Goods Vehicles - Guidance & Guides

Getting things right the first time and every time is vital in today's marketplace. There used to be many excellent guides that were available and some that formed part of any transport manager's toolbox but sadly today there are very few and operators, transport managers and drivers’ must now visit a lengthy series of websites pages on the .Gov website to find what they need.

The information below provides a brief overview of each area with a link to download the data and information from Transports Friend or from the .Gov website. Some guides are in PDF format.

Guide for Goods Vehicle Operators - (GV 74)

GV 74 is probably one of the most definitive guides available from VOSA. It covers virtually all of the information required to complete the many forms relating to operator licensing, including offering answers to the many standard questions that most new or prospective operators may ask.

The Safe Operators Guide

Whether a new operator or long time established, this guide (recently revised) is a must-have point of reference for any transport manager. The guide is a collaboration between the enforcement agencies and the representative bodies that play a major role within the industry.

Guide To Maintaining Roadworthiness

This guide is both useful to operators and drivers alike. It explains the requirements of procedures, systems and general principles for those who operate or drive goods vehicles or PSV's. For those who are experienced operators, this guide offers itself as a benchmark for best practice; for those who are new to the industry, this guide will undoubtedly offer guidance and advice for putting in place those systems necessary in ensuring full compliance with the law, and ultimately a safe and compliant fleet.

The Categorisation of Defects (2019)

This Guide is intended primarily for the use of examiners within DVSA and Authorised Constables but is made widely available so that vehicle owners, operators and drivers can become more aware of DVSA’s standards. 

It's purpose is:

• to provide guidance on the action to take when roadworthiness defects are found during vehicle inspections;
• to promote consistency among examiners