Tag Archives: Magistrates Court
Unlimited Fines Mean Unlimited Fines!
Some people may have been surprised by the £86,000 fine that Ant McPartlin received for drink driving. Level 5 fines are now unlimited for cases committed after the 13th March 2015. Defendants are sentenced according to their means which must be declared to the Magistrates on a form or, in […]
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 […]
HGV Driver Caught Speeding? – 5 Things You Need to Know
Every driver knows that exceeding the speed limit is a criminal offence which can lead to penalty points, a fine and a driving ban. For truck drivers however, the position is even more serious. If you are caught speeding and hold an HGV drivers’ licence you can expect to face […]
ADR and Dangerous Loads – 5 Quick and Easy Ways to Fall Foul of the Rules
What is ADR? ADR (Accord Dangereux Routier) is the European Agreement which sets out the rules governing the movement by road of dangerous goods throughout the EU. They are very strict and exist to protect the public, drivers and the environment from the harmful effect of dangerous substances. It’s […]
Tachograph Offences, Drivers’ Hours and Card-Pulling: An Essential Guide for HGV and PSV Drivers
For many years the tachograph system has been central to the European haulage industry. Without it, the enforcement agencies (DVSA / police / Office of the Traffic Commissioner) would have no reliable or practical way of policing the rules on working time and drivers’ hours. But what happens […]
Vehicle Overloading Offences
Overloading offences are taken very seriously in the eyes of the law. Both a driver and his or her employer can be prosecuted and substantial fines can be imposed by the criminal courts for each offence of exceeding an individual axle weight or the maximum permitted gross weight of […]
GOOD REPUTE 1 – Criminal Convictions and Good Repute (Freight)
Who steals my purse steals trash; ’tis something, nothing; ’twas mine, ’tis his, and has been slave to thousands; But he that filches from me my good name robs me of that which not enriches him, And makes me poor indeed. Othello, Act 3 Scene 3 In rough terms […]
Operator Licences – A Beginner’s Guide for Anyone Thinking of Running a Truck or Bus
So you want to operate your own truck or bus? Whether you’re already a driver looking to start up on your own, or you’re entirely new to the transport industry, chances are you’ve heard of something called an Operators’ Licence. Read on to find out what this is, […]
5 MORE Quick and Easy Ways to Lose Your Operators’ Licence
Last month’s article “5 Quick and East Ways to Lose Your Operators’ Licence” generated a lot of positive feedback. So much so, that I’ve been asked to provide an update. With that in mind, here are: 5 MORE Quick and Easy Ways to Lose Your Operators’ Licence. This time, the […]
Being Interviewed by the DVSA (VOSA) – 5 Things You Need to Know
Getting a letter from the DVSA (formerly VOSA) calling you to an interview can be frightening for any driver or operator. Sometimes the letter will set out the reasons why they want to interview you. It may even tell you what offences they may suspect you of having committed. More […]
