Joan Aitken criticises applicant who produced false documents to suggest he had a valid licence. Traffic commissioners take their role as gatekeepers to the haulage, bus and coach industries very seriously. They know that compliant operators like you expect unscrupulous practices to be dealt with – because they can affect your… Read more »
Second jail term for heavy haulage business owner after failing to pay back £75K
A Birmingham fraudster has been jailed for a second stretch of 20 months for failing to pay back the £75,000 owing from a two-year tax fraud. Craig McDougall was originally sentenced to four years in prison for evading tax by lying about the takings from his haulage business, after an… Read more »
Licence revocation for operator who underestimated the importance of undertakings
Traffic Commissioner says regulatory action inevitable for non-compliant operator. A recent public inquiry saw an operator have its licence taken away for not putting enough importance on the undertakings it agreed to when applying for the operator’s licence. The operator had vehicles stopped on three separate occasions – each time they… Read more »
Director’s professional driving licence revoked for driving dangerously and falsifying tachograph records
Traffic Commissioner takes action after “serious, reckless error of judgement” The director of a haulage firm has had his professional driving licence revoked after being told he should never have got behind the wheel of his vehicle. West of England Traffic Commissioner, Kevin Rooney, said the director made a “serious,… Read more »
Banned operator handed further 10 year disqualification
Traffic Commissioner says limited company was set up with the sole purpose of hiding operator’s true role. What happens when a bad operator is banned from running vehicles? It means they can’t apply for or get another licence. In fact, it’s a criminal offence to do so. A small minority of… Read more »
Two year ban for transport manager who fundamentally misunderstood his responsibilities
If your advice about the safety of vehicles or drivers is being ignored, what should you do? If you know there’s a conflict between winning customers and being compliant, how should you respond? At a recent public inquiry, North West Traffic Commissioner Simon Evans said it’s “scarcely possible” for any transport… Read more »
Transport manager could have prevented serious failings
CPC holder stepped down but Traffic Commissioner says that decision, like his other actions, was too late. Promoting culture of compliance across a business can be challenging. Your commitment to safe vehicle and driver operations relies on every individual making the right decisions, maintaining the daily discipline of checks and procedures…. Read more »
Manipulation: working together to cut it out
Traffic Commissioner points to “dark cloud of suspicion” over hauliers who obstruct DVSA’s efforts to identify those involved in fitting interrupter devices. Tachograph equipment has one purpose. To secure road safety. Anyone involved in manipulating these devices is making a deliberate attack on the wellbeing of others. Cheating the rules also… Read more »
Making sure your competitors don’t have an unfair advantage is key message after an operator was handed a three year ban for flouting rules
Expecting your fellow operators to stick to the rules isn’t unreasonable. If you’re investing time, resources and money into staying compliant, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t either. Every bid for work should be made on a level playing field. However, for a minority of operators, that’s not the way they… Read more »
RHA condemns lorry driver attack
The Road Haulage Association is horrified that a lorry driver was shot in the head whilst driving near Cambridge. A ball bearing was shot at a lorry on the A14 near Fen Ditton, Cambridgeshire at 3.45pm on Sunday 30 September smashing the windscreen. The driver suffered head injuries but managed… Read more »
