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    • Apr 17

What is the Earned Recognition Scheme?



What is the Earned Recognition Scheme?

The DVSA’s Earned Recognition scheme is an excellent way to prove you meet driver and vehicle standards.


What are the benefits?

There are many benefits to becoming a DVSA Earned Recognition operator. It helps lessen the chances of your vehicles being stopped for inspection. You will also be able to use the DVSA’s logo on your website verifying that you are DVSA-accredited.


Who’s eligible?

To be eligible you must have had a Heavy Goods Vehicle or Public Service Vehicle operator licence for at least 2 years. No regulatory action from the Traffic Commissioner in the last 2 years. You must also have management systems for vehicle maintenance and digital management systems for drivers’ hours to track the KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and monitor if you’re meeting them.


What are KPIs?

KPIs are Key Performance Indicators and are used to ensure you’re meeting certain standards set by the DVSA.

The Earned Recognition Scheme KPI's includes:

  1. Meeting the terms of your operator licence 

  2. Keeping your vehicles safe to drive 

  3. Managing your drivers and other staff 

  4. Planning driver schedules and routes, monitoring drivers' hours and vehicle compliance 

  5. Measuring your performance 

  6. Areas specific to your business 

          -Transporting goods internationally 

          -Transporting dangerous goods (ADR) 

          -Transporting passengers 

  1. Working through your action plan 

  2. Preparing for your DVSA earned recognition audit 


How SmartCheck can help keep track of KPIs

SmartCheck’s Maintenance Planner includes a dashboard that allows you to access an overview of live KPIs within your account. From here you can monitor your compliance levels and be alerted of events that might put them at risk. You can even retain all inspection/service reports for each vehicle, including maintenance records – MOT’s, road tax, invoices for any repairs.


The 5 KPIs tracked as part of the Earned Recognition Scheme can all be calculated and supported with the data on your SmartCheck account.


This feature allows for easy, quick rectification of any issues ahead of KPIs being published. The dashboard can be used by any SmartCheck customer, producing everything you need for a self-audit in seconds.


Not a part of the Earned Recognition Scheme?

Even if you are not part of the Earned Recognition Scheme, the KPIs allow you to see a clear overview of your fleet compliance and set targets for you or your team for the future. 




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