Thandi Coaches Limited of Smethwick, trading as Thandi Executive Coaches, has seen its O-licence varied from 22 vehicles to 15 for 21 days.
The decision was made by the Traffic Commissioner (TC) for the West Midlands, Nick Denton, at a public inquiry on 24 July 2018.
The variation will be in effect from 0001hrs on 15 August 2018 until 0001hrs on 2 September 2018.
A spokesperson from the Office of the Traffic Commissioners told CBW that the licence was varied because the operator has ‘failed until recently to run missing mileage reports.’
Because of this failure, it had not detected that five drivers had been on occasion driving without a tachograph card.
Thandi Coaches was brought to public inquiry after a DVSA traffic examiner checked one of its coaches at Alton Towers on 4 April 2017.
The tachograph card revealed various drivers’ hours offences. A follow-up investigation found no analogue records or time sheets for drivers and there were no proper records to show drivers’ daily rest.
Some of the drivers’ hours offences include a 3.5 hour driving shift without a card and a four hour and 55 minute stint of driving with no breaks. Of this, 54 minutes were not recorded.
CBW understands that the drivers have been recommended for conduct hearings.
