YOUR VIEWS ON THE SOARING PRICE OF FUEL
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Liam Quinn, owner, Quinns Transport: "I am paying 103.25p/litre on my fuel card this week, not that long ago it was under a pound. This is the nightmare scenario. Very few of our customers say they wit pay any more in this particular period. I will lose money this year without a doubt just because of the cost of fuel."
Stuart Laight, MD, Aspray Transport: "Fortunately, we have not lost any accounts because of our fuel duty escalator, but these rising costs mean we are continually having to negotiate with clients, many of whom are struggling in the recession themselves." Michelle Hunter, director, Lescost Transport: "You work so hard to win customers and we have no choice but to pass some diesel costs on to them, so the government basically works to crush our relationships with customers."
Brian Walker, commercial director. Elite Transport Services:
"Generally, fuel represents 30% to 35% of our operating costs. Fuel has risen for the past nine weeks and is now at its highest price for 19 months. As a result, we've had no alternative but to re-introduce a fuel surcharge for all our customers. Most customers seized
the opportunity to withdraw the surcharge at the start of the recession when the market became extremely competitive, although we have still absorbed a substantial part of the increase due to the base price increasing prior to the surcharge being removed."
Jonathan Bull, director, JP Bull Transport: I no margin we have is already so small it's difficult to absorb. Secondly, when the price rises so quickly, there is a time lag. Most fuel escalators are calculated quarterly, so we have to wait to receive the compensatory rate by which time the price has risen further."