Forfar-based Alexander Kydd, trading as Sandy Kydd Road Transport, has to wait to see what action Scottish Deputy Traffic Commissioner Richard McFarlane is to take against his O-licence after his six drivers were found to have falsified tachograph records on 220 occasions.
Kydd, who holds a licence for seven vehicles, appeared before the DTC at an Edinburgh disciplinary inquiry. The DTC was also considering action against the LGV driving licences held by Kydd and the drivers concerned.
The DTC was told that the offences came to light following an investigation carried out by VOSA's Northern Investigations Team. Kydd had been a licensed haulier for 20 years and his vehicles hauled mainly agricultural vehicles and plant, on national journeys. In the main,the drivers were pulling fuses and thereby endangering the general public on an almost daily basis through the dangers of driving whiletired.
Kydd admitted that at no point did he ask his drivers if they had enough time to complete the required extra journeys.
Indicating that he would issue his decision in writing at a later date, the DTC told Kydd: "You have turned a blind eye to this and didn't care how it was done."
He went on to comment that a huge amount of resources had gone into the case and he thanked traffic examiners John Quinn and Evelyn Hill for their diligence and hard work in investigating the matters.
Safety should be paramount
This case highlights VOSA's determination to bring to account those operators who put others at risk by flouting the law and compromising road safety.