Licensed cowboys
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'VVhat is a "cowboy"?
Dictionary definition: Someone in business or trade who provides shoddy, overpriced, goods or services. Correct. Transport definition: all the above—except overpriced—plus not having an Operators Licence. Not necessarily correct.
I do not condone those who operate without a licence but just because they do not have authority they do not always use old badly maintained vehicles. Many of these so called "cowboys" have new well-maintained vehicles and the only way they become "cowboys" is from the cut
throat rates the "legit" large operators expect them to work for.
I venture to suggest that "cowboys" are the ones in your columns who are called to public inquiries for maintenance and tachograph offences. They are the ones that agree to honour and obey the regulations but soon fail to carry out the promises.
Very often the punitive punishment handed out does not have the desired affect.
All this talk about confiscating unlicensed operators' vehicles is a nonstarter. Have all the knowledgeable people thought this one out? What if either the vehicle or trailer is a hired one? What if the load consists of perishable goods? What if the driver is an agency man? Where are you going to store these vehicles with a degree of safety? Finally who is going to pick up the "bill" when the consignee decides to sue? It is no good expecting the cowboy" to pay and it will all bounce back to the "legal" operator in the form of higher insurance.
It is good to sec that the police are targeting the 3.5tonne category type of vehicle. These are often the most misused undermaintained vehicles on the road. What I fail to understand is that up to a few years ago those having an unladen weight of (1 think) over 1,500kg were subject to an annual test. Some misguided soul decided that this was not required.
Len Wright New Costessey, NOrwiclz