Sha pe up to today
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TRANS P01 RT and distribution services employ 10 per cent of Britain's workforce. That figurE ? clearly illustrates how important their service is to the country's economy.
It would be warming this cold February to report how efficient that service is. Alas, we c an not.
There at e clear indications that the reverse is true. While most of the organisati( pris featured in this issue are successful, there are far too many which are not liv ing up to expectations.
Last we :k we reported on two companies of high standing which openly admit that all is -lot well. NFC's Sir Peter Thompson considers Roadline's performance "very disa ppointing". United Parcels has closed seven of its Atlas Express depots with the lc iss of 230 jobs. Both companies are on a rescue exercise now.
These al -e not the only reputable companies who are suffering. CM regularly engages ir "undercover" parcels delivery studies. The results amaze us and appal those we I -lave surveyed.
Too mar express carriers have failed to move with the times. The methods of the Sixties and Seventies are old hat. The opposition from Datapost, Freightlink and air fre ight has grown and is still growing.
Clearing houses are engaging owner-drivers with rented vans. Many of these small men are operating at suicidal rates, but when they go under there are more ready to 51 :ep in.
Parcels ( Jelivery is very much a personal service and should be treated as such by all eng iged in it.
Sophistii cated computerised route scheduling has its place in distribution, but at the end of the route it is the man on the loading bank and the driver who make or break the service. They must be made aware of the important part they play and be trained to play that part efficie :ntly.
Manage' Tient must also rethink its role and, dare we say it, retrain to meet the needs of the Eighties and Nineti