Traffic Commissioners are responsible for the licensing and regulation of those who operate heavy goods vehicles, buses and coaches, and the registration of local bus services.
Did you know that nearly 90% of operator licence applications sent to the Central Licensing Office (CLO) in Leeds are incomplete? The traffic commissioners and their staff have made improvements to application forms and provided clearer guidance to avoid incomplete applications.
Being a transport manager is a challenging and demanding job because they don’t just report to their employers, they’re also accountable to traffic commissioners.
Last year, we told you about planned changes to the online operator licence system. Since then, we’ve made further progress to develop these services.
On Monday 13 July 2015, the Senior Traffic Commissioner launched a consultation on how commissioners deal with the conduct of professional truck, bus and coach drivers. Whether you’re a driver, transport manager or operator, the Senior Traffic Commissioner wants to hear from you.
Having an effective way to report defects should be a key part of your vehicle maintenance regime. It’s also a good way to make sure your drivers know which defects to look for. This could include locked emergency exits or missing break-glass hammers on buses and coaches.
Earlier this year, the Senior Traffic Commissioner published revised guidance for operators of local bus services in England (outside London) and Wales. If you’ve seen the document already, you’ll know the punctuality and reliability standards haven’t changed.
Planning ahead – it’s something we all like to do well. But sometimes unexpected events, or things we’ve put to one side, take us by surprise. When it comes to running vehicles, your planner will be full of dates: safety inspections, tax disc renewals, MOTs and countless other entries.
One of our most important jobs in developing the new operator licence self service system is to make it easier for operators to manage their licences online. We want to hear what you think about the developments we've made so far.
Here’s a sneak preview of the new layout we’re designing as part of our work to improve operator licensing self service. We’re working with the government’s digital team to make sure the system is available through the Government’s website, GOV.UK.
Transport managers have a demanding job: you make sure that an operator's vehicles are roadworthy and drivers comply with traffic and drivers’ hours rules. You are also responsible to the wider public, through the traffic commissioner, for making sure your operator is compliant with road safety regulations. For some operators though, things can go badly wrong... here's what we'd like to see when the situation becomes difficult.