Less licence for Steetley
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• Steetley Transport has received an 0-licence for just two years following a series of overloading convictions, even though it claimed that in the majority of cases it had got its load weights correct.
The company had sought to renew its licence for 70 vehicles and 50 trailers. North Eastern Licensing Authority Frederick Whalley was concerned about eight convictions for excess train weight; 11 for excess axle weights; two for defective tyres; three for insecure loads and one for excess length.
Dennis Smith, Steetley's northern general manager, said that the company operated 158 vehicles from 26 depots nationwide. There had been a lack of communication between individual depots and head office in relation to convictions.
A computerised system had been introduced centralising all information regarding vehicle weights and convictions. Driver training had been enhanced and a new check-weigh system had been introduced. About 70% of Steetley's loads were already checked by weighbridge, said Smith. The remaining 30% consisted mainly of bricks and blocks and Steetley had relied on the manufacturers' weights. Unfortunately water absorption had not been taken into account.
Weights were now cross-checked on a random basis and drivers had special weigh-check forms to fill in and had a list of weighbridges.
Smith said that the company had been awarded the BS5750 quality code in January 1990. Overloading was unacceptable under the code and if such offences continued the company could lose the standard. There were audits every six months by Lloyds Register and the loss of the standard could be catastrophic.
Quality manager Richard Nelson said that the computerised system highlighted any transaction where the weight limits had been exceeded and a recognised bureau checked the tachograph charts. Whalley said that a bureau check would not give all the information management required. The company had undertaken to ensure that speed limits were complied with, and it was necessary for management to check the charts for indications of speeding before sending them to the bureau.
For Steetley, Gary Hodgson said that it had a turnover of Y.:25m with a profit of £1.5m. In the context of the number of miles operated and loads carried, the company had got it right on a massive number of occasions. Whalley said that he was impressed with the efforts Steetley had made.