Every part of the Arriva UK bus business is now within the DVSA Earned Recognition scheme after the group’s North operation – capturing fleets in North East and North West England, Yorkshire and Wales – gained that status.
Accreditation follows the Arriva South business unit achieving the same in late 2023. Arriva London was a founder member of Earned Recognition in 2018. Addition of Arriva North takes to 98 the number of passenger O-Licences that are part of the scheme as of late November, according to a list published on the gov.uk website.
Arriva says that accreditation of the North unit into Earned Recognition took around a year to achieve and demonstrates its high regard for safety. As with all applicants, it was subject to an extensive external audit to prove that required standards are being met as well as confirming that robust systems and processes are in place to monitor performance.
Speaking about the achievement, Arriva Engineering Standards Manager Kevin Taylor says: “We are really pleased that the hard work of pulling together all the evidence for DVSA has paid off.
“Achieving Earned Recognition reiterates the fact that we have extremely high standards of safety at Arriva North. Our staff should be proud of that, and it should reassure our customers that safety is our number one priority.”
Being part of Earned Recognition delivers multiple benefits, including being less likely to have vehicles stopped at the roadside or receive visits to operating centres by DVSA staff. Other positives are access to future incentives staged by the Agency.
In addition to large PSV operators, Earned Recognition has significant representation from smaller organisation in that field.
Other passenger businesses accredited during 2024 include Connexions Buses, Ellisons Travel, First Leicester, Green Destinations, Maynes Coaches, Moving People, Stagecoach Highlands and Williams Coaches. Across passenger and freight, 416 O-Licences are part of Earned Recognition.
