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THE FUTURE OF HAULAGE
Page 84
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By S. F. KNELLER, Director Kneller and Chandler, Ltd.
THE next two or three years are likely to be the most critical in the life of the long-distance haulage industry, but in spite of determined efforts from certain quarters to crush it, I feel that when once contractors have organized themselves in order to meet the working conditions of the Road Traffic Act and the recommendations contained in the final report of the Royal Commission, it will establish itself as one of the most essential and important branches of the ,industry of the country. Besides organization on the part of individual contra6tors there must be a greater feeling of confidence and trust between them, instead of that feeling of suspicion and mistrust which has undoubtedly existed in the past— it is only by friendly co-operation that we can hope to assist each other in meeting attacks which are being made
on the industry. It is the duty of everyone engaged in long-distance haulage to do his utmost in the common cause, and to do this successfully he must join and take an active interest in the Association which most suitaVy looks after his particular branch of the industry.
Undoubtedly a form of licensing, as recommended by the Royal Commission, c22 will be introduced within the next few years, and whilst this will be welcomed by reputable firms, it is to be hoped that only those two points relating to the fitness of the vehicles and fair wages conditions will be included. There is the danger that efforts will be made to include other items which will tend further to hamper the industry and put contractors in the very unhappy position in which many of the passenger-vehicle owners are finding themselves at the present time. The industry must watch very carefully to see that this does not occur.
It also seems possible that efforts may be made to encourage the use of vehicles under a certain unladen weight, to the detriment of vehicles of the heavier weights which are in general use at the moment. Here the industry .must seek the co-operation of the vehicle manufacturers--weight must be kept down and the aim must be to build vehicles which will carry legally the loads for the transport of which they are sold to the contractor. In the past manufacturers have had to allow a big margin for overloading, but the enforcement of the weights section of the Road Traffic Act will render this course unnecessary in the future.