Taxi Driver Online

http://www.route-one.net/legal/must-better-warns-tc/

Interesting that most of the operators hauled up on a Public Inquiry appear to be of Asian origin.

‘Must do better’ warns TC





North East Traffic Commissioner Kevin Rooney says that vehicle and driver safety standards in the minibus sector need to improve.

He made his comments as he warned Middlesbrough’s taxi trade about the standard of its minibus operations.

It comes after three firms had their O-Licences revoked, two applications for new licences were refused, one operator was suspended indefinitely and another one was issued a formal warning, following Public Inquiries (PI).

Mr Rooney said his experience of taxi firms running minibuses revealed the need for “urgent and significant improvement” in their approach to safe and legal operations.

“I have dealt with 10 operators at PI in the last month and taken action against seven of the businesses, including revoking licences.

“Operating a minibus is something that cannot be taken lightly. It’s not good enough to fill in an application form, get the licence and then ignore or neglect the operating standards.

“The rules are there for very good reasons – to keep passengers and the roads safe and to make sure there is fair competition in the industry.

“Vehicles should be kept in a roadworthy condition. Drivers can’t drive tired and must be able to show they have taken proper rest.

“It’s all too common for people who run minibuses as a part-time business – usually alongside a full-time taxi service – to either fail in these duties or take their eye off the ball.

“The action I have taken in these cases should send a message to the taxi trade that getting an operator’s licence to run minibuses is a serious commitment.”

The PI outcomes were:

◾Zubair Elahi trading as Euro Cars (Middlesbrough) – licence revoked and operator disqualified until January 2016. Issues included serious maintenance and driver supervision failings

◾Anser Akbar trading as Blueline Travel (Middlesbrough) – licence revoked. Serious maintenance and driver supervision failings, including incorrect licences and tacho breaches

◾Imran Khan trading as Khan’s (Stockton-on-Tees) – licence to be revoked from 18 April due to “appalling roadworthiness history” but some improvements before the PI

◾Aurzam Shan trading as East Coast Travel (Middlesbrough) – licence suspended indefinitely. Mechanical defects, significant record keeping failures and licence undertakings breached

◾Middlesbrough Cars Ltd trading as Boro Cars (Middlesbrough) – formal warning after PG9s and driver’s hours breaches

◾Mohammed Kabir Shabir (Ingleby Barwick) – application was refused for failing to meet the primary occupation test and plans to hire vehicle and licence

◾Ibrar Iqbal (Ingleby Barwick) – application refused for failing to meet the primary occupation test and maintenance requirements

◾Tariq Hussain trading as Tollesby Travel (Middlesbrough) – licence granted with extra undertakings imposed

◾Mahboob Hussain (Middlesbrough) – licence granted with extra undertakings imposed

◾North East Cars Ltd (Middlesbrough) – licence granted for six rather than 13 discs. Concerns over ability to meet undertakings for 13 discs, extra undertakings imposed.

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

A warning to everyone on here who runs more-than-8-seaters on a restricted PSV licence.

Do many of them (not on TDO) actually give a f***?

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IDFIMH

It seems not.