Haulier loses repute after string of serious offences
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roger.hrownfarbi.co.uk A HAULIER who used an unlicensed operating centre, committed a series of tachograph offences and ran a truck not specified on his company's 0-licence has lost his repute as an operator and transport manager.
George Garmston, sole proprietor of George Garmston Light Haulage in Oldbury, West Midlands, was disqualified from holding a licence for a year from 1 September, by Deputy Traffic Commissioner (DTC) for the West Midlands, Lester Maddrell, in a decision issued last week.
Al a public inquiry that stretched from February to June, Maddrell had to take into consideration several historical offences involving Garmston, starting with a VOSA investigation that found that Garmston had used an unlicensed operating centre in Wednesbury from 2008, and took no steps to add it to the licence until July 2009.
Also considered was the fact that at a court case in May 2009. Gannstun was convicted over seven drivers' hours offences, and three of his drivers were convicted of related offences neither of which Garmston notified the TC's office about.
Meanwhile, in September 2009, one of the company's trucks was stopped during a routine check on the A454 Keyway in Willenhall. Inspectors discovered that the vehicle, a 32-tonne four-axle Scania, had been specified but removed from the licence on 30 June 2008.
The driver did not hold a Category C driving licence and his previous licence had been revoked in June 2009. Garmston received a conviction relating to this incident earlier this year. In his written decision, the DTC said Garmston had shown himself "unworthy of the trust that the licencing system had placed on him" and that the business had failed the "requirement of professional competence".
He added: "This is not a case where the problems will be cured by putting in a new transport manager because it would still be Mr Garmston who was in overall charge."