The Urgent Need for Organizing Efficient Hauliers' Associations.
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WE have on several occasions referred to the urgent need for organizing thoroughly efficient hauliers' associations in all important centres of industry and transport. We know that a few such associations do exist, but the haulage industry is still perhaps the worst organized hi the country from the point of view of unity of action. Individualism is all very well, but it must not be carried to extremes, for the old adage, unity is strength, applies even more forcibly to road-transport interests than to others.
There are thousands of hauliers working at rates which show but little consistency. Undercutting is a rampant evil against which it is extremely difficult for the individual haulier to fight. There. are-abundant loads available for all and it should not be a hard task to obtain rates which will give a fair measure of profit instead of being under the economic limits.
As is pointed out in a letter from a wellknown transport manager, which we publish elsewhere in this issue, there are small irresponsible agencies offering traffic at ridiculous rates and these fatten upon the inexperienced haulier who has but little idea of his'real costs and, too often, ends in insolvency ; but, as a rule, there is nearly always someone to take his place and go through the same unfortunate experience.
Much of the trouble is caused by sheer ignorance, and here the work of local associations could prove most beneficial. Cases have been brought to our notice where men with a very small amount of capital have been induced to purchase vehicles through the holdingout of promises to provide ample haulage work at remunerative rates. Some of these offers are probably quite genuine, but there are others in which the rates at which the haulier is expected to operate are so low as to allow no margin of profit gnd often not even sufficient for proper vehicle maintenance. Readers who contemplate entering into such arrangements would do well to write to us giving full information as to the work and rates offered and we will be prepared to advise them as to their suitability or otherwise. Where there is obviously any misrepresentation we will even consider publishing the whole facts of the case.
Such associations as we have in mind could well be affiliated in some manner with the various branches of the Commercial Motor Users Association. This would be of mutual benefit, for this existing body is the only one fully representative of the road-transport industry and which has any considerable weight when it comes to questions of national or municipal policy affecting the interests of roadtransport' users as a whole.