Free Driver Licence Checking Could Cost Time

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Free Driver Licence Checking Could Cost Time

Posted: Monday, 05 January 2015

The gradual phasing out of the old paper driving licence is now upon us. Between now and June 8, those with paper licences will be gradually shifting to digital records as their licences are up for renewal. All new drivers will be going directly to the digital document. In order to help fleet managers cope, the Government is developing a licence checking service known as Share My Driving Record (SMDR). The service is now in the final testing phase.

Free Licence Checking Will Not Be Free Forever

Companies planning to use the SMDR service to ensure they are employing only legally authorised drivers will be able to do so free of charge initially. However, the Government has said that SMDR will not be free forever. Once the fees are implemented, it will cost companies for every licence checking transaction they conduct. In addition, they will have to spend the time and personnel resources to run the licence checks. This will not necessarily present a big demand on companies with just one or two vehicles, but it could be substantial for larger organisations with dozens or hundreds of vehicles.

Why Our Licence Checking Service Could be More Attractive

One obvious solution is to use a third-party licence checking service provider such as Fleet Licence Check. There are a number of advantages in doing so:

Ready to Go – Fleet Licence Check has been running licence checks for years. In fact, we do about 20,000 checks annually. Because we are approved by the Government to offer this service, we are already up and running. There is nothing for you to learn, no processes for you to set up, and no additional software to buy
Bundled Services – Licence checking is only one of the services we offer. Fleet Licence Check also offers complete claims handling services to motoring companies of all sizes. Claims handling is that which our company was founded on back in the late 1980s. We can put together an entire package that includes claims handling and regular licence checks
Cost Effective – When you stop and consider the total investment necessary to conduct licence checks yourself, it quickly becomes apparent that DIY licence checking doesn't save you all that much. At Fleet Licence Check, we offer you a cost-effective solution based on a one-off service or a complete business package
No Hassles – Lastly, keep in mind that any time you deal with the Government you are looking at one hassle after another. Fleet Licence Check spares you that hassle. When you use us to check the licences of your drivers, you simply provide some information and leave the rest to us. The results are delivered directly to your e-mail

The Government says SMDR will be ready to go by the June 8 deadline. Yes, it will be free initially. Nevertheless, remember that it will not be free forever. Once the fees are implemented, you may decide you would rather spend your money working with a company such as Fleet Licence Check. We will be here, ready to serve you.

Source: Fleet News UK