Sandbach-based Paul Ogden had been called before North Western Deputy Traffic Commissioner Mark Hinchliffe. His vehicle authorisation was cut from two vehicles to one as a result of running from the unauthorised centre and putting his brother's truck on his licence. According to vehicle examiner Anthony Proctor, despite a strong warning in 2005, Ogden was still taking his vehicle home rather thant parking it at his operating centre. Ogden claimed there were security problems at the centre, and fuel had been stolen. When Proctor pointed out that tachograph records produced at the hearing still showed Crewe to Crewe, Ogden said he was now parking at a truck stop in Crewe and had applied for that as an operating centre.
Proctor said Ogden had two vehicles in possession, one having failed its annual test for headlamp aim and the other for a steering fault. Ogden said the safety inspection period had been reduced to six weeks and the maintenance contractor had been changed. The TC had not been notified as he had not realised the need to do so.
In reply to the DTC, Ogden said he drove one vehicle. The second was his brother's, which he had put on his licence. The vehicle was used by his brother for his own business. Ogden said now realised that was wrong, his brother was applying for his own O-licence, and Ogden would be his brother's transport manager. The DTC said it was not for Ogden to give out licence discs - that was the job of the TC, who required the licence disc to be returned within 24 hours.
The DTC made it plain that if Ogden wanted to keep his O-licence to run a very profitable small business, he must play by the rules.