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JE Clarke must sweat on decision
Page 22
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Yate-based JE Clarke & Sons (Transport) will have to wait to see what action Western Traffic Commis sioner Philip Brown will take against the company's Operator's Licence after convictions for drivers' hours offences.
In June the company was ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £10,523 after being convicted of permitting 23 drivers' hours offences. For the company, Peter Woodhouse said it was accepted that the drivers had not been formally trained in the use of tachographs and that there had been no real disciplinary procedure in place. The company was anxious to comply with the law but it might take a few weeks.
Asked to what extent the situation had changed. Woodhouse said that there was now a formal procedure for disputes. All matters were now raised with the drivers, many of whom had been with the company tor a long time. They had been given handbooks and electronic devices to help them keep track of their hours.
Director Julian Clarke accepted that the transport manager was responsible for ensuring the law was complied with arid he understood the breaches had been serious ones.
Asked what action had
been taken over one particular driver who had committed 14 offences, Clarke said drivers' tachograph charts were analysed. If problems emerged they were given a verbal warning followed by a wrttten warning. If they continued to break the law they would be given a final written warning followed by dismissal. he said.
Woodhouse said the company had brought the law to the drivers' attention.
"You can only lead a horse to water, you can't make it drink." he said. He added that the company had not made any financial gain out of the drivers' offences.
The drivers had to accept a culture change, said Woodhouse. The company accepted that its 0-licence was at risk. There was a new handbook "waiting in the wings" and they now knew about the Vehicle Inspectorate training scheme.
He pointed out that the company had been trading since the 1941)s and had a previous good enforcement record.
The TC is to announce his decision in writing.