Parcels carriers do their own thing
Page 24
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
HALF a century ago Charles Dunbar shot an arrow into the air; it fell to earth and splintered into 50 pieces before eventually disappearing. My old friend, now well into his vigorous eighties, can hardly believe that this month marks the 50th anniversary of his leaving Midland "Red" to set up the ambitious Red Arrow parcels network. His great sorrow is that the principle of co-operation enshrined in it has lapsed.
"The build-up of joint working between some 50 parcels carriers can truly be described as revolutionary," he reminds me, "and it is a great pity that within the last two decades the leading firms in the industry have moved away from this idea. Every company wants to have a network of its own depots throughout the country in the belief that that is the only way in which safe and prompt delivery can be achieved. The pre-war parcels carriers proved the contrary and without all the electronic aids now available.
"The result of the multiplication of depots has been a price war which the old system of agreements on areas obviated. Like all price wars in transport, it will not in the long run benefit either the customer or the operators."