Guidance for people running transport operations.
Practical writing on Operator Licences, Driver CPC and drivers’ hours, from the team building FleetOptix.
Traffic Commissioner public inquiries: what actually triggers one
A public inquiry is rarely the result of a single incident — it's usually the pattern DVSA has reported up that the Traffic Commissioner is responding to, and the outcomes range from a formal warning to revocation.
Smart Tachograph 2 becomes mandatory from July 2026 — what changes
Most newly-registered HGVs and PCVs, and vehicles on international journeys, need to be fitted with the second-generation smart tachograph from July 2026 — worth planning fleet renewals around, not discovering at the point of registration.
Fleet compliance software: what to actually look for before you buy
Most platforms in this space look broadly similar in a sales demo — the differences that actually matter tend to show up only once real records, real drivers and a busy week are involved.
Telematics and compliance software are not the same thing
One knows where the vehicle is and how it is being driven. The other knows what has been done to it and what is due. Neither answers the other's question.
What is an Operator's Licence, and who actually needs one?
If your business runs goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, or carries passengers for hire, you almost certainly need an O-licence issued by the Traffic Commissioner — and it comes with ongoing obligations, not a one-off application.
Driver CPC, explained: the 35-hour rule that keeps a licence valid
Professional LGV and PCV drivers need 35 hours of periodic training every five years — miss the deadline, and the right to drive commercially lapses, regardless of how experienced the driver is.
Drivers' hours rules, explained: daily and weekly limits
9 hours daily driving, 56 hours weekly, 90 hours over any two weeks — the limits themselves are fixed, but the exceptions and reductions are where most confusion actually happens.
Bridge strikes: prevention, and what to do after one
Rare, expensive and almost entirely preventable — and the controls that work are about route planning and vehicle knowledge, not driver care.