Guidance for people running transport operations.
Practical writing on Operator Licences, Driver CPC and drivers’ hours, from the team building FleetOptix.
The four undertakings behind every Operator's Licence
Vehicle maintenance, driver conduct, operating centre control and financial standing — each one is a promise made at application, and each is independently checkable at any time.
How much does fleet compliance software actually cost?
Pricing in this market is rarely published upfront, and most quotes vary by fleet size, module count and contract length — here's what actually drives the number, and what to ask before a sales call.
How often should you actually check a driver's licence?
DVSA's own guidance recommends checking at least every six months — but a licence can pick up a new endorsement the day after a check, which is worth understanding, not just the schedule itself.
What is OCRS, and how does DVSA use it to decide who to stop?
The Operator Compliance Risk Score is a traffic-light system that follows an operator over time — and it's built from accumulated encounter history, not a single roadside check.
Rest and breaks: what actually counts under the drivers' hours rules
A 45-minute break has to be structured a specific way if it's split — and daily rest can be reduced, but only a limited number of times per week.
Fuel and mileage reconciliation: catching the numbers that don't add up
Fuel spend and recorded mileage should broadly track each other — when they quietly stop doing so, it's usually one of a small number of causes, and none of them fix themselves.
FORS accreditation: what it is and whether you need it
Accreditation is not a legal requirement. It is a commercial one on a growing number of contracts, and the gap is usually evidence rather than practice.
What counts as a compliant operating centre?
An operating centre isn't just wherever vehicles happen to park overnight — it has to be specified on the licence and suitable for the fleet actually based there.