Company overview

By the very nature of the business engaged by T & J Waste, sustaining minor damage off-road whilst loading or tipping is an accepted hazard for the sector. Although the T & J drivers are mostly diligent and conduct their daily walk around checks daily, proving to the DVSA that minor damage occurred during use with the traditional defects book was a challenge for both the driver and the company.

With vehicles and drivers often away from the operating centre for days at a time, ensuring compliance, managing repairs and maintenance was a time consuming, a paper-based exercise which was not always accurate, and we couldn’t demonstrate that the checks had been done pre-use and not just filled in on returning to the depot.

Having to schedule an independent maintenance procedures audit, Chris Cox, Transport and General Manager at T & J Waste searched the marketplace for an uncomplicated vehicle compliance solution that not only provided a transparent method to record, report and track defects but also confirmed that the driver had conducted his check.

Chris Cox, Transport and General Manager

T & J Waste trialled Vehocheck vehicle compliance and fleet management system and quickly started to see the benefits. Adding the Vehocheck app to their driver’s smartphones instantly provided Chris with vital vehicle information just seconds after the checks were completed and could be viewed on his desktop, tablet or phone and from any location. So, without having to purchase additional hardware or software the solution was implemented within minutes. Using Vehocheck also enabled Chris to see immediately which vehicles had and had not been checked that day.

Chris Cox said “Unlike in the past, I now have a real-time overview of the fleet, the Vehocheck reports give me instant notifications of defects spotted during the daily walk-around check, in-service defects as well as Nil Defects that have been carried out, all of which are time, location and duration stamped for improved compliance, transparency and accuracy”

“Now, with Vehocheck our drivers and the company can demonstrate to the DVSA when, where and who carried out checks. The vehicle checks are not only visible on the Vehocheck dashboard but also on the drivers Vehocheck app which enables our drivers to demonstrate compliance if they are stopped at a DVSA roadside check.

Chris said “I’m now able to monitor and manage vehicles wherever they are and can see that the drivers have not only done the checks but that they’ve also carried them out thoroughly, ensuring the vehicle is in a safe and roadworthy condition”

Where a roadside repair or back to base workshop repair is required, the built-in job cards provide an audited trail of the repair and authorised sign off with repair costs and reports on the lifetime cost of the vehicle.

Chris now has an overview wherever in the country his vehicles and drivers are, not only ensuring his vehicles are DVSA compliant but also enabling him to make informed decisions on repairs, maintenance and routine safety checks.

“At a recent audit, I was praised for the depth of insight I was able to offer. The auditor was also impressed with the compliance monitoring system we had adopted and using Vehocheck was certainly a factor in the positive outcome” Chris said.

Chris Cox, Transport and General Manager