A new Criminal Charge traffic light is available on the Driver Vehicle Dashboard (DVD) from 26 November 2018.
This new feature provides a quick, clear and accessible way to see if a driver has been charged with a disqualifying criminal offence in NSW and helps Authorised Service Providers (ASPs) comply with their safety obligations.
The new traffic light will draw information from the NSW Police Force database to show whether a driver has been charged with a disqualifying criminal offence in NSW after 26 November 2018, or from the date a Passenger Transport (PT) code was added to a driver’s licence (if the PT code was added to their licence after that date).
Key points to note:
- A red light indicates that the driver may have been charged with a criminal offence. It is not a definitive result they do not meet safety standards, however, authorised service providers should take immediate action when they see a red light. This may include the service provider asking the driver to provide additional information about their criminal and driving record.
- A green light will indicate that, at the time of conducting the check, no record was found of disqualifying criminal charges against the driver in question.
- Only drivers who have an active PT code on their licence and have had their details entered into the DVD by their ASP will appear in the DVD. (Note that while meeting the medical standard for commercial vehicle drivers is mandatory, having the PT code is not. However, ASPs can require that drivers have the PT code as part of their safety management systems: see Safety Standards for Drivers).
- The DVD traffic light system will only provide indicators of disqualifying offences where charges were laid in NSW and heard in a NSW Court. A driver does not meet the safety standards if they have been found guilty of an equivalent disqualifying offence in another state or territory, which can be determined through a national criminal history check.
- Drivers can request an up-to-date national criminal history check and discuss their suitability to drive with their ASP.
- The Criminal Charge traffic light is intended to supplement ASPs’ safety management systems. It should not replace a National Police Check, particularly when on-boarding new drivers and after drivers have spent time outside of NSW.
Further resources
More information is available in the latest version of the DVD User Guide, and the resources section of the Point to Point Transport Commissioner’s website.
An updated fact sheet on the disqualifying offences is also available on the website, as are a fact sheet and quick guide on how the DVD traffic lights system works.
View the online database of disqualifying offences (including criminal offences).