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A hard, hard world
Page 9
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Do you know what hacks me off most about road transport? The gross unfairness of the whole thing. Ask any manager or proprietor what its like to run a transport company. Chances are the lottery will be mentioned and it won't be winning it!
In order to run a business successfully, and a highly technical business at that, you need clear vision. You need to understand forthcoming legislation and the effect it may have on your plans. You need to evaluate your competitor's strengths and weaknesses. You need to plan and budget for the future not just for next year but several years down the line. And you need a Plan B.
So much for the theory; what about the practice? That's where the unfairness comes in, Because, however hard you try to follow the basic rules of business, there's always something out there waiting to ensnare the road haulier. Outside of NASA, I cannot think of another organisation controlled by so many differing sets of regulations.
Worse, these regulations are conceived and applied at local, national and European level. They are then enforced wit varying degrees of accuracy by inadequately trained officials Fortunes can be spent preparing for legislation that may or may not be changed at the last minute. Above all, there's a feeling of abandonment by the present government.
Were living in a fast-changing world. Today. the bulk of trans-European journeys are being undertaken by hauliers from Eastern Europe. Many of these journeys include a visit to the UK, hence the almost total saturation of some of our motorways by trucks with unpronounceable names and unrecognisable number plates. It has taken years to get VO& and the police interested in tackling foreign offenders. In the meantime. hundreds of perfectly well run UK hauliers have been forced to throw in the towel. That's the unfairness of it ail.
Now then, where did I put Plan B?
"Outside of NASA, I can think of another organi controlled by so many differing sets of regulati