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TC told pass rate plummeted
Page 31
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A poor failure rate means an operator's licence is trimmed even though the dealership admits responsibility.
A SCANIA dealership has accepted blame for a two-thirds reduction in the initial test pass rate of one of its customers. As a result the licence held by M&J Transport (Southampton) has been cut from 12 vehicles and 10 trailers to nine vehicles and nine trailers.
However, M&J was also found to be at fault because its defect reporting system was poor. Drivers are now on a 20-a-week bonus for listing defects correctly.
The company appeared before Western Traffic Commissioner Philip Brown at a Bristol disciplinary inquiry
Investigation
Vehicle examiner Roger Britton said the initial pass rate of 75% at annual test in 2002 had fallen to 25% last year. A maintenance investigation in February 2003 revealed that inspection records were not correctly completed and the driver defect reporting system was not working properly. Defect notices had been issued for brake faults, an inoperative speed limiter and a faulty tachograph.
MD Arthur Burton said letters had been sent to drivers and the firm had introduced a £20-a-week bonus if drivers listed defects. If he found faults that had not been reported they lost that incentive.
Questioned about the test failure rate, Burton said that Scania (Fareham) had no restriction on the cost of repairs. Some vehicles had passed voluntary brake tests and then failed at the annual test. don't look to do things cheap," said Burton. "I don't scrimp." Asked if he was surprised at the test history and whether he was happy with Scania. Burton said he had told them that they could not afford test failures, Units and trailers went in every six weeks and there had been no failures on trailers until they went to Scania.
Steve Coleman, depot manager of Scania (Fareham), said M&J had been with them for a long time he admitted the dealership had let down this customers and others in the past year. The dealership had not taken things as seriously as they should have done. They had now reviewed their systems, more resources had been put in and the MoT pass rate was now up to 90%.
"We put our hands up," Cole told the TC. "We investigated the failures, we listened and have changed."
Cutting the licence, the TC said: "There seemed to be some unsatisfactory aspect of vehicle maintenance with Scania (Fareham). Mr Burton is as disappointed as I am. He spared no expense, he presented vehicles for MoT and for whatever reasons they did not pass first time."
However, the TC concluded the operator had to can-y the can.