Photo: Services for Fleets organised a much appreciated shuttle service at last year’s Fleet Europe summit.
Company cars are a given for business and private use all over Europe. For companies, that entails a risk as they need to ensure compliance with all legal requirements. One obvious but often overlooked requirement is whether all drivers have a valid driving licence. This is where Services for Fleets comes in. We spoke with Cécile Brun, who set up Services for Fleets in 2008 after 20 years’ experience working for a number of large leasing companies.
What services does Services for fleet offer?
We are the only supplier offering licence checks across Europe. The product is named Driver’s Check, and new modules to ensure drivers’ behaviour and compliance with internal and governmental regulations will be added in near future. Driver’s Check is available in more than 15 languages today. The data centre is based in Germany, local colleagues support implementation in each country.
How does your product License Check work?
After having checked a driver’s licence, a superior, the fleet manager or an employee of Services for Fleets puts a QR code on the document. That QR code is stored in the main database that includes details about the driver. Next, the driver downloads an app on his Android or iPhone that can scan the QR code. By photographing the licence, the app controls whether the licence has been stored in the main system, proving that this person did indeed show a valid driving licence. All drivers are checked on regular basis. The app sends a request and the system sends a reminder in cases of non-execution. It is recommended to check each driver at least twice a year. A detailed online reporting shows all drivers in one dashboard, it can be integrated in overarching reports of your fleet management or leasing company.
How can a fleet manager know that a driver hasn’t lost his licence after having shown it?
You can never have this kind of security. In most local or internal regulations, drivers are required to show their licence once or twice a year. But if you lose it the next day, a fleet manager can never be informed automatically. Nevertheless, if one of your company’s cars is involved in an accident and the driver turns out to have lost his licence, you can prove that you have a process in place to check that your drivers do have a valid licence and that you cannot possibly do more to ensure compliance.
How many times a year does a company typically need to check a licence in order to be in compliance?
Generally, there is no specific rule per country or company but for most of our clients, the rhythm is twice a year. Some companies even impose a check every three months and on the spot, if there is any suspicion.
What’s the main advantage of License Check?
There is no other system in place to ensure compliance through an app-based system and that includes powerful reporting tools for the fleet manager. It can be integrated into any CRM system and automates a tedious but very important step in compliance management.
It’s a service that can be used for any company car, including vans or benefit cars, for the driver as well as for family members that are allowed to use the vehicle.