Information on VOSA’s Operator Compliance Risk Score update.

Information has been received relating to VOSA’s enforcement targeting tool advising that VOSA are replacing predictive scores with a zero score, or a grey fleet marking. This will confirm to VOSA that no data is currently available to rate a particular operators risk of non-compliance. It is expected that VOSA staff will then investigate these grey fleet vehicles as a secondary to red rated vehicles.
To ensure further accuracy we are advised that VOSA will change from a rolling 2 year data bank, calculated from the end of the previous month, to a rolling 3 year databank that will begin from May 09 that this will calculate the Operator Compliance Risk Score from the end of the previous week.
The points allocation for traffic offences will be calculated using an identical method as that for mechanical defects and these will be graduated dependant on the severity of the offence, this is a change from previously whereby different points for each defect or offence were applicable, now a set number of points will be applied based on the severity of the defect or offence.
It was originally advised that after April 30th all points will be weighted by age, this means therefore that as defects or offences become historical their weighting effectively will reduce and that therefore the operators has the opportunity for their overall score to improve without going through a “clear encounter” with VOSA.
It is clear however that some events will cause an operator to go “red”, irrespective of their baseline score. As an example, a conviction will cause a “red” for 1 year although on the expiration of this year they will return to their status merited by their baseline score.

However, the BVSF are now advised that the changes to the Operator Compliance Risk Score (OCRS) system, VOSA’s enforcement targeting tool, will not be introduced on 30 April 2012 as planned. VOSA have stressed that this is because of technical issues, rather than a problem with the scoring system itself, and that once these problems are resolved a new date of introduction will be announced. The BVSF will advise members as and when further information is received.

Prosecutions

Rather than allocating a score when VOSA sends the paperwork to a court to issue a summons, points for a prosecution will, following the new announcement in future only be added in the instance of a conviction.

Further information on the new system is available at http://www.vosa.gov.uk/ocrs-faqs