Author Archives: Harry Bowyer
Continuation Fees: A Stupid Way to Lose Your Operator’s Licence
Those of you who have glanced at their Operator’s Licence might have noticed that there is a review date five years after the grant of the Licence. In order to continue the licence after that date the Operator must pay a continuation fee for the licence to continue. The Office […]
How Do You Deal with Drivers’ Hours Infringements? – What are Your Obligations as a Transport Manager?
Even in the best run transport business there will inevitably be occasions when drivers cut corners, make mistakes or in some cases deliberately bend the rules. This article looks at the practical processes and procedures Transport Managers and operators should have in place to: Monitor driver compliance and identify drivers’ […]
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 […]
Unlimited Fines Mean Unlimited Fines!
Some people may have been surprised by the £86,000 fine that Ant McPartlin received for drink driving. Level 5 fines are now unlimited for cases committed after the 13th March 2015. Defendants are sentenced according to their means which must be declared to the Magistrates on a form or, in […]
An Unforeseen Consequence of Being Your Own Transport Manager
If you hold an operator’s licence, there can be a number of advantages to being your own Transport Manager: You save a wage that you would otherwise have to pay. You can keep a proper overview of your drivers and their adherence to their drivers’ hours, working time and continuing […]
AdBlue Cheats Face Loss of Operator’s Licence
What is Adblue? You may well have seen containers of Adblue at service stations and wondered what they were for. When a diesel engine burns diesel, a number of polluting compounds and chemicals are emitted out of the exhaust pipe and into the atmosphere. Nitrogen Oxide and Nitrogen Dioxide are […]
The Risks of Running a Restricted Operator’s Licence – How to Preserve your Licence and Protect your Business
You might think Restricted Licences are pretty cool: They allow you to operate with half the financial standing of a Standard National Licence and you are not put to the expense and bother of employing a Transport Manager. What’s not to like? Actually, quite a lot. The Traffic Commissioner […]
Horseboxes as HGVs – Am I Legal?
If you own or operate a horsebox, or are thinking of doing so, it is essential to ensure that you are not accidentally doing so illegally. The rules and regulations governing horseboxes are in many cases the same as those that govern the operation of HGVs and buses and […]
HELP! – The DVSA are coming to visit
There are some things that happen, even to the best run businesses, which are less than welcome. High up on that list must be the DVSA (formerly VOSA) announcing that they intend to visit your operating centre. However well-meaning, it is always a trial when your systems are put […]
Newsletter – May 2017 – Migrant Fines, Truck Seizures and Criminal Defence
Our May 2017 Newsletter is now out! In this edition we focus on hauliers from Belgium and the Netherlands, including: Migrant Fines (civil penalties for clandestine entrants) Truck Seizures (and how to get them back) Criminal Defence (know who to call!) Full newsletter here: Newsletter – Smith Bowyer […]
