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Traffic Commissioner urges transport managers to safeguard their personal data
Sarah Bell, Traffic Commissioner for London and the South East of England, has urged transport managers to guard their personal data closely in case it falls into the wrong hands.
Speaking at the first Transport Manager 2021 conference at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton earlier this week (21 September 2021), Bell cited an “extraordinary case”, which she said went to show the lengths that rogue operators will go to use transport managers’ personal data.
The case concerned Hampshire-based transport managers who ended up being proposed on operator licences without their knowledge. The first one manager knew about the proposal was when he received a notification through his VOL (Vehicle Operating Licensing) account.
“I think you really need to understand just how canny some of these individuals are,” Bell said, “and how thick their skin is.”
The Commissioner urged all transport managers, especially external transport managers, to store their personal details, such as copies of qualifications and their dates of birth, safely and securely. Otherwise, she said they risked putting their hard-earned qualifications or livelihood in severe jeopardy.
“More importantly,” Bell said, “it allows dangerous operators to operate under the cloak of legality.”
To reduce the risk of their personal data being used by rogue operators, the Commissioner shared some tricks and tips. These included encouraging transport managers to check their account details on VOL, to be ultra-cautious when completing forms for prospective employers and to inform the DVSA’s Leeds office of any changes in their employment status.
*www.logistics.org.uk/tm21
Published On: 23/09/2021 16:00:23
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