Frequently asked questions
Maintaining the FORS Standard – Routes to accreditation – FORS operating centre – Training and workshops – FORS Professional training records – Warning signage and logos – Progression – Audit – Changes in your details – Discounts – Benefits – Fees – The revised FORS Standard – eLearning – FORS and GDPR – Unified audit – Other
FORS Practitioner and Advanced Practitioner – Please click here for a link to a frequently asked questions page specific to achieving FORS Practitioner and Advanced Practitioner qualifications.
In order to keep up to date with changes in technology and best practice, the FORS Standard is reviewed, updated and approved on a two-year cycle by the FORS Governance and Standards Advisory Group.
Maintaining the FORS Standard
No, the scope of accreditation can be for a specific operating centre but must be for all vehicles at the specific operating centre audited.
Fleet amendments can be made via your dashboard.
No, offences against an individual (eg speeding fines) do not need to be reported. However, complaints and offences against the company (eg Traffic Commissioner Public Inquiry) should be reported to FORS and recorded within your complaints system to ensure that any legal and non-legal actions against your company are reviewed and reacted to in order to prevent recurrence. For more information on this, please check the FORS T&Cs and the FORS Quality Assurance Guide here.
All vehicles at an operating centre used for servicing and delivery must be registered and will fall under the scope of FORS accreditation – this includes HGVs, vans, passenger carrying vehicles, cars, Power Light Vehicles (PLV) (e.g. cargo bikes, motorcycles and mopeds) and wheeled plant.
Cars and PLVs are optional unless they are used as the core business function. Car-derived vans however must be declared
No, you can choose which operating centre(s) to include in your FORS accreditation, but all vehicles used for servicing and delivery in the chosen operating centre(s) must be included in the scope of accreditation (as detailed above.)
A vehicle specifically designed for engineering operations that is not classified as HGV. This includes, for example, mobile cranes, concrete pumps and volumetric mixers. This does NOT however include, for example, earth moving machinery, excavators, hoists, elevating work platforms, reach stackers and fork lifts.
Routes to accreditation
For information on FORS accreditation routes please check the FORS Accreditation Guide section 2.1.
Yes, you can. You will need to submit evidence for all operating centres (OCs) in scope of your accreditation or you can identify any specific OC(s) and submit evidence just for that one. Silver accreditation will be gained for those OCs only.
Your Bronze and Silver accreditation must be renewed each year. You can apply for Gold MOCA as long as you have a valid Silver MOCA. The same as above applies in terms of scope of accreditation.
Your Bronze, Silver and Gold accreditation must be renewed each year prior to the respective expiry dates if you wish to maintain your Gold.
Yes you can apply for Silver IAFA, however, please note that you will still need to renew your Bronze accreditation each year prior to expiry and that you will not gain an extra year on your Bronze.
You can apply for Gold IAFA as long as you have a valid Silver IAFA. Please note that you will still need to renew your Bronze and Silver accreditations each year prior to the respective expiry dates if you wish to maintain Gold IAFA and that you will not gain an extra year on your Bronze.
FORS operating centre
An operating centre is a site or depot where commercial vehicles operate from, where there is infrastructure that supports daily management, control and day to day operational deployment of a fleet. Note that the definition of a FORS operating centre is not the same as the definition according to Operator Licensing.
No this is not classed as an operating centre under FORS.
At audit, you must provide the Operator Licence which covers the operating centre which is being audited.
Multi-operating centre accreditation (MOCA)
The Head Office (HO) is the principal office of a business organisation, constituting the centre for transport related administration and policymaking. The HO may or may not have fleet operations. It may differ to the registered office address listed on Companies House.
No, you won’t be able to change your Head Office. Please email the FORS Helpline on [email protected], and we can change it for you.
The primary or secondary user and the MOCA overseer can request a Bronze audit by clicking the ‘Bronze audits’ button on their dashboard. For MOCA operators the Head Office audit must be requested first every year, and once this has passed you will be able to request further audits for that year.
Please upload the fleet list for all the operating centres.
The Head Office (HO) audit is conducted on an annual basis to ensure that all company policy documents are in place, have been reviewed and have been cascaded to all operating centres in the scope of the company’s FORS accreditation. The company will also must evidence the established vehicle fleet composition and distribution throughout the business.
The Head Office audit covers any minor action points that were evidenced during the previous reporting period for any of the operating centres. The auditor will review them to see if they have been satisfactorily addressed and implemented across the organisation. Please note that any unresolved minor action points WILL escalate into major action points and the HO audit will be graded accordingly.
The Head Office must be audited, and the audit passed before you can request any further audits.
This depends on the number of operating centres in your organisation. The breakdown is as follows:
- 2-4 OCs: two audits
- 5-15 OCs: three audits
- 16+ OCs: 20 per cent audited
Please note, the Head Office is included in these numbers.
No, you need to undergo the required amount of Bronze audits every year.
To remove an operating centre, please email the FORS Helpline at [email protected]. To add an operating centre, click on the ’Add’ button in the operating centre section of your MOCA admin page. Please note, you will be required to upload a new MOCA letter on your dashboard every time you add a new operating centre.
Training and workshops
FORS Professional is a comprehensive package of essential training for managers and drivers, delivered with cutting edge content to help operators meet the FORS Standard. FORS Professional is designed to improve knowledge and professional standards for any commercial vehicle operator, addressing in detail today’s safety and efficiency challenges.
All FORS Professional training meets FORS, CLOCS and TfL’s Work Related Road Risk (WRRR) requirements. FORS Professional provides JAUPT approved driver training delivered by qualified professionals.
By undertaking FORS Professional training, drivers and managers can help their companies improve fleet performance with respect to safety, efficiency and environmental impact.
If you would like further information on the training offered through FORS, please click here. For any queries in relation to FORS training, please contact the Helpline on 08448 09 09 44 or email [email protected]. Your training records can be checked via the FORS Professional training register (see below section).
For more information about how FORS Professional manager training is delivered, how to book a place, what equipment to have, etc, please click here.
All bookings are done using a system called FORS Professional Booking Platform. Please click here and follow the link to the date/s of your choice. Make sure you have your FORS ID at hand when booking the module.
Those who complete all ten modules of the FORS Practitioner workshops will be awarded a FORS Practitioner Certificate. The FORS Practitioner qualification is valid for five years. Click here to find out more. Please note, those who achieved their FORS Practitioner status before 2018 will not need to complete the later introduced workshop 10 ‘Managing noise in logistics’ to maintain their status, although attendance is encouraged.
You can check your training records using the FORS Professional training register. This is a register of FORS Professional training undertaken by FORS members, whether eLearning or classroom. You can search the register by name or organisation, as well as export the data to a spreadsheet.
Yes, is is. To view available dates and to book a place, log onto FORS Online and click on the Training button on the top tab. Alternatively, please email [email protected] for further information.
FORS offers a one day FORS Practitioner Recertification webinar. For available dates and to book a place visit the FORS Professional Booking Platform. Make sure you have your FORS ID at hand when booking the module.
Training dashboard
You will need to make sure that you have imported the drivers’ and manager’s records from the FORS Professional Training Register. When using the Training dashboard for the first time, you will need to ensure that you have added the drivers and managers by their licence numbers in the licence number tab. To find step by step instructions on how to import your drivers’/managers’ records to your Training dashboard, read page 3 of the Training dashboard guidance.
You are getting this error message because you can only add a driver/manager once they have completed the training. Once a training course or eLearning module has been completed, then you can import the records from the FORS Professional Training Register. Click here for the full guidance on how to use the Training dashboard.
No, it is optional to use the FORS Training dashboard. Click here for the full guidance on how to use the FORS Training dashboard.
Using the FORS Training dashboard enables you to monitor and maintain FORS Professional training records for drivers and managers. You can also use it to evidence the training requirements for your Silver and Gold application.
No, you can’t; this feature is not available on the Training dashboard. However the records can be exported to a csv file via the FORS Professional Training register. Click here to access FORS Training dashboard guidance document.
FORS Professional training records
If you are a FORS operators you can login in into your account and check your training records using the FORS Professional training register. This is a register of FORS Professional training undertaken by FORS operators , whether eLearning or classroom. You can search the register by name, organisation or training name, as well as export the data to a spreadsheet.
If you are a FORS operator, you can login in into your account and check your training records using the FORS Professional training register. This is a register of FORS Professional training undertaken by FORSoperators, whether eLearning or classroom. You can search the register by name, organisation or training name, as well as export the data to a spreadsheet. You can attach the spreadsheet as proof of attendance on the evidencing system. We recommend you also refer to the FORS template spreadsheet (available to download here under the ‘Getting ready’ section or on the evidencing system under the S5 section) to ensure you meet all mandatory training requirements.
For eLearning (not group eLearning), this can be amended on your eLearning dashboard. For other courses, you should contact the FORS Helpline who can make the amendments
You can only change your name once every 12 months on the eLearning dashboard. Any further amendments will need to be done by the FORS helpline.
For individual eLearning this can be amended on your eLearning dashboard. For classroom or group eLearning the learner should contact the FORS Helpline, who can make the amendments.
Please contact the FORS Helpline on [email protected] to request the amendments.
For all driver classroom training queries please contact the training provider who delivered the training. For eLearning queries, the learner should contact the FORS Helpline, who can make the amendments.
Warning signage and logos
The FORS Standard vehicle safety equipment requirement requires operators to fit vehicles over 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight with blind spot warning signage. For more guidance as to the signage approved by FORS, please click here.
If you are displaying the FORS logo you must use the version which incorporates your FORS ID number and your accreditation status of Bronze, Silver or Gold. Usage of the generic logo without the FORS ID or which incorporates the Transport for London logo ceased on 30 April 2015. FORS Vehicle Graphics Service (FORS VGS), produced and distributed by RGVA Vehicle Graphics, provides high quality FORS ID graphics and warning signage graphics for your vehicles, all at a discounted rate for FORS members. Please click here for more information.
Your FORS logo showing your unique FORS ID and accreditation level can be purchased using FORS Vehicle Graphics Service (FORS VGS). FORS VGS provides high quality FORS ID graphics and warning signage graphics for your vehicles, all at a discounted rate for FORS member. Please click here for more information.
FORS VGS provides members with low-cost, hassle-free access to its complete range of high quality FORS ID and warning signage graphics. We have recognised that members can encounter problems in producing their own FORS ID graphics, either through IT-formatting issues or difficulties in procuring a local printing service, FORS VGS is now in place to streamline the whole process providing low-cost, standardised signage products for all FORS members.
Every FORS ID purchased will qualify for a free warning signage graphic.
- All graphics made from high-quality ‘3M Envision’ material
- FORS VGS allows FORS members to order ID graphics quickly and easily through the FORS website.
- FORS VGS graphics are produced with a three-year 3M Matched Component System Warranty
- FORS VGS products are PVC-free and made using degradable vinyl which breaks down under landfill conditions without emitting toxic gases or other pollutants.
Yes, it is a FORS requirement that operators must fit all their vehicles over 3.5 tonnes in scope of their FORS accreditation with blind spot warning signage.
It is NOT a FORS requirement to display your FORS ID graphic on your vehicles, however, you might still be required to do it to meet specific contractual requirements.
No, you do not have to order through FORS Vehicle Graphics Service. You can provide your unique FORS ID artwork to any printers of your choice – this is available under the Evidence/Logos section of your organisational dashboard. The “Blind Spot Take Care” warning signage artwork can be found here.
To view the prices, please click here.
Progression
Yes, if you are FORS Silver accredited, you will comply with the CLOCS Standard. For more information, please click here.
You need to book your audit within 45 to 75 days prior to your expiry date, to allow sufficient time for a follow-up audit should it be required.
To achieve Silver or Gold accreditation, operators will need to maintain their Bronze accreditation and submit evidence to support their Silver or Gold application using the FORS evidencing system. For more information please check the FORS Accreditation Guide.
You will need to renew your Silver accreditation each year.
You will need to renew your Gold accreditation each year, however you must also maintain your Silver requirements each year through a submission of your Silver application.
Please call the Helpline team on 08448 09 09 44 or email [email protected]
Yes, you can progress straight to Gold if you have a valid Bronze and you submit a unified Silver and Gold application.
Audit
Although we encourage all operators to produce and maintain documented evidence, if you have fewer than five employees AND fewer than five vehicles, you can demonstrate your policies and procedures verbally to the auditor. However, all your legal documents must be available on the day of the audit.
Please contact your audit provider as soon as possible to cancel your audit. For contact details and information on the FORS Audit Amendment and Cancellation Policy, please click here.
Please follow the above process.
The audit process is about providing evidence of systems, procedures and documentation that demonstrates that the required standards of entry into FORS Bronze accreditation are met. To gain a better insight, you can click here for more information, and to watch the auditor video.
Only the MOCA overseer can book an audit for an operating centre. The overseer will need to log in to the MOCA dashboard and select the operating centre required to be audited.
You will be notified of the audit outcome via email within 10 working days after your Bronze audit date.
You are required to resolve all minor action points that are listed in the action plan within 90 calendar days from notification, but you will not require to notify FORS. Your action points will be checked at your next Bronze audit and will result in a failed audit if not resolved.
If you have 16 or more major action points, you will need to book and undertake another full FORS Bronze on-site audit as opposed to a follow-up audit. This means that all requirements will be audited again. This audit will be charged as a full audit at the standard rate.
Unified Audit
Unified audit allows you to progress or maintain your Silver and Gold accreditations by submitting one combined Silver/Gold application, so you will only have one Silver/Gold expiry date. This option is voluntary and currently available for organisations with single operating centre accreditation (SOCA) only.
For more information on fees, click here.
Yes it is different. The new unified form allows you to evidence both Silver and Gold requirements in one combined form. The Silver/Gold requirements are still the same.
If you cannot access the forms on the evidencing page, it means the option is not available for you. This is because you have less than 45 days left on your earliest accreditation or you have already started a different application.
Your optimum date for unification is the maximum date presented to you by the system based on all your current accreditation expiry dates. You can choose any date within the range of minimum and maximum dates allowed, but you will lose more time on your accreditation the first year you unify if you don’t choose your maximum date.
The system will define a range for you to select a date from. The range will offer you a minimum and a maximum date. You can see your individual date range on the evidencing system page when you opt in for unified audit.
Case 1: You have less than three calendar months left on your first expiring accreditation
- The minimum date is your current renewal date of your first expiring accreditation
- The maximum date is your current renewal date of your first expiring accreditation + 12 months (please note that you will lose some time from your second accreditation)
Case 2: You have more than three calendar months left on your first expiring accreditation
- The minimum date is the present day – this will change daily
- The maximum date is your current renewal date
You can cancel your application at any time, as long as you haven’t submitted it yet, by clicking on the Cancel button. Once you cancel an application, all application options will be available again. However, be aware that you will lose any data entered when you cancel an application.
No. If you fail any of the Silver requirements you will get a major action point on Gold requirement ‘G1 FORS Silver’. This means that you cannot be Gold accredited without passing all Silver and Gold requirements.
Yes. If you fail any of the Gold requirements but pass all the Silver requirements, you will become Silver accredited and you will receive a Silver certificate with the unified expiry date you chose. If Gold is then achieved within the 30 calendar day follow-up period, a Gold certificate will be sent to you.
Changes in your details
There is a facility to reset your password if you have forgotten it called Forgotten password. Use this if you remember your username (the email you used when you registered with FORS.) If you don’t remember your username, please email the FORS Helpline [email protected].
If you have forgotten or mislaid your FORS ID number, log in to FORS online, go to your dashboard and your ID will be displayed on the page. Alternatively please call the FORS Helpline on 08448 09 09 44 or email [email protected].
Please ask your organisation’s primary or secondary contact to email the FORS Helpline [email protected] for you to be added as a secondary contact. If all contacts have left the organisation, please email us with the request of the contact change.
If your registered address or contact details have changed please let us know your new details by emailing [email protected]
To add additional eNews recipients from your organisation, email [email protected] stating the email address(es) that you’d like to add. Please state your FORS ID number in your email.
Benefits
FORS operators demonstrate commitment to managing road risk, reducing environmental impact and improving operational efficiency, all of which improve overall fleet road safety and lessen the wider impacts of freight and fleet operations. FORS accreditation offers distinction and operational efficiency. FORS accreditation offers access to major development projects where FORS is specified as the quality standard for fleet operations. FORS accreditation demonstrates you run a quality operation and gives you and your clients confidence that you operate safely and efficiently, therefore it helps you to win new business and maintain existing business.
All FORS operators will have access to:
- Advice, guidance and campaign toolkits
- eLearning modules for managers and drivers
- Training for HGV drivers
- Training for van drivers
- Best practice courses and workshops for managers
- Exclusive offers and discounts for FORS Operator employees, such as health and wellbeing and leisure services
- Exclusive products, services and discounts through FORS Affinity Partners and FORS Associate Suppliers that are directly aligned to the core principles and FORS Standard
Fees
The FORS annual subscription fee is based on the total fleet size of all the operating centres in scope of the FORS accreditation. More information on the fees available here.
Your annual subscription fee gives your entire company access to the FORS online benefits package which includes access to the FORS Emissions Calculator, the eLearning modules and to partner offers and discounts.
Your annual subscription fee gives your entire company access to the FORS online benefits package which includes access to the FORS Emissions Calculator, the eLearning modules and to partner offers and discounts.
If you fail to pay your fees your company will be downgraded to dormant and will lose any FORS accreditation that it holds. If you want to reinstate your company please email the FORS Helpline [email protected], request to be re-instated and complete the payment process.
For information on Bronze, Silver and Gold audit fees, please click here.
You can pay via the following methods:
- PayPal: Click the link on the original PayPal invoice which will take you to the appropriate payment page
- Phone: Please call 08448 09 09 44 to make payment by phone
- BACS: Please quote your FORS ID and invoice number when completing your BACS transfer
- By bank transfer:
- Bank Name: SOCIETE GENERALE
- Account Name: Sopra Steria Limited
- Sort Code: 23-63-91
- Bank Account Number: 19034684
Yes, there is a fee for Silver/ Gold application. For more information please click here.
Yes, audits are available out of hours. These hours are classified as anytime on Saturday or Sunday and before 0900hrs and after 1730hrs Monday to Friday. Charges during these times will differ to the standard rate and these rates can be found in the ‘Bronze audit fees section‘.
Yes, audits are available outside the UK. For more information on locations and costs, please visit this page and go to the Bronze audit fees section.
If you have been reinstated more than once within your 12 months membership period, you will be required to pay the full subscription fee again.
eLearning
Please click here to watch our short tutorial video on how to reset your eLearning password.
Please click here where you will be prompted to enter the relevant information to set up your login details.
The safety eLearning modules are: Cycle Safety, Van Smart, Smart Driving, Pedestrian Safe and Bridge Smart. At the time of your Bronze audit, one of these eLearning modules must have been undertaken by your drivers within the past 12 months.
You can search on the FORS website by entering either the driver’s or the company’s name in the FORS Professional training register.
Log in to your eLearning account with the incorrect details and click on the icon next to eLearning dashboard, which says “Update profile”. Then you can edit your details, please don’t forget to click on the update button.
Please click here to find the username you registered with.
FORS and GDPR
The General Data Protection Regulation, known as GDPR, imposes additional obligations on organisations and gives you extra rights about how your data is used. GDPR has been in effect since 25 May 2018.
Yes click here.
Please unsubscribe from the FORS eNews using the unsubscribe facility.
In the first instance please refer to the FORS Privacy Statement and associated FORS Procedure for Responding to Personal Data Requests for details of how to remove, edit or transfer your training records. Please note that removal of driver training records from the training register may have an impact on any future FORS Silver or Gold application if the training records cannot be verified online. In your application you will need to provide some other proof of attendance of the training required at FORS Silver or Gold.
Other
CLOCS and WRRR are both aligned with the FORS Silver Standard. FORS Silver accreditation is an easy way for operators to show that they fulfil the requirements of the CLOCS standard and also of TfL’s Work Related Road Risk (WRRR). For more information, please click here.
Email the FORS Helpline [email protected] with your request and we will withdraw your organisation from the scheme.