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— We need to be there to
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make their journey smooth and enjoyable'
More and more industry sectors are changing the traditions of Christmas. Supermarkets and even town-centre shops are still open when the stockings are being hung out. But it's surprising how slow transport infrastructure can be to respond to the changing trend.
Have you ever tried catching a bus to the supermarket on Christmas Eve or Boxing Day? And who feeds the freight drivers who have to work on Christmas Day, delivering goods that just can't wait?
From its opening in 1994, Le Shuttle set a new trend by providing the distribution companies that are servicing the non-stop needs of the retail trade with a non-stop cross-Channel Christmas service.
This year Le Shuttle Freight will again be operating right through the Christmas period, including Christmas Day and New Year's Day, On Christmas Day itself we will be guaranteeing a minimum service of one departure per hour in each direction so no driver will have to spend a minute more than necessary away from his family at Christmas.
On New Year's Day we know that far more drivers will be working, so from the evening we will be offering three departures an hour. Normal services will operate between Christmas and New Year. To make drivers more comfortable (as we know they would much prefer to be at home in front of the Christmas tree), we will be serving a special Christmas dinner and dishing up a liberal helping of Christmas cheer in the terminals, Some of our onboard staff will even be sporting Christmas outfits to add to the festive atmosphere. When we were open for our first Christmas, we know the drivers were grateful that our staff had come to work and made an effort to provide some Christmas atmosphere, It's one of those days where everyone tries to make it as little like "real" work as possible. There are drivers working 365 days a year, so we need to be there to make their journey as smooth and enjoyable as we can.
Christmas dinner will be served free of charge (as all our meals are) to drivers during Christmas week, consisting of a salmon terrine starter and a choice of main course. We will be offering traditional British turkey, with chestnut stuffing and all the usual trimmings, or a venison casserole, which is a popular Christmas meal among our Continental customers.
For dessert we will be offering mince pies and Buche de Noel—a French chocolate speciality—and there will be a surprise gift for every driver. We will also be taking up Commercial Motor's own suggestion that the drivers are greeted in their own language, and will make sure all our staff can say "Merry Christmas" or "Season's Greetings" in the seven main languages we use for the regular newsletters. Maybe this will help the drivers to learn the other languages as well, Le Shuttle is delighted with the response of its regular customers and many new customers who helped make such a success of the service this year, bringing us back to our number-one slot in the marketplace. We wish them all a very Merry Christmas, Meilleurs Voeux, Frohe Weihnachten, Felices Fiestas, Auguri di buone feste, Preitige Kerstdagen and Zalig Kertsfeestl • If you want to sound off about a road transport issue write to features editor Patric Cunnane or fax your views (up to 600 words) on 0181 652 8912 or to Nicky Clarke on 01342 850215.