COMMENT
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ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
A, nd now a few words on impounding. Why the hell does the Government need to ask the industry yet again what it feels about it? Enough's already been said, and written, on the subject to make it patently clear what road hauliers think of confiscating the trucks of unlicensed operators. They're all for it. So why take up any more time asking questions to find out what's already been said, a hundred times over. The real question about impounding is how to make it stick. As CM has long insisted, the key to impounding is the long awaited JEDI—the Vehicle Inspectorate's Joint Enforcement Database Initiative. This is the tool that will allow Vehicle Inspectors at the roadside to know immediately whether a truck is being operated by a company without an 0-licence. And it will also tell the examiner what an 0-licensed operator has been getting up to—those little "indiscretions". These will be in JEDI's central database. Without JEDI, impounding will fall at the first fence. As part of the Government's look at impounding it also plans a review of the current 0-licensing sys tem. About time too. It seems ridiculous that an operator can't dial a central number and inform a computer at the other end that truck reg number P123 ABC is now being operated by Fred Bloggs haulage and should be entered against its 0-licence. No more 28 days' grace; no more "the disc is in the post". At the roadside, again thanks to JEDI, an examiner will be able to say: "Oh yes, P123 ABC. Our files confirm you added that to your margin last week. That's fine, drive on please..." CM's message to the Government is simple: "Get the 0 licensing system up to date and impounding will be a piece of cake."