCE

Marc Caplin, Aquarius’s Compliance Manager provides practical advice on recording loading activities via the new GEN2v2 tachograph, and Guy Reynolds hosts a Q&A on what the GEN2v2 delays mean.

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WELCOME To the Autumn issue of CONNECTED, issue 4 of our quarterly digital magazine - we cannot resist the ‘Connect 4’ pun in reference to previous issues where you’ll have seen customers in this magazine talk about how our integrated software solutions have been ‘game-changing’ for their businesses.

Keeping on the subject of game-changing, it was inspiring to hear all about how our industry is innovating at the recent Motor Transport Awards in London and meet the people on the front line who are making a real difference. It was an incredible night celebrating all that is great about the road transport industry and seeing the resilience that has been shown by many in what have been really tough times in recent years. They are the real game-changers; one of which is Steven Granite, from Abbey Logistics Group and it was our pleasure to present him with the Service to Industry Award. Congratulations also to our customers Abbey Logistics for winning Motor Transport’s Operational Excellence and Team of the Year, and JM Clark Ltd who won the Best Use of Technology Award. It’s been a busy few months for events, not only with the Motor Transport Awards, but also with the Export & Freight Awards, Welch Transport’s Road to Net Zero Festival and the opening of North West Trucks new state-of-the-art dealership in Warrington; in addition to the RHA Forum For The Future conference, the Great Transport Debate (pictured below at the Concord Conference Centre at Manchester airport) and attending the Maintenance Advisory Committee. Next month, we will also be at the FORS conference, and I’ve been invited back to Freight Carbon Zero’s Motor Transport Decarbonisation Summit in November - I’m looking forward

to hearing the updates from leading experts about how the industry is preparing for a low/zero carbon future. Back to this issue, and we are delighted to shine the ‘customer spotlight’ on Woodland Logistics who are doing great things with technology to help support their compliance responsibilities, as well as improve the overall efficiency of their business. We also feature case studies from two customers who are using Asset Finance and Remote Downloading to solve their daily operational challenges. This month we had also planned to talk about the new G2v2 tachograph, but its introduction has been decelerated due to supply issues, which has since created more questions; so instead Marc Caplin and Guy Reynolds, who have both attended recent CORTE meetings, provide the latest updates on the G2v2. There is also advice on restricted operator licenses and with the latest reports showing the industry is still suffering with driver shortages, our product focus is on remote downloading. We hope you enjoy reading this issue of CONNECTED, and please do get in touch if you’d like to be featured, or have ideas for technical or compliance related stories. Mark Johnston Director

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RESTRICTED LICENCES YOUR FIRST RESTRICTED OPERATOR LICENCE – A BLESSING OR A BURDEN? By Chris Cuffe, who shares his advice on restricted operator licences … the rules, the practicalities, the importance of training and how software can help lighten the load.

The Restricted O Licence enables businesses to legally operate vehicles or vehicle and trailer combinations over 3500 kgs. The licence allows an operator to carry their own goods in the course of their trade or business; they must not carry goods for other people for hire or reward. All vehicles covered by the licence need to be fitted with a tachograph and the driver will need to hold a Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence). Please bear in mind that there are specific and well-documented exemptions for both the requirement to use a tachograph and the requirement to have a Driver CPC for vehicles up to 7500kgs which can be found on the DVSA website.

he rules for movement of goods from the UK to the EU recently changed (21 May 2022) requiring operators to have a Standard International Vehicle Operator Licence and a “UK Licence for the Community”. These new EU rules also apply to vans over 2500 kgs used for hire or reward, and cars or vans with trailer combinations with a Gross Train Weight of over 2500 kgs and up to and including 3500 kgs. A Restricted O Licence holder does not need to employ a Transport Manager (although employing one is a sensible move) or have to hold any particular qualifications themselves, they simply need to apply, specifying the number of vehicles and trailers and to meet the local environmental, operational and financial criteria. This instantly disadvantages a new licence holder given the level of risk, rules and legislation around operating heavier vehicles.

Licence holders should therefore research their responsibilities fully, not least of which include: • Ensuring that drivers are following Drivers Hours’ law, operating their tachographs correctly, that tachographs and Driver Cards are downloaded periodically and records are kept for the prescribed period (a minimum of 12 months for the purposes of Drivers’ Hours record keeping, 24 months if used to track Working Time RTD). • Drivers’ performance is monitored and there is an infringement policy. • Vehicles are operated within speed limits. • Vehicles and trailers are maintained to the appropriate schedule with all defects recorded and repairs completed and signed off. • There is a process for drivers to report vehicle faults as part of their daily walkaround checks. • The number of vehicles and trailers does not exceed the maximum authorised. • The Traffic Commissioner is notified of any relevant convictions of the company, any company business partner, the company director, employees or agents.

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• The Traffic Commissioner is notified of any changes to the licence within 28 days.

Whether you are operating one vehicle or a hundred vehicles the requirement is no less onerous.

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GB Domestic Rules and EU rules Many Restricted O Licences are for companies that operate vehicles where the purpose is simply to get a workforce and tools to a work site and the vehicle is really secondary to the work activity. If the site is within 100km of base and the vehicle is less than 7500 kgs, then the driver is effectively exempt from EU Drivers Hours Law and can work under GB Domestic Rules which can be recorded using a log book, or the tachograph if they wanted to. However, problems could arise when their vehicle periodically exceeds the 100km limit which would mean they would then be subject to Drivers’ Hours and its requirements regarding record keeping. Trying to run a mixture of GB Domestic Rules and EU rules becomes even more complicated so most find it preferable to stick to one or the other. Adopting EU rules for all driving, even if certain days could be exempt, has its advantages. All activity is recorded on the tachograph and the Driver Card so it is far easier to analyse driver activities. It also means that the operator can effectively manage infringements and other aspects such as missing mileage and over-speed events. The disadvantage in the early stages is that some drivers will make mistakes. Typically, these include a failure to record breaks during the day as they may be working a distance from the vehicle, errors whilst keying manual entries and, most commonly, leaving their card in the tachograph overnight on ‘Other Work’ leading to unnecessary infringements. Given appropriate training these types of issues can be overcome.

Training If a company has been forced to upsize their vehicles to meet increasing demand, then they will no doubt want to utilise existing and trusted drivers. This means re-training and the need to obtain a Driver Qualification Card. The initial driver CPC qualification is more about driver competence and covers subjects such as hazard perception, practical driving skills, a demonstration test, daily inspections and load restraints. The initial course does not cover the use of the tachograph for instance so be aware that further training could be required.

In essence, the message for new Restricted licence holders is to do extensive homework. Look at all of the legislation carefully and consider whether you can afford to employ a qualified Transport Manager or hire the services of one. Consider all of the training requirements in advance and look at how software could help with the administrative burden particularly with compliance and maintenance.

Lighten the Load At Aquarius we have seen many of the problems that restricted licence holders face. Our tachograph analysis software can quickly help to meet EU Drivers Hours’ compliance obligations and the team are on hand to train users during those early stages. Reporting is extensive and there is an excellent debriefing module to help in the development of drivers and to avoid costly mistakes. Many of our software users also utilise our walkaround check app which is available on phone or tablet. It takes drivers around their vehicle and allows them to record and photograph defects. The system also manages and reports on defects so they can be quickly rectified. Whilst managing a fleet with so many regulations is never going to be easy, Aquarius can certainly help to lighten the load and we have other expansion modules to make life even easier such as Document Management and full Asset Management that enables electronic scheduling of maintenance activities. For further guidance and support, contact the Aquarius team

Aquarius has known and worked with Chris for more than 15 years; since his early days at Tachosys when he was the Sales and Marketing Director. Today, using his vast experience of tachographs and software, he works as a freelance consultant alongside the management team at Aquarius.

Another issue for new Restricted licence holders is how to deal with the increase in periodic maintenance inspections and the requirement for drivers to perform daily vehicle checks. If drivers have been used to a van or pickup which usually only require basic checks, then they will need clear instructions and training on how to conduct a daily walkaround check. There is no prescribed period for how long a defect check should take but one would expect a minimum of 10 minutes for a standard vehicle and longer for a more complex setup for instance with a lift or trailer. It’s also important that there is a system to manage the recording of defects and their rectification, especially if the vehicle is deemed unroadworthy.

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CUSTOMER TALK ON THE ROAD TO NET ZERO On 20 July, Welch’s Transport hosted the Road to Net Zero Festival from its headquarters in Cambridge to promote a greener and more sustainable future haulage industry. Guests, including our very own Guy Reynolds, Dave Bailey, Mark Johnston and Subir Guta, enjoyed round table discussions, talks from industry experts, and depot tours showcasing how Welch’s is supporting local businesses in reducing their carbon footprint. With the UK Government’s 2050 Net Zero deadline approaching, Welch’s Transport has implemented its own Net Zero service to help companies in Greater Cambridge reduce emissions in their supply chain. The company is also one of the first hauliers in the UK to adopt a fully electric Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) as well as launching its Urban Consolidation Centre (UCC), which aims to make the last mile of deliveries within the city completely emissionsfree. In addition to this, they have installed one of the UK’s first publicly available HGV superchargers to speed up the installation of charging infrastructures in the region.

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MONTGOMERY DISTRIBUTION INVESTS IN STATE-OF-THE-ART LOGISTICS HUB Montgomery Distribution, a member of the Palletways network, has invested in a 135,000-square-foot state-of-the-art logistics hub in Preston, which will bolster the company’s operational efficiency and strengthen its overall offering to the industry. Speaking in fleetpoint.org, Steven McBride, managing director at Montgomery Distribution, confirmed that this marks a significant milestone in Montgomery Transport Group’s commitment to enhance its presence and capabilities within the logistics and supply chain industry. “The new logistics hub’s increased capacity and advanced capabilities will enable us to streamline our processes and handle larger volumes for our customers,” he confirmed.

WASTE-A-WAY ACQUIRES CORY’S FLEET Essex-based bulk waste haulier Waste-A-Way Recycling has acquired Cory Group’s entire fleet of tractor units and trailers. This acquisition provides Waste-A-Way, who featured in issue of 3 of CONNECTED, with almost 80 tractor units and 100 trailers, suitable for all waste, recycling and biowaste materials. In letsrecycle.com, Waste-A-Way managing director, Ian Whitehair, said: “Prevailing economic conditions have made the purchase of brand-new trucks a tough business choice. Most of the Cory vehicles are just a year old and have been very well looked after, so they make for great additions to our fleet. The past few years have seen tremendous growth for our business, and we are always keen to maximise opportunities for enhancing our operations.”

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CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT

A DECADE OF DIGITAL FIRSTS WITH THE WOODLAND GROUP Woodland Logistics, who are part of the Woodland Group, one of the largest, independently owned global supply chain companies headquartered in the UK, were one of our first tachograph analysis and eSIGN customers over a decade ago – they were also one of the first of our customers to adopt Digi DLs in the UK to facilitate the remote downloading of tacho data. As an early adopter of compliance technology, Woodland has continued to innovate and lead the supply chain way digitally. Subir Gupta, Aquarius’ National Account Manager, who has been working with Woodland Logistics since the beginning, caught up with Liam Marsh, Woodland’s Compliance Manager, to reflect on this digital journal.

the USA managed out of the US Head Office in New York, and an Asia Head Office in Hong Kong. We have established ourselves as the leading supply chain partner in transporting to both the packaging and building material sectors, as reflected by our major customers such as Cepac, Naylor Industries, and Millbank Concrete Products.

Please give us a little background on the Woodland Logistics and the wider Group:

How many assets do you manage in the UK?

Woodland has an HQ in Chelmsford, Essex, and operates from 13 other UK sites but we also have numerous offices across PAGE 7

Just here in the UK, we run more than 453 assets, ranging from small vans through to HGV’s. A large bulk of our assets are trailers, and our fleet is 100% Mercedes.

As one of our first customers of tachograph analysis software, has the software evolved in line with your business growth over the last decade? Absolutely, the beauty of going digital when you have multiple sites across the country is that you can centrally manage everything with greater control and the system proactively tells us everything, we need to know about what is happening on every tachograph - we literally have full visibility in real time 24/7 which is why we’ve stayed with the same system for more than 10 years. Plus, an added advantage in these post-pandemic times is that team members who have chosen remote / hybrid working also still have all these tools at their fingertips around the clock. You also use our Asset Maintenance portal, how has this been? For us it’s all about 360° visibility for maximum efficiency. As we operate a full Mercedes fleet on Repair and Maintenance contracts, everything used to be site-controlled and we had no central visibility at HQ which made the process ‘over complicated’ to manage. Asset Maintenance changed this overnight by giving us the ability to plan, monitor and action all PMIs, road taxes and trailer PMIs more efficiently and costeffectively from HQ. Integration with Aquarius’ App for driver defect and incident reporting, and remote debriefing further facilitated the daily process of managing driver and vehicle data, and how we communicate with drivers. With the Driver Defect for

example, we have customised templates for each asset and any defects are instantly reported to HQ and acted upon. Likewise, we can also automatically push VORs and PMIs into the Driver App, ensuring our drivers are instantly made aware and informed of what to do next, no matter where they are located in the country. Why is it specifically important for Woodlands to have an integrated system for both driver and vehicle data? Both the tachograph analysis and asset maintenance systems work perfectly as standalone systems but when used together you benefit from a whole new level of reporting and analysis. This is very important to us; by being able to drill down deeper into the data and cross-reference it, we can clearly identify where improvements, costs savings and efficiencies can be made, which is important for any business, small or large. This is another reason for us having more recently added Asset Finance to the system. Thank you for talking with us, and I’d just like to say it’s been a pleasure working with you on your digital journey over the last decade … here’s to more firsts in the future. Thanks, Subir, likewise. The support and aftercare you and the team provide at Aquarius has always been excellent; you listen to what we (and other customers) need, which is so very important. I strongly believe people ‘buy’ people and that is one of the many reasons why we are still here ten + years later. We have some exciting things planned around advanced data management and digitalisation, and we look forward to continuing to collaborate with you as we further invest into this space. PAGE 8

HOT TOPIC OVERCOMING THE CHALLENGES OF REPAIR & MAINTENANCE COSTS The latest Hot Topic report from Commercial Motor and Motor Transport, provides interesting insight into how operators are tackling the challenges of compliance, reports Liz Haselden, Aquarius’s Marketing Manager. The report highlights the main challenges operators have had to face over the last couple of years and in relation to fleet compliance and maintenance, the top three concerns were labour shortages, cost of parts and supply chain delays and shortages. Keeping pace with changing regulations was also a key challenge for more than a third of the operators they surveyed. The two other issues, included administration and cost of third-party repair and maintenance. The last point on third-party repair and maintenance piqued our interest because we are hearing from more and more of our customers of how they are using Asset Finance, the latest addition to our Asset Maintenance portal, to keep track of repair and maintenance costs on leased vehicles. Wickes Building Supplies Limited (“Wickes”) is a case point example. As a well-known home improvement retailer and garden centre, with more than 230 stores throughout the country, Wickes’ transport operation plays a central role in the company’s domestic and trade service offering. A key part of this is managing the company’s fleet of 250+ vehicles to make sure it is compliant, maintained, and serviced to the highest

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standards, while also keeping track of repair and maintenance costs.

ark Wheeler, Wickes’ National Transport and Compliance Manager told us that Wickes’ fleet is all leased from a small number of suppliers, with each having a full repair and maintenance cover as part of the agreement. However, as part of the contract, Wickes is accountable for all non-repair and maintenance costs, i.e., damage, and historically, these costs were captured on spreadsheets in no great depth of detail. With Asset Finance, Mark confirmed that they can now capture and record these costs digitally, and analyse what particular vehicle parts are getting damaged, and if certain vehicle types are getting more damage than others for example. This is important because the majority of their fleet is operated by a third party, and by having this level of detail and analysis, they can challenge the third party as to how they operate the fleet on Wickes behalf and put pressure on them to reduce non-repair and maintenance spend.

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Since embedding Asset Finance, alongside Asset Maintenance, Mark said they have also introduced weekly cost surgeries with their in-house and 3PL partners. At these meetings, they are able to report on the findings from Asset Finance, challenge certain costs and receive credit back from the lease providers. Mark said:

Alongside Asset Maintenance, Asset Finance has been a game changer in how we can dynamically manage, track and report on repair and maintenance costs; the flexibility of the system also means we have adapted it to suit our company needs, and we can even manually create new categories, without incurring extra development costs. It has not only helped us operationally on a day-to-day basis, it is also saving us money.

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I think it’s interesting to see how Wickes is using Asset Finance to monitor external and internal repair and maintenance costs. It’s a different approach, and illustrates the flexibility of the system, as it is generally being used by operators with on-site workshops so that they have real-time control over purchasing. With a quarter of operators citing administration and the cost of third-party repair and maintenance as key challenges in this latest Hot Topic report; for our customers Asset Maintenance and Asset Finance is taking these headaches away, as proved by Wickes here, and other customers with vehicles on repair and maintenance contracts.

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

REMOTELY CLEVER By Mark Johnston, Aquarius Director Aquarius continues to see a huge increase in demand for tachograph remote downloading services; due in part to the road transport industry embedding digital technologies into all areas of their back-office operation, but also in response to the ongoing driver shortages, with operators wanting to have live data so they can maximise every available legal hour. According to Logistics UK, the HGV industry is around 60,000 drivers short of capacity, which is a lot better than it was in 2020, but there is still a huge gap to fill. For vehicles too, that might be away for weeks at a time (as per the Phoenix Bussing case study on pages 13 and 14), being able to have a fully automated remote downloading facility makes practical sense, it takes the onus off the driver to ease compliance management.

emote downloading alleviates the time-consuming process of physically downloading tachograph data, especially when drivers and vehicles are spread across the country, or abroad – by having the data more frequently, especially with staff shortages, we are seeing that transport managers are able to react more quickly and increase productivity. With our Tachograph Analysis software, operators are also able to monitor and manage tachograph data, remote downloading, driver / vehicle defects, driver debriefs, employee’s time and attendance, plus lots more, all from one source, one dashboard and one log-in.

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The software also integrates with our Asset Maintenance portal, which uses a range of smart and intuitive features to help operators manage company assets requiring periodic maintenance or inspection. This provides operators with a totally ‘connected’ software solution for processing, managing, analysing and reporting on all aspects of driver and vehicle data. It also helps operators drill deeper into this linked driver / vehicle data to derive wider operational and business benefits. Our integrated Tachograph Analysis software and Asset Maintenance portal are also accredited by the DVSA for the Earned Recognition Scheme, and in conjunction with the system’s Vehicle Defect Check App provides an all-encompassing digital solution for managing and reporting on KPIs related to vehicle maintenance / inspection and driver activity.

What is an API? As software developers, API is a term we use often, but what does it mean in plain English and what is its relevance to our road transport customers? Technically, API stands for Application Programming Interface - when using the web for work or social purposes you will undoubtedly be using an API in some form.

Partner APIs APIs are great because they allow online platforms to ‘speak’ with each other and thus allow businesses to automate a wide range of processes that previously would have been labour-intensive manual tasks. Aquarius has utilised API technology for many years and has made a wide range of data available, defined by a set of Partner APIs. A Partner API allows authorised developers, agreed by customers, to securely access data held within our Tachograph Analysis system. The data held within our Tachograph Analysis software is not only valuable for compliance but of course it represents a central store for employee information, vehicles and a whole range of up-to-date activity data. This data can be used to enhance third party systems or to help prevent duplication of data across disparate systems. Typical use cases would be for route planning, accounting, payroll or HR systems.

The job of an API is to simplify and facilitate integration of software solutions and data, produced and managed by different vendors / companies / businesses. Basically, an API allows otherwise incompatible systems to talk to one another. For example, a business website might use a form to schedule customer’s appointments online, and use Google Calendar to automatically create the event’s details. The API is the ‘connection’ between the business website and Google’s third-party server.

Plus, as the data held within our Tachograph Analysis software has expanded to include even more crucial business information in recent years, so has the request to access from third parties and industry partners, for example vehicle manufacturers and tracking solutions. The breadth and granularity of data held within our Tachograph Analysis software continues to expand and we constantly extend the API experience based on requests from third parties and industry partners. Examples of data available via API include; Employee, Vehicles, Defects, Infringements, Asset Status, Activity Data and Event Data such as forthcoming MOTs and service dates. Many existing customers are benefitting from the use of our API and integration packages. Whether they are looking to build internal bespoke management reports or streamline the transfer of tacho data, i.e. remote downloading. The API is proving to be a critical piece in the data jigsaw.

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT CASE STUDY – REMOTE DOWNLOADING FOR PRACTICALITY AND EASE Phoenix Bussing, who operate a large fleet of purpose-built 45ft long double decker buses, are renown in the music industry for supplying luxurious sleeper buses for on-tour artists, and their band and crew in the UK and all over Europe. Travelling artists have included Lady Gaga, The Killers, Muse, Ellie Goulding, Michael Bublé and Paloma Faith to name just several out of hundreds.

shortages; but for operators like Phoenix Bussing who might have a driver on a 3-week tour and then be off for a month before they email back downloaded data, remote downloading, and eSign, is fundamentally about logistics, practicality and ease – to ensure compliance.

Andy Gray, the company’s Transport Manager, is highly experienced at managing the huge logistical operation these tour schedules involve; behind the scenes too he also has the confidence in knowing his fleet of 16, 14 and 8-berth coaches and drivers, who will sometimes be out for months at a time without returning to base, are maintaining compliance thanks to investments the company made in software, namely remote downloading technology, a few years ago.

“When we first took on Aquarius’s Tachograph Analysis software, we had a mixed fleet of analogue and digital tachographs, and we issued drivers with handheld downloading devices for them to email their data back to base; but with drivers out for long periods of time, it soon became clear that some were better than others at remembering to download after the required 28 days or sometimes, they simply didn’t have access to a laptop so couldn’t email.

ince 2012, Phoenix Bussing has been using Aquarius’s Tachograph Analysis software to successfully manage and analyse all its driver and vehicle data relating to Drivers’ Hours Law (DHL). Soon after, in response to the then logistical issues involved in managing long-distance driver and vehicle digital data downloads, the company also integrated Aquarius’s remote downloading and eSign technology into their software package. An investment Andy says, was, and continues to be invaluable.

Andy explains:

It was time consuming chasing drivers and it made compliance difficult to manage, so we embraced remote downloading which took the onus off the driver. By integrating downloading technology, the software automatically tracks and manages the whole driver and vehicle data downloading process at a set time (normally early morning, when a driver leaves a venue) - without the need for human intervention, which has massively freed up my time. Aquarius also applied the same downloading solution As we’ve reported in this Product Focus, there has been a surge to vehicles touring in Europe, which are charged at the same standard rate. in demand for remote downloading because of labour

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Being a ‘remote’ operation eSign has helped us massively too; drivers are able to log into the software to see if they have infringements they can then be debriefed and can digitally sign them from anywhere in the country. They can also see their own calendar, which is useful because it gives them an overview of the hours driven in a week / fortnight and last rest breaks for example.”

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The software automatically tracks and manages the whole driver and vehicle data downloading process

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s an additional ‘remote’ management tool, Phoenix Bussing also utilises the software’s ‘Driver Decision Support’ functionality, which shows a live view of the remaining driving and rest times of each driver, enabling them to easily assign drivers to jobs, while staying compliant. They also use the Live Feed; a facility within the software that displays a real-time graphical representation of a driver’s shift in the form of a tachograph trace, which is updated every 60 seconds.

Test the systems using your own data

28 day trial Whether it’s tachograph analysis, defect reporting or Asset Maintenance, signing up for a trial enables you to:

Assess how our systems could improve your processes Give us feedback and ask questions before purchase Or get in touch with our team for more information on our services. PAGE 14

VIEW POINT TRANSPORT COMPLIANCE: THE PERSPECTIVE OF A RELATIVE “NEWBIE” By Alex Young, Aquarius Account Manager

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Having worked in the finance sector for several years, the concept of compliance is something I’m very familiar with; and now having worked at Aquarius for six months, I can see that parallels can easily be drawn with the road transport industry. They are both heavily regulated industries, and the necessity for compliance practices is paramount, as failure to follow procedures can carry strong potential penalties for both employer and employees alike. That being said, as a relative newbie there is still so much for me to learn, and it makes me appreciate how challenging it can be for operators to keep on top of the ever-changing compliance landscape and all its nuances (I’m talking Working Time!) – in addition to new digital tachographs being introduced and the increasing requirements for more comprehensive analysis and reporting. Not to mention the inevitable move from ICE to electric / hydrogen electric HGV’s. There is no doubt working in road transport and having compliance responsibilities can be complex. Luckily for our customers, we have some of the leading experts in Drivers’ Hour’s Law and Working Time here at Aquarius – with this breadth of knowledge and expertise, I quickly came to realise when I first joined that we are more than just a software company. Yes, we have a fantastic team of inhouse IT experts, but our integrated technologies are driven by our knowledge. By working with our customers, we apply our knowledge and expertise to create innovative IT solutions that solve every day (and ever-changing) compliance management headaches – and for operations of all different sizes who work across a multitude of sectors.

We apply our knowledge and expertise to create innovative IT solutions

The Aquarius ethos is all about wanting customers to be confident in the products they use – products that not only make compliance easier for them based on their individual needs, but that also make commercial / fiscal sense. Alongside this the role involves assisting in the selection of the correct hardware, appropriate software, onboarding new customers, customer management, training, assistance and support – it’s a varied and busy role; as such you really get to positively know your customers and understand what they need. I’m six months into the role now, I am still learning, and it’s clear my journey in pursuit of knowledge is going to be an ongoing one, but this is something I both relish and welcome.

Remote Downloading Remove the headache of time consuming, manual data downloading. Explore the timesavings and benefits of managing your fleet using remote downloading technology.

Benefit from: • Live tachograph information • Secure transfer of VU & driver data • Scheduled automated downloads • Secure server storage • More frequent access to data PAGE 15

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From scaffolders, to single owner drivers, to large fleets spread over multiple depots all around the UK there is not a one-size-fits-all solution, which is why as account / relationship managers it is important for us to offer a consultative approach first and foremost.

NEWS ROUND UP CELEBRATING LEADERSHIP, INNOVATION & EXCELLENCE At this year’s Motor Transport Awards, the road transport industry came together to celebrate leadership, innovation and excellence and we were honoured to present the final award of the evening – the Service to Industry Award - to Steven Granite, from Abbey Logistics Group (pictured). Congratulations to all the winners and finalists, including our customers Abbey Logistics for winning Operational Excellence and Team of the Year, and JM Clark Ltd who won the Best Use of Technology Award.

Thank you to our guests too: James Robinson from Lineage Logistics, Dan Lummis and Oliver Smith from Eastern Concrete Ltd, Beverley Bell CBE, and Jim Welch and Chris Welch of Welch’s Transport Ltd. Over in Northern Ireland on the 15th September, we also had a great evening at the annual Export & Freight Magazine awards in Northern Ireland - congratulations to all the winners, with a special mention to our customer BONDELIVERY NI who won ‘Logistics & Warehousing Specialist of the Year’.

HIKING 26 MILES FOR ALZHEIMER’S SOCIETY At the beginning of September, Adam Jones, one of our software developers, successfully completed Trek26, a 26-mile hike around the Stonehenge area, to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society in memory of his grandfather Ivor. Congratulations Adam - and you can still show your support here. Every penny donated to this cause will help to fund potentially life-changing research for this disease that affects so many individuals and families.

SEE YOU AT FORS On 2nd November, we will be exhibiting at the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme’s (FORS) sixth annual conference, which is being held at the ICC in Birmingham. Our focus will be to show how our fleet compliance and data management systems can provide the FORS community with an efficient and smarter way of managing their compliance responsibilities. PAGE 16

TALKING COMPLIANCE

By Marc Caplin, Aquarius’s Compliance Advisor

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LOADING AND UNLOADING ON A GEN2 V2 TACHOGRAPH All brand-new vehicles registered after 21st August 2023 will have the new Gen2v2 tachograph fitted and, even though drivers should experience no fundamental differences in functionality, we have started to receive a few questions from customers who are now employing them. The main query is about the newly added facility that requires drivers to record loading activities via the tachograph. This function was added to the Gen2v2 tachograph following a piece of EU legislation introduced in 2019 which amended EU Regulation 165/2014 - the main article which laid out the main requirement for the Smart tachograph prior to its introduction.

t was this original 2014 document that specified the relevant requirements regarding satellite positioning i.e., start and end of shift and once every three driving hours; the update published in 2019 adds to that the further requirement to record the location of the vehicle during loading and unloading activities. In light of this, there has been some confusion as to what the driver will be required to do and, in truth, the situation remains unclear. For those few people who were aware that this new function existed, the assumption was that entries would be made via an additional mode that would sit alongside the existing Drive/ Other Work/ Rest/ POA selections, or at least would be easily accessed with the minimum of button-presses. PAGE 17

It remains good practice for drivers to make all necessary records throughout their duty period.

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Like other third-party providers, we only managed to gain access to Gen2v2 test equipment during the summer and, in carrying out our own exercises, it would appear that this loading/ unloading function is actually somewhat hidden from view! Therefore, there are three possible choices that a driver can make: 1. Loading 2. Unloading 3. Loading & Unloading as a combined activity. These entries are made by accessing the same area of the tachograph menu that drivers would use to enter a ferry/ train crossing or to put the tachograph into “out of scope” mode. This means that each time the driver stops to carry out any sort of unloading activity, they would need to do the following after putting the tachograph into “Other Work” mode:

VDO On a VDO unit, press OK to access the main menu and, using the arrow buttons, scroll down to ENTRY VEHICLE. They would then press ok again and then scroll down to LOAD/ UNLOAD as represented by the following icons. Press the BACK button to leave the main menu.

Stoneridge The process on a Stoneridge tachograph is almost identical; the driver presses OK to access the menu and scrolls down to PLACES. After pressing OK again, they scroll down to LOAD/ UNLOAD to make the relevant recording. Again, press the BACK button to leave the main menu.

In both cases, the tachograph will then record the vehicle’s location during the activity in question. Regardless of which tachograph type is being used, clearly this is not exactly a single-click process. If we consider a driver that is part of a multi-drop operation, the implications of this are clear. Under current legislation, it is still a legal requirement to record loading/unloading activities whilst the tachograph is set to ‘Other Work’ mode.

With regards to the new loading/ unloading recording procedure specific to Gen2 v2 models as outlined above, there is currently no sanction available if drivers fail to do this. However, it remains best practice for drivers to make all necessary records throughout their duty period. It is also worth noting that enforcement around this area may vary across different EU member states so best to err on the side of caution if operating internationally.

Q&A With Guy Reynolds, Aquarius’s co-founder and an authority on drivers’ hours legislation and associated digital tachograph compliance answers. As a member of CORTE (the Confederation of Road Transport Enforcement), Guy reports back on the most recent meeting and provides his advice on the most pressing questions asked about the new Gen2v2 tachograph. Are there supply issues with the new Gen 2v2 tachograph, and what does it mean for vehicles registered from 21st August?

the UK, BUT if that vehicle was to cross a border into an EU country, it will need to be fitted with a Gen 2v2 immediately. What are the timescales for retrofitting the new Gen 2v2?

There are potential supply issues from the tachograph manufacturers specifically for Gen 2v2. This means because the new EU legislation specifies that the new Gen 2v2 must be fitted to all new vehicles registered from 21st August, at some point the Gen 2v2 will need to be retro fitted to vehicles that have been registered since this date. In addition, the vehicle may also need to go back to the truck dealer and be plugged into the diagnostics system for an update – this is to ensure that all the interactions that the vehicle has with the tachograph, such as dashboard massages for drivers’ hours information, are working coherently. There is a slight complication to this for UK registered and operated vehicles. As we understand it, post Brexit, there is no legislative requirement for UK to fit a Gen 2v2 tachograph. An operator could legally operate a vehicle with a Gen 2 rather than a Gen 2v2 tachograph if the vehicle is only operated in

All we know currently is that some vehicles registered since the 21st August deadline are being delivered with a previous version of the GEN2 tachograph (not the specified Gen 2v2). This is simply because there are not enough Gen 2v2 tachograph units currently available to cope with the demand. At some point, a date will be set to enforce the mandatory fitment on vehicles since 21st August, but this hasn’t been confirmed yet. What about enforcement? Because of this short supply, the EU states and the UK DVSA are currently taking a relaxed approach to enforcement of the new Gen 2v2 tachograph. Who will bear the cost of the retro-fit? Good question, let us know when you find out! PAGE 18

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