More Restricted Licence Problems – Operator Keeps Licence “By skin of his teeth!”

An Operator with a Restricted Licence, represented at Public Inquiry by Harry Bowyer, had not been paying sufficient attention to the transport side of his business. His 7.5 tonne truck was stopped in June with no operator’s disc, it was not specified on the licence and its MOT had run out 2 months before.

Interested, the DVSA attended his operating centre and discovered that not only had the vehicle not had an MOT (A Most Serious Infringement) but had also missed a PMI. The Operator could only produce 8 months of DDIs and those that had been carried out were carried out sporadically and without check by the Operator.

It was apparent that the operator was not a rogue but had little idea of the regulatory requirements for operating HGVs.

When the Operator received their call in letter they contacted SBC who put him in touch with a Transport Consultant to audit his systems and then deal with the problems that the audit threw up.

The reality is that they had left this far too late. Traffic Commissioners are much more impressed with those who react immediately that they get an adverse DVSA report rather than waiting for a call in letter before fixing their business.

In this case the Operator had done enough to fix his systems to keep his licence subject to a short suspension and undertakings.

Moral: You know when you have had an adverse DVSA inspection. If your systems are faulty that is the time to fix them! The earlier we are involved the more we can do and the less it will cost you in the long run!