The letter of the law
Page 93
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• Workshop managers and dealers are fed up with would-be operators using them as stepping stones to obtain their 0-licences.
0-licence applicants are asking CV workshops for letters of intent to maintain their vehicles and submitting the letters to Licencing Authorities with their application forms. But all too often once the licence is granted the workshops do not see the vehicles again.
Workshop has talked to vehicle dealers of all makes, picked at random from the Commercial Motor Buyers' Guide. From Scotland to the South West, the practice is rampant.
"I feel we are being used", says one dealer from the South West. "Customers tend to do that saysl another from the Midlands; "letters of intent are too open."
You can see them coming and you know damn well that they are using you to get their 0licence,' says a West Midlands dealer.
Dealers are in a difficult situation because every would-he operator is a potential customer, for both workshop services vehicle sales. They also feel obliged to offer maintenance on a vehicle if they are the local dealer for that manufacturer.
As an independent workshop with no vehicle sales, BRS normally insists that a potential customer signs a contract and then sends a copy of that to the LA. One dealer Workshop spoke to has reluctantly had to adopt this procedure and promises: "If the operator breaks the contract then I will inform the LA." But he added: "The LAs are abysmal at following up on new operators."
A dealer in the North West agrees with that view: "I have never heard of any operators having their licence withdrawn for such practices."
"Its a real problem-, Omits West Midlands LA J Mervyn Pugh, who simply does not have enough staff to keep track of the 20,000 operators in his area. All new operators in the West Midlands are invited to attend seminars where they are reminded of
the vehicle maintenance requirements. Western LA MajorGeneral John Carpenter, says: "If the operator makes a statement that we have accepted, then he must tell us if he changes it in any way." That includes maintenance arrangements.
That is echoed by the Scottish LA, Keith Watenvorth. He warns operators that if they change their maintenance procedures from those set out in the application and fail to notify the relevant LA then they may be open to disciplinary action. However, he stresses that the condition of vehicles on the road is his primary concern. Waterworth is confident that Vehicle Inspectorate inspections of new operators' maintenance arrangements will highlight any problems.
Hugh Edwards of the VI says: "We are not blasé about this, and an inspection of an operator's maintenance records is carried out in his first year of business." But after that there is the potential for a four-year gap before the licence is up for renewal", he adds.
According to the dealers contacted by Workshop, some operators repeat the letter of intent ploy: "It's the only time we see them," says one. "When their truck needs an MoT and when the 0-licence needs renewing."
While admitting that it is a worrying problem, Edwards points to the VI data base which, when fully operational. will carry information on each operator, his annual test results and those of any spot checks or police information.
However, the VI wants operators with maintenance problems to be kept within the licensing system where some control can be exerted. Once outside the system, unlicenced operators and trucks are even worse says Edwards.