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PRESSURE ON

10th September 1998
Page 6
Page 6, 10th September 1998 — PRESSURE ON
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Arequest to the RHA, the FTA, and any other bodies supposedly representing the industry: "Gentlemen, stop your individual battles and get together to fight for this industry." Those aren't CM's words—although they could be, considering what we've said about the trade associations in the past. They come from Jurgen Knorpp, boss of MAN Truck & Bus in the UK. At the Hanover Show last week Knorpp declared a willingness to fund, and find, "a suitably independent chairman" for what he called a summit meeting: "A meeting at which our industry's 'public leaders' can explore the way forward for ALL truck operators." So what would that achieve? Perhaps it would show the RHA and FTA that there's more to be gained by fighting together than apart. Knorpp's invitation also suggests to us that there's just the tiniest bit of dissatisfaction among UK truck operators and manufacturers with the way the big two associations are currently doing things. As Knorpp points out, although there are more than 60,000 truck operators in the UK, "still the anti-truck pressure groups have the loudest voices. So isn't it time for the road transport industry to have its own pressure group?" All those in favour say aye! But what could such a pressure group do that isn't being done already? Well it could always kick off by vigorously challenging the DOT for still using an antiquated, and highly suspect, method for determining the road-wearing characteristics of HGVs. And it could do itself a favour by coopting Dr David Cebon into the group straight away (see Industry News, page 3). We haven't seen such an effective debunking of the fourth-power law for years. What a pity it didn't come from the RHA or FTA. Perhaps a summit meeting might change that too..,

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