The drivina factor
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IT APPEARS that the work load of ffie Licensing Authorities is building up. Public enquiries on overloading, under-maintaining or environmentally unacceptable, 0 licence applications are almost daily occurrences.
We are told that if the LAs had the enforcement staff, more cases would be brought to court. That would presumably mean more LAs.
By cutting expenditure on this most important aspect of road transport the Government is encouraging operators to be careless. Worse — it is also encouraging them to cut costs or increase profits illegally. We cannot believe that the Preston Crown Court tachograph case was an isolated incident. Even in the days of plenty, the opportunity to make a bit more was seldom spurned, even though it meant breaking the law. The punishment was never made to fit the crime.
How much more tempting it is today with over capacity of vehicles and depressed haulage rates for operators to flout the law. Perhaps the real threat of a prison sentence will put a brake on these criminal activities.
We cannot condone law breaking but we can understand the motive. Cut costs and increase profit.
There are legal ways of cutting costs as the speakers at our conference on Wednesday demonstrated in four well constructed papers.
Better driving technique is one obvious way. The man behind the wheel is burning the fuel in the tank, scrubbing the rubber off the tyres and wearing out the engine.
Of course as long as the vehicle is working this is inevitable. But the rate of wear and deterioration can be reduced if he is properly trained and made aware of his responsibilities.
Optional extras to aid economy or better still a properly specified vehicle may cost more at first. But its reduced running costs will soon compensate and increased profits will result.
Turning again to the driver. He is the company when he's out on the road and should be made to feel involved in the profit motive.
NEC is obviously moving in the right direction. Shareholder drivers and incentive schemes breed involvement and increased profits.
Properly specified vehicles have an important role, safety and comfort in the cab enhance the driver's working environment.
These are all the factors which can and will reduce full life cost and increase profitability legally. They are less painful than a prison sentence and much less costly than revocation, curtailment or suspension of the 0 licence.