Motoring News

The ADLV (Association for Driving Licence Verification) www.adlv.co.uk is forecasting that best practice and road safety objectives will drive a greater fleet focus on the volume, frequency and type of electronic driver checks in 2016. Amongst the trends that the ADLV forecasts are:

Greater Frequency Of Checking:
In keeping with its recent marketing campaign, encouraging Fleet Managers to move to quarterly checks from annual ones, the ADLV is expecting that the average frequency of online checks will increase significantly. The figures are particularly important given the recent statistics highlighted by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM). These show that 7,621 people are still driving with 12 points or more on their licence. A further 36,000 motorists are on the brink of losing their driving licence. Whilst these drivers have reached the threshold to receive a ban, they are still driving, endangering other road users.

ADLV logo

The ADLV believes that as most fleets move to biannual or quarterly checking, motivated by the general trend towards lower cost per check, the risk of fleet drivers carrying undeclared endorsements will be dramatically reduced. This policy has already received widespread acclaim from many of the UK’s largest fleets and the ADLV believes that this momentum will continue to gain pace across the course of the coming year. From a current base of 1.4 checks per driver per annum, the ADLV believes that the figure is likely to exceed to 1.7 checks per driver per annum in 2016.

Increased Volume of Checks:
Partly as a result of the increased frequency and partly as a result of the abolition of the paper license counterpart last July, there will be an overall increase in the annual volume of electronic checks in the coming year. The number of checks through the ADLV membership has been rising steadily over the course of this year it is expected that the total number will now increase to over 2.5 million in 2016, a growth rate of around 25% per annum.

Wider Range of Data Available:
The breadth and type of data available to Fleet Managers will also increase as the concept of ‘Know Your Driver’ spreads as a Best Practice. This will help tackle growing issues such as Right To Work in the commercial sector where the use of illegal workers is becoming a burning issue.

Commenting on the forecasts, Richard Payne-Gill Deputy Chair of the ADLV noted; “2016 will be a tipping point for commercial electronic licence checking as Fleet Managers, HR Executives and Risk Assessors now understand the real potential of frequent electronic checking and the increasing breadth of datasets that are becoming available. This allows Fleets to set new standards of best practice on one hand whilst making a real contribution to road safety on the other.

“Probably the most significant change will be the evolution of the data itself, including an increase in the number of datasets available. This is being driven by the demands from Fleet Managers themselves who see this new approach as benefitting both fleet management best practice and road-safety. It will also add to the confidence companies have that the right people are behind the wheels of their vehicles. Indeed the days of rogue drivers slipping through the net are now well and truly numbered.”

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Note To Editors: About the ADLV (www.adlv.co.uk)
The Association for Driving License Verification has been established to promote and encourage best practice within the industry for the initial and continued validation of driver entitlement for responsible employers and road safety.

The ADLV will both represent and regulate Members organisations in accordance … Read more

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As part of our continuous improvement process, we are pleased to declare our commitment to Volkswagen to refine and perfect the overall end-to-end user experience for MirrorLink enabled devices. Using our unique position in the industry as a vendor of full MirrorLink software stack technology, for both ends of the connection (in the car and mobile devices), RealVNC are able to realise a highly optimised MirrorLink solution where both ends are designed and guaranteed to work well together. Thus ensuring fast response times and a smooth driver experience. As the industry strives to ensure a high level of interoperability and consistent user experience, knowing the mobile devices have the same underlying software stack is a significant assurance to Volkswagen.

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The road at the edge of the worldA fleet of 38 Porsche enthusiasts took on the world’s longest continuous driving route – Ireland’s stunning Wild Atlantic Way, named ‘the most scenic drive in the world’ by The Huffington Post.

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The ADLV (Association for Driving Licence Verification) www.adlv.co.uk has reported a surge in online commercial checking from vocational fleets following the abolition of the paper driving licence counterpart in July this year. Despite a slight reduction in the growth rate of checking immediately prior to the change, the rate of increase for the months of July and August over the prior year, were 38.0% and 37.3% respectively. The ADLV forecasts that the total number of checks carried out by members this year will now exceed 2 million.

The ADLV believes that the scale of the increase in the rate of growth is also a reflection of its campaign to encourage electronic checking as a fundamental best-practice for fleet management. In addition, the numbers also reflect the association’s recent ‘road safety’ campaign. This urges fleet managers to increase the frequency of checks from annual to quarterly in order to identify high-risk drivers, such as those with mobile phone convictions. One ADLV member reports that since the organisation’s launch, the average number of checks per driver per annum is up nearly 30% from 1.1 checks to 1.4 checks per driver. In response to the figures the ADLV is planning to introduce other ‘know your driver’ options, within its checking system, which will ensure even higher standards for ‘entitlement to drive’ checking.

Malcolm Maycock Chair of the ADLV

Commenting on the news, Malcolm Maycock Chair of the ADLV noted, “Finally, following the abolition of the counterpart, the message has got through that electronic checking is now a best-practice for those fleet managers that are keen to comply with the highest standards.

“In addition, as increased checking means that high risk drivers are spotted more quickly, there is a realisation that embracing electronic checking more fully contributes significantly to road safety. So we welcome any upswing in the figures, as this translates directly into the roads being safer for the public. Ultimately, with electronic checking facilitating the ever more extensive use of big data, we believe that organisations will be keen to gain a far greater degree of knowledge about exactly who is entitled to be behind the wheel of their vehicles. The ADLV will meet this demand with a number of announcements over the coming months.”

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Next generation telematics provider, Risk Technology Inc. has continued its expansion in the United States by forming an exclusive partnership with diagnostic reporting provider Innova Electronics. Risk's telematics platform and Innova's sophisticated diagnostics tools will form the backbone of new integrated fleet management solution, Innova Fleet Services.

Innova, a leading supplier of test equipment and diagnostic reporting for the automotive aftermarket, has more than 30 years' experience in supplying sophisticated insights on vehicle maintenance to the fleet management industry.

Innova Fleet Services will integrate a comprehensive database of common vehicle fixes into Risk's telematics platform to give drivers and fleet managers complete visibility over any issues with their vehicle. Via Risk's on-board devices (OBD) the solution will also be able to provide added value insights, such as suggestions on when vehicles need to be serviced, replacement part numbers, estimated labour times and quick links to make it easier to purchase parts directly. This will significantly improve the efficiency of the relationship between fleet and parts managers.

The Risk Technology platform will also provide fleet managers with a more effective and comprehensive solution for managing their assets, by delivering insight into vehicle locations, time spent on the road and job completion data. Driver behaviour and crash detection information can also help to improve efficiency, reduce costs and improve overall fleet performance.

Mark Packman, CEO at Risk Technology, said: "This partnership will bring the huge benefits of telematics and diagnostics data to US fleets of anything from 2 to 2,000 vehicles. By integrating parts data within the system, we're also simplifying the process of rectifying problems with individual vehicles.

"From proactively advising clients on what they should do when their vehicle has 3,000 miles on the clock, to simplifying the autoparts procurement process, our relationship with Innova will transform fleet management in the US."

Mike Fitzgerald, VP and general manager at Innova Electronics, said: "When evaluating potential partners for our new fleet management offering, Risk stood out above the others.

"Their approach is new and fresh. Unlike the multitude of legacy fleet systems, Risk worked with us to develop an intuitive system with contemporary elements like infographics. More importantly, the system is flexible and customisable, allowing us to incorporate in-depth diagnostics and special features only offered by Innova."

About Risk Technology
Risk Technology works with major international brands to seize the opportunities being created by next generation telematics.

The data generated from connected vehicles is helping firms to operate more efficiently and increase profits. The information supplied is also enabling brands to engage with motorists in new ways.

Armed with sophisticated insights, provided by Risk's patent protected technology, companies can take positive actions that boost customer loyalty and generate new revenue streams.

The team has a huge amount of experience rolling out these telematics solutions across a range of global markets.

Key sectors include:

  • Insurance
  • Fleet and lease management
  • Breakdown service / roadside assistance
  • Auto parts retailers
  • Telecommunications
  • Emergency Services

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The ADLV (Association for Driving Licence Verification) www.adlv.co.uk is calling for fleet managers to make more regular checks on driver licence entitlement. This would include quarterly checks for vocational fleets as a norm and more frequent checks where driver risk profiles warrant it. Currently, most organisations, including those with vocational fleets, work on just an annual or bi-annual basis. By establishing industry standards based on driver risk profiles, the ADLV believes that fleets will be able to more quickly identify high-risk groups, such as those with mobile phone misuse and other offences. In using the latest commercial licence checking systems, through an ADLV member to perform repeat checks, Fleet Managers can be sure that they have taken the appropriate action, minimised the risks to the public and boosted road safety.

More frequent checking is a straightforward process for the ADLV's members. Their commercial checks can be repeated easily without the need for renewed consent each time; as informed consent is given for a three-year period. The ADLV believes that the highly practical nature of this approach compares favourably to the DVLA's ‘Share Driver Licence' option, which requires employees to submit their personal details for each check. This, claims the ADLV, could be disruptive in the workplace where it relies on manual processes to ensure drivers are checked frequently.

Richard Payne-Gill

The ADLV's Deputy Chair Richard Payne-Gill believes that a move to more regular checking will support both risk reduction and road safety. He notes, "Previously annual or bi-annual checks were deemed to be sufficient. However, the latest checking systems, available through ADLV members, deliver more regular checks and are already being followed by some major fleets. In our view more frequent automated commercial checking varied according to driver risk profile, will establish it self as the best-practice for all professional fleet managers."

 … Read more