Gone are the days of winging it. Plain English guides written by CPC-qualified professionals, covering everything a restricted O-licence operator needs to know about staying legal.
📚 6 guides · 📦 8 foundation documents · No jargonMost restricted operators run their business well. The compliance failures happen because nobody ever sat them down and explained what the law actually requires, in plain English, without trying to sell them something complicated.
The Compliance Academy is that explanation. Written by Neulla and Lee Hughes, both CPC-qualified Transport Managers with years of hands-on experience in the industry. No waffle, no jargon, no unnecessary complexity. Just clear guidance on the things DVSA will check.
Not written for large fleets with full-time transport managers. Written for operators running 1 to 10 vehicles who need practical, actionable guidance.
Every guide is written the way we'd explain it in person. No legal jargon, no unnecessary complexity, no assumption that you already know the rules.
Every guide is based on current DVSA guidance and best practice. Written by people who know what enforcement officers actually look for.
We monitor DVSA publications and legislative changes so you don't have to. When something changes that affects your operation, we update the guides and tell you about it.
Each guide covers one topic in depth, from the basics to what DVSA will look for if they stop you or visit your yard.
The most commonly missed compliance requirement for small operators. Vehicle units must be downloaded every 90 days. Driver cards every 28 days. Miss these and your OCRS score takes a hit before DVSA even visit.
Covers: VU download intervals, driver card intervals, what software you need, how to store the data, and what happens if you miss a download.
🛒 Recommended tools and software:
Tachomaster — download tools → Tachomaster — analysis software →DigiVU download tool from £134 + VAT · Analysis software from £1/driver/week · Free trial available
Your Operator Compliance Risk Score is how DVSA decides who to target. Most restricted operators have no idea they have one, let alone what it says. A poor score means more roadside checks, more scrutiny, more risk.
Covers: what OCRS is, how it's calculated, Green/Amber/Red/Grey bands, how to check your score, and how to improve it.
A DVSA roadside stop can be routine or it can result in a prohibition notice. How your driver responds in the first five minutes matters. Most drivers have never been told what to do.
Covers: what DVSA officers can legally do, what documents to have ready, how to handle a PG9 prohibition, and what to report back to the operator.
Every driver needs a file. If DVSA or the Traffic Commissioner asks for driver records and you can't produce them, it looks like you have something to hide. Most operators don't know what should be in it.
Covers: what documents belong in a driver file, licence check frequency and method, CPC record keeping, right to work checks, and retention periods.
A Planned Maintenance Inspection is not the same as a service. Most workshops don't explain the difference and most operators don't know what to ask for. Getting this wrong is one of the fastest routes to a Traffic Commissioner Public Inquiry.
Covers: PMI vs service, minimum inspection intervals, what the inspection must cover, how to choose a workshop, and what records you must keep.
When the clocks change in the UK, your tachograph does not change with them. It records in UTC permanently — by law. Most operators and drivers don't know this, and it causes confusion, incorrect manual entries, and unnecessary infringement flags.
Covers: why the tachograph stays on UTC, how BST affects your records, what drivers must do with manual entries, and what operators must check — with a quick-reference BST/UTC conversion table.
Note: All Academy guides are written as general educational guidance for restricted O-licence operators and reflect DVSA guidance and best practice as understood at the time of writing. They do not constitute legal advice. We do not act as your Transport Manager. The legal obligation for compliance rests with the operator.
Before we can monitor your compliance, you need to have the right foundations in place. Every new Fleetguard client receives a complete set of compliance documents on day one, built for restricted licence operations, ready to use straight away.
Vehicle Off Road log, legally required when a vehicle is taken out of service.
Clear procedure for drivers to report defects and for operators to act on them.
Plain English handbook covering driver responsibilities, hours rules, and walkaround requirements.
Structured template for recording PMIs, MOTs, brake tests, and service history per vehicle.
Written tachograph policy covering download intervals, storage, and driver card management.
Backup paper checklist for daily walkaround checks where the digital system isn't available.
Step-by-step procedure for monthly DVLA licence checks using the share code system.
Structured assessment of where your operation currently stands against DVSA requirements.
The Academy guides and Foundation Pack are included with every Fleetguard subscription. No extras, no add-ons. You join, we build your compliance from scratch.
We do not act as your Transport Manager. The legal obligation for compliance rests with the operator.