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Meat supplier's licence cut back for six weeks of negled
Page 31
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Meat supplier finds it has to pay more attention to transport despite it only being a support business — or it could lose its licence.
A SCOTTISH MEAT supplier admitted that it had not devoted enough attention to transport because it was not its core business, despite facing a second Public Inquiry for hours offences.
Scotbeef, based at Bridge of Allan, narrowly kept its licence after Scottish Traffic Commissioner Joan Aitken warned the company that it faced its last chance to put things right.
Breaches of the drivers' hours and tachograph rules by three drivers led to the authorisation on the company's restricted licence being cut from eight vehicles and 10 trailers to three vehicles and six trailers for six weeks.
Traffic examiner John Angus said that most offences related to false tachograph records. An investigation revealed instances of altering the tachograph clock, unrecorded periods of work, entering false details in the centre field, entering false drivers' names and false locations and missing mileage. The breaches attempted to cover other offences. including taking insufficient daily rest and exceeding the daily driving period.
The tachograph charts were sent for analysis by the Freight Transport Association and its reports showed omissions and failures on the part of the drivers which had not been followed up by the company. There was no evidence of any disciplinary action against the drivers.
Scotbeefs general manager,Simon Dowling, said transport was a small part of his overall duties since the company's core business was meat and meat trading. The company's transport manager left 18 months ago.
Dowling admitted that the investigation had highlighted that Scotbeef needed to devote more management attention to what was otherwise a peripheral part of its operation. The company would have difficulties if its licence was revoked as there were few operators with vehicles capable of transporting hanging beef in chilled conditions, especially out of Scotland. Sub-contracting would add to its costs because of the need for specialised refrigerated trailers.
The 'PC said that this was the second time the company had been called to a Public Inquiry because of breaches of the drivers' hours and tachograph rules. It was especially worrying since the licence covered a small fleet. As this was neglect rather than wilfulness, she drew back from revocation. However, this was a serious case of an operator failing in its undertaking to ensure that the rules on drivers' hours and tachographs were observed and proper records kept.