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Test failures cost two trucks
Page 31
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Haulier is given final chance on maintenance. Mike Jewell reports.
TEST FAILURE, shoddy maintenance and poor record-keeping have led to an East Yorkshire haulier losing two-thirds of the vehicles on his licence. An inability to present the company's one truck in a satisfactory condition to pass the annual test was an important factor in the inquiry's ruling when Beverleybased David Whitehead appeared before North Eastern Traffic Commissioner Tom Macartney at a Leeds disciplinary inquiry Whitehead held a licence for three vehicles of his own and three trailers that belonged to a customer. The licence was cut from three vehicles to one and suspended until the vehicle had been through a fresh annual test and the VI was satisfied that there were satisfactory maintenance arrangements.
Surrender refused The TC said he had refused to accept Whitehead's offer to surrender the licence as it was often a device to avoid action being taken after a callup letter had been issued. Operators have been known to then apply for a fresh licence in a different name or different traffic area.
Vehicle examiner Michael Brooks said Whitehead was currently operating one vehicle and one trailer. When stopped in a roadside check in March. the vehicle was given an marked immediate prohibition for four defects. The load sensing valve was seized. a stop lamp was inoperative, the exhaust was leaking and a brake fluid reservoir was insecure. The trailer was given an immediate prohibition for an inoperative stop lamp.
Whitehead had been carrying out his own inspections and minor repairs for some time. There was no proper under-chassis inspection facility and no written driver defect reporting system, although there was an unused defect book in the cab.