Bonuses to help drivers on hours
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• Wiltshire haulier SW Transport (Swindon) is edu cating drivers about the hours and tachograph rules through quizzes and a bonus scheme.
Managing director Michael Durham said they were part of steps taken following fines of £15,600 after the company had been convicted of 34 drivers' hours and tachograph offences.
SW Transport holds a licence for 105 vehicles and 100 trailers, It was called before Western Traffic Commissioner Christopher Heaps at a Swindon disciplinary inquiry.
VI area manager Kenneth Hopley said six vehicles and four trailers examined at 10 days' notice resulted in one delayed and three immediate prohibitions, mainly for brakes. Records showed several test failures relating to brakes. In a fleet of this size it was essential there were facilities for brake performance checks. Seventeen spot-checks in the past two years had resulted in four delayed prohibitions, which he rewarded as acceptable but he was concerned that responsibility for maintenance rested with a number of people who had other roles.
Vehicle examiner Bill Dawson said that the overall maintenance standard was good. Steve Hodge, Lex Commercials service manager, said all but three vehicles were now leased from Lex and it was responsible for maintenance. Arrangements were being made for rolling brake test equipment to be installed at SW's Swindon site.
Durham said he hoped to have a fleet administration manager in place by the end of the month. For some years tachograph charts had been analysed by a bureau. The offences occurred because disciplinary procedures had not been followed. That was now one person's responsibility.
Heaps issued a formal warning but said he was impressed by the steps taken.
He felt that the company's mind had been concentrated sufficiently.