In a written decision, the Deputy Traffic Commissioner for Scotland ruled that A Johnstone Ltd was no longer of good repute and ordered its operator’s licence (O-licence) revoked from 00:00 on 14 March 2026.
The case resulted in more than a license loss. The Traffic Commissioner ordered that the company and its sole director, Alexander Johnstone, be disqualified indefinitely from holding an operator’s licence, with an additional direction intended to prevent the disqualification from being circumvented through other companies, subsidiaries, or partnerships. The disqualifications take effect from 00:00 on 14 March 2026.
What DVSA found: card-sharing, “no card” driving and 59 offences
The decision describes a pattern of non-compliance centred on tachograph integrity and fatigue risk. It states that between 1 December 2024 and 4 March 2025, Johnstone committed 59 drivers’ hours offences.
Key findings include:
- use of other drivers’ cards on nine occasions (involving three different drivers)
- driving without a driver card on 11 occasions, with the decision stating this was done to conceal drivers’ hours offences
- repeated infringements on breaks and rest, including insufficient daily rest (16 occasions) and exceeding daily driving limits (10 occasions)
The decision highlights examples of extremely long daily driving totals and notes that this was not a case of small-margin errors.
“Transport manager in name only”
A second pillar of the ruling was the transport manager role. The Traffic Commissioner found that Ian McKnight Gibson had lost repute as a transport manager and ordered his indefinite disqualification from acting as a transport manager from 00:00 on 14 March 2026.
The decision describes Gibson as a transport manager “in name only”, concluding that the arrangement gave the business “the outward sign” of professional control without effective, continuous management — a factor the regulator linked to the scale of non-compliance.
Maintenance and records: work carried out, but systems failed
Alongside tachograph and hours infringements, the inquiry examined whether the operator’s undertakings and declared arrangements were being met. The decision states that while vehicles were being maintained, the operator did not have adequate maintenance records, and maintenance was not carried out by the declared provider. It also points to weaknesses in the systems for managing drivers’ hours compliance and recordkeeping.
Driver conduct: three-year LGV disqualification for the director
Separately, the Traffic Commissioner found Alexander Johnstone unfit to hold a Large Goods Vehicle licence. His LGV licence is revoked, and he is disqualified from holding an LGV licence for three years, effective from 00:00 on 4 April 2026.
Another driver, Keiran Hyslop, was issued with a warning in relation to a speeding conviction and failing to keep secure control of his driver card.
Why the regulator said the business had to be shut down
The decision frames the outcome around road safety, fair competition and deterrence. While it notes mitigating points (including cooperation and the fact the operator had stopped trading in May 2025), the Traffic Commissioner concluded that deliberate falsification of records undermined the integrity of the licensing system and required revocation plus indefinite disqualification from O-licensing.
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