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Couriers are not burdened with as much red tape as HGV operators, but Alan Savage, chairman of the National Courier Association, says being a van operator is no walk in the park. Tim Maughan reports.
Mi ountains of legislation, tachographs and a widespread driver shortage are just some of the occupational hazards of operating trucks in Britain. But according to popular wisdom you can dispense with these burdens and lead an easy life by selling your HGVs, buying something smaller and going into business as a courier. Or perhaps not, as Alan Savage,chainnan of the National Courier Association (NCA) explains.
He's been involved in the industry since the 1970s. starting as a van driver before founding his own firm, London Link, in 1982. He now oversees a fleet of 25 vans; 10 of his own and 15 belonging to owner-drivers.
The courier business has changed over the years, and operators in this sector have had to adapt with it, says Savage. For example, the growth of the internet and e-mail has had a negative impact on the document delivery market. Elsewhere, there's a level of councilsponsored bureaucracy that will be all-too familiar to truck operators not least the new breed of ultra zealous traffic wardens, who slap tickets on van windscreens almost before they come to a halt. Savage says his vans can be landed with as many as six in a day.
And if you operate in London there's the congestion charge as wellit costs Savage up to £600 a month. Like HGV operators, couriers find that their customers are all too reluctant to cover such extras.
Coveted award
When the NCA held its AGM earlier this month Savage was elected chairman for the second consecutive year and London Link was the winner of the coveted Best Courier of the Year Award.
Savage reports that one role of the NCA is maintaining its members' standards. "We visit members' premises; we want to see clean and tidy vans, good offices and office-based staff. Members must show they have a client base in their area. We even reserve the right to audit their accounts."
As well as ensuring standards the NCA operates as a courier network. Goods now flow freely through it,but until recently it was a fairly closed shop. Savage joined in 1990, but this was not an automatic process the rule used to be one courier, one town and when he applied to join the club he was blocked.
"People go bust, are bought out, and so on," he says."So it's not good to have one member in a town. It was a very narrow-minded way of looking at things."
In fact the firm that campaigned to block his membership eventually went to the wall. "I persevered, and I got in." he adds. "Now we are striving for two members per town to improve coverage and maintain competition.
The NCA is also keen to exert political pressure on behalf of its members, although so far without dramatic success.
"The association has sent letters to the government complaining about fuel prices and congestion charges. No reply was received," Savage explains resignedly.
There's also an element of self-help within the NCA Savage focuses on helping with his members' operational costs by negotiating collective deals with van manufacturers and fuel card companies Couriers, rightly or wrongly, have a reputation for playing fast and loose with speed limits being passed at 90mph on a motorway by a large van is not an uncommon experience.
Savage recognises there is a problem. but argues against further regulation. "All our deadlines are based on national speed limits, but if our speed was further restricted deadlines would not be met. And if vans were forced to use the middle lane with trucks it would be dangerous," he says In fact, Savage reckons a highly competitive market can be self-regulatory.1 do think there is a bad opinion of white van man, but the majority arc doing a hard day's work and abiding by the law of the land. It does seem that anybody who is out of work can buy a car and think they are a courier. But it's not as easy as that, because it needs effort and dedication.
"People think they can earn £400 a day for two days,and disappear for the rest of the week. But they can't, because 90 days' payment is common, and they have got to cover their overheads."
Timesheets
Tachographs are not in the picture here, hut Savage insists that NCA members ensure their drivers fill in timesheets. The Working Time Directive will certainly affect this sector Savage reckons the WTD might lead to jobs being delayed. "We are asked to do a job, but if the man-hours are not available we would have to put the delivery off until the following day.
"The finances of it are going to be very complicated as well, because we have agreed rates per mile."
HGV operators have always had to worry about pleasing their customers while simultaneously dealing with red tape, and Savage believes couriers empathise with them. "I would think that they have a lot of respect for the large operators.. they respect the responsibility attached to trunking a large load." •