CORNISH REALITIES • I would like to congratulate Commercial Motor
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on the new series "Any Questions" which I feel is an excellent and longneeded service. I would like to pass a comment on one letter headed "Cornwall", however. Having been born in the county, and now working as a freelance consultant in South Devon and Cornwall, [feel I might be able to add a little.
Although having a major reliance on the road haulage industry, and road transport in general, we also have amongst the worst road network in Britain. It can quite easily take four hours to get from Plymouth to Penzance, especially in the summer months.
Cornwall also has a lot of well-established family haulage companies who have earned through the years the cream of the county's trade. There are a few smaller operators who have managed to build up fairly good businesses too, but only due to hard work and commitment to service, At one time (about 18 months ago) in the west of the county, tipper rates got so low that operators were making less than a load! After taking into account diesel, driver's wages and all the rest of the bits and bobs, profit for two hours' work isn't going to make anyone rich.
Most small owner-operators are reliant on sub-contract work. Those who are not prepared to work this way, find they can earn money by picking up trailers at the various docks or other work of this type. In other words most of our owneroperators take their tractor units away, leaving home and family, to make a living.
There are exceptions of course, it isn't all gloom and doom, but many people have a Cornish dream, few realise it, fewer still in our industry. With out contacts, genuine contracts, and determination to succeed, don't come to Cornwall.
Roger Arthur, Plymouth, Devon.