Allied set to publish rates
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• Bi-modal rail agent Allied Continental Intermodal is to publicise its tariffs for hauliers and road and sea freight forwarder customers by the end of the year.
The company refuses to comment on how the tariff for freight travelling between international terminals will be formulated, except to say it will take swapbody and container dimension and weight into account.
The move comes as its rival, Combined Transport, has revealed it is currently in talks with British Rail's freight operator Railfreight Distribution about rates CTL will charge hauliers operating "heavier" vehicles.
But RID says tariffs for 44tonne operators carrying a 24-tonne payload are unlikely to be revealed by either ACI or CTL until the final form of 44-tonne legislation is finalised The Department of Transport confirmed last week that it expects Construction & Use regulations allowing hauliers to operate 44-tonners to be in place "by the New Year".
The Railfreight User's Group has warned that it will slam any attempt to introduce a premium charge to 44-tonner operators— unless this reflects an increase in actual cost.
Back to midweights
• Rental specialist TLS Range is pulling out of the heavy truck hire market.
The Eccles-based company will gradually wind down the 100-strong fleet as it concentrates on light vans, civil engineering vehicles and cars.
But TLS says it will to return to the 17-38 tonne market if a rental firm specialising in that sector comes up for sale.
"We have realised this is very much a specialist market, and if we re-enter it it will be via acquisition of expertise," says chief executive Peter Roberts.
The company announced increased interim profits of £34,000 last week on the back of a boosted turnover of .£5m.
Short term useage rates were up to 81% and 88% in the light commercial and civil engineering sector respectively and steady in the heavy sector at 84%.