Posted: Tuesday 16 December 2014
Imagine earning your driving licence in the early 1970s, only to be told by the DVLA more than forty years later that you do not actually have one. Then imagine being prosecuted for driving without a licence because the police and Government cannot figure out what is going on. As bizarre as it might sound, this is exactly what happened to a Yorkshire man recently.
Posted: Tuesday 09 December 2014
Leave it to criminals to take advantage of something as benign as the phase-out of paper driving licences. According to The Telegraph, fraudsters are using a scam e-mail campaign to steal sensitive information by way of the driving licence transition. Consumers are being warned to be vigilant from now through until the New Year.
Posted: Tuesday 02 December 2014
There is no doubt that a clean licence is a must for company drivers. No company wants the liability attached to a driver whose licence demonstrates carelessness or a tendency to break the law. However, these days, companies are equally concerned about fuel-efficient drivers who can get the most out of today's vehicles. Just beware that a clean licence does not necessarily mean a driver is fuel-efficient.
Posted: Tuesday 11 November 2014
A recent survey from Masternaut, a European telematics manufacturer, reveals that the majority of Europe's professional drivers have no problem with telematics equipment being installed in their vehicles. In fact, the majority said they were 'comfortable' with the idea. Moreover, as with regular licence checks among company drivers, installing telematics equipment gives fleet operators more control over their equipment and personnel.
Posted: Tuesday 04 November 2014
By now, you have probably heard the story of the woman in Sunderland who was caught by a surveillance camera towing a man in a wheelchair around the Tesco car park last month. The woman and her pseudo-passenger probably thought the prank was fun at the time, but they may not be laughing any more. Her court case recently ended with the imposition of several penalties, including the loss of her licence for two years.
Posted: Tuesday 04 November 2014
We have been hearing about the eventual phase-out of paper driving licences since the law was changed in 2011. Now less than 12 weeks away, the switch to digital records mean an end to the paper documents that most of us have held for decades. However, the DVLA is recommending some licence holders not destroy their paper documents right away. Paper driving licences will still be necessary under some conditions.
Posted: Tuesday 28 October 2014
Roads in China are among the busiest and most dangerous on the planet. Unfortunately, a driver being dubbed as the 'world's worst' has, until recently, been on the roads in China's eastern province of Jiangsu. Other drivers can rest easier knowing he is no longer driving.
Posted: Tuesday 07 October 2014
Traffic Commissioner Nick Denton came down hard on a Tottenham and Peterborough business after the owner failed to rectify problems previously cited by the regulator. Fio's Cash & Carry lost the ability to legally operate company vehicles to support their deliveries.
Posted: Tuesday 07 October 2014
Have you ever wondered how much UK drivers spend every year on replacement driving licences? Probably not. Nonetheless, the DVLA says it is about £20 million. The money is spent to replace lost, stolen, or damaged licences, along with those who procure new licences when a new photograph is necessary.
Posted: Tuesday 23 September 2014
In an attempt to streamline the issuing and tracking of driving licences, the DVLA announced changes to the paper document portion of the driving licence that will take effect from January 1 (2015). UK drivers need to know how those changes affect them, both now and in the future. Businesses with company owned vehicles should also pay attention to the changes. These will affect everything from licence checks to determining whether a worker is still eligible to drive a company vehicle or not.