There’s an elephant in the room.

It’s big, and blue-coloured with gold stars. It also has a name - the EU Mobility Package. Which is an odd name for an elephant, but don’t be fooled... it’s still potentially a jumbo issue.

I recently spent an enjoyable morning (online of course) with the UK Metal Decking Association.

It’s no easy task keeping up with perpetual change in the transport industry, and in particular making others aware of regulatory compliance and its importance.

Modern distribution systems are as efficient in spreading viruses as they are moving goods. But, as we weather the increasingly pessimistic media coverage, we can at least put past learnings to use.

I’m not a health expert – but I do have first-hand experience of this.

I never fail to be surprised by what I come across in my line of work. It’s a recurring theme of these features.

Take Driver Defect Reports for example.

As a Transport Compliance Auditor, I still find it astonishing how few Transport Managers check the quality of Driver Defect Reports, instead allowing drivers to conduct these with a tick-box mentality which pays lips service to this vital area of fleet control.

Is your system robust and fit for purpose?

In my role, I ask this question of Transport Managers several times a week and, in many cases (to their embarrassment), the answer is “no”. This not only endangers their Operators Licence but also business reputations.

We’re already one month into 2020 so a moment of honesty…

By now there’s a fair chance that several new year’s resolutions will have been quietly discarded or put on hold. I think we’re all in the same boat on that one.

Another way of assessing how far those promises made on January 1st have come to fruition is by asking what feels different so far this year, whether in your personal or business life.

As someone who has brought Transport Management Solutions into the heart of their organisation, Andy McEvoy is well-placed to vouch for the quality of support offered by Ian Dodd and positive impact he’s had on the business.

So, for my latest article, it’s good news and a reality check – and sometimes that with silver linings, the accompanying cloud is never too far away.

Too often I see in my role the consequences of companies not keeping an eye on the detail of their transport operations which, whilst seemingly innocuous, can have serious repercussions down the line. And simply having ‘the paperwork’ still may not be enough to satisfy the DVSA.

No surprise then that an update last week from the Office of the Traffic Commissioner on this very subject caught my eye.