Lincolnshire firm RMK Haulage has had its operator licence revoked and the company and director Anmol Chawla disqualified from holding or obtaining any operator licence for 12 months, following a public inquiry.
The inquiry, led by Nicholas Denton, Deputy Traffic Commissioner for the East of England, followed a DVSA investigation which revealed “significant shortcomings” in the operator’s compliance, the Office of the Traffic Commissioner has revealed.
Specific issues included failure to analyse tachograph data, with many driver cards not downloaded; thousands of kilometres of unaccounted mileage; vehicles not receiving regular safety inspections at the required eight-week intervals; and no evidence that driver entitlement had been checked.
The investigation also found extensive use of “self-employed” or “limited company” drivers, undermining fair competition by the company, which was also operating a vehicle (FN68 LGY) that was not specified on the licence, as well as parking two vehicles at an operating centre authorised for only one vehicle.
The company was also found to have insufficient financial standing to support the number of vehicles authorised.
The Deputy Commissioner also heard evidence from former transport manager Raymond Rowland, who resigned shortly before the inquiry.
Rowland stated that director Anmol Chawla had become increasingly lax with maintenance and had insisted on using limited company drivers despite advice that this was not appropriate.
Rowland also revealed that Chawla had asked him to remove maintenance records that might show vehicles had been in use on days they were supposedly undergoing inspection.
The Deputy Commissioner found that the operator lacked professional competence, financial standing, and good repute.
He also removed the good repute of transport manager Raymond Rowland, concluding that he had been a largely absentee transport manager who failed to exercise the most basic responsibilities of his position.
Deputy Traffic Commissioner Denton said: “Mr Chawla did not at all convince me that he has the necessary knowledge, drive and determination to run a compliant operation.
“Moreover, the creation of false maintenance records which he passed to his transport manager does not reflect well on him.”
The Deputy Commissioner also ruled that both the company and Chawla can only re-enter the industry after educating themselves about the responsibilities and duties of a road haulage operator.
