Transprt Research Labratry Creating the future f transprt CLIENT PROJECT REPORT CPR2188 Survey f vehicle radwrthiness f HCVs and driver cmpliance with EU rules n driving times, breaks and rest perids - 2014 data L Durrell Prepared fr: Rad Safety Authrity (RSA), Prject Ref: 11113487 Quality apprved: Rebecca Jenkins (Prject Manager) Carline Wallbank (Technical Referee) Transprt Research Labratry 2016
Disclaimer This reprt has been prduced by the Transprt Research Labratry under a cntract with Rad Safety Authrity (RSA). Any views expressed in this reprt are nt necessarily thse f Rad Safety Authrity (RSA). The infrmatin cntained herein is the prperty f TRL Limited and des nt necessarily reflect the views r plicies f the custmer fr whm this reprt was prepared. Whilst every effrt has been made t ensure that the matter presented in this reprt is relevant, accurate and up-t-date, TRL Limited cannt accept any liability fr any errr r missin, r reliance n part r all f the cntent in anther cntext. When purchased in hard cpy, this publicatin is printed n paper that is FSC (Frest Stewardship Cuncil) and TCF (Ttally Chlrine Free) registered. Cntents amendment recrd This reprt has been amended and issued as fllws: Versin Date Descriptin Editr Technical Referee V1 V2 V3 January 2016 February 2016 March 2016 Draft versin 1 LD CW Final draft versin 2 LD CW Final versin 3 LD CW
Cntents 1 Intrductin 2 2 Terminlgy 2 3 Ntes abut the data 2 4 HGV survey 4 4.1 Key findings radwrthiness inspectins 4 4.2 Key findings driver cmpliance checks 7 5 Bus survey 9 5.1 Key findings radwrthiness inspectins 9 5.2 Key findings driver cmpliance checks 11 6 Cmmercial Vehicle Refrm Prgramme 12 1 CPR2188
1 Intrductin The aim f this survey was t determine the current levels f driver cmpliance and vehicle radwrthiness f HGVs and buses in Ireland with the perating licence and EU drivers hurs regulatins. The survey was designed by the Transprt Research Labratry (TRL) and carried ut by the Vehicle Inspectrs and Transprt Officers at RSA. Heavy gds vehicles (HGVs) and buses were randmly stpped fr inspectin at radside lcatins between the 1 st January and 30 th December 2014. This was the secnd survey f its kind, the first f which was carried ut in 2012. This reprt is a summary f the results frm the HGV and bus surveys undertaken in 2014 with cmparisns t results frm the 2012 survey. The final sectin f this reprt als cntains sme discussin abut the effectiveness f the Cmmercial Vehicle Refrm (CVR) prgramme intrduced in 2013, which aims t imprve the radwrthiness f cmmercial vehicles in Ireland. 2 Terminlgy In this reprt the term radwrthiness inspectin refers t the radside inspectin carried ut by the Vehicle Inspectrs as part f the survey. The term driver cmpliance check refers t the radside check f the cmpliance f drivers with EU rules n driving times, breaks and rest perids and als peratr licensing cmpliance carried ut by the Transprt Officers as part f the survey. The term defect refers t a mtr vehicle r trailer radwrthiness defect and the term infringement refers t a breach f the licensing, tachgraph r drivers hurs requirements. HGV survey refers t the survey f HGVs (i.e. vehicle categries N2 and N3) and trailers (i.e. O3 and O4). Bus survey refers t the survey f passenger vehicles with mre than eight passenger seats (i.e. vehicle categries M2 and M3). 3 Ntes abut the data T cmpare between the tw surveys, the 2014 data was weighted using the rad type f the inspectin site. Weighting the data adjusts the results frm the 2014 inspectins t take int accunt differences in the lcatin f the inspectins frm the survey in 2012 t ensure, as far as pssible, the results frm the 2014 analysis are cmparable t the results frm 2012. Inspectins where the rad type was recrded as unknwn were excluded frm the analysis. Fr the radwrthiness inspectins this resulted in 4% f HGVs, 4% f trailers and 24% f buses being excluded frm the analysis. Fr the driver cmpliance checks, 3% f HGV drivers and 7% f bus drivers were excluded. The results frm the bus survey are based n much smaller sample sizes than the results frm the HGV survey. As a result, care shuld be taken when interpreting the figures frm the bus survey, as small changes in the number f vehicles in each grup mean that larger changes in the prprtins may be due t chance alne. Due t the small number f buses inspected at the radside, the results frm the bus survey were nt weighted. Fr peratinal reasns, e.g. reducing the delays experienced by bus 2 CPR2188
passengers, mst bus inspectins are carried ut n the cmpanies premises r n lcatin at events and nt at the radside (the fcus f this reprt). Vehicles were randmly selected t participate in the survey; hwever, selectin f inspectin sites may intrduce bias int the results. In 2012, many f the bus inspectin sites were lcated near t schls r n schl rutes. As a result, schl buses may be ver-represented in this survey and the results are nt necessarily representative f the natinal bus fleet as a whle. This same bias in site selectin was nt evident in 2014. Fr this reasn, care shuld be taken when cmparing the results f the 2012 and 2014 bus surveys as the results may nt be directly cmparable. 3 CPR2188
4 HGV survey 4.1 Key findings radwrthiness inspectins The Vehicle Inspectrs checked 14,845 vehicles (9,352 HGVs and 5,493 trailers) between 1 st January 2014 and 30 th December 2014. Figure 1 shws the prprtin f HGVs and trailers that were nn-cmpliant (i.e. had at least ne defect recrded) in the 2012 and 2014 surveys. Figure 1: HGV and Trailer vehicle radwrthiness inspectin nn-cmpliance rates fr the 2012 and 2014 surveys In 2014, 46% f the inspected HGVs had at least ne defect. The equivalent figure fr trailers was 37%. The HGV nn-cmpliance rate remained the same frm 2012 t 2014; hwever there was a significant 1 decrease in the prprtin f trailers that had defects frm 45% in 2012 t 37% in 2014. 1 Within this reprt we use the cnventin f the behaviural sciences t reprt results as statistically significant if the p-value is less than 0.05. A p-value <0.05 indicates that there is a 95% chance that the cmparisn being made has arisen due t the variable under investigatin, and nt simply due t randm fluctuatins in the data. 4 CPR2188
HGVs The results frm the 2014 analysis f 9,352 HGVs shwed: Frty six percent f the inspected HGVs had at least ne defect (30% had a maximum defect severity f minr, 15% were majr, and 1% were dangerus). 54% had n defects recrded. In ttal, 8,393 defects were detected; an average f 0.9 defects per HGV inspectin. The mst cmmn defect categry in which HGVs failed inspectins was the lighting and electrical equipment categry (20% f inspectins). Hwever, when the data are brken dwn int the different subcategries, defects with tyres were the mst cmmn (703 defects). Of the defects listed within the tp 10, defects with the vehicles tyres were cmmnly recrded as dangerus (59%). Inspectin site, vehicle age and inspectin prvince were identified as imprtant factrs fr predicting which HGV inspectins are likely t recrd a defect. N significant difference in the prprtin f vehicles with a defect was fund acrss the days f the week. Defects were mre cmmnly fund at weighbridges (where 55% f HGVs had at least ne defect) and least cmmnly fund n mtrways and reginal rads (42%). 46% f HGVs n natinal rads and 48% f HGVs at prts had at least ne defect. Defects were mre cmmnly recrded fr lder vehicles than newer vehicles: the prprtin f HGVs with at least ne defect increased frm 15% fr vehicles aged 0-2 years t 80% fr vehicles aged 21-30 years. Inspectins in Cnnacht had the highest prprtin f HGVs (52%) with at least ne defect and Ulster had the lwest (41%). Cmparisn between 2012 and 2014 results shws: Frty six percent f HGV inspectins had at least ne defect in 2012 and 2014. Hwever, in 2012 4% f inspectin had a maximum defect severity dangerus cmpared with 1% in 2014, which suggests that the defects identified in 2014 were less serius than thse in 2012. 5 CPR2188
Trailers The results frm the 2014 analysis f 5,493 trailers shwed: Thirty seven percent f trailers had at least ne defect recrded, 22% f the inspectins had a maximum defect severity f minr, 14% were majr, and 1% were dangerus. 63% had n defects. In ttal, 3,138 defects were detected: an average f 0.6 defects per trailer inspectin. Trailers mst cmmnly failed the inspectin due t defects with the braking equipment and lighting and electrical equipment (13% f inspectins respectively). Absence f a Certificate f Radwrthiness (CRW) at the radside (captured as absence f technical inspectin ) was the mst cmmn defect (reprted in 9% f trailer inspectins, cmpared with 4% f HGV inspectins). Similarly t HGVs, f the defects listed within the tp 10, defects with the trailers tyres were cmmnly recrded as dangerus (54%). Inspectin site and inspectin prvince were identified as imprtant predictrs f whether an inspectin wuld detect a trailer defect. N significant difference in the prprtin f vehicles with a defect was fund acrss the days f the week. Mre trailers inspected at weighbridges had defects (45%) than any ther type f inspectin site. Defects were least cmmnly fund at prts (31%). The prprtin f vehicles with at least ne defect n Mtrways, natinal rads, and reginal rads were 39%, 38%, and 35% respectively. Inspectins in Cnnacht had the highest prprtin f trailers with at least ne defect (46%) and a much higher prprtin with a maximum defect severity f majr than the ther prvinces. Ulster had the lwest prprtin f trailers with at least ne defect (32%). Cmparisn between 2012 and 2014 results shws: The prprtin f trailers with at least ne defect decreased significantly frm 45% in 2012 t 37% in 2014. Similarly t HGVs, the prprtin with maximum defect severity dangerus has als decreased (3% cmpared t 1%). 6 CPR2188
4.2 Key findings driver cmpliance checks In 2014 the Transprt Officers carried ut 3,281 HGV driver cmpliance checks as part f this survey. Figure 2: HGV driver cmpliance check nn-cmpliance rates fr the 2012 and 2014 surveys In 2012 31% f HGV drivers had at least ne infringement recrded; in 2014 this had reduced t 30%. This difference was nt significant. 7 CPR2188
HGV drivers The 2014 results frm 3,281 driver cmpliance checks shwed: Thirty percent f HGV driver inspectins had at least ne infringement; 10% f which had a maximum infringement severity very serius, 13% had maximum infringement severity serius and 8% had maximum infringement severity minr. In ttal, 2,177 infringements were detected acrss 3,281 checks: an average f 0.7 infringements per driver cmpliance check. The mst cmmn infringements were Fail t take adequate breaks (488 infringements) and Failure t crrectly perate mde switch (419 infringements). Inspectin site, vehicle age, and inspectin prvince were identified t be imprtant when predicting whether a cmpliance check was likely t identify an infringement. Inspectins at mtrway sites and reginal rad sites resulted in a larger prprtin f inspectins with at least ne infringement (34%) than prts and weighbridges (25% and 29% respectively). As age f the vehicle increased, the prprtin f vehicles with at least ne infringement increased frm 18% f vehicles aged 0-2 years t 38% f vehicles aged 21-25 years. Drivers inspected in Ulster were mre cmmnly recrded as cmmitting an infringement (41%) than the ther prvinces. Other factrs including the day f inspectin, driver age and driver natinality shwed n significant difference in the prprtin f drivers cmmitting an ffence acrss the categries. Fr example, lder drivers where n mre likely t be fund t be cmmitting an ffence then yunger drivers and vice versa. Cmparisn between 2012 and 2014 results shws: There was n significant difference between the prprtin f driver checks with at least ne infringement between 2012 and 2014. The prprtin f driver cmpliance checks by infringement severity (minr, serius, r very serius) was very similar in 2014 t the results frm 2012. The average number f infringements per inspectin remained the same. 8 CPR2188
5 Bus survey 5.1 Key findings radwrthiness inspectins In 2014 1,130 bus radwrthiness inspectins were carried ut by the Vehicle Inspectrs as part f this survey. Figure 3: Bus radwrthiness inspectin nn-cmpliance rates frm the 2012 and 2014 surveys In 2012 61% f the buses inspected had ne r mre defects recrded. In 2014 this had reduced t 51%. This difference was significant. 9 CPR2188
Buses The results frm 1,130 bus radwrthiness inspectins shwed: Fifty ne percent f buses inspected had at least ne defect: 1% had a maximum defect severity f dangerus, 15% were majr and 35% were minr. 49% had n defects. In ttal, 1,170 defects were detected: an average 1.04 defects per inspectin. Buses mst cmmnly failed the inspectin due t defects in the 'ther equipment' defect categry (17% f inspectins). This categry includes defects with safety belts, fire extinguishers, lcks, tachgraph equipment, and first aid kits. When defects were brken dwn int the sub-categries, defects with the fire extinguisher and tyres were the mst cmmn defects identified (75 and 71 defects respectively). 44% f the tyre defects were given the maximum severity 'dangerus'. Similarly t HGVs, lder buses were mre likely t have a defect recrded than newer buses, increasing frm 32% f vehicles aged 0-2 years t 62% f vehicles aged 21-30 years. Cmparisn between 2012 and 2014 results: There was a significant difference between the prprtin f buses with defects in 2012 cmpared with 2014, decreasing frm 61% t 51%. In 2012 3% f inspectins had a dangerus defect cmpared t 1% in 2014. The average number f defects per inspectin als decreased between 2012 and 2014 frm 1.5 t 1.04. 10 CPR2188
5.2 Key findings driver cmpliance checks In 2014 126 bus driver cmpliance checks were carried ut by the Transprt Officers. The small sample size means that cautin shuld be taken when interpreting these results. Figure 4: Bus driver checks nn-cmpliance rates frm the 2012 and 2014 surveys In 2012 18% f drivers checked had an infringement; in 2014 this had decreased t 13%. This decrease was nt significant. Bus drivers The results frm 126 bus driver cmpliance checks shw: 13% f the inspected drivers had at least ne infringement, 4% had a maximum infringement severity f very serius, 3% were serius, and 6% were minr. In ttal, 31 infringements were fund acrss the 126 inspectins; an average f 0.2 infringements per inspectin. 'Failure t perate mde switches crrectly' was the mst cmmn infringement recrded (9 infringements). It was nt pssible t make rbust cmparisns t the 2012 survey due t the small sample size and existence f bias (such as an ver representatin f schl buses) within the selectin f buses fr the 2012 survey. 11 CPR2188
6 Cmmercial Vehicle Refrm Prgramme In 2013 a majr radwrthiness refrm prgram was intrduced by the Rad Safety Authrity. The cmmercial vehicle refrm (CVR) prgram aims t imprve radwrthiness standards f cmmercial vehicles thrugh radside enfrcement, peratr cmpliance, and the standard f testing. Thrugh the changes intrduced as a result f the CVR, a number f imprvements were expected t ccur ver the curse f the fllwing few years. This sectin discusses whether there are indicatins in the data presented in this reprt that the changes have influenced the radwrthiness f vehicles. Nte hwever, that the full picture will nt be available fr a few years, since full trend analysis is nt pssible with nly tw years f data. Since the Certificate f Radwrthiness (CRW) fr a vehicle is nw issued centrally with an annual renewal date based n the date f last test r the date f registratin, there is n incentive fr peratrs t present late fr their annual test (which had existed under the last system). The prprtin f vehicles encuntered withut a CRW (recrded as absence f technical inspectin ) significantly decreased between the 2012 and 2014 surveys, suggesting that this change in the requirements fr annual testing has been beneficial. This is further supprted by additinal Authrity reprting which shws imprvements with regard t n time presentatin fr the annual test since the intrductin f the new system in September 2013 (see Table 1). Table 1: Percentage f vehicles presenting n time fr test Vehicle Type Octber 2013 Octber 2014 HGV 64% 68% Trailer 45% 65% Bus 61% 80% In additin, cmmercial vehicle radwrthiness test vlume increases have been reprted by the Authrity in each f the categries surveyed. The mst ntable increases ccurring in relatin t trailers, where a 23% increase in test vlumes was nted between the tw surveyed perids f 2012 and 2014 (HGV test vlumes increased by 14% and buses by 9.5%). These increases in test vlumes, alngside the decrease in the prprtin f inspectins withut a CRW identified in the radside survey, may suggest a psitive link between annual testing cmpliance and general radwrthiness f vehicles. The vehicle driver and wner f HGVs and buses have the legal bligatin t ensure that their vehicle is radwrthy at all times. Hwever, the CVR has nw made it cmpulsry fr peratrs t have a vehicle maintenance system in place t ensure this legal requirement is being met. In 2014, the RSA reprted t have carried ut a ttal f 3,707 radwrthiness premises inspectins, this cming frm a base f zer in 2012. Since the RSA have been cnducting these premise inspectins t review the maintenance systems, recrds and prcedures that are in place, there has been a reductin in the prprtin f vehicles with at least ne defect fr trailers and buses (althugh this may be influenced by the bias in the sites in the 2012 survey) and a statinary trend fr HGVs. In additin, the average number f defects per inspectin has declined fr all three vehicle types. 12 CPR2188
The CVR als requires that wners ensure that a walk arund check is cmpleted fr the vehicle befre it is driven in a public area. This check is typically carried ut by the driver wh shuld reprt any symptms r defects t the wner as sn as pssible. The walk arund checks shuld highlight defects including thse assciated with the tyres, vehicle identificatin, and visibility. Analysis f defects shws mixed results; tyres remain a cmmn defect fr bth HGVs and trailers, but the prprtin f vehicles that failed in the inspectin areas identificatin f the vehicle and axles, wheels, tyres and suspensin has reduced. This suggests that there may have been sme imprvement as a result f the additinal checks, but withut additinal data in subsequent surveys it is difficult t attribute changes bserved slely t the CVR prgram; sme differences wuld be expected due t chance and differences in the sample f vehicles selected t participate in the survey. In additin there have been ther changes, fr example an increase in enfrcement effrts and an increase in the cmmunicatin between RSA and vehicle peratrs, which may als influence the results. 13 CPR2188