Inquiry adjourned for fleet activity probe
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A LANCASHIRE operator who admitted he did not know whether his vehicles were operating while he was on holiday in January has had consideration of action against his licence adjourned for further Vosa investigations.
John Cowie holds an international licence for five vehicles and two trailers, and had been called before North-Western Traffic Commissioner Beverley Bell. He was seeking to increase the authorisation to 10 vehicles and two trailers, and to move to a new operating centre in Burnley. The TC reminded him that when she adjourned the case in January she had been told that the vehicles would not be used while Cowie was on holiday.
Vehicle examiner Stephen Kelsall said some defects on issued prohibitions showed drivers were not using the defect reporting system properly.
Cowie said his three Hungarian drivers understood English, but were not very good at writing it. He maintained they understood the defect report books, saying they were told that if they were not sure about a defect in English to write it in Hungarian.
They had been shown the Vosa DVD and understood it visually.
He had moved operating centre in May following a dispute over being overcharged for work that had been done by the owner of the authorised operating centre, IPG Commercials, which was also the maintenance contractor.
Asked about a vehicle he had been driving in December. Cowie said it belonged to RJ International, for whom he worked as a subcontractor.