Drivers Kept From Their Homes Too Long Under Government Scheme
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THE case of a lorry driver who was stated to have slept in the-cab of his vehicle every night during a week's absence from his home town, figured in a discussion on the Government Haulage Scheme at a recent Dewsbury meeting of the Heavy Woollen District Transport Association.
This case was cited during criticismsthat in the operation of the scheme there was a tendency to keep drivers tdo long away from their home bases in waiting for possible loads. The driver in question, it was explained, could not find lodgings suitable to his circumstances. He had no change of clothing whereby he could dress himself in a style appropriate to a stay at an hotel, and apart from the clothing difficulty his subsistence allowance would not have been sufficient to cover the expense of such accommodation. . -Several instances were quoted in which drivers were stated to have been kept away -from their depots for„four or five days through waiting for loads, only. eventuallly, to return home with empty vehicles. Difficulties in obtaining lodgings were stated to be aggravated in distribution centres by the number of drivers kept standing by for loads, especially at week-ends.
It was suggested that there-was need for better co-ordination of outward and return operation, and the
suggestion • was made that when there was no definite prospect of an early job. for a lorry which had completed a deliverY it should be a general rule that the vehicle be sent back along a homeward route, calling at controlledundertaking depots en route. Thus, whilst still having a chance of picking up a load, the driver would not be unduly delayed from making his base.
In discussion on the terms of payment for lorries hired under the scheme, Mr. AlfredIneson, the Association's chairman, said that, in view of the low level of the scale of mileage rates 'the operator of a working vehicle should be financially safeguarded by means of a, minimum mileage payment, which would be comparable to the driver's 48-hour guaranteed week. Thus, the ,operator would receive the minimum payment although the vehicle did .not reach the corresponding mileage, but if the mileage was exceeded the payment would be proportionately higher. on the basis of some vehicles' actual 'mile' age earnings, said-Mr. meson, the purchase of one tyre would swallow. a month's earnings by a vehicle.
It was decided ea nominate Mr. meson and Mr. T. Jackson (hon. seen-taly) for the appointment as the Association's representativeS on the Yorkshire Hired Vehicle Operators' Committee.