Driver Check fails to stop disqualified driver!

"You employ a new driver who has declared that he has no demerit points, you have checked driver check and his license is valid. Everything thing checks out and you send him to Wellington for an overnighter. At the Ohakea weighbridge the driver is stopped and the CVIU check his license. They find he has 115 demerit points and immediately suspend his license. Your truck and load are at the other end of the country without a driver"

Under the current demerit points system a driver does not lose their license until the Police catch up with the driver and disqualify him from driving. For your business this means you could employ a driver that is about to lose their license while driving your truck!

As a recent article in the Truck and Driver magazine indicated the Driver Check service offer by LTNZ does alert employers when an employee's license has expired or suspended. It offers no help at all to find out if the drivers demerit points are high or even exceeding the limit. The Road Transport Forum are working with LTNZ to resolve this.

In the meantime you can have prospective employees call 0800 822 422 and check how many demerit points they have while they are in your office. One of my team did this recently and found the driver had 115 points. He obviously doesn't drive for us.

Don't think it wont happen to you.