New Association for C-Hirers : Big Operator's Challenge
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EFFORTS are being made to form an association of bona fide contractors who let out vehicles under C-hiring margins. To be known as the Vehicle Operators and Traders Alliance, the association will be open to membership by vehicle owners and trader-users, and high standards of professional conduct will be recognized.
Action along these lines has been inspired by Mr. R. P. Block, managing director of Blox Services, Ltd., 263 London Road, Mitcham, Surrey, owners of over 100 vehicles run under C-hiring margins.
Support for the formation of V.O.T.A. is being actively recruited among users and owners of C-hiring vehicles.
Mr. Block has long felt the need for affiliation of operators such as his company to a national organization, partly because of apparent abuses of C-hiring by other classes of vehicle owner. He has been refused membership of the Traders' Road Transport Association, because they would accept only the holders of the licences.
Authority's Remarks
Recent remarks by the Scottish Deputy Licensing Authority (The Commercial Motor, April 8) have, Mr. Block told this journal in an exclusive interview this week, underlined the need for an organization to protect the interests of reputable operators engaged in C-hiring and their customers.
Whilst concurring with the Authority's decision in a case in which a haulage concern unsuccessfully sought an A licence for a number of vehicles operated under C-hiring margins, Mr. Block challenged his assertion that C-hiring was an exploitation of the 1933 and 1947 Acts. He pointed to the many thousands of vehicles being operated in this way throughout the country by numerous undertakings, including British Road Services, for a large number of prominent trading concerns.
Better IVIaIntenance Of particular advantage to the C-licence holder who puts his transport operation into the hands of specialists is the high standard of maintenance that is assured," said Mr. Block. "This should be considered in the light of the Licensing Authorities' invariable comments in their annual reports about the general poor condition of the vehicles owned by small ancillary users."
There were good reasons for allowing vehicle operation under C-hiring in the 1933 Act, and proof that a need was being, filled was afforded by his own company, which had quadrupled in size in five years. It was ignoring facts to argue that the C-hiring margin was intended merely to facilitate seasonal work by ancillary users and the replacement of vehicles in the event of breakdowns.
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