Question 1

Are daily walkaround checks a legal requirement?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A responsible person must carry out a walkaround check before a vehicle is used, drivers must promptly report any defects, and knowingly using a defective vehicle is a prosecutable offence.

Question 2

How long must I keep walkaround and defect records?

Accepted Answer

DVSA expects walkaround reports, defect reports and the record of their rectification to be kept for at least 15 months. HaulGuard retains them for the full window automatically.

Question 3

What is a nil-defect report?

Accepted Answer

A nil-defect report is a positive record that a check was carried out and no defects were found. HaulGuard logs nil-defect checks as evidence rather than leaving a silent gap.

Question 4

Does HaulGuard help my OCRS or Earned Recognition?

Accepted Answer

Consistent, complete digital records support a healthier Operator Compliance Risk Score and a DVSA Earned Recognition application. We describe HaulGuard as Earned Recognition–ready; confirm current scheme requirements with DVSA.

Question 5

Will it stand up in a DVSA audit or with a Traffic Commissioner?

Accepted Answer

Yes — checks and defects are timestamped, GPS-stamped and evidenced, retained for 15 months, and exportable as a complete evidence pack on demand.

Question 6

Does it work offline?

Accepted Answer

Yes. HaulGuard is an offline-first mobile PWA — drivers complete checks with no signal at the depot or roadside, and they sync automatically when back online.

Question 7

Which vehicles does it cover?

Accepted Answer

HGVs, PCVs/PSVs and vans. You add vehicles by registration and use DVSA templates or your own custom checks.

Question 8

Can I use custom check templates?

Accepted Answer

Yes — use the built-in DVSA walkaround templates or tailor custom templates for your operation.

Question 9

Is there a mechanic portal?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Defects route to a mechanic's mobile portal for repair and sign-off, creating a closed-loop record from fault to fix.

Question 10

What counts as an active vehicle?

Accepted Answer

You're billed only for vehicles actively in use. Archived and off-road vehicles are never billed.

Question 11

Do you charge per driver?

Accepted Answer

No. Drivers, managers and mechanics are unlimited — pricing is per active vehicle only.

Question 12

What happens after the free trial?

Accepted Answer

The trial runs for 14 days with up to 10 vehicles and needs no card. You only pay if you choose to continue.

Question 13

Can I cancel anytime?

Accepted Answer

Yes — there's no long-term contract, you can cancel anytime, and cancelling never deletes your historical records.

Question 14

What if I run more than 100 vehicles?

Accepted Answer

Fleets over 100 vehicles get tailored Enterprise pricing and dedicated onboarding — get in touch with sales.

Question 15

Where is my data hosted and is it secure?

Accepted Answer

Data is stored on managed, encrypted cloud infrastructure with automated backups; billing is handled by Stripe. Non-essential analytics only run with your consent.

Question 16

Is HaulGuard GDPR-compliant?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We process data in line with UK GDPR and provide a Data Processing Agreement on request.

Question 17

Who owns my data?

Accepted Answer

You do. You can export your records at any time, and cancelling your subscription never deletes them.

Questions about DVSA compliance, answered

Compliance & law

Product

Pricing & billing

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