Foreign trips warning
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• Drivers hours and tachograph offences committed on the Continent led to Scottish Traffic Commissioner Michael Betts considering the unusual step of suspending a haulier's Community authorisations.
At the Aberdeen disciplinary enquiry, the TC was also looking at an application to add 10 vehicles and 10 trailers to international haulier VG Mathers' existing licence for 12 vehicles and 40 trailers.
The TC stated that for serious or repeated minor infringements of transport regulations, he could temporarily or partially suspend the Community authorisations of an operator. Betts quoted Article 8(3) of EEC Council Regulation 881/92.
Evidence was given by a DOT traffic examiner that a check on the company's tachograph charts revealed numerous offences were committed by drivers while driving abroad.
Betts took no action against the company's Community authorisation—other than to warn it about the consequences of future offences by drivers when on the Continent. The TC also delayed a decision on the company's application for additional vehicles and trailers pending a further investigation into the company's drivers' records.
In the meantime Betts said he is prepared to extend for a further three months Mathers' current interim authority for eight additional vehicles.