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Elevated status

14th March 2002, Page 8
14th March 2002
Page 8
Page 8, 14th March 2002 — Elevated status
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

"Flight 79 from New York calling Heathrow Tower: estimated arrival time now ro:o5hrs due to headwinds." "Heathrow Tower to flight 79: sorry mate, you've missed your landing slot by two minutes— come back tomorrow!"

It's an amusing thought...or it would be Wit didn't happen every day to professional lorry drivers. As former Transfrigoroute UK presiden1 Rob Swindells notes, how is it that airline pilots are treated like gods while tuck drivers are treated like devils? Why is a man entrusted with £100,000 worth of truck and trailer deserving of any less respect than one in charge of a SI6om Jumbo jet? After all, the truck driver's "sky" is infinitely more crowded and far more dangerous, and his duties are far more onerous too. Perhaps if the) all wore white shirts with epaulettes it would be different.

When it comes to raising truck drivers higher in the public's esteem Transfrigoroute UK's plan to provide specialised training for drivers working in the cold-chain (as they get in Holland) is surely one way to go. A highly qualified driver is not only an asset to his company but also to the image of the industry.

Unfortunately, all the while HGV drivers are treated like dirt by the goods-inward staff at RDCs and are told that the nearest overnight parking for Dover Docks is in France then it's little wonder

there's a shortage of them. It's so obvious a blind man could see it— so how is it the road transport industry can't?

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People: Rob Swindells

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