The last full review of the GTMR was in 2017, although it has been amended a few times since then to reflect changes to policies and legislation.
This review of the GTMR started in early 2022, but owing to several concerns raised by the main stakeholders regarding some of the changes being proposed by DVSA (including name change and format), the review and changes made, have resulted in the much longer timescale upon which to reach an amicable agreement. However, following months of meetings and revisions, agreement was reached in March 2023 and an updated version of the GTMR was released on 18 April 2023.
The main changes readers will note from the revised GTMR are:
FIRST-USE INSPECTIONS
To improve first-use inspections, prior to those vehicles being used by an operator, any new vehicle/trailer to the fleet (this does not however relate to any third party trailers used) must undergo a first-use inspection, the scope of which now needs to cover all items contained in an MOT test, including a laden roller brake test. This will not need to be undertaken if you have evidence that:
RETURN TO SERVICE AFTER SAFETY INSPECTIONS
In order to ensure that vehicles/trailers are only returned back into service in a roadworthy condition, the transport manager, responsible person or delegated individual must have access to the completed (and declared “roadworthy”), safety inspection record, or electronic record, before the vehicle/trailer returns to service. By exception, in situations where it is not possible to provide a copy of the safety inspection report before the vehicle/trailer is returned to service, then written confirmation must have been received, declaring the vehicle/trailer roadworthy, before it can be returned to service.
TOWING THIRD-PARTY TRAILERS
The maximum frequency for safety inspections of these trailers is now 13 weeks. In addition to the usual checks that the driver/operator needs to do, the operator will also need to have the ability to gain access to the trailer’s maintenance and MOT records. The revised GTMR also stipulates what the trailer’s owner’s responsibilities are for providing those records.
BRAKE TESTING
Laden brake testing – to ensure that brakes are checked more meaningfully, there is a desire to move to all safety inspections to having either a laden brake test, or if the vehicle/trailer has an Electronic Brake Performance Monitoring System (EBPMS), an evaluation of the EBPMS report. Although this requirement will not take effect until April 2025, the revised GTMR gives notice of this requirement, so operators will have 24 months to transition to this requirement.
Brake tests – previously it was acceptable to undertake a brake performance assessment within seven days of a safety inspection. The revised GTMR will change this position with the brake performance assessment needing to be done no longer than seven days before the safety inspection. This amendment reflects the change for the vehicle/trailer needing to be declared fit for service before being returned to service – brake performance assessment cannot therefore be undertaken after a safety inspection.
Decelerometer – although this method of brake performance assessment will still be accepted for vehicles (this method in unacceptable for trailers), to ensure that each brake is also performing adequately, the decelerometer test will now also require the checking and recording of individual brake temperatures as part of the assessment – the outcomes of which will have to be recorded on the safety inspection report.
Brake test printouts – will now have to be assessed by a competent person, to identify potential issues which the report may indicate, but not necessarily recorded a “failure” against – the person conducting and accepting that assessment will be required to sign and date the report printout. This brake report will need to be retained, along with the relevant safety inspection report, and retained on the vehicle/trailer file.
ADVANCED DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS (ADAS)
As well as a new requirement to including a check on ADAS functionality within the safety inspection routine, there is also a requirement for operators to inform their drivers of the ADAS functionality of any vehicles they will drive, along with the actions necessary should any of the ADAS function become defective.
VEHICLE SAFETY RECALLS
Although there has always been a requirement for operators to have an effective means for checking for any outstanding Defect Recalls on their vehicle/trailers, the GTMR has been silent of this requirement. The revised GTMR now clarifies this requirement and specifies that all defect recalls should (in most cases) have been actioned by the next safety inspection.
The new GTMR will be available online at GOV.UK in both PDF and HTML format.
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