CONNECTED Spring 2023

In this issue:

NEW GATEWAY FOR DEFECT CHECKS

This everyday routine is providing much wider business benefits for operators, and we’ll share our viewpoints on why this is opening up a new gateway of opportunities

Customer Spotlight

Essex Bulk Services discuss how they protect their assets

By

TIME & ATTENDANCE

Why every second counts for Freshlinc and Collett & Sons Ltd

CONTENTS

Issue 2 - Spring 2023

Page 2 WELCOME

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

Page 3/4

BACK ON THE SHOW TRAIL

As Liz Haselden, our Marketing Manager, gets ready for another year of trade shows, she explains why these events provide so much more than just sales leads alone.

Page 5/6 NEWS ROUND UP

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

Page 7/8

CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT

Essex Bulk Services mark 10 years of working with Aquarius and talk about recent software developments, including Asset Maintenance and becoming the first operator to take on the new Asset Finance software.

Page 9/12

CUSTOMER TALK

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

PAGE 13/14

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Shining a light on Time & Attendance with Freshlinc and Collett & Sons, who clarify why every second counts.

PAGE 15/16 VIEWPOINTS

Subir Gupta, our National Account Manager discusses the topical issue of defect checks and the emergence of digital gate checks.

PAGE 17/19

TALKING COMPLIANCE

Marc Caplin, our Compliance Manager shares his advice on clandestine checks with fines recently being increased, the new G2V2 digital tachograph, and the importance of Working Time.

PAGE 20

EARNED RECOGNITION

Have you got what it takes to gain Earned Recognition status and are you ready to take the test?

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Customer Support: 0330 333 8788

Sales Team: 0330 333 8789

WELCOME

To the Spring issue of CONNECTED, and following our most successful year in 2022, we have lots of news and updates to share you with, including an interview with Essex Bulk Services who were one of the first customers to start using our new Asset Finance feature.

As we have discussed many times, the digital tide is turning with more and more operators focussed on digitising and integrating the majority of their employee and vehicle back-office operations. This is positive for us and it’s why 2022 was our best yet (evidenced by 75% of the customers who joined us in the last 12-months using the full capabilities of our software - and who are now saving both time and money by working more efficiently). Time & Attendance, our product spotlight in this issue, is a great example of this, because it is one of the many functional features within the software that have grown into becoming an important ‘added value’ solution within our integrated model.

The pandemic, and the need to work more efficiently in the current climate have definitely been two of the most influential factors in this digital boom, as well as maybe a gradual shift in demographics, with younger generations at family-run businesses for example, taking more control. As an extension to this, it is also interesting and really positive to see how customers have embraced digital and are now using the integration of our systems to gain much wider business benefits. The article on Defect Checking and Gate Checks, and their connection with Asset Maintenance is a case point on page 14.

Integration, integration, integration will continue to be the key theme for us this year, and we look forward to continuing to work with our customers to make sure they gain the maximum benefits from our software solutions. This month,

also marks the start of the trade show season, with the Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC starting on the 18th April – come by and see us in Hall 5 on Stand B72 and we can demonstrate our integrated approach to managing driver and vehicle data, and show you the new Asset Finance system.

We hope you enjoy reading this issue of CONNECTED, and please do get in touch if you’d like to be included in a future issue, or have ideas for technical or compliance related features.

Mark Johnston Director

MAKING CONNECTIONS

BACK ON THE SHOW TRAIL

I guess we’re not the only ones but, the Aquarius team have received numerous emails over the last 12 months or so containing comments from stand builders, exhibition companies, event organisers and sales people suggesting that exhibitions are back and more popular than ever! Our experience from 2022 backs that up. Over the last 12 months, we’ve been lucky enough to have travelled the country and visited numerous exhibition centres, golf courses and hotels as sponsors, visitors, speakers and exhibitors.

Whilst at the CV Show, ITT Hub and Road Transport Expo last year, it was evident that visitors were pleased to be out and about again, checking out the latest tech, vehicles and software. Each show promised something different, and they all delivered – see my previous blog on this

‘Show

Time – Starring The Young, The Old and the New’.

During their time on the stands with us, it was good to have the opportunity to catch-up with customers and industry colleagues, discuss how the industry has moved on since COVID and have honest discussions about the pitfalls and benefits of some of the latest industry legislation updates. I’m sure this will be the same this year, with the introduction of another tachograph in August.

What we love about shows is the personal connection and every event last year allowed us the time to demonstrate all

the new features in the software – and showcase Asset Maintenance for example which we introduced at the start of the pandemic, so it was really its first time out at an exhibition last year.

As a team, central to what we do is listen and work with our customers, and exhibitions, trade events, award ceremonies and corporate days all give us the opportunity to share ideas, gain insight and respond directly to comments and suggestions about the software. From speaking and listening to customers, and understanding their day-to-day challenges, we gain many new ideas – so many golden nuggets.

In line with this, it is important for us that the whole team, especially the newer members and apprentices, get to experience some of these events so that they can connect with customers and gain their own insights. Our technical, sales and support members will each look at things from their own different perspectives and expertise, and this 360° approach is fantastic for spurring innovation and promoting team spirit.

Liz Haselden, our Marketing Manager, who over the course of her career has attended and visited hundreds of trade shows, is looking forward to getting fully back on the show trail this year. She explains here why, and why these events provide so much more than just sales leads alone – how they open the door to a world of insightful ideas, and help drive innovation.

Behind every innovative product idea is a golden nugget of customer insight.

Exhibitions also give us marketers the opportunity to gain feedback, and sense and observe customer reactions. An example of this was towards the end of last year, when Euro Bus Expo gave us the perfect, and most timely opportunity to showcase our new logo and brand identity in all of its glory – and I’m pleased to say the reaction was super positive.

Looking forward to 2023, due to the expansion of our software portfolio and alliances, there is a world of untapped opportunities and alongside this comes a plethora of new and different events that are catching our eye – as well as opportunities to keep on celebrating and championing the industry. Wherever we choose to exhibit this year outside of the aforementioned traditional road transport shows, the team will be doing it with a smile because we know we will gain those golden nuggets of insight that will keep driving our innovations – and our customer’s businesses.

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The Aquarius team will be showcasing our full range of compliance and Earned Recognition approved management solutions at this year’s trade shows, starting with the Commercial Vehicle Show in April, then ITT Hub and Road Transport Expo, ending with Coach and Bus UK in November.

Alongside this, visitors to each of the shows will be able to find out more about our latest Asset Finance system and why Time & Attendance has grown in importance in recent times.

Theatre discussion

At the CV Show, Aquarius’s Compliance Manager, Marc Caplin, will also be presenting in the ‘Road Ahead’ Theatre on Wednesday 19th April at 2.30pm, to discuss the new Smart TACHO VERSION 2 and what the arrival of this new technology later this year will mean for operators – again more on this on page 16.

Optimizing the power of algorithms for net-zero journeys

We are also looking forward to supporting our partner, Optimize, at their brand launch party on the 13th of April. Known as the Algorithm People, they help fleets and organisations reduce costs, increase productivity, and decarbonise using their powerful algorithms and software technology, enabling the journey to net zero.

NEWS ROUND UP

THE LITTLE THINGS

Sometimes, it’s the little things that make all the difference and over the last few months, our development team have been making lots of little updates to the software, which users can stay up-to-date with via the ‘New Features’ tab. Here are just a few of the examples following customer feedback, which have been created to quicken and ease processes and give users instant visibility on calls to action:

• Dedicated Fleet Overview Screen, which allows the user to see an overview of different metrics related to Asset Maintenance and Defect App such as fixed defects, total VOR days and whether schedules have been completed on time

• Generate unique PO Numbers against events and orders

• Asset Maintenance events now shown on vehicle calendar

• New dashboard panels for ‘Expiring’ Driver Cards and ‘Expiring Permits’

• Signature fields added for customer digital event sheets

• Vehicle lookup API

• Ability to plan events over multiple days

• Technician analysis with activity viewable in charts and tables

• QR code configuration.

NEW ‘HOW TO’ VIDEOS TUTORIALS

It’s almost impossible to remember absolutely everything you learn in a training session, which is why our support team are always available to help and provide guidance. As further support and as a back-up to the training, we’ve also recently created a library of new bitesize ‘How to’ tutorial videos covering the questions we are frequently asked.

The voice over videos provide a step-by-step guide on how to use various elements within the software, and act as useful prompts / reminders for existing users and for those discovering new elements of the software.

JOIN US BACK ON FACEBOOK

We have started a brand new company page over on Facebook – please take a look and Like / Follow us.

RECOGNISING THOSE WHO DELIVERED THE GOODS IN 2022

We are super proud to be supporting the 2023 Motor Transport Awards for the 6th year in a row, and we look forward to celebrating all the finalists and the winner’s achievements on the 6th of September at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

2022 was another difficult year for the industry - as Subir Gupta said in his review of 2022, “So having worked through a pandemic I have to admit I thought we had seen it all. I spoke too soon, because 2022 presented us all with a whole new set of challenges!”. Despite this, the industry once again rose to the challenge and the Motor Transport Awards will recognise the achievements of the people and operators who continued to deliver the goods in 2022.

INTRODUCING OUR NEW DIGITAL BROCHURE

Over the last year, we have noticed a shift in mindset throughout the industry, with more and more operators looking to digitise their back-office operations and have all the systems on one single, integrated platform. We expect this to continue through 2023 and 2024 as more and more operators see the benefits of this ‘connected’ approach. In support we launched a new online brochure in January which explains how our portfolio of digital solutions all integrate to provide road transport operators with a smarter, and reliable way of managing their driver and vehicle compliance responsibilities.

TAKING STOCK

It’s been a busy few months for the despatch department who have been shipping out thousands of digital and downloading devices to customers all over the UK, including our remote downloading tools, which are really popular. Take a look at our comprehensive range of hardware solutions and all our stationery products via our online shop

GIVING SUBIR A BREAK

Away from work, Subir Gupta likes to take a break by playing pool in his spare time, and he has recently reignited his passion for the sport by joining the Warrington Independent Pool League.

Aquarius has agreed to support Subir by sponsoring his kit for his league matches and tournaments, and for when he plays in a separate North West singles league.

CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT

PROTECTING YOUR ASSETS

Essex Bulk Services started with our tachograph analysis software over 10 years ago, when at the time they were managing 20 trucks … fast forward to today, and the family-run business, specialists in transporting bulk materials regionally and across the UK, operates 120 trucks and 140 trailers, maintain and repair their vehicles in their onsite workshop, which is also offered commercially and now operate their very own Driver CPC training academy.

To mark this decade, Subir Gupta, who has been managing the account since the beginning, spoke to Craig Childs, the company’s Director and Transport Manager, about more recent software developments, including Asset Maintenance and becoming one of the first operators to recently take on the new Asset Finance module.

First, what made you decide to change from arguably one of the biggest fleet maintenance software providers to Asset Maintenance?

Aquarius has been our preferred supplier for tachograph analysis software for 10 years now, and since then we’ve successfully embedded many of your driver compliance tools including Time & Attendance and eSIGN into our systems. We then looked at your fleet compliance tools with the idea of having everything related to our driver and vehicle data integrated in one system and all the reporting functions on one App for the drivers, and so added Driver Defect.

As you’ve said, we already had in place a sophisticated digital system for vehicle maintenance as we run a busy workshop for our own 260 assets and external customers, but when we

took on the daily walkaround checks, we liked the idea of the cross-integration of Asset Maintenance with the Driver Defect App, so you persuaded us to give it a trial!

What did you think at this trial stage?

Aside from all the operational, cost and compliance benefits that you inherently derive from integrating driver defects with a live vehicle maintenance system, what stood out for us was the flexibility of Asset Maintenance as compared to our current provider at the time. We liked the fact that we would have control of the system, and would be able to make the everyday changes we need in the workshop without incurring several hundreds of pounds in development costs each time a part number needs to be updated for example. This was one of the main business reasons for us taking on Asset Maintenance and we’ve never looked back.

what stood out for us was the flexibility of Asset Maintenance

”

CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT

Are there any other advantages of having all your driver and vehicle data integrated onto one platform?

Many. As a FORS Gold and Mission Zero operator we take our compliance responsibilities very seriously, and as part of this we must be able to demonstrate a consistent standard of roadworthiness and compliance, which the software enables us to do. At the click of a button, we are now able to report on all our KPIs related to driver and vehicle compliance.

For ease of management too, having all our driver / vehicle data on one platform gives us greater visibility, meaning we are able to target ‘hot spots’ in real time. Plus, it means we are not having to maintain more than one data set – its simply easier and more efficient.

Equally for managing driver data, the connectivity between all the driver and fleet compliance systems, gives us a deeper layer of information when it comes to real-time analysis, forward-planning and compliance reporting.

Are there any added considerations because you run a commercial workshop?

Yes, as a commercial workshop with external customers, we also have to exercise due diligence when it comes to vehicle safety. For example, if we have inspected a vehicle and made recommendations that the owner chooses not to do, and then that vehicle is involved in an investigation or accident, we need to be able to show the DVSA our record of inspection. With Asset Maintenance we have a full audit trail for all our PMIs.

Moving on to our new system Asset Finance, you were one of the first to test and trial it alongside Asset Maintenance, what did you think?

To be honest it’s another gamechanger for us running a busy commercial workshop. It enables us to intuitively manage our inventory and suppliers, and monitor maintenance / part costs by asset type, tankers vs trailers vs. trucks for example in real time. Plus, like Asset Maintenance, the system is completely flexible which ensures it meets our company’s specific needs.

open to suggestions and if they are commercially viable, you will put new developments in place. By having one company and one account manager to call for driver and fleet software support, also makes life a lot easier.

CUSTOMER TALK

CAMBRIDGE’S FIRST NET ZERO DELIVERY SERVICE

Keeping their customers happy is at the heart of Welch’s Transport business, and the family firm is now gearing up to provide local businesses in Cambridge with a net zero pallet delivery service as it awaits the arrival of its first fully electric Renault HGV. Speaking on Linked In, Welch’s Transport said: “We understand the growing importance of sustainability to all businesses and we are ready to work with our Cambridge customers to support them with their eco-targets.”

SOLAR BOOST FOR MCBURNEY

Following a one-year trial, McBurney Transport Group is fitting solar panels to 146 of its new refrigerated trailers. The 50W panels will keep the fridge batteries charged to prevent breakdowns. Speaking to Motor Transport magazine, Sammy Hamill, the company’s fleet transport manager said: “We were surprised to see how such a simple solution could provide the answer to the battery issues that are increasingly common in the refrigerated transport industry.”

TORQUING ABOUT THE PROS AND CONS OF RUNNING ON GAS

On episode 15 of the Torquing Trucks podcast, Harry Campey, Commercial and Operations director at Campeys of Selby, spoke to Will Shiers, the editor of Commercial Motor about the pros and cons of running on gas, and why his family haulier’s fleet is no longer exclusively Scania.

HIGH COMMENDATIONS FOR ALTRAD AT THE FLEET NEWS AWARDS

Congratulations to Altrad Services, who use both our tachograph analysis and asset maintenance software solutions, for being highly commended at the 2023 Fleet News Awards in the categories of ‘Excellence in Fleet Safety and Compliance’ and for ‘Fleet of the Year: 251-1000 Vehicles’.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

TIME & ATTENDANCE - EVERY SECOND COUNTS

By Mark Johnston, Aquarius Director

Why is this important?

Many organisations in the road transport industry operate around different time zones with employees working all different kinds of shift patterns or remotely across depots. All these factors have traditionally made it difficult for employers to keep an accurate track of employee’s time and attendance, and efficiently manage expenses related to pay and holiday requests.

Our Time & Attendance system was originally developed to help customers manage all these administratively burdensome tasks, but it was only really during the pandemic when digital became more prolific that customers started to truly see all the wider business benefits of digitising the way they manage employee’s time and attendance, specifically of ‘non-activity’ based hours.

This was further fused by every second needing to be monitored because of driver shortages and remote working becoming more prevalent; this augmented Time and Attendance and made it into an important ‘added value’ solution within Aquarius’s integrated model.

Its connectivity with our tacho-analysis data, means that it can help operators dynamically manage tasks related to employee hours, shifts / rotas, holidays, expenses and pay in one integrated system – with all our customers citing a significant reduction in paperwork and increased efficiencies with the software able to be configured by department, by over-time specifications, and by pay classes and work schedules.

Remote employees are happier too, they are not only able to clock in and out (and if they forget to clock out a notification will be sent to the manager), but they are also able to request holidays and capture / submit their expenses via a smart phone for office staff to approve. This alleviates employees constantly having to query their pay, or question why holidays are taking longer than they should to be approved.

Not so long ago, the ‘clock in and clock out’ punch cards were the only feasible way of keeping a record of employee’s hours; and while they worked to a degree, customers were always looking for a more efficient and accurate capture method. This all changed with advancements in mobile phone technology, with Time and Attendance software replacing the classic time clock, to help employers gain greater insight and monitor employee’s true start and end times in real time.

For all its benefits, Time and Attendance is also such a simple system to set-up, with minimal startup costs via the Aquarius App (which drivers using the App for Defect Reporting, Document Manager or Infringements will already be familiar with) and no additional investment in hardware required as it is compatible with a variety of smart devices including industry favourites such as the digipost Pro, Smart Phones and the Lisle Download Terminal.

Ashley Holland, Freshlinc’s Commercial Director, has been using Time & Attendance for several years to manage the end-to-end process of managing driver’s timesheets, and he said:

“For context before Time & Attendance, the administration involved in handling paper timesheets was a long labour-intensive process; from gathering the timesheets on a Monday, to then manually marrying the information with the tachograph’s start and end times, through to authorisation and accounts having to create spreadsheets ready for payroll would take three whole days to complete – and during this

arduous weekly process, simple things like the accounts team not being able to read a driver’s handwriting was a regular occurrence.

Time & Attendance instantly removed every one of these barriers; we can see timesheets live in real-time, automatically map them against the daily tachograph downloads in the analysis software and authorise them digitally, and remotely, as we go along. Then we simply process them in 2-3 hours on a Tuesday morning and digitally export them direct to payroll at the touch of a button. It is as simple as that, and you don’t need to invest in expensive hardware equipment, as it all runs on the Aquarius App through a web browser.

In addition to simplifying and making the timesheet process efficient, it has also given us a traceable, reportable, and auditable system, and through its integration with Aquarius’s tachograph analysis software it further supports our compliance responsibilities – we can analyse and report on the data more effectively, and the system will flag driver infringements in relation to hours worked.

Being web-based, it also works effectively for our shift drivers and staff who work remotely. This became even more evident through COVID when Time & Attendance was invaluable and proved what a great system it was. Our drivers like it too, everything is visible in the Aquarius App on their mobile devices and they don’t have to carry around reams of paper.

We would highly recommend Time & Attendance, it’s a simple system that has created so many big time-saving efficiencies across the business.”

”

A traceable, reportable, and auditable system

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Nigel Thornton, Compliance Director at Collett & Sons Ltd, cites the connection between Time & Attendance and the digital tachograph data as one of the biggest benefits of the system, operationally and administratively – and said there is no other transport system on the market like Aquarius in terms of its connectivity and the way all the driver and vehicle reporting tools ‘talk’ to each other.

Specifically, on Time & Attendance, Nigel said: “We transferred our previous digital timesheet system over to Time & Attendance because it didn’t interact as well as Aquarius’s software system does with the digital tachograph data. This was an important time-saving and cost factor for us in terms of being able to easily map and overlay both sets of data to assess drivers’ hours being claimed and actual hours worked. The holiday request functionality is also a massive boost, as we can quickly reply to drivers, and also add to the tachograph data, saving both time and paperwork.

28 day trial

Our drivers, of all tech levels, also like the simplicity and the interactivity of the Aquarius App and the fact they have one login on their mobile device for all their daily reporting responsibilities; from defect checking to document management, accident reporting, and timesheets.

For us it’s also about the technical support Aquarius provides and with their in-house team, we have been able to tweak and play with Time & Attendance, as well as the other modules within the Aquarius App, to ensure it fits our exact business needs.”

Test the systems using your own data

Assess how our systems could improve your processes

Give us feedback and ask questions before purchase

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

Or get in touch with our team for more information on our services.

”

” There is no other transport system on the market like Aquarius in terms of its connectivity

NEW GATEWAY OPENS FOR DEFECT CHECKING

Subir Gupta, our National Account Manager, discusses the topical issue of defect checks and the emergence of digital gate checks.

As we all know daily defect checking is essential for both compliance and safety, and digital systems like our Aquarius App have made the traditionally laborious process easier to manage and audit over the last decade – but as the technology has evolved with more operators linking the data to back-office systems, much wider business benefits are being derived from this everyday routine.

Principally, daily defect checking is vital from the point of view of complying with the rules and regulations required to maintain an operator’s licence; this relates to always ensuring the safe and proper use of vehicles for the safety of drivers and other road users. Central to this, is also consideration of the impact on a business if a traffic commissioner were to suspend or revoke the O-licence if vehicles are found to be unsafe. Whether operators use a paper-based or a digital system to manage daily walkaround checks, compliance and safety is the foremost priority.

However, there are knock-on business benefits of using a digital defect checking system, especially when linked with a vehicle maintenance system, like Asset Maintenance.

Freeburn Transport in Co.Tyrone is a case example. Rian Doyle, the fleet maintenance co-ordinator said: “Using these two systems hand-in-hand, and being able to have linked information in real time is where we’ve seen the biggest difference, and has resulted in significantly reduced VOR days, saving us time and money.

We also use the automated planner in Asset Maintenance for maintenance scheduling and MOT dates, and with our digitised maintenance inspections going straight into the portal we now have a full audit trail and complete paperless storage solution for all our vehicles requiring periodic maintenance or inspection. With all these systems now in place, monitoring and maintaining our compliance, driver safety, and the roadworthiness of our vehicles has become a much easier task.”

With technology making defect checking a much simpler process to manage, and the inherent benefits that are being achieved by integrating the live data with tacho analysis and vehicle maintenance systems, more and more operators are also now applying an added layer of defect inspection. This includes introducing spot checks at the gate to verify that a) drivers are following daily defect checking procedures effectively and b) to cross-examine that defects have been recorded correctly to allow for further investigation and action.

By having access to the live defect data, operators are able to get notified instantly about a minor vehicle fault, like a chip in the windscreen for example, and get it fixed before it turns into a crack and an expensive windscreen replacement job with a VOR, which saves both time and money. Being able to then cross-link this data with Asset Maintenance, operators can use the automated planner to schedule periodic maintenance or inspections in real time; thus, creating efficiencies and cost savings.

With Aquarius’s robust Gate Check module, users at the gate are able to run through the same defect check template as the driver and automatically compare the results. Areas of discrepancy are quickly flagged, and can be used to open an investigation. The integration with our tacho analysis software also allows the results of the investigation to be presented as part of the driver’s infringement report.

Just like the Defect Checking App, Gate Check provides detailed record-keeping of any investigations that take place, and this enables an operator to provide further evidence of a clear process and audit trail when it comes to the monitoring of daily defects.

TALKING COMPLIANCE

With Marc Caplin, our Compliance Manager

INCREASE IN FINES FOR CLANDESTINE ENTRANTS … HOW WE CAN HELP!

On February 13th 2023, the law on clandestine entrant civil penalties changed with fines rising sharply, which has made many operators stand up and think how they can quickly put enhanced protection systems in place.

Previously, both the driver and the operator could be fined £2,000 per head for any clandestine entrant found on a vehicle but the new changes see these fines increase to a potential £10,000 per individual found.

The issue of load security and unauthorised access has long been a hot topic for those transport undertakings operating internationally but we have seen the incoming changes sharpen some operators’ minds even further.

There is a requirement for an operator to have an efficient system in place to monitor the checking of vehicle and load security and the driver is responsible for carrying out checks on their vehicle and trailer each time they stop to load and unload; this is where Aquarius can help!

Operators and drivers have used the Aquarius App for the recording of defects for many years, but it is worth noting that the App also has a Security Check function. Security Check has been specifically designed to assist drivers in effectively checking the security of their vehicle and trailer, using a fully customisable template that can be altered to suit the individual needs of the operation.

Once completed, the details of the check, along with any photographic evidence, can be transmitted back to base where the data can be logged and investigated if need be.

Security Check can comprise part of an effective monitoring system that could assist an operator in gaining accreditation under the Border Force’s Civil Penalty Accreditation Scheme. In the event that a clandestine entrant is found on a vehicle, operators who are members of the Scheme may be able to reduce or avoid fines, so long as they can provide evidence that they were operating in accordance with any monitoring systems they have in place.

FreshLinc who were one of our first customers to start using the Security Check said their customers have also praised them for successfully introducing the App.

“By having live traceable and auditable digital information, showing them full diligence whilst their product is transiting across borders gives our FreshLinc customers peace of mind.”

ABOUT THE NEW G2V2

In August 2023, we will see the introduction of yet another new tachograph with all new vehicles registered after this date due to be fitted with the next iteration of the smart tachograph.

In order to avoid confusion with the different versions of unit that have preceded it, the term G2V2 has been coined when referring to this new unit (Generation 2, Version 2). This new unit will include additional features that were not added to original Gen2 units introduced in mid-2019. Notably, this includes more detailed location tracking, which could prove useful for those vehicles that are operating internationally, as the new functionality should make the recording of border-crossings easier.

The new devices are also due to feature Bluetooth compatibility with the aim of making it simpler for drivers to record manual entries via their phone which can then be transmitted to the tachograph and written to the driver card. Given the number of conversations with operators about the current record-keeping requirements, this sounds like it could be a welcome addition! However, at this stage, details regarding how this would work remain sketchy but more information on this should be made available over the next few months.

Another new feature is the requirement to record the type of load that the vehicle is carrying (i.e., goods or passengers) along with the location of any load or unloading activity. It remains to be seen how much additional work this will create but, again, more details will be made available throughout the course of this year.

The introduction of an updated tachograph will also mean we will see a further revision to the driver card in preparation for the extension of roadside record keeping from 28 to 56 days due to be introduced at the end of 2024.

The term G2V2 has been coined when referring to this new unit (Generation 2, Version 2).

TALKING COMPLIANCE

STOP AND THINK ABOUT WTD

If you are of a mind, and we know there are some, that do not really worry about Working Time Directive (WTD), please think again as this article from Commercial Motor in January clearly demonstrates that traffic commissioners do take breaches seriously and licences are at risk.

If you are concerned, please talk to us about our Off Fleet driving report, which helps operators spot if WTD breaches are happening.