Serious maintenance shortcomings have led to the four-vehicle O-Licence held by Bolton-based Supreme Minibuses being suspended for one week by Traffic Commissioner (TC) David Mullan.
The TC accepted undertakings that the company’s sole director, Nayem Mallu, would attend a one-day O-Licence management course, and that an audit of its transport safety and compliance systems would be carried out within six months. He removed transport manager (TM) Peter Robinson from the O-Licence, giving the company a period of grace to obtain a new TM.
TC Mullan noted significant shortcomings across several areas. Brake performance testing was absent from all 14 inspection reports reviewed, inspection intervals were found to be excessive at 70 days for vehicles over 12 years old, and maintenance records lacked critical information such as tyre age, chassis numbers, and tachograph calibration dates.
There was no evidence of systems for vehicle off-road tracking or safety recall management, indicating reactive rather than proactive maintenance practices. The driver defect reporting process was inadequate, with missed defects and no clear documentation of rectification. A report on the annual test history for the operator showed the failure rate at test to be above the national average. Written responses to DVSA had addressed some, but not all, concerns identified.
The TC was told that the prohibition at annual test was because of Mr Mallu himself refuelling en route to the test centre and forgetting to replace the fuel tank cap. Mr Mallu relied upon those he deemed better qualified than himself: Mr Robinson, and the maintenance provider. As it turned out, both had let him down.
It was disappointing, therefore, that Mr Mallu had not sought to obtain any training of his own beyond his Driver CPC. TC Mullan said one would be forgiven for expecting O-Licence specific training, if not before the DVSA assessment, then certainly during the four months that had passed since. While Mr Mallu accepted this, and was keen to obtain that training going forward, the TC reminded him that actions speak louder than words.
The company did appear to have taken some immediate steps. An updated DVSA report for the Public Inquiry, assessing a smaller volume of more recent records, did provide evidence of progress. Maintenance records were improved, with some minor omissions remaining. Driver defect reporting was evidenced, a new maintenance provider was contracted, with emissions testing, brake testing and wheel retorquing all put in place. Additionally, the decision had been made to engage the services of a new TM.
TC Mullan considered that a one-week period of suspension was a justified action to deter this operator, and others, from complacency. He had stopped short of an adverse finding on Mr Robinson’s good repute, as he had accepted his shortcomings and had been removed from this O-Licence. However, Mr Robinson remained a TM on another, unrelated, O-Licence. He said he would ask DVSA that it considers a review of that operator’s compliance systems based on the shortcomings identified in this case.
