DRIVERS who are refusing to sign a mandate for automated licence checking need tackling with a range of initiatives to get them to comply, fleet managers have been told.

Electronic licence checking is a simple way of examining drivers’ details directly with the DVLA electronically, rather than drivers having to bring in their licences for manual checking every few months, a meeting of the Association of Car Fleet Operators southern region heard.

Companies experiencing problems should first ask themselves and the driver in question why they do not want the company electronically verifying their licence and warning that it is a prerequisite of being allowed to use a company car.

If employees have concerns about data protection, a senior manager from the company could make any necessary checks while the driver was sitting next to them.

Fleets could also avoid the problem altogether by insisting that employees have to sign a mandate with their offer of employment when the join the company. One fleet manager told the meeting: ‘Any job offer is conditional on receiving the mandate.’