As a vehicle operator, your drivers may be stopped for roadside inspections by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). The DVSA uses the Operator Compliance Risk Score (OCRS) system to determine which vehicles should be inspected. This is crucial to maintaining regulatory compliance standards in the transport sector.
The OCRS indicates the risk of an operator not keeping their vehicles safe to drive or breaking safety rules, such as drivers’ hours. If your OCRS is high, it is more likely that your vehicles will be inspected.
What is OCRS based on?
The OCRS (Operator Compliance Risk Score) assigns three scores for each individual operator license that you have:
• A roadworthiness score is based on the condition of vehicles and includes vehicle tests, vehicle encounters, fleet assessments, and remote enforcement interactions.
• A traffic score, includes roadside inspections and successful prosecutions. Offences include insufficient rest taken by the driver, tachograph-related offences, and overloading/weighing offences.
• A combined score.
How are the risk scores categorised?
The Operator Compliance Risk Score (OCRS) uses colour bands to represent different levels of risk. Green indicates low risk, amber indicates medium risk, and red indicates high risk. It is possible to have a score for one category but not for another. You are classified as a ‘grey’ operator if you have not had an interaction with DVSA and have no score in any category. Operators in the DVSA Earned Recognition scheme receive a “blue” band for all categories in their report.
The base score for operators is calculated over a 3-year period. The OCRS re-scoring process runs every day.
Green- Low Risk
• Roadworthiness: 10 defects or fewer
• Traffic: 5 offence points or fewer
• Combined: 10 points or fewer
Amber: Medium Risk
• Roadworthiness: 10.01 to 25 defect points
• Traffic: 5.01 to 30 offence points
• Combined: 10.01 to 25 points
Red: High Risk
• Roadworthiness: More than 25 defect points
• Traffic: More than 30 offence points
• Combined: More than 25 points
Your score can be influenced by various factors identified by DVSA, including:
Roadside vehicle checks: When DVSA conducts a roadside check, they will assess the safety of your vehicle and check if your driver is complying with drivers’ hours rules. If any issues are found and a prohibition is issued, it will impact your score. No issues found will be considered a ‘clear event’ and will not increase your score. Prohibitions issued to a trailer during a roadside check will be assigned to the vehicle pulling the trailer, affecting your OCRS.
Sifted encounters at a roadside check: A ‘sifted’ encounter occurs when a DVSA examiner performs a walkaround check and determines that a full inspection is unnecessary. Sifted encounters are not considered events or factored into the scoring system. This includes situations such as a brand-new vehicle, a vehicle that recently passed an annual test, a vehicle that recently underwent a roadside inspection, or a vehicle belonging to a DVSA-earned recognition-accredited operator.
MOT results: DVSA will review your vehicle’s MOT results. A failed MOT will increase your score, while a passed MOT will be classified as a ‘clear event’ and will not affect your score. Trailer MOT results will not impact your roadworthiness score, but if you add passenger vehicles to your operator licence, their MOT test results will be included in your roadworthiness score.
Remote enforcement checks: DVSA may request your vehicle maintenance and drivers’ hours records for remote enforcement checks, known as ‘desk-based assessments’ on your OCRS report. Your score may increase if DVSA finds unsatisfactory records.
Site visits: During a site visit, DVSA will inspect your records to verify compliance with drivers’ hours regulations and maintenance record-keeping. Your score may increase if DVSA discovers unsatisfactory records. This is referred to as ‘fleet assessment’ on your OCRS report.
Making changes to your operator licence: Adding a new operating centre to an existing licence will not impact your OCRS. When applying for a new operator licence in a different traffic area, the new licence will not have an OCRS until the first positive or negative interaction with DVSA.
What constitutes a serious infringement?
The most serious infringements will contribute to a red OCRS rating. DVSA can also prosecute an operator for these, which may result in being called to the traffic commissioner to discuss their repute.
Some of the most serious infringements include:
• Exceeding weekly and fortnightly driving time limits by 25% or more.
• Not having a tachograph fitted, creating false tachograph records, or interfering with the recording equipment.
• Operating dangerously unroadworthy and poorly maintained vehicles.
• Transporting dangerous goods in an unsafe manner and failing to identify dangerous goods.
• Carrying passengers or goods without holding a valid driving licence.
• Driving with a fraudulently obtained driver card or using someone else’s card.
• Significant overloading of vehicles.
Even a single violation can significantly impact the OCRS. A “trigger event” is a serious issue that immediately moves the operator’s score into the red for 12 months, harming the transport operator’s reputation and business.
How can drivers help to improve an OCRS?
Drivers can positively influence an operator’s OCRS through good practices. This helps prevent infringements and enhances road safety. Simple ways for drivers to improve the OCRS score include:
• Conduct thorough daily vehicle pre-use checks and comply with defect reporting procedures
• Taking responsibility for driving time and record-keeping to comply with driver’s hours regulations and tachograph usage.
• Ensuring proper load security and compliance
• Staying informed about regulatory and compliance issues
• A straightforward approach would be to familiarise LGV/HGV drivers with OCRS through Driver CPC Periodic Training.
