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TCs ask you: Do part-time transport managers work?
Page 6
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• by Michael Jewell and Chris Tindall After several high-orofile Public Inquiries. the Traffic Commissioners are launching a consultation on nominated transport managers. seeking industry views on the weekly commitment required from them.
The trade associations, the Association of Road Transport Lawyers and the Vehicle Inspectorate are being consulted along with any interested party.
TCs are keen to quash the perception that having a CPC-holder's name on the licence is sufficient for the purposes of fulfilling the legislation. They hope feedback from the consultation can be used to set a benchmark on what is expected from a part-time transport manager.
Legislation defines a transport manager as 'an individual who is in, or who is engaged to enter into, the employment of the holder of a standard licence [and] has continuous and effective responsibility for the management of the transport opera tions of the business".
The TCs say "continuous responsibility" relates to "management of the transport operations", which suggests that a transport man ager's actual presence might be required during a period in which the authorised vehicles are active.
In addition. TCs are seeking views on the minimum number of hours per week a transport manager is required for various fleet sizes, and whether there is a limit to the number of operators for whom one individual might act.
Alec Hayden. director for agency Transconsult, says the industry has been crying out for action like this for a long time: "Any co-operation with the TCs is more than welcome; I asked them two years ago to look at it. We feel in the past we have been victimised."
The Road Haulage Association has also been consulted. A spokeswoman says: "We have consulted with our regional offices and the general consensus is that we support the proposals."
But Michael Waddington, a part-time transport manager held to have lost his repute by North Eastern TC Tom Macartney (CM13-19 Mar), believes TCs must first look at how they themselves act in accordance with their own charter: "If the Commissioners are going to get on the back of part-time transport managers. then they should get their own house in order first."
Comments about the consultation should be sent by April to Eastern Traffic Commissioner Geoffrey Simms at City House, 126-130 Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 1NP.