“Hot Lava” On Wheels: In 2009 Control of Cargo and Passenger Transport Was Abandoned
<p style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">According to a report from the AGN, the CNRT understood that there are no details of their responsibility for the system check technical review workshops, as a matter a fact there is a decree that provides these functions to the Road Safety Commission. The Secretariat also made Automotive Transport audits in the field.</span></p> <div> </div>
The General Audit Office (AGN, for its acronym in Spanish) said that in 2009 "the control system of mandatory technical review was abandoned: the National Commission for Transport Regulation (CNRT, for its acronym in Spanish) understand that there are no details regarding their responsibility in the matter, and the Secretariat for Automotive transportation failed to structure the implementation of this control.”
The system works with the Technical Review Workshops (TRT) that inspect cargo and passenger transport vehicles, and the CNRT which performs "overall audits" of the system, by controlling the workshops.
In April 2009, the Management of Technical Supervision issued a report in which it "requested instructions" to the Comptroller of that same body "regarding the role that could be (in the) control system review" following the decree 1716 / 08. The legislation granted a range of powers to the National Traffic and Road Safety Commission, they "can modify the operating system and even the responsibilities of management regarding the TRT system."
The rule states that the Committee on Traffic and Road Safety, under the Secretariat of Automotive Transportation, will be "the agency responsible for the audit of the system." However, according to the management area, "the decree explicitly stated that it is the only body in this control activity" generating “a glassy situation to the management tasks." In operational control, "those responsible for the workshops began to put their staff's authority into question," this was stated in its letter to those responsible.
The dependent did not get an answer and therefore sent another letter, again referring to the decree. Finally, "given the lack of response and the problems that have been occurring, (the management area) decided to suspend the activities of the audit to receive a response from the authority on the subject," as was explained by Technical Management. In this situation, the AGN requested the Secretariat to report Automotive Transport audits performed and the response received was that "there had been no audit controls and oversight on the TRT."
Sanction Delays
The report, approved this year on data from 2007 to 2009, also found that "the most important offenses related to transportation safety are not punished with the necessary speed (either absence or expiration of the Enabling National License, lack of registration in the Single Registry of Motor Transport, deficiencies regarding the Mandatory Technical Review and the lack of Compulsory Insurance).”
The Audit also added that the sanctions were being "worked out" at the time of the fieldwork (2009), they were of 2004 and 2005, while those "initiated during 2007 and 2008 had not had any movement." Also, it’s important to point out that "this situation has been repeatedly noted in the reports of AGN under resolution 51/07, 130/08 and 29/10".
Enabling National License
For the Enabling National License (LNH, for its acronym in Spanish), document granting permission to be a professional drivers of Freight or Passenger vehicles, a psychophysical test should be approved as well as a basic training course. The CNRT monitors the system by conducting audits to both the trainers as well as the clinics.
The report says that in terms of medical providers who perform the psychophysical tests, "there are significant delays in the processing of cases initiated by deficiencies and breaches found in the Units". The auditors tracked records for 2005, which otherwise had been observed by the watchdog in a report of 2007, and found that, at the time of the audit, there were "still unresolved cases". The AGN found three centers which in 2008 had been requested "preventive suspension" and that given the "lack of readiness to mobilize the records" were still active.
In turn, they noted that "the CNRT did not apply sanctions to the deficiencies in the training centers." Control procedures performed during 2008 in over 38 training centers had "deficiencies that were detected in 6 of them without opening the files that were generated to initiate the appropriate sanctions."