Driver said he broke rules to keep customers happy
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A driver who had blamed pressure from his employers when asked by a traffic examiner why he had falsified tachograph records, changed his story when he appeared before the South Ribble Magistrates.
Albert Laker was one of three drivers employed by Burscough-based Firwood Timber and Plywood Co who were ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £450 after they had admitted falsifying charts.
Laker admitted 15 offences of falsification, and was fined £100 on the first offence with no separate penalty in relation to the remainder.
He was also ordered to pay £100 prosecution costs.
Prosecuting for the Vehicle Inspectorate, John Heaton said that the offences came to light when a traffic examiner visited the company after the VI had received a written complaint alleging that its drivers were falsifying records An analysis of Laker's tachograph charts revealed 44 offences between 22 April and 30 October 1998, of which a sample 15 were being prosecuted. The total missing distance was 2.044km and that in relation to the charges was 1.159km, an average of 77km per chart.
When interviewed, Laker alleged that he had committed the offences because of pres
sure applied by his employers. In the light of those allegations, the traffic examiner had been careful to look at the routes given to the drivers and he had found nothing to suggest that the work given to the drivers would inevitably lead to the drivers' hours regulations being breached.
Laker, who was still working for Firwood, told the court that the company had in fact had nothing to do with the offences.
When the examiner had come to see him he had "lost his bottle" and had started blaming anyone and everyone. He had thought that the falsifications would not be noticed. His motive had simply been to get the drops off and keep the customers happy There had been nothing in it for him personally. Sometimes he had been able to get home and sometimes not. Pressed about his motive, Laker said that it had been loyalty.
The second driver, Andrew Wilson, admitted three such offences, being fined £50 on the first offences with no separate penalty in relation to the other two, with £50 costs.
He said that he had removed the chart from the tachograph and carried on driving as he would have had to stay out at night if he had complied with the driving time and rest requirements.
The third driver, Alan Jones, admitted one offence. He was fined £100 with £50 costs.
Jones admitted failing to record 92km. He said that he had done so in order to get to a decent place to stop. It was hard to find a place where there was decent food and he could have a shower. The food was terrible on the motorway services areas, he claimed.