A HGV driver is convicted of 14 offences of falsification after DVSA investigations revealed serious offences were hidden by false records.

To give one example, a vehicle was stationary for only 7 hours and 47 minutes between two full shifts.

In this case, the offences have been proven in court. DVSA’s evidence from the investigation is also considered by the Traffic Commissioner.

The driver gets an opportunity to put his case forward. He says he thought the card could be removed if the vehicle wasn’t being used for hire or reward.

He admits taking the tractor unit home on occasions, which was when he removed the card.

Mr Rooney does a balancing exercise, weighing up the positive and negative features of the case.

He says the driver has started to learn from the enforcement and regulatory processes. He accepts the driver’s evidence that there's been no further offending since the investigation.

And the driver was cooperative with DVSA.

Statutory guidance helps the commissioners to deal with driver conduct cases. It tells them the agreed starting points for different types of offending by drivers.

In the case of false records, the starting point for pulling the card (for more than six offences) is revocation and disqualification for 12 months.

Mr Rooney assesses whether there's any reason to move away from the starting point.

He says the driving was excessive to the point where it was, at times, clearly dangerous. The driver chose to hide the true facts of his driving, regardless of the motivation.

But this is balanced against the cooperation and learning that's taken place.