Key Records Transport Managers Should Keep for Compliance 

Why accurate documentation is essential for compliance 

Running a compliant transport operation involves much more than maintaining vehicles and managing drivers. Keeping accurate records is equally important, providing evidence that your business is meeting its responsibilities and helping demonstrate compliance during audits, investigations and DVSA inspections. 

DVSA uses the Operator Compliance Risk Score (OCRS) system to help decide which vehicles should be inspected. Operators with higher risk scores are more likely to be targeted than those with lower scores, reinforcing the importance of maintaining effective compliance systems and standards. 

Whether you’re operating a single vehicle or managing a large fleet, having the right records readily available helps demonstrate that your drivers, vehicles and maintenance procedures are being managed correctly. 

Here are some of the key records transport managers should retain. 

Vehicle defect reports and daily inspection records 

Daily walk-round checks are an important part of keeping commercial vehicles roadworthy. Drivers should complete a walk-round check before using a vehicle for the first time each day, with any defects identified and reported. 

Whether checks are completed on paper or using Convey’s WalkAround software, the key is consistency. Defects should be recorded, appropriately assessed and rectified where required, with vehicles taken out of service where a defect means they are not safe to use. 

Records of defects, assessments and rectification work provide an important audit trail. Defect reports and associated repair records should be retained for at least 15 months. Nil-defect reports should also be retained for a period that allows operators to demonstrate that an effective daily checking system is in place. 

Convey WalkAround provides a digital record of daily checks, helping transport managers review inspection history, monitor outstanding defects and access records when needed. 

Driver infringement and debrief records 

Identifying infringements is only part of managing Drivers’ Hours compliance. Operators also need processes for reviewing issues with drivers and taking appropriate action to prevent repeat infringements. 

Keeping records of driver debriefs provides evidence that infringements have been reviewed and addressed. Depending on the circumstances, records may include details of the infringement, the driver’s explanation and any corrective action or training agreed. 

Convey’s Performance module, included as part of Tachograph, helps operators manage the driver debrief process digitally — reviewing infringements identified through Tachograph Analysis, recording discussions and tracking actions through to resolution while maintaining a clear record of agreed actions. 

Tachograph charts and digital tachograph records 

Tachograph records are an essential part of demonstrating Drivers’ Hours compliance. 

For operators using analogue tachographs, completed charts must be collected, checked and retained for the appropriate period. 

For digital and smart tachographs, operators must download vehicle unit data at least every 90 days and driver card data at least every 28 days, with additional downloads required in certain circumstances. Operators must be able to produce Drivers’ Hours records to enforcement officers for at least 12 months. 

Convey’s Tachograph Analysis software imports, stores and analyses tachograph data, helping operators monitor Drivers’ Hours, Working Time, infringements and compliance trends while maintaining the records needed to evidence compliance. 

Safety inspection and maintenance records 

Regular safety inspections, sometimes referred to as Preventative Maintenance Inspections (PMIs), play an important role in keeping commercial vehicles roadworthy. 

Operators must keep records of safety inspections and maintenance for at least 15 months. These should provide a clear history of the inspection, any defects identified and the work carried out to rectify them. 

Maintaining accurate records helps transport managers: 

• Demonstrate that defects have been rectified  

• Track recurring faults  

• Monitor vehicle reliability  

• Support preventative maintenance programmes  

• Provide evidence during audits or DVSA investigations  

Convey’s Fleet Management and Workshop software helps transport managers maintain vehicle histories, including servicing, repairs, inspections and supporting documentation. 

Tachographs must be correctly installed, calibrated and sealed, with operators responsible for ensuring calibrations remain up to date. 

Digital and smart tachographs must be recalibrated every two years and following certain events, including repairs. Analogue tachographs must be inspected every two years and recalibrated every six years. 

Keeping calibration certificates with your other tachograph documentation provides evidence that the equipment has been inspected and calibrated as required. 

How long should transport compliance records be kept? 

Different compliance records have different retention requirements, so transport managers should have a clear process for storing and retrieving documentation. 

As a general guide: 

• Driver defect reports and associated repair records: at least 15 months  

• Nil-defect reports: retain as evidence that an effective daily checking system is in place  

• Safety inspection and maintenance records: at least 15 months  

• Drivers’ Hours records: at least 12 months  

• Working Time records: at least 24 months  

Other records may be subject to different requirements depending on the vehicle, operation and applicable regulations, so operators should ensure they understand the retention requirements that apply to their business. 

Keeping records organised and readily accessible also makes it easier to provide evidence when requested during an audit, investigation or DVSA inspection. 

Why this matters — and how to build good habits around it 

DVSA takes a risk-based approach to enforcement. Its OCRS system considers roadworthiness and traffic compliance, drawing on information from annual tests, roadside inspections, site visits and desk-based assessments. Operators with higher scores are more likely to be targeted for inspection. 

Keeping accurate records helps transport managers to: 

• Demonstrate effective compliance management  

• Support Operator Licence compliance  

• Provide evidence during audits and investigations  

• Monitor vehicle maintenance and repairs  

• Identify recurring defects and compliance trends  

• Evidence action taken following infringements or defects  

• Improve communication between drivers, workshops and management  

Trying to gather documentation only when it’s requested can create unnecessary problems for operators. Missing records or gaps in documentation make it harder to demonstrate that effective systems are in place. 

Record keeping works best as part of everyday compliance management — completing checks consistently, recording the action taken when problems arise and reviewing compliance information regularly, rather than trying to reconstruct a history after the fact. 

Stay inspection-ready with Convey 

Convey’s driver and vehicle compliance software helps transport managers capture, manage and review the records that matter — from daily walk-round checks and maintenance history to tachograph analysis, driver debriefing and compliance reporting. 

Convey brings driver and vehicle compliance information together, giving transport managers greater visibility across their operation and making it easier to access the records they need, when they need them.