In March 2024, Aquarius joined an EU Enforcement Meeting in Brussels where upcoming developments in legislation and enforcement technology were discussed. On the agenda was the electrification of HGV vehicles and how enforcement authorities plan to approach enforcement of time spent recharging vehicle batteries.

Whilst we are still in the early days of planning for the prospect of transport companies operating fully electric HGV vehicles, the technology does exist at a prototype stage, and during the meeting a case study was presented of an electric HGV travelling from Denmark to Germany and back.

The purpose of the discussion was to examine how the inevitable charging of vehicle batteries (during a period of duty) should be recorded under Drivers’ Hours. In the future, these vehicles will operate under current Drivers’ Hours (Regulation EC No 561/2006); but of course, as it stands, the regulation made back in 2006 does not account for the ensuing advances in technology.

The main point of discussion is whether the driver would be able to take a qualifying break or daily rest while the battery is charging. 

The subject was approached based on the assumption that for a driver to be able to take a period of break or rest wherein they can freely dispose of their time, the technology should allow for any battery charging to be totally unsupervised. If not, any supervision or use of equipment on the part of the driver would need to be recorded as other work.

The current consensus seems to be that the driver would record the plugging in/ un-plugging of the vehicle as “other work”, assuming that the vehicle can sit undisturbed for the duration of the break or rest. Any movement of the vehicle, or any interaction with charging equipment by the driver would be deemed an interruption to that break/ rest.

Charging Methods

There will be two main methods of charging; using slow chargers based on existing technology but also using so called mega-watt chargers that will have up to 1000kw capacity.

The intention is that vehicles could be put on “fast” charge using a mega-watt charger during a driver’s 45-minute break, enabling the vehicle to be driven for at least 4.5 hours on a single charge, whilst slow chargers could be used during a driver’s Daily Rest.  Again, overnight charging is based on the assumption that the vehicle could remain at the same charging station for the duration of an entire 11-hour daily rest.

The question was raised as to what might happen if the vehicle had to be moved on before the end of the 11-hour period, and it was suggested that recording a Daily Rest under something akin to ferry/train conditions could be employed, allowing that rest period to be interrupted which then raised additional questions around driver welfare.

In the field of heavy vehicles, this technology is still at an early stage and some important questions remain, over and above how to record charging time.

Enforcement

From an enforcement perspective, what could an officer check at the roadside to prove that a vehicle had been on charge, especially if a driver has taken a Daily Rest that includes interruptions? It was suggested that the driver could produce some sort of receipt as evidence. As a future solution that could make use of tachograph technology, Aquarius’ Guy Reynolds raised the suggestion of building something into the device’s tachograph Events log to record the start and end of charging.

Others raised the concern that the driver could be forced to plan their breaks around the needs of the vehicle and available charging points, which would again lead to concerns around driver welfare.

Looking to the future, it is hard to estimate how many overnight charging points would be needed to cater for the number of vehicles needing to recharge over a Daily Rest period but, based on the roll-out of EV charging points within the car sector, the challenges are clear.

It is proposed that drivers and operators would be able to pre-book their overnight slots before arriving, so it will be interesting to see how this might work in practice. Current concerns surrounding a lack of available parking facilities aside, there would be a loss of flexibility when it comes to choosing where to park, as it would need to be within a service area that contained charging facilities.

More details surrounding this new technology and the methods by which they could be enforced will emerge over the coming months and years, but it was heartening to see that the EU is taking a proactive approach in addressing these issues ahead of time.

The post The Future of Charging Electric Vehicles and Drivers’ Hours appeared first on Aquarius IT.

This year Aquarius IT is celebrating its 20^th anniversary, but the company’s co-founders Guy Reynolds and Dave Bailey, go back even further and have enjoyed a working partnership that spans three decades.  Today, on the 20^th of April, to mark the official date they met in 1994, we are sharing their digital journey.

Guy and Dave first met when they worked at an international dairy company in Birmingham back in the early 1990s.  Guy was employed as the company’s Network Manager, and Dave, just 20 years of age at the time, had joined as a trainee accountant. Soon after joining the company, Dave realised that accountancy wasn’t for him, and with Guy’s support, he was able to transfer over to the network team (IT department). Together they also worked with Georgina Allsop who the Depot’s Accounting system, and who since 2010 has worked at Aquarius in the finance department.

Throughout their time at the firm, the parent company acquired many smaller dairies as part of its growth strategy back then, and it was Guy and Dave’s role in IT to help onboard the newly acquired staff, as the ethos said Guy, was very much focussed on ‘embracing people’ – a principle Guy and Dave later embedded into Aquarius’s core values, and which remains today.

Fast forward a couple of years, and the parent company sold its UK operation, and while Guy and Dave remained employed, the people-focused ethos sadly changed.  Dave had now been working with Guy for a while, and Guy said it was obvious for all to see that Dave had an amazing talent for IT and software development. As such, they started a small ‘hobby’ company alongside their jobs at the dairy company – and then one day, Guy got a call out of the blue from an old colleague who was working at the MG Rover Group. At this point in their careers, this call marked a significant turning point for Guy and Dave.

MG Rover, which had just been sold by BMW, needed a new sales, planning, and forecasting IT system to be created from scratch – Guy and Dave got the job, and given the enormity of the project, they left the dairy company to take on the task full-time. The software system, written by Guy and Dave proved so successful, that it was adapted for Jaguar Land Rover and was used in 143 countries worldwide. Such was its impact globally, Jaguar Land Rover  brought the software outright from Guy and Dave.

In 2004, Dave and Guy then formed Aquarius IT, and a year later the stars aligned again. Guy went to the 2005 CV Show and by chance met with a tachograph analysis company that was looking for a software partner in preparation for the imminent introduction of digital tachographs.  At exactly the same time, MG Rover went into administration, which wasn’t good but it opened up the opportunity for Guy and Dave to forge ahead and develop an analogue and digital tachograph analysis system.  

In IT terms, the skills and experience they had gained in writing and developing software for MG Rover and Jaguar Land Rover, seamlessly transferred into writing technical and mathematical calculations for Drivers Hour’s Law. 

As a result,  and in readiness for the introduction of digital tachographs in May 2006, Aquarius launched the road transport industry’s first integrated analogue and digital tachograph analysis software, called ClockWatcher. For the first time, this software enabled road transport customers to easily self-analyse and manage their own driver and vehicle data.

And, the rest as they say is history.

Today, Aquarius, with its roots still firmly focussed on ‘embracing people’ has grown into a million-pound software development company. Of significance, while the company has constantly evolved its software solutions over the last two decades in line with developments in technology and their customer needs, the underlying core technical functionality of the original ClockWatcher tachograph analysis system remains the same, which is a testament to the system’s original design by Guy and Dave back in 2005/06. 

Three decades on since first working together at the dairy company, you could say it has taken a ‘lotta bottle’ for Guy and Dave to get where they are today; they have taken risks, and faced twists and turns at every corner. But, there have been opportunities too where  “the stars have aligned”, they say.  Fundamentally, it’s also been about partnership and talent. As the co-founders Guy and Dave have worked hard every step of the way, and used their complementary skill sets, to not only build a successful company that they are rightly very proud of, but to also create real-life digital solutions that every day, help make people’s compliance-related jobs easier to manage.

About Mark Johnston

In 2015 Guy and Dave became ‘three’ when they appointed a third Director – Mark Johnston – to work alongside them and drive the future focus of the company.

Guy said: “As the founding directors, it was a huge leap for us, especially after two decades of being just the two of us making company decisions, to bring in a third director, but we both had every confidence in Mark, who we have worked with for several years. He gets our ethos, and since becoming a director eight years ago, he has been instrumental in driving the company forward with new products and innovations – Mark is the next generation, and we know when it comes time for one or both of us to hand over the reins, Aquarius will be safe in his hands.”

The post A Digital Partnership that Spans Three Decades appeared first on Aquarius IT.

Despite the relevant legislation changes coming into force in August 2020, we are coming across a large number of operators that are still unaware of the amendments to roadside record-keeping requirements that were brought into effect. At the time, we ran a press release highlighting the issue so we thought it would be a good idea to provide an update as the Department for Transport has since provided some additional guidance. 

FREE WEBINAR

As further support we will also be hosting a free webinar with Laura Hadzik, Partner and Co-Head of Commercial Road Transport at JMW Solicitors on Thursday 18th April at 1pm to discuss the changes to the rules and answer any questions.

Register & Sign Up Here

Changes to the Rules

The initial change came in as part of what was termed as the ‘Mobility Package’ and this included an amendment made to Article 6(5) of Drivers’ Hours 561/2006 which, although a seemingly minor tweak, had major implications for record keeping.

Prior to August 2020, the ‘original’ version of Article 6(5) which is the part of Drivers’ Hours that stated that drivers need to record any other duties, in addition to EU driving covering the period

“… since his last daily or weekly rest period. This record shall be entered either manually on a record sheet, a printout or by use of manual input facilities on recording equipment.”

The 2020 amendment, however is worded differently, leaving out the phrase “since his daily or weekly rest” which leaves things horribly open-ended and, in the absence of the previously stated time-scale, means that all drivers now have to keep all records for roadside inspection for a full 28 days.

The records should include duty time carried out using a tachograph-equipped vehicle, work carried out elsewhere, as well as all periods of Daily or Weekly rest.

Full-Time In-Scope Driving Activities

For those drivers involved in full-time in-scope driving activities, the impact of this change should be minimal as the vast majority of their work will already be recorded on a driver card. For these drivers, the change may mean that they need to carry out a manual entry for Daily or Weekly rests if they were not already doing so.

“Occasional” Drivers

The sting in the tail of this amended paragraph and where it has a major impact, is for drivers that can be described as “occasional” – those drivers where driving is not their main function. For example, relief drivers, office staff called upon to jump in a vehicle when there is a driver shortage – there is quite a lengthy list!

Prior to the amendment, drivers in this category needed to carry the current week’s-worth of records with them for the purposes of Drivers’ Hours enforcement – with other records able to be kept via alternative methods e.g. diary, timesheets etc.

This has now changed!

All drivers, be they full-time long-haul freight drivers through to those drivers who might drive an in-scope vehicle once a month, must carry 28 days’ worth of records with them at the roadside. This in itself may not sound like such a tall order, however the following clause contained in point 4 of Article 1 of the amendment document states:

“This record shall be entered either manually on a record sheet or printout or by use of manual input facilities on recording equipment.”

In reality, this means that a transport manager who jumps in a vehicle to cover sickness absence would need to make sure they have the appropriate records on them for the last 28 days (including the aforementioned work carried out elsewhere, as well as all periods of Daily or Weekly rest)

which can ONLY be recorded as follows:

• On the reverse of a piece of tachograph printer-roll (one record per 24-hour period)
• On the reverse of an analogue chart (again, one a day)
• Electronically via a manual entry (good luck trying to add several days’ worth of data without making a mistake!)

This has proven to be a major headache for drivers and operators who fall into this category for obvious reasons.

In fairness to the Department for Transport, in order to reduce some of this administrative burden, they issued some subsequent guidance intended to be beneficial to those drivers carrying out non-driving duty for full weeks at a time. If the driver can guarantee that they will not be driving for a whole fixed week, they do not have to produce a separate written record for each day but, instead, they can enter their weekly activity onto the reverse of a single printout. The record would still need enough detail to allow enforcement authorities to identify when the driver has taken Daily and Weekly rests. The full details of how these records should be made can be found on the DVSA website.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/drivers-hours-recording-of-other-work/drivers-hours-recording-of-other-work

However, in scenarios where an occasional driver is unable to predict whether or not they will be required to drive, best practice would be to generate a daily written record on the reverse of a printout to err on the side of caution.

The DVSA has been tasked with enforcing this at the roadside and, in many cases, the first thing operators are hearing of this is during a roadside check.

It’s worth mentioning that these changes are based on the DfT’s interpretation in the UK, and EU enforcement bodies may take a different view. It is advised that drivers should make individual daily records if travelling into the EU to err on the side of caution. Alternatively, it will still be acceptable to use Attestation letters for international journeys.

Final thoughts … Shifting the emphasis back towards paper-based records has been viewed by many in the industry as a backward step, given the abundance of technology now available that can assist with all sorts of basic day-to-day functions and, speaking as a software provider, we often get asked the question as to why information concerning work outside of a vehicle can’t be recorded electronically. Although we have passed this question on to both the DVSA and, in turn, the Department for Transport, we are still awaiting a response.

Join us and JMW Solicitors on Thursday 18^th April at 1pm for a free webinar to discuss these changes.

The post Record Keeping – Changes to the Rules appeared first on Aquarius IT.

Having worked in the finance sector for several years, the concept of compliance is something I’m very familiar with; and now having worked at Aquarius for six months, I can see that parallels can easily be drawn with the road transport industry. They are both heavily regulated industries, and the necessity for compliance practices is paramount, as failure to follow procedures can carry strong potential penalties for both employer and employees alike.

That being said, as a relative newbie there is still so much for me learn, and it makes me appreciate how challenging it can be for operators to keep on top of the ever-changing compliance landscape and all its nuances (I’m talking Working Time!) – in addition to new digital tachographs being introduced and the increasing requirements for more comprehensive analysis and reporting.  Not to mention the inevitable move from ICE to electric / hydrogen electric HGV’s.

There is no doubt working in road transport and having compliance responsibilities can be complex.  Luckily for our customers, we have some of the leading experts in Drivers’ Hour’s Law and Working Time here at Aquarius – with this breadth of knowledge and expertise, I quickly came to realise when I first joined that we are more than just a software company. 

Yes, we have a fantastic team of inhouse IT experts, but our integrated technologies are driven by our knowledge. By working with our customers, we apply our knowledge and expertise to create innovative IT solutions that solve every day (and ever-changing) compliance management headaches – and for operations of all different sizes who work across a multitude of sectors.

From scaffolders, to single owner drivers, to large fleets spread over multiple depots all around the UK there is not a one-size-fits-all solution, which is why as account / relationship managers it is important for us to offer a consultative approach first and foremost. 

The Aquarius ethos is all about wanting customers to be confident in the products they use – products that not only make compliance easier for them based on their individual needs, but that also make commercial / fiscal sense.  Alongside this the role involves assisting in the selection of the correct hardware, appropriate software, onboarding new customers, customer management, training, assistance and support – it’s a varied and busy role; as such you really get to positively know your customers and understand what they need.

I’m six months into the role now, I am still learning, and it’s clear my journey in pursuit of knowledge is going to be an ongoing one, but this is something I both relish and welcome.

For further advice on how to get the most out of our services, please contact us via https://www.aquariusit.com/contact/

The post Transport Compliance: The perspective of a relative “Newbie” appeared first on Aquarius IT.

I can’t believe that I have worked in the tachograph field for 15 years already.  My working life since 1983 has always been related to IT in both senior technical and sales roles; I guess this gives me a good vantage point for how the industry has developed.  From the days of IBM dominance and countless fruits and vegetables (Apricot, Tulip, Acorn, Tangerine and Apple of course) to the massive growth of PC-based applications and now mobile apps.  All these developments have impacted our lives tremendously and predominantly in a positive way.

The field of compliance is therefore no exception with two landmark dates that really thrust the market forward; 2006 with the introduction of the digital tachograph and 2010 with the introduction of remote tachograph download.  With all data now digital and the potential to automate the process of data collection, there was very little to slow down the uptake of analysis software.  You are now unlikely to find a substantial fleet that does not use analysis software.  I have worked with all the key software providers supplying download equipment and automation solutions, and I have seen first-hand the great contribution these companies have made to the availability of data and analysis resulting ultimately, in safer roads.

So, what else have I noticed since 2008?  Well with a thirst for data well and truly whet, companies have naturally been demanding more.  Historically; compliance, maintenance, planning, and purchasing have all worked independently with separate software systems but companies are realising that this has a high cost and risk in security, maintenance, duplication, and loss of efficiency.  The panacea is a single system with a single login that can handle all of these tasks.

So, is a single system possible?  The answer is not straightforward as all of the required elements are different and have their own complexities.  Think of trying to replicate established and complex systems such as Netsuite, Sage, or Quickbooks into your logistics system, this is years of development for a large team so makes no commercial sense.  For software companies it’s not always about reinventing the wheel it’s about the selective integration of value-added services and integrating with other leading software products where appropriate.  The drive to a single software solution is however likely to apply pressure on software products that could now be considered too niche, particularly if they have become outmoded.

Taking Aquarius as an example; when I first worked with the team as a supplier in 2009 the offering was focussed on its core roots of compliance but gradually functionality expanded in line with its in-house compliance and technical expertise, to include Walkaround Checks, Document Management, POD, Time and Attendance, Asset Maintenance and eSign which allows drivers to qualify and sign for their infringements on a phone or tablet.  What Aquarius has successfully done is to feed from its well-established customer base to gradually add required functionality at a pace that has allowed the business to adapt.  Each new service has new demands and potentially a new audience, so it’s important to put in place the right expertise so as not to alienate existing customers. 

Fresh approaches, particularly with Asset Maintenance, stand to shake up the sector.      

All of this has major advantages for customers as they can start with a single service and gradually add services as they grow in confidence and size.  For larger corporates, this approach helps IT departments to create a clear project plan for changeover.   Aquarius has also developed integrations with third parties to provide data for their applications, which vary from key telematics providers to accounting systems.

Over the years I have noted software companies outside the tachograph analysis field trying to include tachograph analysis within their offering.  Compliance is technically difficult to programme and maintain and therefore requires substantial knowledge and investment.  I think that collaboration between software providers is preferable in compliance, as total accuracy is essential when it comes to infringement reporting in particular.   Some analysis providers such as Aquarius already include the ability to collect data using APIs for use in other applications.

My takeaway for customers is to consider how you could benefit from the increasing convergence of software.   How much could you reduce subscription charges and maintenance?  Think of the benefits of a single repository for all assets and their management.   Consider the competitive advantage that could be derived.  Unless your needs are minimal and will remain so, I would always suggest looking at software providers with a strong offering across multiple disciplines as it gets you a step closer to that panacea.

About Chris Cuffe

Aquarius has known and worked with Chris for more than 15 years; since his early days at Tachosys when he was the Sales and Marketing Director. Today, using his vast experience of tachographs and software, he works as a freelance consultant alongside the management team at Aquarius.

For further advice on how to get the most out of our services, please contact us via https://www.aquariusit.com/contact/

The post A step closer to that Panacea appeared first on Aquarius IT.

Ever since the introduction of digital tachographs back in 2006, operators have been required to download data from their drivers’ cards and vehicles into some form of software to analyse the information. This approach was new to many operators at the time, some of whom would have been used to analysing their analogue charts manually, or by a third-party analysis provider.

As you would expect, there was some initial resistance to this change of approach and, although comprehensive packages such as ClockWatcher were available from day one, some operations did not fully appreciate the value of employing full analysis systems and were content with more basic “entry-level” software. This is certainly true of smaller operations where driving was not their primary function with the explanation of “we only have X drivers” given as a justification as to why full analysis was deemed unnecessary. As such, there remains a huge amount of these packages in use across the UK; this being the case, I thought it might be useful to examine what a tachograph analysis package needs to provide in 2023.

It is our perception that the expectations of what an operator needs to evidence in the event of any sort of intervention by enforcement authorities has only become more rigorous over time so operators need to ensure that their analysis system is able to provide the relevant information.

You need to keep an eye on downloading! As a minimum, systems need to give clear information regarding when driver cards and vehicles were last downloaded. Many systems such as ours will have a colour-coded “traffic light” system that can be configured to reflect the downloading policy of the company. Gone are the days where the legal download intervals of 28 days for the driver card and 90 days for the VU are viewed as sufficient with many operators downloading cards daily and vehicles weekly.

How are you managing infringements? The primary function of any analysis system has always been to manage driver infringements and there are still some software packages out there that do not provide automatic analysis of Drivers’ Hours and Working Time (RTD). This means that the onus is on the operator to manually calculate the data and decide whether or not drivers have committed infringements. This is now an outdated approach and is, inevitably, prone to human error. The best approach is to employ a system that will automate this for you and allow you to generate reports for the driver to sign off.

This leads us on to driver debriefing; operators are required to provide a clear audit trail evidencing any debriefing conversations that they may have had with the driver, along with any subsequent actions. Often, this can be carried out electronically, for instance using something like Aquarius’ eSign system, but operators can still use paper-based reports, so long as a clear audit trail can be evidenced.

In turn, this debriefing procedure must be clearly integrated with the operator’s own internal policies and procedures. It is surprising how many companies we speak to that don’t have anything written down that outlines what the expectations are for the drivers, or what will happen in the event of repeated infringements. Many operators seem content that simply having a system is sufficient, not appreciating that it is only part of the story!

What about Working Time (RTD)? Although the Road Transport Directive is often viewed as a poor relation to Drivers’ Hours and sometimes gets neglected by both drivers and operators, they are still required to monitor it both on the road and as an overall operation. If your analysis system is not able to provide infringement data against Working Time or does not allow you to track Working Time averages across a Reference Period, you are leaving yourself vulnerable to enforcement action.

Keep an eye on record-keeping! Less comprehensive systems may not contain seemingly basic functions such as a clear driver calendar that graphically displays driver data across time. In this current age of 24/7 roadside record-keeping, the absence of this would leave the operator unable to track whether or not drivers are making the relevant manual entries on their driver cards. Yes, the onus is on the driver to make these records, but the inability to monitor this would be seen as a failing on the part of the operator as it is their responsibility to ensure drivers are trained on the current regulations and record-keeping methods.

Analysis of vehicle data is crucial! Rewind the clock 10 or 15 years and the emphasis was very much on driver infringements with less of a focus on vehicle data. Over time, attention has been increasingly turned to various aspects contained within the VU file, usually centring around three main areas; unaccounted or missing mileage, unaccounted vehicle movements, and vehicle overspeeds. If your analysis package does not provide this information, it’s worth giving serious consideration to upgrading to a more comprehensive system to avoid being caught unawares in the event of any enforcement action. A compliant system should enable the operator to add explanatory notes to any occurrences of missing mileage and fully investigate any instances of a vehicle being driven without a card, as well as record any driver debriefing that may follow from this.

In summary, whether you are an owner-operator, if haulage is not the primary element of your business, or if you run a multi-depot road haulage company, the compliance requirements are the same and will be enforced in exactly the same way regardless of fleet size. On that basis, ALL operators must ensure that any compliance software they are using is fit for purpose and covers all the required areas. Choosing a proven software provider that’s at the forefront of the legislation and who are experts in their field will ensure you have all the tools to manage all your compliance needs.

For further information or if you have any questions, please contact us via https://www.aquariusit.com/contact/

The post Is your tachograph analysis software fit for purpose? appeared first on Aquarius IT.

For the interests of this feature, Chris uses a fictional character called Woody to set the scene

Unlike his cartoon namesake, Woody is no cowboy when it comes to compliance. He has been a Transport Manager for seven years and he knows the challenges involved in driver compliance and he knows the stakes are high for the company if things go wrong.  Demands on Woody’s time have been increasing as the fleet has grown, and rule changes have made his ‘sheriff’ role yet more onerous and stressful. 

On the face of it, Woody seems to be doing everything in his power to stay compliant – ‘pulling all the strings’ metaphorically speaking – but there is always that nagging doubt in his mind that makes him think; what would a DVSA examiner find if we were investigated?  Are we really picking up every issue?  Are there trends in the data I am missing?  Is there a rogue driver(s)?

I am sure these questions are commonly asked in transport offices and by senior managers, and with a bit of time and investigative work the answers are all available within the Aquarius suite of products.  Let’s face it though with most software, we as users are just scratching the surface and we need Google, a colleague, or the online manual (oh heavens!) to reveal those additional features.

Some of our existing customers however have decided to leave nothing to chance and have asked us to act as a set of independent eyes to look for more hidden issues in their data, and to create an audit document with findings and an action plan. These audits have not been limited to larger organisations; in fact, the largest companies will naturally have more dedicated resources to handle these processes.  I would suggest that any company where the fleet is growing rapidly, or there are multiple sites, should consider whether an audit could be of benefit.  It could also prove to be an important step towards Earned Recognition if that is an aim.      

In recent years the DVSA has been tightening up its requirements and in particular they want to see a strong handle on continuous data, which means the inclusion of the correct manual entries.  They also want to see effective management and debriefing of infringements together with tangible evidence of walkaround checks and defect detection and management.  They are also taking a keen interest in missing mileage and driving without a card. 

In recent audits we have undertaken we have uncovered a range of issues;

• Missing driver and vehicle data for a range of reasons.
• Missed walkaround checks or too short to be effective.
• Missed walkaround checks when swapping vehicles.
• Missing trailer checks.
• Data stuck in the import queue as wrongly assigned
• Vehicle data with no associated driver and vice versa
• Vehicle over speeds due to incorrect calibration
• Driver ejecting a card then continuing to drive.
• Failure to account for large amounts of missing mileage
• Failure to debrief large numbers of infringements 
• Incorrect manual entries leading to unnecessary infringements

The audit report which takes 1 or 2 days depending on the scale of your organisation outlines in detail case examples and recommendations for their detection in the future.  We leave no stone unturned to find ways to help the organisation.  We give statistics to help to highlight the extent of any problems.  We don’t hesitate to point out all the positive areas too. 

In terms of the action plan, we highlight any additional training required, which once actioned will inevitably lead to greater confidence and hopefully a marked reduction of issues in the future.  There is no witch hunt here and the audit is confidential – we are all on the same side looking to improve outcomes for managers and drivers.

Our audits are not exclusively limited to compliance as the Aquarius suite is extensive and some of our customers have asked us to include Asset Management; again we analyse the data looking for incomplete schedules, missing data, and ways to improve the use of the system and reporting to avoid anomalies. 

Given that software is improving all the time and Aquarius is adding features almost on a monthly basis, it becomes hard for users to be fully abreast of everything.  We hope that the audit process can help companies to ‘reach for the sky’ with their compliance responsibilities, or as close as possible, and get the most out of their investment in Aquarius’ software in all areas.

For further information contact the Aquarius team.

About Chris Cuffe

Aquarius has known and worked with Chris for more than 15 years; since his early days at Tachosys when he was the Sales and Marketing Director. Today, using his vast experience of tachographs and software, he works as a freelance consultant alongside the management team at Aquarius.

For further advice on how to get the most out of our services, please contact us via https://www.aquariusit.com/contact/

The post ‘Reach for the Sky’ with an independent desktop compliance audit appeared first on Aquarius IT.

As we all know daily defect checking is essential for both compliance and safety, and digital systems like our Aquarius App have made the traditionally laborious process easier to manage and audit over the last decade – but as the technology has evolved with more operators linking the data to back-office systems, much wider business benefits are being derived from this everyday routine.

Principally, daily defect checking is vital from the point of view of complying with the rules and regulations required to maintain an operator’s licence; this relates to always ensuring the safe and proper use of vehicles for the safety of drivers and other road users. Central to this, is also consideration of the impact on a business if a traffic commissioner were to suspend or revoke the O-licence if vehicles are found to be unsafe. Whether operators use a paper-based or a digital system to manage daily walkaround checks, compliance and safety is the foremost priority.

However, there are knock-on business benefits of using a digital defect checking system, especially when linked with a vehicle maintenance system, like Asset Maintenance.  

By having access to the live defect data, operators are able to get notified instantly about a minor vehicle fault, like a chip in the windscreen for example, and get it fixed before it turns into a crack and an expensive windscreen replacement job with a VOR, which saves both time and money.  Being able to then cross-link this data with Asset Maintenance, operators can use the automated planner to schedule periodic maintenance or inspections in real time; thus, creating efficiencies and cost savings.

Freeburn Transport inCo.Tyrone is a case example. Rian Doyle, the fleet maintenance co-ordinator said: “Using these two systems hand-in-hand, and being able to have linked information in real time is where we’ve seen the biggest difference, and has resulted in significantly reduced VOR days, saving us time and money.

We also use the automated planner in Asset Maintenance for maintenance scheduling and MOT dates, and with our digitised maintenance inspections going straight into the portal we now have a full audit trail and complete paperless storage solution for all our vehicles requiring periodic maintenance or inspection. With all these systems now in place, monitoring and maintaining our compliance, driver safety, and the roadworthiness of our vehicles has become a much easier task.”

Harry Campey, the Transport Manager at Campeys of Selby concurs. About Asset Maintenance, he said: “The biggest, most significant difference is the system’s cross-integration with the Driver Defect App, and as a result, we’ve significantly reduced VOR days. We also use the automated planner for maintenance scheduling and MOT dates, which links with our third-party and external workshops for 360° integration. At the last count, over the last 12 months, we have completed more than 1000 PMIs.  Plus, the system is easy to use; we’ve found there are fewer clicks to get to the information you need, which again reduces admin time.”

GATE CHECKING

With technology making defect checking a much simpler process to manage, and the inherent benefits that are being achieved by integrating the live data with tacho analysis and vehicle maintenance systems, more and more operators are also now applying an added layer of defect inspection. This includes introducing spot checks at the gate to verify that a) drivers are following daily defect checking procedures effectively and b) to cross-examine that defects have been recorded correctly to allow for further investigation and action.

With Aquarius’s Gate Check module, users at the gate are able to run through the same defect check template as the driver and automatically compare the results.  Areas of discrepancy are quickly flagged, and can be used to open an investigation.  The integration with our tacho analysis software also allows the results of the investigation to be presented as part of the driver’s infringement report.

Just like the Defect Checking App, Gate Check provides detailed record-keeping of any investigations that take place, and this enables an operator to provide further evidence of a clear process and audit trail when it comes to the monitoring of daily defects. 

For further advice on how to get the most out of Defect Checking technologies, please contact us via https://www.aquariusit.com/contact/

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In the past, Subir successfully played county-level pool and his sporting highlight was reaching the national finals and gaining England trials.  Now after a break away from the game, Subir is back in the right frame of mind to rejoin the pool circuit.

As part of the Warrington Independent Pool League, Subir plays blackball pool rules alongside some of the best professionals in the country, let alone the North West, including Steve Wall, an IPA Seniors Champion, and David McNamara who currently ranks 24 on the ultimate pool tour and ex-National Champions.

Aquarius has agreed to support Subir by sponsoring his kit for his league matches and tournaments, and for when he plays in a separate North West singles league. Mark Johnston, Aquarius’s Director, said: “We wish Subir every success and hope he achieves his ambitions and personal goals in a sport he is really passionate about – we are very proud to support him.”

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I guess we’re not the only ones but, the Aquarius team have received numerous emails over the last 12 months or so containing comments from stand builders, exhibition companies, event organisers and sales people suggesting that exhibitions are back and more popular than ever! Our experience from 2022 backs that up. Over the last 12 months, we’ve been lucky enough to have travelled the country and visited numerous exhibition centres, golf courses and hotels as sponsors, visitors, speakers and exhibitors.

Whilst at the CV Show, ITT Hub and Road Transport Expo last year, it was evident that visitors were pleased to be out and about again, checking out the latest tech, vehicles and software. Each show promised something different, and they all delivered – see my previous blog on this ‘Show Time – Starring The Young, The Old and the New’. 

During their time on the stands with us, it was good to have the opportunity to catch-up with customers and industry colleagues, discuss how the industry has moved on since COVID and have honest discussions about the pitfalls and benefits of some of the latest industry legislation updates. I’m sure this will be the same this year, with the introduction of another tachograph in August.

What we love about shows is the personal connection and every event last year allowed us the time to demonstrate all the new features in the software – and showcase Asset Maintenance for example which we introduced at the start of the pandemic, so it was really its first time out at an exhibition last year.

As a team, central to what we do is listen and work with our customers, and exhibitions, trade events, award ceremonies and corporate days all give us the opportunity to share ideas, gain insight and respond directly to comments and suggestions about the software.  From speaking and listening to customers, and understanding their day-to-day challenges, we gain many new ideas – so many golden nuggets.

“Behind every innovative product idea is a golden nugget of customer insight.”

In line with this, it is important for us that the whole team, especially the newer members and apprentices, get to experience some of these events so that they can connect with customers and gain their own insights.  Our technical, sales and support members will each look at things from their own different perspectives and expertise, and this 360° approach is fantastic for spurring innovation and promoting team spirit.

Exhibitions also give us marketers the opportunity to gain feedback, and sense and observe customer reactions.  An example of this was towards the end of last year, when Euro Bus Expo gave us the perfect, and most timely opportunity to showcase our new logo and brand identity in all of its glory – and I’m pleased to say the reaction was super positive.

Looking forward to 2023, due to the expansion of our software portfolio and alliances, there is a world of untapped opportunities and alongside this comes a plethora of new and different events that are catching our eye – as well as opportunities to keep on celebrating and championing the industry.  Wherever we choose to exhibit this year outside of the aforementioned traditional road transport shows, the team will be doing it with a smile because we know we will gain those golden nuggets of insight that will keep driving our innovations – and our customer’s businesses. 

By Liz Haselden, Aquarius IT’s Marketing Manager

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