Fleet Guides & UK Compliance Advice
Everything we know about running a small UK fleet, written down. Compliance rules, courier know-how and buying advice — no jargon, no fluff.
Compliance and the law
Start here if you need to know what UK rules require of your vehicles, drivers and records. These guides summarise official guidance in plain English — always check gov.uk and DVSA for the current position.
DVSA walkaround check list
Every item a driver should inspect before setting off, with a printable template.
Daily vehicle checks and the law
What legislation actually demands of daily checks — and who carries the responsibility.
Van driver hours rules
GB domestic limits on driving time and duty, decoded for van operators.
Do vans need a tachograph?
Which vans are caught by tachograph rules, including the July 2026 change for EU work.
O-licence requirements
When your fleet crosses the 3.5-tonne threshold and an operator's licence comes into play.
Vehicle defect reporting
How faults should be reported, recorded and signed off as rectified.
Fleet maintenance records
Which service and inspection documents to keep, and for how long.
Grey fleet management
Your obligations when employees use their own cars on company business.
Duty of care: driving for work
What HSWA 1974 expects of employers whenever staff drive on the clock.
FORS accreditation guide
What the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme involves and whether a small fleet should bother.
OCRS score explained
How DVSA's Operator Compliance Risk Score is calculated and what moves it up or down.
Courier insurance requirements
Hire & reward, goods in transit and liability cover, demystified for UK couriers.
Van payload and overloading rules
Payload maths, axle weights and the penalties when a van tips over its plated limit.
Driving for work risk assessment
How to assess and document road risk for anyone who drives on company time.
Company vehicle accident procedure
What drivers and managers should do — and record — in the hours after a collision.
Agency drivers and compliance
Bringing temporary drivers inside your checks, records and inductions from hour one.
Mileage records for HMRC
What a business mileage log must show to satisfy the taxman, with a workable routine.
Van fleet insurance guide
Mini-fleet policies, cover types and the levers that genuinely shift your premium.
Running a small fleet day to day
Practical playbooks for the operational side: dispatching work, controlling fuel spend, recording checks and getting a courier business off the ground.
How to manage a small delivery fleet
A daily rhythm and the five systems that keep 2–50 vans running smoothly.
How to start a courier business in the UK
From first van to first paid job — the setup steps that actually matter.
How to reduce fleet fuel costs
The savings that come from measuring fuel properly instead of guessing.
Paper vs app vehicle checks
Clipboard or phone? An even-handed look at both ways of recording daily checks.
Driver induction checklist
Everything a new driver should be shown, issued and asked to sign before shift one.
VOR: managing vehicles off road
Declaring, tracking and costing downtime so off-road vans don't quietly multiply.
Fuel cards vs fuel logging
Two routes to fuel control compared, and why plenty of small fleets end up with both.
Winter fleet preparation
A pre-season checklist that keeps vans earning through ice, salt and short days.
Electric vans for small fleets
Range, charging and whole-life cost realities before you order your first electric van.
Choosing fleet software
Buying advice written to be useful even if you pick someone else's product. For side-by-side vendor comparisons, see our compare section.
Fleet management software cost (UK)
What UK fleet software genuinely costs, including the fees nobody advertises.
What is a transport management system?
TMS, fleet management and telematics — what each term really means.
How to choose fleet management software
A vendor-neutral buying process: requirements, shortlists and the trial questions that matter.