HGV Fleet Maintenance
All you need to know

Paul Stringer
External Transport Manager

HGV Fleet Maintenance – All you need to know

The Guide To Maintaining Roadworthiness (GTMR) has been updated with significant changes – particularly to brake tests; both in terms of what is carried out, how and when. Changes mostly apply from April 2025.

The guide now sets out how it should be interpreted. Whilst called a guide in fact it does in part carry the weight of law; Where the word ‘must’ is used the instruction carries the weight of regulatory law. Where ‘should’ is used the guide is laying out best practice, from which the operator may deviate but with the caveat that any alternate course of action must be sufficiently robust to withstand the scrutiny of police, DVSA or the traffic commissioners.

Section 5.0 sets out the new maintenance provision rating scheme (MPRS) which is currently being trialled with a view to roll-out in 2025/26. The scheme will enable operators to easily monitor their own and third-party maintenance facilities regarding the quality of staff training and equipment levels.
This is a huge step forward in tackling a huge vulnerability for operators who out-source their maintenance. Tales of variable quality work by third party maintenance providers are legion within the industry. The consequences of an operator/TM failing to spot delinquent fleet maintenance are dire and come with very real consequences.

Inevitably once the quality of fleet maintenance facilities, in-house or third-party are quantified the choices made by an operator will impact their O licence at every stage from application onwards. Expect to see MPRS appearing on VOLS soon…

Section 5.3 Braking performance assessment
Brake tests. Decelerometer tests (with before & after temperature readings) have been re-introduced in addition to roller brake tests (RBT) and electronic brake performance monitoring system (EBPMS).

From April 2025 there must be at least four RBT’s per year, evenly spaced. With EBPMS there need be only one RBT at the time of annual test. The time-window for RBT is now 14 days before a safety inspection, up from the previous 7 days, which usefully introduces greater scheduling flexibility for operators.

Brake tests results, however acquired must be interpreted, evidenced and recorded by a suitably qualified person.
Unladen brake tests – risk assessments
Where a laden brake test cannot be carried out a risk assessment must be performed. If the circumstances creating difficulties around laden brake tests are ongoing the risk assessment can cover a period up to a year at which time it should be reviewed.

The use of a suitably calibrated decelerometer with before-and-after temperature readings is allowed, again interpreted, evidenced and recorded by a suitably qualified person.

EBPMS is becoming increasingly common. If EBPMS is used a vehicle needs to undertake only one RBT – at the time of annual test.

Section 6.5 Vehicle safety recalls requires that operators have a robust system in place to monitor vehicle and equipment recalls. There is now a link to a .gov website where vehicle recalls may be checked.

The Guide to maintaining Roadworthiness:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-maintaining-roadworthiness

MOT inspection manual (HGVs):
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hgv-inspection-manual

Walk-round checks (HGV’s):
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/carry-out-daily-heavy-goods-vehicle-hgv-walkaround-checks

Tyre defects and damage (HGV’s):
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tyre-defects-and-damage-hgvs-buses-and-trailers

Wheel maintenance (HGV’s): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/careless-torque-costs-lives

Brake tests – best practice (HGV’s):
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-heavy-vehicle-brake-test-best-practice-guide

Understanding your HGV or trailer’s brake test report:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/understanding-your-hgv-or-trailers-brake-test-report

Understanding trailer brake connections (HGV’s):
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/understanding-your-braking-connections-when-using-a-trailer

Electronic braking performance monitoring systems: industry standard specification (EBPMS):
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electronic-braking-performance-monitoring-systems

Brakes; Automatic slack adjusters (HGV’s):
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/automatic-slack-adjusters-maintenance-guide

Headlamp aim (HGV’s):
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/headlamp-aim-guide

Overloading (HGV’s):
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hgv-overloading-the-basics

Securing loads on HGVs and goods vehicles:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/securing-loads-on-hgvs-and-goods-vehicles

Overhanging loads (HGV’s):
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overhanging-loads-on-vehicles

HGV conspicuity marking rules:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/conspicuity-marking-requirements-on-goods-vehicles

Avoiding bridge strikes (HGV’s):
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevention-of-bridge-strikes-good-practice-guide