A restricted O-licence holder has agreed to employ a transport manager, despite not being required by law to do so, in order to improve its compliance with maintenance rules.
Birmingham-based Holborn Waste 2015 had its O-licence curtailed from six to four vehicles until 31 January following a public inquiry (PI) before traffic commissioner (TC) Nick Jones (pictured) in December.
The PI, called to consider maintenance procedures at the firm, also resulted in the company being refused permission to increase its authorisation to 10 vehicles. However, the TC said that he would look sympathetically on a future application to increase its vehicle authorisation if it recruited a transport manager and achieved a satisfactory maintenance report from the DVSA.
A DVSA investigation found issues with the frequency of safety inspections, inspection paperwork, forward planning and driver defect reporting. It also had a poor MoT first-time pass rate.
It found that the frequency of safety inspections ranged from four to 28 weeks, and there was evidence that a windscreen washer fault was not rectified for an extended period of time.
A DVSA examiner also issued the company with a delayed prohibition for a worn suspension bush, and a prohibition as the tachograph system was not sealed at the gearbox sender.
