Truck and bus annual tests suspended
All annual testing of trucks, trailers and PCVs was suspended for three months from 21 March in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland), as the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) sought to reduce the exposure of its staff to Covid-19.
While this information was accurate when published on 31 March, fleet operators should keep checking relevant government and trade association webwsites for the latest information and updates.
In most cases, lorries, buses and trailers will automatically be issued a three-month exemption, without further action. No paper certificate will be received; instead, vehicle MOTs will be extended by three months from their current due date. The vehicle can be taxed straight away if due.
A facility to check MOT history and see when exemptions have been issued is available here – though DVSA warned that updates may not be applied straight away.
However, in some circumstances, operators will need to apply for an MOT exemption for their lorry, bus or trailer by emailing the DVSA: namely, if the vehicle required its first MOT (annual test) before 31 March 2020 but the operator has not been able to get it tested; if a vehicle is returning to service where the test certificate expired before March 2020; or where a vehicle required a dangerous goods (ADR) test before 31 March 2020.
The full process to follow, including email addresses and the details the DVSA requires, are available via the DVSA’s online guide, entitled ‘coronavirus: MOTs for lorries, buses and trailers’.
Dangerous goods vehicle (ADR) annual inspections have also been suspended by DVSA. To continue transporting dangerous goods, operators will need to apply for a waiver for affected vehicles, and follow special rules set out on the DVSA website.
Arrangements for vans and cars, which are also subject to MOT extensions, are different, and details can be found at this section of the DVSA site.
Northern Ireland’s Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) followed suit with the three-month suspension of vehicle MOTs in an announcement on 23 March. Full details are on the NI Direct website.
The relaxation of the testing regime in Great Britain does not give the operator any slack when it comes to ensuring that vehicles are maintained in a roadworthy condition, and nor does it allow periodic inspections to be skipped. In the light of the latter – which are carried out by non- DVSA employees in private workshops or at operators’ own premises – continuing, industry bodies are now campaigning for annual tests on PCVs, trucks and trailers to be carried out by qualified commercial employees, as car, van and motorcycle tests are.
The vast majority of large vehicle tests are carried out at privately-run authorised testing facilities (ATFs), which are usually dedicated lanes within a commercial workshop, but by DVSA-employed testers.
Road Haulage Association chief executive Richard Burnett said: “These are unprecedented times that need creative and pragmatic new approaches. It is vital that all vehicles on our roads remain safe to use and their roadworthiness must be maintained at all times.
“Routine testing is a vital part of our safety culture.”
The RHA said it had “concerns about the three-month suspension”, and that roadworthiness testing “should recommence as soon as possible using qualified ATF staff operating under delegated authority from the secretary of state”.
Tony Gibbs, general manager of FTA’s vehicle inspection service, said: “The legal responsibility of logistics businesses to keep their fleets safe and compliant remains the same; these rules will not be relaxed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“At FTA, we would like to reassure operators of commercial vehicles that our Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) will remain operational throughout the pandemic…
“As small, local garages struggle to cope with the temporary loss of staff due to illness or self-isolation, our members have reported significant challenges in trying to book their regular vehicle inspections; we are here to help fill this shortfall.”
FTA’s VIS is available to both FTA members and non-members, with inspections carried out ranging from vans and heavy goods vehicles to buses and specialist lifting equipment.
Practical driving tests were also suspended in Great Britain for up to three months (and theory tests until 20 April), except for emergency tests for those doing critical work; the DVSA lists ‘transport’ as a ‘critical sector’ among a range of others. Emergency tests can be requested via the DVSA website.
In Northern Ireland, DVA said it had “suspended all practical driving tests until 22 June”, and theory tests until 20 April.
