Fruitex ignored maintenance warnings
Page 14
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• Eastern LA Brig-adier Compton Boyd has cut the licence held by Fruitex (Spalding) from 35 vehicles and 30 trailers to 27 vehicles and 26 trailers because of maintenance problems. He also cut its duration to the end of next June instead of April 1999.
A DOT vehicle examiner told a Cambridge disciplinary inquiry that since the company's last appearance at a public inquiry, in October 1993, nine immediate and five delayed prohibition notices had been issued; five for a failure in maintenance.
Though a driver defect reporting system was in place, it was not fully effective.
For the company, Anton Balkitis said the garage foreman had been replaced since the last public inquiry and the maintenance of all newly acquired vehicles had been contracted out.
The company had 31 vehicles and 30 trailers currently in possession. Only seven of the vehicles were now maintained by the company's own staff and this was about to be reduced to five.
The Freight Transport Association was contracted to carry out 12 half-day audit visits to monitor the company's maintenance system, and was providing a training package on all aspects of vehicle maintenance.
Some of the difficulties had been caused by the mix of modern tractors and old trailers which had caused brake problems, said Balkitis.
Boyd said clearly previous warnings had been ignored, or if they had been heeded management had not been up to the challenge. He suggested that the company should reassess the management ability of its key personnel.
With road safety very much in mind he had decided to reduce the fleet to more manageable proportions. He was also cutting the duration in order to concentrate the company's mind still further.