Chart cheats 'will lose licences'
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Drivers who choose to falsify their tachograph records must expect to face the ultimate sanction of losing their HGV driving licences.
This was made plain by the North Western Traffic Commissioner Beverley Bell when she revoked the HGV 61 ving licence held by Anthony McCormack, employed by Transfreight Services. She plans to disqualify him from holding a licence for 12 months; McCormack failed to attend the Manchester disciplinary inquiry Traffic examiner Geoffrey Whitley said that an investigation into the activities of McCormack's employers, Transfreight Services, showed that a large number of the company's drivers were involved in the systematic falsification of tachograph charts and were in serious breach of the drivers' hours regulations.
It had been difficult to obtain tachograph charts from the company and only 25 of McCormack's charts were produced. Analysis of those charts revealed nine instances of falsification.
The offences were of the most serious type, said Whitley. He believed that the company had been perfectly aware of what McCormack was doing. The motive was to boost his earnings—the company's records showed that substantial amounts of money had been earned by its dri-. vers. When interviewed, McCormack had said that he had moved from his previous address, but that he had supplied family contact details.
Revoking the licence on the grounds that McCormack was unfit to hold such a licence, and indicating that she intended to disqualify him, the TC said that she had already dealt with a number of Transfreight drivers.
By analogy, if drivers were convicted of drinking arid driving they could expect to lose their licences for 12 months. The falsification of tachograph charts was carried out in the full knowledge of the driver concerned and that was an aggravating feature.
If McCormack wished to make representations about his disqualification she would reconvene the hearing.
In July the TC revoked Transfreight's 0-licence for 25 vehicles and 50 trailers and disqualified it from holding an 0-licence indefinitely.
She revoked the HGV driving licence of the drivers concerned and disqualified them for periods ranging from two to 15 months. One driver subsequently had his disqualification reduced from 12 to four months on appeal.