Grounded Galaxy
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Maintenance problems have led to Gateshead-based Galaxy Haulage having two of its operational vehicles "grounded for a week". The company, which held a licence for 32 vehicles and eight trailers with nine vehicles and three trailers in possession, had been called before North Eastern Deputy Traffic Commissioner Mark Hinchliffe.
Maintaining that the company's licence should only have authorised 16 vehicles and four trailers, Roger Hird, for Galaxy said that when it moved from its former operating centre in Gateshead it was not made clear-that the use of the original operating centre was not being continued; as a result of this the licence authorisation was accidentally doubled.
Vehicle examiner Wilf Johns said that over the past five years six immediate and 10 delayed prohibitions had been imposed on the company's vehicles. In July he had examined eight vehicles and one trailer, issuing three immediate prohibitions, two delayed prohibitions and eight defect notices. Four of the prohibitions showed a significant maintenance failure.
Most of the inspection reports showed inspection periods of five to six weeks when the declared period was four weeks. There was only one inspection report for the trailers. No forward planning system was in use.
Johns considered that the defects threw doubt on the effectiveness of the inspections. Though there was a driver defect reporting system there was no record of any follow-up to the defects reported.
Hird said that the original maintenance contractor still carried out any repair work, but the inspections were now being carried out by a different contractor.
Director Garry Alexanders said he was now adopting a more hands-on approach to ensure that the situation did not arise again. He gave undertakings that inspections would never be more than four weeks apart; that a drivers' nil defect reporting system would be introduced; and that records of rectification would be kept.
The Deputy TC said: "This is one of the worst maintenance reports I have seen for a comparatively small fleet, However, the undertakings given enable me to draw back from revoking the licence. You have got to prove yourself."