FTA launches Truck Excellence scheme

The voluntary scheme is designed to raise standards and recognise excellence in the operation of large goods vehicles.

The Truck Excellence scheme joins the well-established Van Excellence programme under the Freight Transport Association’s Fleet Excellence banner.

Developed and governed by The Freight Transport Association members, Truck Excellence is the only national scheme that accredits operators against the operator licence undertakings. Each standard maps entirely to obligations under the operator licensing regime and associated core legislation, which is what both regulators and industry agree is the desired standard for excellence.

Core areas covered by the scheme include operator licensing, transport management, operating centres and vehicles, maintenance systems, drivers’ hours, working time and records and good repute.

In addition to the integrity of the standards, the auditing approach is designed to ensure approved operators have demonstrated they have systems in place to continue to be compliant beyond just the day of the audit. The audit uses the ‘Plan, Do, Check, Act’ approach recommended by the HSE and Institute of Directors in the publication ‘Leading Health and Safety at Work’, looking at the role of the licence holder as well as the transport manager.

Because of this, an accredited operator is in a position to demonstrate the steps they have taken to manage their risk and obligations under their operator’s licence, should one of their vehicles be involved in an incident.

The scheme was launched at the CV show.

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