TRAFFIC COMMISSIONERS TAKE ACTION ON ADBLUE REQUIREMENTS
Following DVSA investigations into the use of AdBlue emulator devices, several operators have now been dealt with by traffic commissioners at public inquiry. Four of these cases are examined below.
Ignorance is no excuse.
Nick Denton: “It should be self evident to all operators which vehicles require AdBlue”
Nick Denton: “AdBlue requirements are part of your basic operational issues and should not be ignored.”
That’s the messsage from Traffic Commissioner Nick Denton, after he told a Stoke-on-Trent firm that it’s ignorance of AdBlue requirements had been ‘astonishing’.
The director claimed he wasn’t informed about AdBlue when he bought the vehicle. But Mr Denton said the business should have known the Euro 4 vehicle needed AdBlue.
The firm’s licence was revoked and their transport manager disqualified.
Mr Denton has also taken action against a Birmingham operator who admitted having emulators fitted to her vehicles. The devices were illegally used to resolve an issue with the AdBlue system, which meant the firm avoided having to pay penalties for failing to provide contracted transport.
The Traffic Commissioner said: “The operator took a deliberate decision to suppress the AdBlue system on at least two vehicles, instead of hiring in alternative vehicles or sub-contracting work.”
He made an order to revoke the operator’s licence and disqualify the owner for five years.The transport manager was banned indefinitely as a result of failing to perform his duties in relation to driver’s hours and maintenance standards.
A number of other compliance issues were dealt with at both inquiries.
Fitting an emulator device is the same as using a magnet. Kevin Rooney: “Circumventing emission controls is a serious matter.”
Kevin Rooney: “Operators and transport managers should never interfere with vehicle systems without taking proper advice”.
Those who don’t make enquiries will face serious regulatory action, warns Traffic Commissioner Kevin Rooney.
Last month, Mr Roney disqualified a transport manager for a year after he admitted finding out how to fit an emulator device.
The regulator also told the operator it had made a very serious mistake in using the vehicle. Their licence will be suspended for two weeks this month as a result.
In a second case, the Traffic Commissioner described an operator’s approach as ‘reckless’ after he failed to ask quesions about emissions control on one of his vehicles.
“AdBlue is well understood within the industry,” he noted.
The operator claimed he hadn’t noticed the vehicle needed AdBlue but Mr Rooney said that was ‘clear nonesense’.
A number of other compliance issues were dealt with at both inquiries.
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