Driver warned to choose next employer with care
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A Prestwick driver who committed drivers' hours offences has been warned that he cannot afford to get it wrong again.
Gordon McLean, who had been working for Kilsyth-based McLanachan Transport Ltd, was told by Scottish Traffic Commissioner Michael Betts that cowboy operators only managed to keep going because certain drivers were prepared to go along with them.
While Betts said he did not accept that either employers or drivers were solely to blame, he suggested that McLean should be careful who he chose to work for in future. You cannot have one crook without another," he remarked.
An investigation into the operations of McLanachan Transport had revealed that the company's drivers had committed 180 hours offences with 25,638km unaccounted for.
The TC revoked the company's licence and disqualified both the company and directors Matthew and James McLanachan from holding or obtaining an 0-licence for a year (CM 19-25 Oct 2000).
McLean had committed three offences of taking insufficient daily rest, two of exceeding the daily driving limit and one of taking insufficient weekly rest. He had also been disqualified from driving for 18 months for drink-driving. Asked about the drinkdriving, McLean said he had taken a 24-hour break at the Ashford Services in Kent and was anxious to get home because his parents were unwell. He had been out the night before and was found to be over the limit when stopped by the local police.
The magistrates had indicated that his disqualification would be reduced by 25% if he attended an alcohol awareness course. He had done so and he should have had his icence back a month before but Swansea had withheld it pending the present hearing.
The TC said he was prepared to restore McLean's HGV driving licence.