DVSA reviews tacho centre rules

The Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has been reviewing proposals to improve rules for approved tachograph centres (ATCs) which are responsible for the installation, calibration and inspection of tachographs.

The proposals included removing the requirement for ATCs to offer analogue tachograph calibration; allowing smaller sites to be used so as to offer a restricted dimension service; and updating the ATC manual.

A consultation, which seeks views from stakeholders to help the agency identify any negative effects of the proposals, is open until 9 November, and can be accessed here.

In its call for feedback, DVSA explained the rationale behind the proposal for allowing ‘digital-only’ ATCs in future.

“The number of analogue calibrations has declined since digital tachographs were introduced in 2006,” said the agency.

“Industry data shows analogue calibrations now make up less than 20 per cent of all calibrations. Many ATCs have no customer demand for analogue calibrations.”

It pointed out that there were costs associated with keeping analogue equipment in working order and training staff to use it, whereas in many cases customers did not require analogue services.

“DVSA proposes to stop requiring new ATCs to offer analogue calibrations, following a suitable lead time,” it said – with two years being cited as a possible period.

“DVSA thinks analogue calibration will continue to be viable, but in an increasingly niche market. However, DVSA needs to know what negative effects this could have on operators who choose to continue using analogue tachographs.”

Meanwhile, the agency said that relaxing the minimum dimension requirements for ATCs would allow authorised testing facilities (ATFs), which are already allowed to offer a restricted dimension service, to also become an ATC – thereby providing maintenance, testing and tachograph calibration services on the same site.