The Office of the Traffic Commissioner revealed that a coach operator who failed to tell them that they didn’t have a Transport manager was banned from running vehicles. The absence of a Transport Manager at the operator had a direct impact on roadworthiness and safety standards as the root cause of a poor maintenance record. The Office of the Traffic Commissioner had been deceived for at least 8 years and a false declaration was made in 2015. The lack of investment in time and money in having an effective maintenance system and process in place gave the operator an unfair competitive advantage and compromised road safety. The disqualification reflects how seriously this conduct is viewed by the authorities. Conducting an effective walk-around vehicle safety check is an essential first step in safeqguarding a roadworthy fleet. SmartCheck™ - Descartes new mobile electronic Driver Vehicle Safety Check App eliminates the delays and inaccuracies of re-keying vehicle check data from paper report books. Any operators interested in getting advance information and costs should email info@descartes.com. For the latest guidance on how the Office of the Traffic Commissioner interpret the law regarding the Transport Manager role see here. Source: Office of the Traffic Commissioner.