Archive:
Driver Conduct Hearings for Bus & Coach Drivers – 5 Things you Need to Know
Being summoned to a driver conduct hearing by the Traffic Commissioner can be a stressful experience for any PSV driver. Very often the first that you will know about it will be when a letter from the Traffic Commissioner arrives on your doorstep. Typically, the letter will set out the […]
“Does my Tractor Need an Operator’s Licence? How About a Tachograph?” – Your Questions Answered
Does your tractor need an Operator’s Licence? How about a tachograph? How about safety inspections? These are simple questions, but not always easy to answer. Getting it wrong can be expensive for your business and in some cases, can even leave you with a criminal record. The answers will usually […]
Self Employed Bus & Coach Drivers – A Risky Business
In recent years a great many PSV drivers and operators have run into problems with HMRC over the employment status of bus and coach drivers. HMRC have made it clear that, in their view, it is “very unusual” for a professional driver to be considered genuinely self-employed unless they own […]
Summoned to the Traffic Commissioner for Not Maintaining Your PSVs? 5 Awkward Questions You Can Expect to be Asked:
Maintenance failings are perhaps the single most common reason bus and coach operators are called in to Public Inquiry with the Traffic Commissioner. Often it starts with a roadside stop by the DVSA (VOSA) at which one of your vehicles is issued with a roadworthiness prohibition (a PG9). This is […]
Restricted PSV Licences and Falling Foul of the “Main Occupation” Requirement
The misuse of a Restricted PSV operator’s licence is one of the more common reasons a PSV operator can be called to a Public Inquiry with the Traffic Commissioner. The “main occupation” in particular is very strictly applied. Falling foul of it is a quick way to have your operator’s […]
What Does Offence Code SP30 Mean?
You receive a Single Justice Procedure Notice (SJPN) or Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) and see code SP30. What does this mean? Is it for exceeding a statutory speed limit on a public road or for exceeding a 30 mph limit in particular? It is a common misconception that SP30 […]
The Prevention of Clandestine Entrants – Installing an Effective System to Avoid Costly Civil Penalties.
Most international hauliers are aware that they may be hit with high Civil Penalties if one of their drivers brings Clandestine Entrants into the United Kingdom. With both the driver and the haulier each facing fines of up to £2,000 per clandestine immigrant, the total amount which a haulier may […]
O Licence Holders: Can You Answer “Yes” to these 10 Questions? If Not, You Need to Act – Fast
1) Have you kept the Traffic Commissioner up to date with any changes to your maintenance arrangements or operating centre. 2) Do your vehicles undergo roller brake testing on at least a quarterly basis? 3) Do you currently have financial standing to operate your vehicles? 4) Are your drivers carrying […]
Traffic Commissioners – Stress balls, Warhammers & Coasters
Like all public servants, Traffic Commissioners are required to report gifts received by them in the course of their office. A brief perusal of the 2013-2014 declarations (the most recent available) makes for interesting reading – perhaps the nature of the gifts tells us something of the recipients, or maybe […]
Are your Drivers Properly Employed?
We have recently been consulted by a number of HGV and PSV operators who have engaged drivers on a self-employed basis. Whilst there is nothing wrong with subcontracting work to a driver who holds their own Operator’s Licence and owns their own vehicle, big problems can arise if you engage […]