LOWER DERV BUT NOT OTHER COSTS
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I AM pleased to see the price of dery is falling, long may it continue! Unfortunately the old cliche is correct — what you gain on the roundabouts you lose on the swings. Hauliers cannot dictate to their customers because the customer is always right. May I ask why do insurance companies say commercial vehicle premiums must rise and double as from next yea?
They say premiums have declined in real terms in recent years, so have general haulage rates. If insurance companies wish to save money perhaps they should consider dropping sponsorship of major sporting events, ie athletics, cricket, show jumping, etc.
We understand Michelin tyres have increased in price by four per cent as froinjuly 1. Their representative informed us the company had lost £42 million last year — hardly all the hauliers' fault. Did they ask hauliers if they would mind paying more for their
tyres? Of course not. It was another case of pay up or close down and hauliers will have to charge more for their services.
Do more work if you are lucky enough to have it to do, bearing in mind tacho hours, so that you can pay more for basic requirements of law and government — insurance, vat, excise duty and tyres.
Haulage rates in general do not rise to meet these extra demands of the people who supply us with goods and services to enable us to deliver other peoples' goods by road on time.
Inflation will never have a chance of falling if prices for basic necessary items keep rising. Time for a cut in costs to the transport industry is long overdue. The days of greed by some rather than need are with us. Perhaps it is time to strike for less rather than more by certain sectors of industry. What do other operators thi;lk?
Many years ago a Foden representative told us there would never be any cheap haulage again. My father's reply was, "no, but plenty will be done for less than actual cost." How true this now is!
Jean Sharpies Transport Manager J. Sharpies & Son Hereford