CVOR System is an expanded version of the driver's licensing system.
A driver must demonstrate knowledge and experience in operating a vehicle. There are rules in place that determine the maximum driving speed, among other things. If a driver violates these rules, a punitive system is in place. Progressive (harsher) interventions are implemented for repeat offenders. Driver performance is measured in points, with points deducted for violations.
The CVOR system builds upon and expands this framework. The owner/director is required to pass a knowledge test for the license to be issued, without the need for a driving test. A de-facto point system is in place, although it has been overhauled to use percentages (for better or worse). Points are tracked in three categories: moving/driver-related violations, mechanical issues, and accidents or crashes.
For example, if a driver exceeds the maximum allowed hours of driving in a day, the operator loses points, and both the operator and the driver could be charged. Another example is when a truck is inspected at the weigh-scale and a turn signal is found to be not working. In such cases, "mechanical points" are deducted, and the truck is placed out-of-service until the signal is fixed.
The points in the three categories are mathematically processed, and the operator is assigned an 'overall score' expressed as a percentage. If an operator loses 30% of the assigned points (equivalent to accumulating five points on a personal driver's license), they automatically receive a formal warning letter (in the mail or via email). Further points lost or other events may trigger a facility audit.
Now, let's consider a personal license system. Each driver is assigned 15 points. The CVOR system takes into account that one operator may have one truck, while another may have a hundred. To facilitate this, the system uses a mathematical model to calculate assigned points based on the overall fleet mileage. The more kilometers an operator's fleet travels, the more points are assigned. The system is set up in a way that after a certain threshold each additional kilometer travel, yields less additional points.
In the past, a personal license system also used a star rating system (e.g., three-star driver, four-star driver, etc.), which has now been discontinued. However, the CVOR system has a 'star' system in place. Alternatively, you can think of it as letters: A-F in a classic school system. When the CVOR is issued, each operator starts with a letter "C": satisfactory unaudited. If an operator fails a facility audit (usually triggered by a drop in their overall score), their rating is downgraded to "D": conditional, or in the worst case, "F": suspended. On the other end of the spectrum, if all is well and an operator passes a facility audit, they receive a "B": satisfactory-audit. And once certain criteria are met, they can achieve an "A": excellent rating.
Therefore, operators are classified based on two variables, such as "C" - satisfactory-unaudited, and the overall safety violation rate, for example, 20% (equivalent to having 3 points in a personal license system).
The overall safety violation rate (i.e., how many points were lost) and the carrier safety rating ("C" - satisfactory unaudited) are used by:
- Enforcement personnel to determine the frequency and depth of inspections.
- Insurance companies to calculate insurance premiums (or deny insurance altogether for "conditional" ratings).
- The registrar to prioritize operators for audits and interventions.
Once a CVOR number is assigned, it remains with the operator indefinitely. It also follows the director to a new business if they decide to move elsewhere. I recently assisted a client in obtaining a CVOR for their new venture. They came to me after the CVOR refused to issue a CVOR certificate because the director had failed a facility audit 13 years ago. In that sense, it works somewhat like a personal driver's license.
In the past CVOR certificates did not have expiry dates. Currently, each certificate has to be renewed annually (or biennially under certain conditions).