Taxi Driver Online

Middlesbrough minicab boss in minibus ban

A MINICAB boss who put his passengers and other road users at risk has been banned from operating minibuses.

Mosan Shan - director of Kwik Cars (North East) Ltd - has been disqualified from holding an operator’s licence after it was found his firm used vehicles in a “very dangerous” condition.

The Middlesbrough company’s licence will be revoked on February 25 - meaning it can no longer carry passengers in minibuses from that date. However, the firm will still be able to operate minicabs.

Kwik Cars (North East) Ltd, which operates two minibuses from Scott Road, appeared at a public inquiry following an investigation by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA). Traffic Commissioner Kevin Rooney said Mr Shan had not upheld licence undertakings designed to keep vehicles roadworthy and ensure drivers worked legally.

He said there had been failures in “every relevant system”, adding: “Mr Shan has been so derelict in his duties under this licence.

“He seems content to use the licence to allow him to make money while putting passengers and other road users at risk. That cannot be allowed to continue.”

The hearing, on January 8 in Leeds, heard that a VOSA vehicle examiner made enquiries in August 2012, after a vehicle was sent for MoT in a very dangerous state.

The VOSA officer said 14 prohibitions had been issued to the firm’s two vehicles, after defects were identified on them.

Two of the notices represented a significant failure in maintenance systems and vehicles had also failed annual tests for matters including for brake defects.

Mr Shan told the hearing he had left the running and maintenance of the minibuses to his father - who had lost his own operator’s licence due to maintenance issues.

Also, in March 2010, the company was fined for two counts of failing to display a licence disc and the driver was fined for driving without the correct licence and not using a tachograph record.

In the latest hearing, Mr Rooney found that the firm had no system for managing drivers’ hours and added an effective maintenance system would have prevented the multiple safety defects.

Mr Shan told the Gazette: “This is an isolated incident affecting one of the company’s restricted minibus licences. It accounts for 3% of the company’s portfolio, only affecting two large minibuses.

“The situation arose because a small minority of the drivers were renting vehicles from the company and driving on company licences having maintenance issues.

“All minibus drivers working in the company now are driving with their own licences. In no way does this affect our minicab operations.”


Read More http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teess ... z2L3QYAO4J

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Two of the notices represented a significant failure in maintenance systems and vehicles had also failed annual tests for matters including for brake defects.

and yet they are allowing him to keep his license to operate cars ? Sounds like a CLOSE watch needs to be kept on this outfit !

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Traffic Comm doesn't have the powers to revoke his PH vehicles.

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IDFIMH

So it's ok to put punters at risk until then?

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IDFIMH

It is probably the same as revoking a taxi license. They have to let them keep the license until the date to lodge an appeal has passed. That doesn't mean that they can use the vehicles though. They have probably been given a PG9 off road notification

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Grandad,

Not if their vehicles haven't been brought up to scratch and been passed fit for service

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector