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Fleet cut for hours and base

12th July 2001, Page 18
12th July 2001
Page 18
Page 18, 12th July 2001 — Fleet cut for hours and base
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

A Kingswinford,

West Midlands-1010 based haulage company has had its vehicle fleet cut by more than half following drivers' hours and tachograph offences and the use of an unauthorised operating centre. The fleet belonging to Andyfreight has been cut to 12 vehicles and 12 trailers for a fortnight and thereafter to 17 vehicles and 12 trailers.

The company, which held a licence for 30 vehicles and 12 trailers, and six of its drivers, appeared before West Midland Traffic Commissioner David Dixon at a Birmingham disciphnary inquiry.

The investigation came after a tip-off that one of the drivers was flagrantly breaching the hours rules. An analysis of tachograph charts for July and August of last year revealed a total of 34 driver offences and 24 where the company had permitted the offences. There was one offence of using a vehicle with a defective tachograph and one of using an unauthorised operating centre.

Managing director Andrew Poutney said that on no occasion had they told drivers to break the law. He had taken the drivers' word that they knew the rules. His father, who was the transport manager, had been checking the charts. He had been totally unaware of the number of discrepancies and the company's downfall was probably in not checking the tachograph records thoroughly enough.

Since the offences, contracts of employment had been changed, he added. Every member of staff had been given a copy of the hours' rules and a proper disciplinary system had been introduced. The tacho

graph charts were now being analysed by the RHA.

The firm had been using the Walsall lorry park overnight for one vehicle on a dedicated contract—this had been for security reasons, said Poutney.

He added that a suspension or curtailment of the licence would have a massive impact on the business, as the company worked for blue-chip companies.

However, the TC felt that the extent of the company's failure was serious and said: "The control over drivers' hours at that time was virtually non-existent in any real sense."

The HGV licences of the drivers concerned were suspended for periods varying between two days and two weeks.

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Locations: Birmingham

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