Germany Encourages Hauliers
Page 44
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Ne Re.gtdations Relating to the Transport of Goods Over Distances by Means of Motor Lorries. Urgent Measures taken by the Transport Ministry
U'ARGENT measures are being wtaken by the German Transport Ministry in the interests of the carriage of goods over long distances by means of motor lorries. The initiative of the Ministry has in this connection been much .discussed for some time by the parties concerned. The programme relates for the time being only to the long-distance transport of goods, but other measures, which are to promote the increased use of motor lorries in general (for the transport of goods over short routes and for the conveyance of material from one factory to another), have already been announced by the Ministry (at the beginning of the year and these measures are in preparation.
To Assist Small Hauliers.
The published urgent programme is intended to serve the interests of a.11t concerns which are engaged in the trade of transporting goods to distant places, no matter whether the concerns belong to the State association of owners of motor lorries or to the State railways. However, if is intended to assist in the first place the small hauliers, usually called "tramp owners," who are members of the Association. These owners are suffering from the fact that, although more goods than ever are being transported, the offices dealing with the distribution of loading space do not avail themselves in a sufficient manner of their services. They are also feeling to an increasing extent the competition on the part of the large firms of forwarding agents, who are endeavouring to increase their business by hiring a number of lorries for far-distant transport and by similar enterprise.
The Order puts, in the first place, an end to the condition that goods 810 are transported to distant places only by a small group of special forwarding agents owning motor lorries, who receive allowances in respect of such transport work.
In future, no transport contractor, that is to say, neither the railways nor private owners of lorries, will be allowed to make exclusive contracts with forwarding agents for transporting goods to distant places. Every forwarding agent is to choose the type of transport medium which he considers to be most suitable far his purpose.
Forwarding agents who make use of motor lorries will receive an allowance for soliciting business, irrespective of whether lorries belonging to members of the Association or to the State railways be used for the transport of their goods.
Goods Collection.
The new regulations state further that goods which are to be transported by means of motor lorries must be collected in suitable numbers at the stores where the distribution of loading space is dealt with. Goods must, therefore, not be transported by the forwarding agents themselves, through the medium of transport contractors. Forwarding agents who own transport concerns in the form of special companies, etc., must not in future use lorries which do not belong to them. A particularly important and quite new regulation of this urgent programme grants the Association of lorry owners the right to make contracts in connection with transport work with the contractors who are members of that body, with the result that the Association itself can act in this manner as contractor.
A new feature of definite advantage is the fact that the long-distance transport of goods by motor lorries is given the concession which applies to all tariff categories and all special tariffs of the goods tariff of the German railways, Until now, contractors for the transport of goods in this manner were not allowed to do any other kind of transport work. This regulation has now been changed, FO that these transport contractors may carry on in addition any other kind of business. Only the carrying on of business as forwarding agents at the same time is subject to special regulations.
Road and Rail.
The German railways continue to have the right tn hire motor lorries from members of the Association, besides using their own road vehicles, The arrangements which the German railways have to make with the Association in this connection can be substituted by a decision of the Transport Ministry, if the two parties be unable-to agree.
The decree of the Transport Ministry states that the new regulations must have been put into force by July 1 of this year. The Ministry hopes that the result of the new regulations will be that the "tramp owners" who are members of the Association will soon be provided with sufficient work, so that there will be a basis for relaxing the concession restrictions.