Tachograph Analysis Services
›Tachograph Analysis Services help operators turn raw driver card and vehicle-unit downloads into a clear compliance record. Finding
Construction fleets are difficult to control because the work changes faster than the paperwork. A tipper may spend one week on clean highway work and the next on a rough site where tyres, lights, bodywork and suspension take repeated punishment. Low-loaders move different items of plant, hired vehicles appear at short notice, and delivery pressure can encourage people to accept a defect, an unsuitable load or a missed inspection. A construction fleet compliance review tests whether the operator’s licence arrangements and day-to-day controls still match the work actually being done.
This service is for goods vehicle operators in Great Britain. It is an independent commercial review, not a DVSA inspection or a decision by a Traffic Commissioner.
Where construction fleet controls commonly break down
The problem is rarely one missing document. More often, several small gaps connect. A vehicle returns from site with damaged tyres, but the defect report lacks enough detail. A repair is completed, but there is no recorded sign-off before release. A hired tipper is added for a project, but its maintenance evidence and licence position are not checked in the same way as the core fleet. A low-loader has suitable chains, yet nobody has recorded how the excavator or attachment should be positioned and restrained.
Project pressure also changes behaviour. Drivers may be directed by site staff who do not understand the operator’s systems. Loads can vary between spoil, pallets, pipes, steel, cabins and plant, each requiring different judgement.
What the review checks
- Licence scope and control: the correct legal entity, licence type, operating centres, authorised vehicle and trailer limits, margin for replacements, and how hired or temporary vehicles are brought under control.
- Maintenance under arduous conditions: whether inspection intervals remain suitable for site use, age and condition, and whether recurring damage leads to a documented change in checks, servicing or inspection frequency.
- Driver defect reporting: the quality of walkaround checks, meaningful nil-defect reporting where used, defect assessment, repair evidence and confirmation that safety-critical defects prevent use.
- Brake, tyre and wheel evidence: brake-performance records, tyre management, wheel security and follow-up where reports show imbalance, low performance or repeated damage.
- Plant and material load security: instructions, equipment and supervision for low-loaders, tippers, flatbeds and other vehicles carrying plant, loose material, pallets, pipes or fabricated sections.
- Drivers’ hours and working time: downloads, analysis, infringements, agency-driver controls and the effect of long site waits, early starts and changing project schedules.
- Management action: whether recurring exceptions are escalated, assigned, completed and reviewed rather than simply filed.
Records sampled during the review
A useful review does not rely on one tidy vehicle file. The sample should cover different vehicles, drivers, dates and types of work, including at least some higher-risk activity. Records may include the operator licence and vehicle schedule, maintenance planner, preventive maintenance inspection reports, brake-test evidence, driver defect reports, repair invoices, tyre and wheel records, tachograph reports, driver files, agency inductions, hired-vehicle checks, load plans, restraint records, site incident reports and management meeting notes.
The sample is traced from event to closure. For example, a damaged tyre reported after site work should lead to an assessment, repair or replacement, a clear vehicle status and any wider action required. A poor brake result should not sit in isolation if later records do not show investigation or retest.
What the operator receives
The output should be practical enough to use after the review. The operator receives a written summary of the areas examined, the evidence sampled, identified gaps and a prioritised action list. Where evidence is incomplete, the report should say what needs to be found, created or checked rather than implying that absence automatically proves a breach.
The review can also identify questions that need separate specialist or legal advice, such as uncertainty over the correct licence type, a proposed change of entity, regulator correspondence or a formal Traffic Commissioner process.
When to ask for help
Request a review before a new contract materially changes the fleet or work, before adding tippers, low-loaders or an operating centre, after rapid growth or repeated use of hired vehicles, or when defects, brake results, missed inspections, tachograph exceptions or load-security concerns keep returning. It is also sensible before a DVSA visit, licence application or variation, response deadline, audit, public inquiry preparation or change of Transport Manager.
When making an enquiry, provide the licence type, fleet and trailer numbers, vehicle types, operating centres, typical loads, maintenance provider, current concern and any fixed deadline.
Frequently asked questions
Does a restricted operator licence remove the need for fleet compliance controls?
No. A restricted licence does not normally require a nominated Transport Manager, but the licence holder remains responsible for roadworthiness, drivers, loading, records and compliance with its undertakings.
Should site vehicles have shorter safety-inspection intervals?
Not automatically, but the interval must be suitable for the vehicle, its age, condition, use and operating environment. Arduous site work, recurring defects or weak inspection results may justify more frequent inspections or additional checks. The decision should be evidence-led and reviewed.
Can a hired vehicle use the supplier’s maintenance system?
The operator still needs to satisfy itself that the vehicle is properly maintained and controlled while being used under its licence. The hire arrangement, inspection history, defect process, licence authority and maintenance responsibilities should be clear before use.
What is most important when carrying plant on a low-loader?
The vehicle and trailer must be suitable, the plant must be positioned and restrained using an appropriate method, and the equipment must be serviceable and correctly rated. Drivers and loaders need clear instructions for the actual plant, attachments and route.