The Distinctive Systems Vehicle Maintenance System has been specially designed for PSV and HGV operators. It has been officially approved by VOSA as being fully compliant with the requirements set out in the Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness, which specifies the standards of maintenance that operators need to comply with as a condition of their licence to operate.

Developed using Microsoft Visual Studio and based on the Microsoft SQL Server database engine, VMS is a client/server system powerful enough for even the largest operators. Despite the power of the system, because our pricing structure takes account of fleet size, VMS is still a very attractive proposition for the smaller operator. Whilst optimised for PSV and HGV operators, VMS is also ideal for use with any fleet of specialised vehicles, vans or cars.

Additional modules covering stock control, invoicing and sales ledger make VMS an ideal solution for commercial workshops.

The system provides a complete solution for operators looking to manage the maintenance of their vehicles for maximum efficiency and longevity in accordance with manufacturer?s recommendations. The system allows operators to create their own scheduled maintenance activities each consisting of an unlimited number of user definable planned maintenance items. The activity cycle for each vehicle can be controlled by distance, days, hours or fixed date. Activities can either be scheduled individually or automatically up to any future date.

VMS includes a comprehensive defect recording system. A defect goes forwards to become an unscheduled activity which can either be assigned to its own date and time, or be attached to an existing scheduled activity.

VMS also includes a graphical bay planner for allocating scheduled and unscheduled activities into workshop, paint shop or cleaning bays. Activities can be moved to a different bay or time using drag and drop. The highly visual graphical presentation makes the optimisation of resources especially easy.

VMS can also be integrated with our SQL Server based Coach Manager private hire and contract booking system. As vehilces are allocated into the workshop the system automatically checks with Coach Manager to make sure there are no conflicting booking commitments.

The VMS Express Edition is a simplified version of VMS aimed at operators with smaller fleet sizes. By excluding a range of features that have been designed specifically for managing very large fleets, we have not only made the system much easier to use, we've also made it more attractively priced. Although VMS Express has fewer features, we haven't taken away anything that could affect the smooth operation of your workshop and we most definitely haven't removed any features that are concerned with VOSA compliance. VMS Express is available for fleet sizes of up to either 50 or 100 vehicles and, because we recognise that some larger operators might also prefer a simpler system, there is also an unlimited version.

SQL Server is part of the Microsoft .NET Platform and is an industrial strength database engine designed to handle hundreds of simultaneous users. It delivers stunning performance with unparalleled reliability and security. It is designed for systems that are in constant use under the most demanding circumstances.

VMS can be used with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 or 2000 (Workgroup, Standard or Enterprise Editions) or with Microsoft Small Business Server 2003 or 2000. Alternatively all but the largest operators can use it with the royalty free Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition or the earlier Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine (MSDE 2000).

VMS runs on Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP and Windows 2000.

VMS was launched in June 2003 and is already in use with nearly 100 operators.

For further details, or to arrange a no obligation demonstration at your own offices, please phone us on 01904 692269 or email sales@distinctive-systems.com.

A PDF of our latest brochure is available here.

Features & Screenshots · Pricing · Software Update


  • Officially approved by VOSA as being fully compliant with the requirements set out in the Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness

  • Unlimited user definable activities each with unlimited user definable maintenance items, statutory safety inspections, readings, costs, parts, bay facilities and skill requirements

  • Faults, comments and work carried out can be recorded against each activity

  • Activity cycle for each vehicle allows activities to be scheduled by distance, days, hours or fixed date

  • Activities can be scheduled individually or automatically up to any future date

  • Unscheduled activities can be assigned to their own dates or attached to scheduled activities

  • Defect reporting system with user definable defect types, stored common descriptions and full implementation of statutory reasons for failure

  • Graphical workshop optimiser facilitates smoothing of daily workloads with automated rescheduling of subsequent activities

  • Highly visual bay planner with drag and drop allocation of colour coded activities into user definable bays

  • Six month view of scheduled activities emulates traditional wall planner

  • Job cards with user definable layout printed automatically for each activity

  • Comprehensive standard and user definable reporting facilities throughout the entire system with onscreen previews, printed reports and data export

  • Single or multi-user Microsoft SQL Server client/server system available with multiple operating bases

  • Microsoft SQL Server backup and restore facilities with scheduled backups

    Please note that the bay planner, graphical optimiser, multiple bases and some other features are not available in the VMS Express Edition.
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