National Express has expanded its use of the DAVIS driving licence checking platform from Licence Check by introducing the product throughout its National Express West Midlands (NXWM) operation. NXWM joins other parts of the group, including coach operations in the South East and its National Express Accessible Transport business, in utilising DAVIS.
NXWM reports that DAVIS is faster in both use and processing than its previous licence checking system. Electronic card readers are provided to onboard drivers and DAVIS generates dashboard-style management reports.
The operator has also derived value from a risk management perspective in that DAVIS has easily integrated with NXWM’s driver profiling risk tool. DAVIS can feed relevant information about each driver, including current licence status and any penalty points or driving convictions, into that system.
Drivers complete an online eyesight declaration annually to indicate whether they have a restriction on their licence that requires glasses to be worn when driving. The results are stored securely in the document library within DAVIS so that the renewals process is easily managed.
Collection and centralisation of all information to one platform assists with NXWM’s internal audit process, the operator adds. That includes identifying where driver improvement is needed to reduce risk.
Says Head of Operational Safety and Compliance Jenny Tocknell: “DAVIS is very easy to use, and it gives a detailed oversight of our workforce. It allows us to easily identify and reduce risk while supporting the individual needs of our drivers.
“We have had very good feedback regarding the benefits of the platform for users, including from Unite the union, individual drivers and system administrators. Depot supervisors have been very complementary about DAVIS, especially when compared to the previous system.”
