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Fresh chance for buy-out
Page 18
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Allegedly using eight unauthorised operating centres and breaches of the tachograph rules have led to Bilston-based Starr Roadways being hauled before West Midland Traffic Commissioner David Dixon.
However, the company, which holds a licence for 60 vehicles and 50 trailers, was acquired by the Stockton-onTees-based G Stiller Transport on 23 November.
Traffic examiner Helen Key said that she carried out an investigation after receiving reports that two vehicles were being kept at steel maker Carus premises in Sheffield. An examination of 4,671 tachograph charts for a five-month period showed that various vehicles were not being parked at the Bilston operating centre on a regular basis.
Three drivers had falsified tachograph charts on six occasions and were being prosecuted. Also, she found many hundreds of centre field offences involving the way drivers had entered their names and the use of abbreviated starting and finishing points.
Former transport manager and director John Michell, now operations manager said the use of the unauthorised sites had gradually arisen through customers wanting vehicles parked at their premises overnight so that they could be loaded.
Applications had now been made for all the sites to be authorised as operating centres, following advice from the Traffic Area Office.
As far as the tachograph records were concerned, he had concentrated on being very strict about the drivers' hours limits. The Stiller Group was now introducing its own systems and there had been a dramatic improvement. Stiller Group managing director Paul Stiller said: "There is a nucleus of a good company that needs to be dusted off and sharpened up."
For Starr Roadways, Gary Hodgson said there were now new directors, a new transport manager and improved systems. To take action against the licence would in effect put a black mark against the Stiller Group and that would be unfair.
The hearing was adjourned until 14 December.