Organize to Raise Rates
Page 17
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ALTHOUGH' operating costs have risen considerably within the past year and competition has been restricted, rate-cutting amongst hauliers is said to he even more widespread and vicious than before. Leaving out of consideration stabilization by legislation, the only solution of the problem is intensive organization throughout the industry. If the national associations had a membership of even 80 per cent., they could enforce the observance of fair rates by objecting to the licence applications of every ratecutter, and would be in a position of strength similar, to that enjoyed by certain trade unions.
Elsewhere in this issue we publish the views of well-known operators and users on the stabilization of rates, and on a scheme prepared by The Commercial Motor for the control of charges by the Licensing Authorities, through the medium of the industry itself. Briefly, the plan envisages the compulsory establishment of area rates committees and the enforcement by law of the charges•• agreed upon by them. In framing this proposition, we appreciated, the fact that further legislation is not to be encouraged, and that the enforcement of certain charges by the Licensing Authorities is open to many criticisms, notably on the score of the opportunity of under-cutting afforded gratuitously to the railways. =In preparing a scheme with which, however, numerous' operators might disagree, we anticipated that an instructive discussion would be inaugurated and that the positive views of responsible members of the industry would be more emphatically stated.
It would doubtless be helpful to those who are taking the initiative in the stabilization of rates if others amongst our readers would place before us their wishes in this matter, using our scheme as the basis of the _discussion. We believe that the apparent tacit acceptance of the existing condition of the road-haulage industry is not the result of a lack of ideas for improvement on the part of operators, but that many hauliers have not the courage of their own convictions, and can be stirred to activity only by the disagreeable prospect of further restrictions upon their liberty.
Although the railways are principal offenders in the matter of rate-cutting, they may through their powerful Parliamentary influence, take steps, when a favourable opportunity arises, to have protective road-haulage prices fixed by law. A continuance!. of that apathy amongst road-transport operators, which has condoned the restriction and penalizing of the industry, may, -therefore, have results even more serious than in the past.