Tacho and centre offences lead to two-week fleet cut
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Bilston-based Starr Roadways, which was acquired by
Stiller Transport in November, has had its ()licence authorisation cut from 60 vehicles to 45 for two weeks, The company's licence for 60 vehicles and 50 trailers was curtailed for unauthorised operating centres and tachograph offences.
During a disciplinary inquiry West Midland Traffic Commissioner David Dixon heard that an examination of 4,671 tachograph charts for a five-month period showed that a number of vehicles were regularly away from the Bilston operating centre.
Three drivers had falsified tachograph charts on six occasions and were being prosecuted. In addition, many hundreds of centre-field offences were found, involving the way drivers had entered their names and the use of abbreviated starting and finishing points. There were also occasions where charts had been left in the tachograph for more than 24 hours.
The TC was also told that of 16 prohibition notices imposed on the company's vehicles and trailers, nine had come in the last two years.
Gary Hodgson, appearing for Starr Roadways, argued that when a vehicle was required by a customer for loading and unloading it was "in use" and that did not make the customer's premises an "operating centre" for the purpose of the legislation. Dixon said that if a vehicle regularly parked at the same site for four months it became an operating centre.
Hodgson also argued that because the company now had new directors, a new transport manager and improved systems, taking action against its 0-licence would in effect put a black mark against Stillers (CM 6-12 Dec.) Curtailing the licence, the IC concluded that former transport manager and director, and now operations manager, John Michell had retained his repute, but only just.