DEAR
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SIR
• Referring to the comments on Charlie Barber's retirement in Bird's Eye View in Commercial Motor 2 July 1987, we wish to point out that where you stated 'An end to an era' this is not completely true, as Fred Barber — Charlie's uncle and his wife Molly are still very much to the fore of the business.
Though Fred suffered a stroke years back he is very much alert to the running of the business and, with Molly, made it the thriving and successful company it is today, having kept the firm ahead with all the new and latest technology. Witness his personal involvement with employees of up to twenty-five years service, and still serving customers to some thirty to fifty years standing.
Having read the article I feel you should make it clear that C Barber & Sons is still very much alive and it certainly is NOT the end of an era. Fred and Molly are still going strong, though as mentioned their sons Colin and Roger are already well groomed and carrying on the family traditions. Trusting you will correct the mis-understanding your article contained.
R Lewis Goat Road Mitcham Junction Surrey • I whole-heartedly agree with .1 Menzies (Dear Sir, CM 13-19 August) that the waiting for the results is the worst part when sitting a CPC examination.
Having obtained a CPC Goods National and International by home study, I was interested to read that J Menzies had been accepted as an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Transport after gaining his CPC PSV National, and is currently preparing a paper in order to become a member of the Institute.
After making enquiries, I find that a home study course for MCIT costs well in excess of £600, therefore, I would be grateful if you could advise me on the procedures for becoming a member of CIT other than by examination.
I am currently employed as a foreman on a 75 vehicle fleet, and have been for three years.
If you wish to publish this letter I would be grateful if you would omit my name and address, as my employer is unwilling to pay for any tuition, and I don't wish to antagonise him further.
Name and address supplied • I enjoyed your article about Neil Gardiner. Anyone thinking about becoming an owner driver and who reads the article will, I'm sure, benefit from his experience. Being an owner driver myself, one of the most frustrating things about the job is, knowing I can offer to own account operators a more competitive and efficient service than they are getting from their own vehicles. For example, I am running a 7.5 tonne van and drawbar trailer, with a cubic capacity of 21,000 cubic feet (588m3). The transport managers I have talked to don't understand what a cubic foot (0.028m3) is as my operating costs are small and we are talking in terms of volume and not weight. It follows I can work at 50p* a mile (30p per kin) all round. One large operator in this area, a transport manager, did not know what his vehicles cost to run per mile. I am all for an own account operation, but there is also room for the small man. It seems to me that transport managers for own account people are afraid of losing their jobs if their bosses see that it can be done more competitively. The number of vehicles being operated pulling fresh air about when smaller vehicles with the same volume would do the same job, is ridiculous.
I wonder if these transport managers took the same CPC course and exam as I did. They probably did but they're not spending their own money like me; it's somebody else's and they've obviously got plenty of it!
Robert Naylor Swinton South Yorks * 1 estimate the cost for 2,000 cubic feet (180m3) on a 12or 16-tormer to he 70-75 pence per mile (42-44p per km) on 50,000 miles (80,000km) would result in a saving of some 210,000 by that 'own account' operator.
• I am writing to you about the case of Mr Neil Gardiner. I can understand why he said he could not make a proper living with the poor rates we have to work for.
I am an owner driver with an eight wheel Foden tipper on quarry work, I do work for Tarmac Roadstone and ARC. The rates on Tarmac have not gone up since 1982 but tax insurance and diesel has, then when you see its works newspaper Tarmac News, you read that it has just bought a firm out, for several millions of pounds. Where I live the taxis are running for 99p a mile more than I am for a 30 tonne truck, yet we are still expected to keep the vehicle in tip top condition.
We go on jobs with loads of tar and sometimes wait up to three hours to tip the load, we are supposed to be paid waiting time which we never get.
I think it is time, through the media, that our case is put to the people of this country to show what pathetic rates we are being paid by these multinational companies.
Does the prime minister of this country know what rates we work for? If so, would she work for them? I don't think so. People in this country are being told to be their own boss, but I can assure them that to be an owner driver you need more than guts. As for these big companies, they should be made to put up the rates with inflation. We ordinary people have to pay extra when things go up in .price so they should be made to put up their rates accordingly.
Name and address supplied