UK truck dealers should be able to use the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's Automated First Registration Licensing system by the end of the year, according to Robin Dickeson at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
This means they can register and license trucks on-line from their own offices rather than send people to DVLA Licensing Offices to do so.
“This should help dealers by streamlining the truck registration process enormously,” said Christopher Macgowan, SMMT chief executive. “Dealers won't need to send people to queue in licensing offices two or three time a week to register and tax trucks. And as many Licensing Offices won't let you register more than six trucks before they send you to the back of the queue again, registering or taxing a fleet can be a very painful process.”
The AFRL system has been running for cars and vans since 1996 and late last month the DVLA met truck makers to explain how they plan to extend the idea.
“Truck makers broadly welcome the idea, but as they pointed out to the DVLA team, the system will need some changes if it is to cope with the truck market, which is inherently much more complex,” said Macgowan. “DVLA have said they've taken our members ideas on board and will come back with their detailed reactions soon.”
Truck dealers will still need to collect blank tax discs once a month, but that should be the only call to visit the local Licensing Office.