News

Foulger Transport has escaped with a formal warning after VOSA found instances of "driver stupidity" that included fitting a TV to a truck dashboard. The Norfolk-based general haulier found itself before a TC for the first time in its 74-year history following a maintenance investigation.

It had received four prohibition notices since 2006, the most serious  of which was issued during a roadside check and was marked 'S'. VOSA said the driver's visibility was seriously impaired due to a TV and cuddly toy sitting on the dashboard and wires hanging down from the sun visors.

The other prohibitions were for brake deficiencies, a fuel leakage, and taping over a brake warning light on a dashboard.

For VOSA, John Poole said the operator's Snetterton facilities were above average, its driver defect-reporting sheets had all been filled in and there were no instances of missing inspection records from the past 15 months, something he described as an "unusually good performance".

However, he added that the prohibitions showed there were shortcomings in the maintenance systems.

For the company, director Barry Germany said it was clear some of the drivers had not repaid the trust Foulger had shown them: "Of the prohibitions, two are down to driver stupidity," he said. "You  hope you have addressed that in every way you can. We have tried to put everything in place so that none of those are replicated again."

Germany added that the company hopes to expand its operations over the next 12 months pending two tenders, and these might be jeopardised by a licence curtailment.

But TC Richard Turfitt gave credit to the operator's robust systems and steps taken since the prohibition notices were issued. "While having found the breaches,I have very little hesitation in deciding that the proportionate action in respect of the licences is to issue a formal warning."