Driver details and management
M3 Responsible person
D1 Licensing
D4 Professional development
D6 Health and eyesight
D2 Driving standards
D5 In-vehicle communication
D7 Drivers’ hours and working time
Under requirement M3 Responsible person, you must evidence that you have completed the relevant fleet management training or relevant qualification in the last five years to demonstrate your fleet management knowledge. A dispensation for the training for the first year of the accreditation will be given.
For requirement D1 Licensing, you must be prepared to demonstrate that you hold a full valid driving licence for the vehicle types you drive and you comply with any restriction codes indicated on your driving licence.
You’ll be asked to give your consent for FORS or a fleet verification provider to check your driving licence against the DVLA database. You can check it yourself by entering your DVLA number, National Insurance number and postcode and generating a check code at https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence.
You must complete the following professional development and mandatory eLearning:
Road safety
Counter terrorism
To access the eLearning, register for an eLearning account on FORS Online using your email address. If you have issues, you can contact the FORS Helpline. All training evidence will be verified using the FORS Professional Training Register records.
Your auditor will ask if you have any medical conditions or impairments that may affect your entitlement or ability to drive for requirement D6 Health and eyesight. They will also ask about reading a vehicle number plate from 20 metres (with glasses or contact lenses, as required) and you will need to confirm your policy on driving impaired or under the influence of alcohol, medicines or illegal substances.
For D2 Driving standards, you must declare that you adhere to the rules of the Highway Code, drive professionally and wear your seatbelt. Specifically, you do not exceed the speed limit or drive too fast for the conditions.
You must be able to evidence that you have access to the latest version of the Highway Code and keep yourself up to date with all changes.
D5 In vehicle communication
As an owner driver and the only person in the business, you are likely to require the use of a mobile phone whilst driving, which will be asked about under D5 In vehicle communication.
For this requirement, you must show you are aware that the use of hand-held mobile phones and hand-held communication devices is illegal and unsafe, you use a fully hands-free device that is safely stowed and does not limit your field of view or cause distraction, and that all messages are limited to a basic level and for a minimum duration only.
As you are a self-employed sole trader/director, working time regulations do not apply to you. However, you are regulated by Domestic Drivers’ Hours Rules, and must show evidence for D7 Drivers’ hours and working time that you do not exceed a maximum of:
11 hours of work per day
10 hours driving per day (within the work shift)
You can use Annex 1 - Owner van driver daily log or an alternative method to record your hours, and make sure these are retained for a minimum of 12 months.
If you are towing a trailer/equipment and the towing combination GCW exceeds 3,500kg, you may require a tachograph if used for commercial purposes and you must obey drivers' hours regulations.