Are You Aware of Your Notification Requirements on Your Operator’s Licence?
You have been granted your licence, recruited drivers, set up vehicles and processes, but are you aware of your ongoing obligations reporting changes within the business to the Traffic Commissioner?
The Operator’s Licence document which is issued via the online portal contains some vital information and is too often overlooked. The final pages of the document contain the generic undertakings and conditions, which underpin the licencing regime as well as a non exhaustive list of events which must be notified to the Traffic Commissioner within a short period of time.
These are repeated within the Traffic Commissioner’s Statutory Document Number 1 on Good Repute and Fitness
Failure to meet these obligations can result in regulatory action and may undermine the trust between an Operator and Traffic Commissioner, or call into question the competence and repute of a Transport Manager.
The obligations include:
Conviction of operator – notify within 28 days
Conviction of employee – notify within 28 days
Bankruptcy of operator/partner/Director – notify within 28 days
Liquidation/administration/receivership/company voluntary arrangement (CVA) – notify before order/appointment is made
Change in name or legal form of undertaking – notify within 28 days
Death of operator/partner – notify as soon as possible
Change of licence type – an application is required as there is no authority until grant
Change in operating centre – an application is required as there is no authority until grant
Change in address of establishment – notify within 28 days
Change of director – notify as soon as possible
Change of partner – notify as soon as possible
Change of transport manager – notify within 28 days
Change of maintenance contractor/arrangements – notify as soon as possible
Removal of vehicle or trailer – notify within 21 days
Addition of vehicle or trailer – notify within 1 month if within the margin otherwise application required as no authority until grant
Other changes or serious incidents within an Operation should be reported and the Traffic Commissioner expects an open and transparent relationship. It is never a good situation where the Traffic Commissioner initiates communication regarding a change which has not been reported.
For advice and assistance in relation to any Operator Licence query, call our expert team today.
