MoT TOLD OF 'MENACE OF THE MOONLIGHTERS'
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FROM OUR INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT
THE 50,000 p.s.v. licence-holders who take on a part-time job for extra money are a real danger in the field of road transport. These "moonlighters" also depress wage rates and conditions for those who are fully employed.
These are the views of Mr. Larry Smith, national officer of the passenger group of the Transport and General Workers' Union. Writing in Record, he calls for the Ministry of Transport to recognize "the extremely dangerous situation that had developed".
"Of the 224,000 drivers with p.s.v. licences, less than 75 per cent are fully employed in the industry," he says. "This means that over 50,000 p.s.v. licence-holders do not earn a living solely from the full-time occupation of driving buses or coaches."
He does, however, point out that many of the smaller operators rely on part-time drivers to keep their vehicles on the road.
The main danger, Mr. Smith feels, is that drivers' mental alertness and physical resilience is reduced proportionately by the number of hours worked: "To the degree that the concentration required to drive, in particular public service vehicles, can be seriously impaired."
Detection and enforcement of sections of the Road Traffic Act applying to driving hours is almost impossible. Unlike those on the commercial side, p.s.v. drivers are not required to keep an accurate record of hours at the wheel. In addition, the law does not allow freedom of access 1 company records to check drivers' hours.
"The need for stringent control," he add "is highlighted by the fatal accidents that hat occurred. A recent example concerned a coac on M6 in which a driver and co-driver had her in charge of a vehicle for over 22 hours when the were then involved in a fatal accident."
Mr. Smith welcomes the current Minisn examination in drivers' hours and calls for a meal of enforcement of hours.
"If this leads to ending this dangerous, irrespol sible and wage-depressing practice of moot lighting within the industry, the exercise wi certainly be worth while."