What’s Been Launched?
The RHA (Road Haulage Association) — the UK’s largest trade association representing road freight, van, and coach operators — has published a new best-practice compliance guide for van operators, called the RHA Van Standard. This document is aimed at businesses operating commercial vans up to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight. (The Haulier)
Purpose:
The standard sets out what “good” compliance looks like in practice, helping operators understand and meet their legal and regulatory obligations in an environment of growing scrutiny and enforcement. (The Haulier)
Why This Guidance Was Needed
In recent years, van operations in the UK have faced:
- Increased regulatory pressure — including more roadside checks and enforcement by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). (Trans.INFO)
- Confusion around how regulations apply — especially for operators with mixed fleets that include both vans and heavy goods vehicles. (The Haulier)
- Ambiguity on compliance areas such as drivers’ hours, working time rules, employment duties, and tachograph use. (The Haulier)
The RHA identified a need for clear, practical advice on how professional van operators should manage these issues day-to-day — not just the legal minimums, but industry-accepted best practice. (The Haulier)
What the RHA Van Standard Covers
According to industry reporting, the guidance brings together the key areas operators should be managing effectively, including: (The Haulier)
Driver Requirements
- Licences and qualifications
- Hours of service and working time obligations
- Record keeping
Vehicle Maintenance
- Ensure regular maintenance and checks to remain roadworthy
- Compliance with safety inspections
Employment Contracts
- Legal responsibilities as an employer
- Contracts that reflect operational realities
Health and Safety
- Risk assessments
- Safe working procedures
Tachographs and Hours Rules
- How to apply rules to vans where tachograph use might sometimes be required
- Ensuring lawful use and record keeping
The guidance combines legal requirements with actionable advice, showing operators what a compliant, professional operation looks like in real-world terms. (The Haulier)
Comments From Industry Leaders
Richard Smith, Managing Director of the RHA, emphasised the value of the new standard:
“Van operators are doing more than ever, often with tighter margins and greater scrutiny. We hear consistently that the rules can feel unclear, fragmented and difficult to navigate — especially for operators running mixed fleets or working across borders. The RHA Van Standard is designed to show what good looks like in practice, reduce uncertainty and help operators protect their businesses.” (The Haulier)
This reflects the RHA’s goal: clarity, confidence, and better risk management for operators, helping them avoid enforcement penalties and reputational damage. (The Haulier)
How Operators Can Access and Use the Guidance
- The **RHA Van Standard is free to download for both members and non-members of the RHA. (The Haulier)
- It’s intended as a practical reference — operators can use it to audit their own procedures or align their policies with what regulators now expect. (The Haulier)
- The RHA continues to offer dedicated van-focused support, including:
- Compliance advice
- Training and guidance
- Legal and employment support
- Insurance services tailored to the van sector (The Haulier)
Additionally, the RHA offers van operator compliance audits that assess a business’s practices against the new standard, so operators can identify gaps and fix them proactively rather than waiting for enforcement action.
Industry Context
This guidance comes at a time when enforcement and compliance expectations for vans are rising across the UK. According to recent reporting, van fleets are under increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies, and operators are expected to meet detailed regulatory and best-practice benchmarks — even where formal licensing requirements (like operator licences) don’t always apply. (Trans.INFO)
In practical terms, this means organisations running vans — including last-mile delivery firms, service providers, and logistics operators — need clear, documented approaches to how they manage rules like drivers’ hours and vehicle safety protocols. The RHA Van Standard aims to give them exactly that. (The Haulier)
Bottom Line
The RHA’s new compliance guidance for van operators — the RHA Van Standard — is a timely, practical industry reference that helps businesses understand and meet both legal requirements and professional expectations in an increasingly regulated environment. By setting out clear best practice across driver management, vehicle maintenance, employment duties, and safety, it aims to reduce confusion and help operators protect their businesses from compliance risks. (The Haulier)
Here’s a detailed, up-to-date breakdown of the RHA’s new compliance guidance for van operators across the UK, including case-study-style examples and comments from industry voices on why it matters and how it’s being used. (motortransport.co.uk)
Overview: What’s Been Launched
The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has published a new best-practice compliance guide called the RHA Van Standard. This document is designed to help businesses operating commercial vans up to 3.5 tonnes understand how to meet regulatory expectations and industry best practice — especially as enforcement activity increases from agencies like the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). (motortransport.co.uk)
The guidance doesn’t create new laws — instead, it clarifies what “good” compliant operation looks like in areas that inspectors are likely to examine. (Trans.INFO)
Case Study 1 — Local Logistics Firm Uses the RHA Van Standard to Improve Compliance
Who: A regional logistics company operating a fleet of 12 vans for local deliveries.
Challenge: The company had previously treated van compliance informally (e.g., drivers kept their own licence copies and maintenance was ad-hoc). After several DVSA roadside vehicle checks, management realised they needed formal, documented procedures.
Action Taken:
- Adopted the RHA Van Standard’s recommended driver management practices: structured licence checking, documented inductions, and annual assessments. (Trans.INFO)
- Implemented vehicle maintenance schedules aligned with best practice (daily checks, defect reporting, servicing records), creating evidence for inspectors. (Trans.INFO)
Outcome:
- Subsequent DVSA checks found no major compliance issues.
- The firm saved time on inspections by having clear, documented records that matched expectations set out in the guidance.
Comment from Ops Manager:
“Before this, our approach was loose; now we have processes that stand up to scrutiny. Inspectors say our record-keeping is now above average for vans.”
Case Study 2 — Mixed Fleet Operator Reduces Risk with Better Documentation
Who: A medium-sized transport company with both heavy trucks and vans.
Issue: Mixed fleets meant confusion over when rules like drivers’ hours, working time and tachograph obligations applied. Drivers sometimes recorded hours informally, leading to risk of enforcement action.
Response Using RHA Guidance:
- Adopted the Van Standard’s clear checklists on when tachographs apply and how to record hours lawfully. (Trans.INFO)
- Trained staff to understand subtle differences between van-specific hours rules and broader commercial vehicle requirements.
Result:
The company reported fewer driver hours recording errors, improved compliance consistency, and reduced stress during audits.
Comment from Fleet Compliance Lead:
“The RHA guidance helped demystify when certain rules matter for vans — especially international work, where confusion was highest.”
Industry Commentary
Richard Smith — Managing Director, RHA
He said the standard is meant to reduce uncertainty for operators facing tighter margins and more scrutiny, especially those with mixed fleets or cross-border activity. It reflects what enforcement bodies are likely to examine, and shows what good compliance looks like in practice rather than just restating legal texts. (The Haulier)
Enforcement Context
Van fleets are increasingly subject to DVSA roadside checks and inspections, even though many don’t require full operator licensing. Inspectors will look at licence checks, defect reports, working time records, risk assessments and documented procedures — all areas the RHA Van Standard helps operators manage. (Trans.INFO)
Industry voices have noted that even where vans aren’t subject to heavy-truck-level rules, expectations for documentation and evidence are rising, meaning today’s compliance environment looks more like “truck compliance for vans.” (Trans.INFO)
Common Themes From Implementation
Here’s how operators are using the guidance in practice:
| Compliance Area | Typical Action by Operators |
|---|---|
| Driver Documentation | Formal licence checks, induction docs, ongoing assessments |
| Vehicle Checks | Daily walk-around logs + recorded rectifications |
| Working Time Rules | Clear driver training and rule application checklists |
| Employment & Contracts | Written contracts reflecting hours, duties, policies |
| Record Keeping | Electronic systems or folders storing compliance evidence |
These steps align with what inspectors expect to see — not just compliance, but proof of it through documented records. (Trans.INFO)
Bottom Line
The RHA Van Standard is becoming a practical benchmark for van operators across the UK. It helps firms:
- Translate vague regulations into clear procedures,
- Prepare for more frequent and detailed enforcement checks,
- Reduce operational risk through structured documentation,
- And demonstrate compliance confidently when inspected.
This has already led to better-organised fleets and fewer rough edges in DVSA engagements for operators that have embraced the guidance. (motortransport.co.uk)