Missing tachograph charts
Page 18
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
For: have led to a one-week Operator's licence suspen
sion for BDF Edinburgh. The Livingston-based firm, which operates 11 vehicles, was called before Scottish Traffic Commissioner Michael Betts at an Edinburgh disciplinary inquiry.
Traffic examiner Michael Reynolds said three drivers had been convicted of failing to take required breaks and falling to produce tachograph records since 1997.
A check in August 1999 revealed 1,383km unaccounted for. There were also nine apparent breaches of the drivers' hours and tachograph rules. The company was sent a warning letter. A further check in May 2000 revealed 21,060km unaccounted for, reduced to 5,348km after charts were produced on the morning of the hearing. The company said they had been misfiled.
Managing director Anthony Riley accepted there had been management shortcomings, but they were not deliberate and he was trying to put matters right.
Making the suspension order, the IC said: "The assurances given in January 2000 have in effect been totally Ignored. It was utterly unacceptable to blatantly Ignore the earlier warning and to be in a situation where the missing mileage is four times worse than in August 1999.
"I accept there was no criminal or wicked intent," he added. "What there was was a gross breakdown in management."