Preparing for your Driver Agency Excellence audit

Driver Agency Excellence is a voluntary initiative which has been developed alongside operators and driver agencies. It aims to recognise, encourage and promote best practice within the sector. Operators are required to demonstrate their processes meet the audit Standards via a thorough, annual audit.

Driver Agency Excellence is suitable for agencies, regardless whether they have 1 branch or 1,000 branches, the framework of requirements to stay legal and compliant is the same. The vital and temporary requirement for an agency driver means compliance risk can be introduced into a transport operation. The Driver Agency Excellence scheme is recognised within DVSA’s Earned Recognition audit and by using agencies who meet the Driver Agency Excellence standards, it’s an excellent way for operators to mitigate the risk within their supply chain.

Preparing for the Driver Agency Excellence audit is the same as it is for any audit or assessment. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Here are some handy tips to help all agencies demonstrate the standards during their audit:

  1. Ensure you have a copy of the current Driver Agency Excellence standards and understand exactly what you will be required to demonstrate during the audit
  2. The audit covers the 3 main areas – core business standards, driver recruitment standards and driver management standards. The auditor won’t ask for evidence that is not relative to the standards
  3. Agree to an audit date only when you are confident that all the standards can be demonstrated
  4. Check your driver files ensuring are complete and contain all documentation required
  5. Check that organisational policies and certificates are valid, current, in date and where necessary – on display
  6. If having an on-site audit, arrange an audit location where all the required evidence and relevant people are available
  7. If having a remote audit, ensure you can use the technology involved to locate, provide and share all the evidence the auditor will ask for
  8. Inform and prepare your team for when the audit is happening, they may be asked to contribute

 

Benefits of joining the Driver Agency Excellence include industry recognition of achieving high levels of quality and best practice, a reduction of corporate and operational risk and an annual independent audit process. To support driver agencies in the Driver Agency Excellence scheme, Logistics UK has developed a standardised knowledge-check assessment for drivers and a course for agency staff, to ensure that the office team putting drivers on assignment are also kept up to date with transport legislation.

Further information


To join the scheme, please complete and return the application form by email to customerservices@logistics.org.uk or post to Driver Agency Scheme, Logistics UK, Hermes House, St John’s Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 9UZ

Driver Agency Scheme Brochure