For UK HGV workshops · DVSA GTMR · HSE COSHH · LOLER
Pass any DVSA audit, on any day, with the records you already keep.
Engine Room is the workshop-native compliance platform for UK HGV operators. PMI, DDR, LOLER, COSHH, job cards and the compliance calendar — captured during normal daily work, producing tamper-evident records as a byproduct.
Designed for both ends of the workshop
Detailed where it needs to be. Lightweight where it matters.
On the ground · the technician
Mobile-first React Native app. Offline-capable. Large touch targets. Pre-built DVSA checklists. Photos linked to the exact checklist row. Sign-off at the point of work, not backfilled in the office.
In the office · the owner
Web dashboard with RAG compliance calendar. 15-month tamper-evident records, signed PDF certificates, defect categories, technician identity. Exportable audit bundle.
The feature set
Everything an independent workshop is missing.
Job cards · 6-stage lifecycle
A job card that knows what stage it's at.
Every job moves through six structured stages — new → in_progress → signed_off → communicated → invoiced → complete. Sign-off captures inspection type, defect category, next PMI date, and the signing technician. Closure transitions are admin-only — enforced as a 403 at the API, not a UI toggle.
- Defect categories: Dangerous / S1 Major / S2 Minor / None
- Digital signature captured on sign-off
- PDF compliance certificate generated immediately (A5, signed)
- Photos attached to individual checklist items — critical for DVSA ER
DVSA inspection templates
PMI, DDR, LOLER — already configured.
The full DVSA-aligned template library is compiled in. 74-item PMI, 29-item DDR, 17-item LOLER Schedule 1. Use them as-is or customise per workshop. Photo evidence per item, not per job.
- 74-item PMI walkaround — service brakes through cab safety
- 29-item DDR for the legally required daily walkaround
- 17-item LOLER Schedule 1 thorough examination
- Risk assessments — standalone or job-linked
LOLER equipment register
Lifting equipment with examination dates that track themselves.
A full LOLER Regulation 9 register: equipment serial number, rated capacity, examination interval, last and next-due dates. The admin list pulls everything within 30 days of due-by to the top — no surprises.
- Serial number, rated capacity, examination interval
- 30-day next-due highlight on the list view
- Linked thorough examination records
- Site-scoped — each piece of equipment knows where it lives
COSHH substance register
Substances with WEL values and SDS docs in one place.
Full HSE COSHH Regulation 7 coverage. Workplace Exposure Limits in both ppm and mg/m³. Hazard classification, exposure route, PPE required, health surveillance flag, and the linked Safety Data Sheet document — captured per substance.
- WEL in ppm and mg/m³
- Hazard classification + exposure route
- PPE required + health surveillance flag
- Linked SDS document storage
Compliance calendar · Fleet portal · Open API
The audit trail your DVSA inspector wants to see.
RAG-status compliance calendar across MOT, PMI, and tachograph calibration. A customer-facing fleet portal scoped by JWT identity. Open API for machine-to-machine telematics integration — a distribution channel, not an afterthought.
- RAG dashboard — every vehicle, every check type
- Operator portal — home, dashboard, vehicles, inspections
- PDF certificate download from the portal
- Open API · 5 endpoints incl. GET /api/v1/me
How it works
From paper to passing audits — in a single afternoon.
Sign up
Email and workshop name. Free tier active immediately. No card, no sales call.
Add your fleet
Paste VRMs in bulk or import a spreadsheet. We pull DVLA make/model and prefill the compliance calendar.
Run a PMI
Pick the vehicle on mobile in the pit. Work the 74-item template. Tick items, snap defect photos, capture mileage.
Sign off
Defect category, next PMI date, technician identity. Digital signature captured at the point of work.
The record exists
PDF certificate generated. Compliance calendar updates. Fleet customer sees it in their portal. DVSA file is built.
workshop owner
"[Pull-quote · 1–2 lines · what changed about their day, not a feature list]"
[Customer name] · [Role · Workshop name · Location]
The full picture
Side-by-side, feature by feature.
| Feature | Engine Room | R2C Online | FleetCheck | Garage Hive | Paper · Excel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DVSA inspection coverage | |||||
| PMI template (74-item, GTMR-aligned) | ✓ | ✓ | — | Generic | DIY |
| DDR template (29-item) | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | DIY |
| LOLER Schedule 1 (17-item) | ✓ | Add-on | — | — | DIY |
| Defect categories (Dangerous / S1 / S2) | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — |
| Photos linked per checklist item | ✓ | Per job | — | Per job | — |
| HSE registers | |||||
| LOLER equipment register + next-due | ✓ | Add-on | — | — | — |
| COSHH substance register (WEL + SDS) | ✓ | — | — | — | — |
| Risk assessments | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | DIY |
| Sites management | ✓ | Limited | — | — | — |
| Workflow | |||||
| 6-stage job lifecycle | ✓ | Status only | — | ✓ | — |
| Role-based sign-off (API-enforced) | ✓ | UI only | — | UI only | — |
| PDF compliance certificate (A5, signed) | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — |
| Offline-capable mobile app | ✓ Native | Limited | — | — | — |
| For the office | |||||
| RAG compliance calendar | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ only | — | — |
| Fleet operator portal | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — |
| Open API · machine-to-machine | ✓ | Limited | — | — | — |
| Commercials | |||||
| Free tier (1 user, 1 site) | ✓ | — | — | — | n/a |
| Self-serve sign-up + Stripe upgrade | ✓ | Sales call | Sales call | ✓ | n/a |
| Entry tier monthly cost | £99 | ~£200+ | ~£100 | ~£100 | — |
Pricing
Free where it should be. Honest where it shouldn't.
Free
1 user · 1 bay · 1 site · 200 jobs/month
- Job card lifecycle (all 6 stages)
- PMI · DDR · LOLER templates
- Structured checklists
- Mobile app (iOS + Android)
- Basic audit log
Independent
5 users · 4 bays · 1 site · 1,000 jobs/month
- Everything in Free, plus:
- DVSA sign-off (PMI, DDR, LOLER)
- HSE registers (LOLER + COSHH)
- Per-item photo & video evidence
- Customer communication workflow
- PDF compliance certificate
Workshop
10 users · up to 7 bays · 1,500 jobs/month · 2 mobile techs
- Everything in Independent, plus:
- Fleet compliance calendar (MOT, PMI, tachograph)
- Open API · M2M JSON
Enterprise
Unlimited users · multi-site · SSO · custom KPIs
- Everything in Workshop, plus:
- Per-vehicle RAG status dashboard
- DVSA Compliance pack
- Fleet operator portal
- Dedicated onboarding
We manage fine with paper. Why change?
Until DVSA asks for 15 months of PMI records with VIN, O-licence number, and technician sign-off per vehicle. Paper struggles. Engine Room produces it as a byproduct.
Will the technicians actually use it?
Built mobile-first for technicians, not managers. Large touch targets, offline-capable, pre-built DVSA checklists. Faster than paper once they've done one.
What about my existing records?
Bulk vehicle import on day one. Historic PDFs and photos can be attached as evidence to a vehicle's record. The 15-month tamper-evident clock starts fresh on go-live — that's fine for DVSA.
Is this DVSA Earned Recognition material?
Engine Room is built to the DVSA ER evidence spec from the ground up. We're not yet ER-listed — but workshops using us are producing the records ER needs.
Can it talk to my telematics?
Yes — on Fleet tier and above. Open API with five M2M endpoints including authenticated user profile.
Do I have to talk to sales?
No. Sign up, run a job, pay through Stripe Checkout when you outgrow the free tier. We're here if you want to talk — but you don't have to.
Run your next PMI through Engine Room.
Free to start — no card required. Ten minutes from sign-up to a signed-off DVSA-aligned record.
Start free → Book a 20-min call