Reservations about manager
Page 15
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
MI Haulier John Headley, of Bury, Lanes has had his bid to add two vehicles to his licence adjourned for two weeks.
North Western Traffic Commissioner Martin Albu said he has reservations about Headle3r's transport manager, but took no other action other than adjourning the proceedings.
Albu heard evidence that Headley has a conviction for unauthorised use after starting work as an owner driver before his licence came through.
He was also prosecuted for taking insufficient rest and breaks and for putting somebody else's name on a tachograph chart, and for taxing vehicles at the PLC rate. He had not notified the Traffic Area of any of the offences as he assumed they would find out.
DOT vehicle examiner Ivan Coupe said that in June he imposed an immediate prohibition on Headley's vehicle. Coupe said no maintenance records were available and there was no evidence of any formal maintenance system.
Headley claimed that he tried to produce his maintenance records at the test station the day after the inspection, but the vehicle examiner was not there.
In reply to the Commissioner. Headley said that he had not seen his transport manager, a Mr Williamson, for three weeks.
Asked what Williamson's responsibilities were, Headley replied that he checked the tachograph charts but not very often.
For Headley, Fred Randle said that a recent check of the tachograph charts revealed no discrepancies. The business had managed to survive the recession and the maintenance records showed that the vehicle was regularly maintained.
Albu said that if the transport manager had been doing his job the vehicle would not have been taxed at the wrong rate and the Traffic Area would have been informed of the convictions. Now that Headley had taken on a driver and more responsibility the business needed to be run properly.
He was not prepared to consider increasing the vehicle authorisation until he had seen a proper contract of employment for the transport manager and was satisfied that the situation was under control.