Overstretched haulage boss loses control of operation

Chris Tindall
January 26, 2023

The director and transport manager of a Port Talbot haulage firm has had his licence revoked and been disqualified after a traffic commissioner (TC) found the business posed a clear danger to other road users.

Gary Camps appeared before the TC for Wales, Victoria Davies, eight months after his company, Camps Transport & Logistics, had received an earlier warning due to maintenance shortcomings.

An ‘S’ marked prohibition issued to one of the firm’s trailers triggered a second DVSA investigation, with further shortcomings found in its prohibition history, driver defect reporting, and wheel and tyre management.

Camps appeared before the TC at the Pontypridd public inquiry (PI) but did not provide requested documentation related to his eight-strong fleet of HGVs.

He explained that he no longer owned any lorries or trailers and had sold them all, along with the vehicle files.

Camps said he no longer wanted to continue as a haulage operator, but he did wish to retain his transport manager qualification.

He fully accepted the compliance failings found by the DVSA and explained that he had experienced difficulties with his drivers failing to carry out the proper fleet checks.

He also admitted a failure in devoting enough time to his transport manager duties and that it had all become too much for him.

In her written decision, TC Davies said: “There was evidence that he had been overstretched trying to do everything himself in terms of operating his business and trying to fulfil his transport manager duties.

“Gary Camps clearly did not have effective control of maintenance standards, as evidenced by the prohibitions issued.

“The failure to manage the risk posed by drivers failing to carry out basic walk-around checks is serious and posed a clear danger to other road users.”

As a result, the TC said Camps had lost his repute as a transport manager and his licence would have to be revoked:

“I place this case in the severe to serious category,” she said.

The TC disqualified Camps from being a transport manager, but did not disqualify him from being a director after acknowledging he had introduced some changes following the DVSA’s initial investigation.

 

About the Author

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Chris Tindall

Chris Tindall started writing for the haulage and logistics industry in 2002 and has covered a broad range of significant issues, including GPS jamming by criminals, platooning and Brexit.

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