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The truth hurts...
Page 3
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LIKE THE BLEARY-EYED MAN who sees his face in the shaving mirror morning, the road transport industry has had to face some pretty unpah truths in 1998. Like how much power it has to change the Government's mi diesel fuel duty (the answer, as we soon discovered, is none). Or how power it has to reduce VED rates (also none). Or how much influence it h HGV weight increases (none again). Or, just for good measure, how much cl has when it comes to persuading the Government not to fine innocent drive bringing in illegal immigrants (you guessed it...).
Like the man looking at the mirror after a hard night, perhaps it's time the FTA an started to ask themselves: "Can we go on like this any more?" Owner-driver, owner tor, road haulier.. .who cares about their titles? They all pay fuel duty. They all pa They're all desperately trying to make a living in a country where road transport is and whose populace has no idea of what life would be like without it. Faced with ti we really afford to divide the industry's lobbying power by having two trade associ Meanwhile, what's been the industry's response to all this trouble? Flagging out have to suffer from an irony deficiency not to smile at the news that the haulier ge accepted as showing the Great British Public the most acceptable face of our indi yes, Eddie Stobart—is considering basing part of his fleet on the Continent to esa ravages of the UK Government. But is this really the long-term answer to the industr In 1998 the mirror reflected a different kind of unpalatable truth that should nevi happened—namely the systematic and possibly endemic interference with speed 1 within the industry. But then, as we've always said, that's what you get for thinking di regulation was the solution to speeding HGVs.
When you look in the mirror which has Commercial Motor written on the top of i can you expect to see in 1999? The same magazine dedicated to keeping operators profitable, professional and legal. The same magazine exposing the wrong-doings of the business, whether it's red diesel abusers or tacho cheats. The same magazine that provides the platform for debate, no matter how uncomfortable for some—and, in this issue at least, an extra special read for the festive season. So if you do feel like celebrating (and we'd quite understand if road hauliers hadn't the heart for it), have yourself a Merry Christmas, and we'll be back with you to face the final year of the millennium on 31 December...
• In this week's edition of Commercial Motor you'll find a 12page supplement on the Volvo FM, produced by our sister magazine Truck & Driver, which looks at the Swedish truck maker's latest fleet machine from the perspective of the man behind the wheel. It's the first in a series that will appear in CM over the next four months, produced by the four magazines in Reed Business Information's Road Transport stable: Commercial Motor, Motor Transport Truck, and Truck & Driver. Each supplement will look at a particular aspect of the FM, including running costs, maintenance, vehicle finance and the technology behind the machine. So keep your eyes peeled...