Fleet let down by maintenance problems
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A West Midlands haulier has had one of its vehicles suspended for a week after receiving four prohibitions for maintenance problems in two months. Baldev Singh, trading as Paradis Dairies, of Smethwick holds a licence for six vehicles: he was called before West Midland Traffic Commissioner David Dixon. The TO pointed out that Singh had appeared at a previous public inquiry in 1995, also concerned with maintenance problems, and his licence had been curtailed.
Vehicle examiner Anthony Hill said he had inspected four vehicles in November, issuing one delayed prohibition for fractured There was an 80% brake discs and a defect notice. He added that 32 days had passed since the vehicle given the delayed prohibition had been inspected. Maintenance was undertaken by an outside contractor, lqbhal Ubhi, who also acted as transport manager. There were no driver defect reports and he was told that once the defects were repaired the reports were thrown away. There was an 80% prohibition rate at the roadside.
The TO suspended the vehicle and ordered a further maintenance investigation in November. He said insufficient attention had been paid to the vehicles' condition. Three prohibitions were given when vehi
cies were presented at the test station and a fourth during a pre-announced visit by the vehicle examiner.
Appearing for Singh, Michael Carless said he had been told that the firm had not had an adverse roadside check in five years. However, the VI said that prohibitions imposed at the test station were counted as spot checks. One prohibition had been imposed at the roadside in May 2001 and three had been imposed at the test station during the year.
The TC commented that there seemed to be something awry with the system for preparing vehicles for annual test.
Carless said that it was believed that loose wheelnuts found on one vehicle were due to vandalism. He added that none of the prohibitions had been Smarked. Singh said he now undertook vehicle inspections every morning with the drivers. He accepted that he had to keep defect reports for 15 months and undertook to reduce the inspection periods from six to four weeks.