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News - Commercial Motor
October 10, 2016
A transport manager has been praised for the action he took to improve compliance at a business that had a significant number of mechanical prohibitions issued to its trucks.
Robert Millin, transport manager at Eye, Suffolk-based UK-Net Transport, was given credit by deputy traffic commissioner (TC) for the East of England Marcia Davis for reducing the number of prohibitions issued to its vehicles.
At a public inquiry (PI), Davis determined that the firm could keep its O-licence following Millin’s appointment. However, it had its authorisation curtailed from 10 vehicles and 10 trailers to eight vehicles and 10 trailers for three months, from 16 August to 15 November.
The PI was told that the DVSA had carried out two investigations, both of which determined that the company’s systems for vehicle maintenance were unsatisfactory.
Shortcomings included the use of out-of-date inspection records, prohibitions for the use of a trailer that had not had an annual test, as well as defects that should have been noticed by drivers.
A truck without a valid annual test certificate was also stopped in February.
Millin was praised for the advice he gave the operator following the resignation of its former transport manager Simon Proctor, including making an application to nominate a replacement CPC holder on the O-licence.
It was also noted that he provided comprehensive and timely responses to enquiries from the Central Licensing Office, and had set out the actions it intended to take to improve compliance following the results of the second maintenance investigation.
The deputy TC said that the repute of former transport manager Proctor, who did not attend the PI, was severely tarnished.
