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OCRS Score – What is it and how to keep it green as Goods Vehicle Operator

OCRS Score – What is it and how to keep it green as Goods Vehicle Operator

by | Jan 27, 2021

Being a Goods Vehicle Operator requires many different measures to be implemented in order for you to keep your licence. One of the ways you can keep your licence and stay compliant is through ensuring your OCRS stays green. So, what is your OCRS and how can you keep it green?

What is your OCRS?

OCRS stands for Operator Compliance Risk Score. This score is calculated by the DVSA over a 3-year rolling period and works out the risk of an Operator not remaining compliant. A high score (Red) therefore is indicative of someone who is more likely to be inspected by the DVSA. The data that is taken to calculate your OCRS centres around three main categories:

  1. Annual Tests – these include but are not limited to: MOT, Road Tax and Regular Maintenance Inspections (Trailers are excluded from your OCRS, however any prohibitions issued on the road can be included and will influence your score)
  2. Roadside Inspections – being stopped and pulled over by the DVSA
  3. Inspections at Operator’s Premises

How are your scores calculated?

As an Operator you get your scores split into two categories and then a combined score. If any of your tests or inspections find a defect or identify an infringement of the rules laid out by the DVSA you will get points on your OCRS score. The more serious or unsafe the defect or infringement is, the more points you as an Operator receive on your OCRS score.

The two categories your score is split into are:

  1. Roadworthiness – Vehicle tests (first tests, subsequent annual tests) ‘Vehicle encounters’ (fleet check inspections at operator premises, roadside inspections)
  2. Traffic – Roadside inspections and prosecutions (e.g., for breaching Drivers’ hours rules, tachograph offences, weighing checks).

The score is calculated by adding the total roadworthiness and traffic points together and dividing them by the total number of events the points came from. For example, you have 150 roadworthiness points from 5 events and 100 traffic points from 3 events. This means that you have a total 250 points from 8 events. 250 divided by 8 = 31.25.

How is your score represented?

The score you are given is shown as

  • Red (Highest Risk, and most likely to breach the rules and standard)
  • Amber (Medium Risk)
  • Green (Low Risk)
  • Grey (Unknown Operator/ new)

How often are my scores checked and calculated?

Your OCRS re-scoring runs weekly. This allows for newly registered Operators to be scored, new events to be logged and new vehicles that have been added to licences to be accounted for.

So what steps or measures do I need to have in place to keep my score green?

  1. Ensure that you keep your vehicle(s) in a safe and roadworthy condition. This includes but is not limited to ensuring that your regular maintenance inspections are carried out on time, Daily walkaround checks are always carried out thoroughly and MOT are always scheduled.
  2. Always ensure that you are following Drivers Hours Rules and the Working Hours Directive, and these are recorded through your tachograph.
  3. Do not overload your vehicle.

This list is not exhaustive; however, it does highlight some of the areas that will affect your OCRS.

In 2018 the DVSA:

  • performed 80,418 roadside enforcement encounters involving a drivers’ hours check
  • issued 4,236 fixed penalties for drivers’ hours offences totalling £478,400

It can be challenging to understand what is required of you to keep a low OCRS and if you don’t you can be fined for the offences and lose your licence. If you would like some advice on how to stay compliant or keep your OCRS low, we can assist you.

We all know how stressful and time-consuming managing your transport operations can be. It is very easy to forget to access yet another website to check your compliance. Our fleet management software can track changes to your OCRS score and display it so that you can monitor it on a regular basis without the need of logging in to your OCRS portal.