Operator Keeps Licence at Traffic Commissioner’s Public Inquiry Despite Suspicions of Fabricated Documents

A well established haulier in the construction industry had relied on the absence of accidents and prohibitions as proof that he had effective systems.

We became involved and quickly recognised that there were no modern systems in place and helped the Operator to understand the changes necessary to avoid the revocation of his licence.

The Traffic Commissioner heard that before the DVSA visit there was no dynamic brake testing being routinely carried out and that DVSA had found discrepancies PMI documents and Tachographs which called the operators honesty into question.

The Traffic Commissioner accepted that there had not been dishonest intent to create these documents but that the historic failures to operate modern systems warranted serious action and the O licence was suspended for 14 days.

Credit was given for the operator’s quick response to the investigation but the case highlighted the importance of completing PMI paperwork at the time of the inspection rather than in the office shortly afterwards as mistakes can cause damaging assumptions to be made about an operator’s Good repute.