Author Archives: admin
Summoned to the Traffic Commissioner for Not Maintaining Your PSVs? 5 Awkward Questions You Can Expect to be Asked:
Maintenance failings are perhaps the single most common reason bus and coach operators are called in to Public Inquiry with the Traffic Commissioner. Often it starts with a roadside stop by the DVSA (VOSA) at which one of your vehicles is issued with a roadworthiness prohibition (a PG9). This is […]
Restricted PSV Licences and Falling Foul of the “Main Occupation” Requirement
The misuse of a Restricted PSV operator’s licence is one of the more common reasons a PSV operator can be called to a Public Inquiry with the Traffic Commissioner. The “main occupation” in particular is very strictly applied. Falling foul of it is a quick way to have your operator’s […]
O Licence Holders: Can You Answer “Yes” to these 10 Questions? If Not, You Need to Act – Fast
1) Have you kept the Traffic Commissioner up to date with any changes to your maintenance arrangements or operating centre. 2) Do your vehicles undergo roller brake testing on at least a quarterly basis? 3) Do you currently have financial standing to operate your vehicles? 4) Are your drivers carrying […]
Operator Licences Held by Partnerships – A Risky Strategy
It can be very risky operating HGVs as a business partnership. You must know exactly what the rules are or you place your licence and your business at risk, and may even find yourself with a criminal record. Consider the Following Nightmare Scenario: You are in a business partnership […]
A Disturbing Trend: The EU Truck Drivers Being Refused Entry to the UK
See also: Clandestine Entrants & Challenging Civil Penalties A disturbing and potentially unlawful practice appears to have arisen at some British ports in recent years. In some rare cases, truck drivers are being permanently refused entry to the UK by the UK Border Force, even though they are EU nationals […]
Challenging London Low Emission Zone Penalties
Every year many hundreds of European hauliers receive demands for payment for breaching the London Low Emission Zone (LEZ). These Penalty Charge Notices can often cover periods of many months and run into thousands of Euros. Even operators whose vehicles are all Euro 6 compliant can still be heavily fined […]
HGV Drivers, Mobile Phones & the Traffic Commissioner – 5 Things You Need to Know
Using a phone behind the wheel is a serious offence, and more so for truck drivers. Below are 5 things all HGV drivers, operators and Transport Managers need to know: 1) Committing this Offence is Easier than You Might Think As a professional driver you will almost certainly know […]
Facing Court for Overloading Your Truck? 5 Things You Need to Know
Facing prosecution for driving or operating an overloaded goods vehicle? Received papers from the Magistrates Court? Unsure what you should do next? Here are 5 things you need to know: 1) Both the Driver and Operator can be Charged It is not just the driver of an overloaded vehicle […]
Smoking in Trucks: What the Law Says
HGV operators face fixed penalties for failing to stamp down on smoking. The law on smoking in commercial vehicles is very detailed, yet surprisingly poorly understood. We take a quick look at 3 of the main smoking-related criminal offences that all operators and drivers must be aware of: […]
How Safe is the Food in your Fridge?
Guest Article: By Rob Hardy, Operations Director and BREXIT Consultant at Oakland Invicta Ltd https://www.contaminatedload.com/, 44 (0)7487 256 543 The Calais migrant situation started 20 years ago. It reached its peak in 2016 when there were around 10,000 migrants at the infamous Calais Jungle. The shanty town has gone but the risk […]
