IC slams low pass rates
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A haulage firm which admitted its average first time pass rate at the annual test was just 10% has been issued with a formal warning. Bridlington tipper operator W Clifford Watts appeared before North Eastern Traffic Commissioner Tom Macartney in Leeds because of concern over its maintenance record. It holds a licence for 28 vehicles and four trailers.
Director Richard Watts told the IC that the company had improved recently, with five of the last six vehicles presented for annual test passing first time.
The TC commented that the best operators aimed for 95%, and he considered that everybody should aim for 100%. Watts promised that the company would aim for 90%.
Vehicle examiner Richard Dutton said he had imposed a delayed prohibition notice during a maintenance investigation in October.
Watts said that the firm had got rid of the fitter who had caused the problem, The Road Haulage Association had since been engaged to carry out regular audits of the maintenance system and to set up a training programme for drivers and fitters. The driver defect reporting system had also been improved.
Issuing the warming, the IC said Watts had responded promptly and efficiently to the problems and this gave him confidence for the future.