Problems of the poorly equipped driver
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IL Speaking to the Industrial Transport Association's Forth division on Monday, Mr. A. Havard, deputy director of freight planning at the National Freight Corporation, highlighted the problems of the poorly equipped driver. Inadequately trained and briefed, he was plunged into a world where physical discomfort, solitude and spells of frustration were his companions. Seldom if ever was he aware of the legal restrictions which encompassed his job and this ignorance, said Mr. Havard, was not in his or his employer's best interests.
Turning to management, the speaker said junior managers frequently found themselves in the unfortunate position of being overworked and underpaid—burdened with responsibilities but devoid of authority. Yet many of the day-to-day problems of operation were left to these young men whose unfulfilled ambitions bred discontent and frequently resulted in their loss to the industry.
Senior management had to cope with changing legislation, said Mr. Havard, and while there had been some effective changes in Construction and Use Regulations recently there were more hazardous times ahead as the new Transport Act was implemented. Mr. Havard felt that the senior manager would require to delegate more of his authority to his junior.
The National Freight Corporation is the THC with a different hat and no real change in structure, said Mr. Havard, and he added that he did not expect a different plan to develop. "What the THC did in the past was basically correct," he said, "and therefore there seems to be no need to change." While he felt that the Transport Act 1968 would have an adverse effect on some companies, he expressed the view that special authorizations (quantity licences) will not come quickly and, indeed, he said, there was some doubt if this section of legislation would ever be introduced.