Operator Fined for Multiple Offences

A County Londonderry operator was convicted at Belfast Magistrates’ Court and fined a total of £1000 for multiple offences. The conviction arose when DVA Enforcement Officers were conducting routine checks on goods vehicles on Dargan Road, Belfast.

The driver of an articulated lorry was directed to the DVA weighbridge at Garmoyle Street to have the vehicle weighed and further examined. It was discovered the vehicle was not specified on a Goods Vehicle Operators Licence.

The tachograph records were analysed and it was noted that no data was recorded in relation to the vehicle download records. Regulations require vehicle tachograph records are downloaded every 90 days, but the driver’s tachograph records had not been downloaded for 269 days, the deadline missed by 241 days.

Regulations also require that the driver’s card records are downloaded every 28 days. Two periods of driving without a driver’s card being inserted were identified.

£500 Fine for Tachograph Offences

A County Antrim operator has been convicted at Newry Magistrates Court and fined a total of £500 after DVA Enforcement Officers stopped a large rigid goods vehicle and directed the driver from the A1 into the Departmental weighbridge site at Loughbrickland for an inspection. The driver and vehicle unit were analysed. This analysis highlighted no data in relation to the driver’s digital tachograph card download deadline, suggesting that it had never been downloaded before.

Failed to take daily rest periods

A Country Armagh operator was convicted at Ballymena Magistrates Court and fined a total of £900 after DVA Enforcement Officers stopped a 3 axle Volvo articulated lorry and carried out an inspection of the vehicle, driver licences and driver’s tachograph records. It was discovered that the driver had failed to take Daily Rest of 11 or 9 hours on seven occasions. Furthermore, he exceeded his 9- or 10-Hours Daily Driving on three occasions. He also exceeded his maximum fortnightly driving time of 90 hours. In addition, he had failed to make proper use of Record Sheets or Driver Card, making a false record.