Licence Checks urges fleets to renew licence permissions as GDPR anniversary looms

As GDPR approaches its third anniversary this May, driver and risk management specialist Licence Check is warning fleet operators that many drivers will need re-mandating to give permission to access their licence details with the DVLA.

Many businesses will recall the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on May 25, 2018, and the more onerous data checks the EU directive ushered in in the name of greater consumer protection and privacy.

For fleet and transport managers responsible for company vehicles, GDPR meant that it was necessary to re-mandate all drivers, vocational and otherwise, so that DVLA driver records could be accessed correctly using the updated authorisation necessary under the Regulation.

Now, as we approach GDPR’s third anniversary, many companies will find that a significant proportion of their driver permissions will expire and need renewing this year. Latest Licence Check figures show a 200% spike in licence re-permissions in June which coincides with the introduction of the original GDPR.

The regulation remains relevant in this country despite the fact that the UK is no longer part of the EU following the Brexit withdrawal agreement. The principles of the EU Regulation have now been incorporated into UK data protection law as the UK GDPR so that all businesses remain bound by its provisions.

Meanwhile, those businesses that operate or offer goods or services in the European Economic Area may also need to continue to comply with the EU regulation as well.

However, the good news for fleet operators is that, whereas at one time driver consent could only be obtained via a paper mandate and a wet signature, changes to the DVLA rules and increased automation has now introduced a growing number of methods of capturing digital driver authorisation which mean much lighter workloads for fleets.

Licence Check’s award-winning, cloud-based DAVIS (Driver and Vehicle Management Solution) application, for example, now offers five, and soon to be six, methods of capturing and recording driver permissions.

“Licence checking software has come a long way and many providers, including ourselves, now offer several ways to obtain driver permission, most of which are fully digital,” said James Povah, Senior Developer at Derby-based Licence Check, part of the Ebbon-Dacs Group.

“This can cut down administration time hugely for fleet operators and make what was once a truly onerous, time-consuming task much more straightforward, less stressful and increasingly efficient,” he said.

With DAVIS, the most popular way of capturing driver consent is e-Permission, which is managed entirely by the platform, requiring very little manual input as the system generates automatic emails to drivers to gain their permission.

Another option is the DAVIS App which uses QuickCheck technology so that driving licences can be scanned using a smart phone to capture relevant details, requiring hardly any manual data entry.

For fleets where drivers report to a depot or specific location and have a mobile phone to receive a pin code to authorise the licence check, then DAVIS’s On-Site permission workflow provides the ideal solution.

DAVIS also supports, the Card Data Reader (CDR), a countertop reader which scans a driving licence is and captures the data digitally, reducing the need for manual data entry and providing the added benefit of checking for counterfeit licences.

Surprisingly, some businesses still actually prefer a paper-based mandate, so this option is still offered within DAVIS, although it is declining in popularity.

And the latest addition is the soon-to-be-launched SMS Permission application, Licence Check’s fastest and most efficient method of ‘onboarding’ drivers, which can be carried out remotely and is simpler, faster and more accessible for drivers.

Licence Check General Manager Terry Hiles said that businesses needed to start planning now to ensure they gained new driver permissions before the current round expires.

“It’s important to prepare to re-mandate your drivers and get a good understanding of your driver data now so that you can plan ahead and avoid a last-minute rush before the existing permission expires,” he said.

“Use system generated reports that show exactly when the greatest number of licence permissions expire and plan accordingly. At Licence Check we are already working with clients on this and, are easily able to highlight those drivers whose permission is about to expire.

“Renewing driver mandates no longer has to be a headache, thanks to increased digitisation and different operational methods. It actually presents a timely opportunity to ensure all your driver records are reviewed and brought up to date and in line with the Regulation,” he said.