Operator with a 49% Overload Survives Traffic Commissioner’s Public Inquiry

The operator in this case, represented at Public Inquiry by Harry Bowyer, operated both HGVs and a fleet of vans. One of the vans was stopped en route to Scotland groaning under a load that was 49% in excess of what it should have been – a most serious infringement!

The operator did, in fact, have systems to prevent overloading which he thought were fool proof, unfortunately a fool tested those systems to destruction by loading additional items to those he had been instructed to load in a well intentioned but misguided attempt to be helpful.

The Operator immediately instructed transport consultants who discovered that his systems were in a state that needed remedial attention. The Traffic Commissioner was impressed that this was addressed immediately rather than waiting for the call in letter that would have inevitably arrived.

The licence was allowed to continue subject to curtailment of the margin