I agree with Mr Lee [routeone/Letters/6 March] on ridicules fines for mistakes on paperwork. This issue has been going on for many years, fines that don't seem to have a scale to the incident.
Can anybody tell me were coach companies can find out how much we should be paying for these minor paperwork mistakes? Because surely if this is such a sever issue that needs to be punished with these mind-blowing penalties, they must be published somewhere. Or are they just made up at the time of the incident?
I have worked with drivers and had drivers that have fallen victim to paperwork fines – anything from €500-€5000, one was €500 for a coffee stain on a waybill and €5000 euros for a attestation having the drives name written in pen instead of typed.
On this occasion the only way the driver could pay was via his DKV card, which his company had to sort out while the passengers where sat on the coach for over an hour.
But the strange thing was when DKV talked to them, it got reduced to €1200 which again brings me to the point of how much should we be paying? Or are we just an easy touch because we are carrying people?
I recently went on a website looking for the fines but couldn't find what I was looking for, as Cilla Black used to say: “Surprise surprise”.
I did find these fines in Belgium: Jumping a red light €165; using your phone €110; speeding 40km per/hr over the speed limit €250; and illegally overtaking €165.
So remember: Squeeze two cities in one box on your waybill is €990 – or you could illegally overtake, go through a red light while speeding and on your phone and still, as my dad used to say, have enough change to have a couple of pints, go to pictures, get a fish-and-chip supper and still have enough change to buy some cigarettes.
If anybody has the answer, can you please let routeone know.
- Wayne Fatherley, Concierge Coach Travel
