AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

The cost of time...

1st November 2001
Page 8
Page 8, 1st November 2001 — The cost of time...
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

"The Working Time Directive changes things so fundamentally that it has to be made clear to customers that you can't just absorb those extra costs." Forgive us for returning yet again to this subject. It's just that the comment from Karen Dee (page to), policy director of the Road haulage Association, is fundamental to how the industry should respond to the WTD. Namely, that any extra costs levied on Joe Soap Haulier MUST be passed on to the customer. But how many operators will do that, or even feel confident enough to try?

If the RHA feels so strongly about the WTD perhaps it should instruct its members to pass on any costs arising from it on to their customers—and then monitor compliance. In the interest of fairness we would also expect those FTA members engaged in hire-or-reward work to do likewise. Then we'd see whether there really is any solidarity among the nation's truck operators.

And those 25,000 or so operators who don't belong to either association would look on in awe at their members' superior rates and rush to join one or other.

Pinch me, I'm dreaming. The truth is the WTD is more likely to create a fresh wave of blood letting on rates like this industry has never seen before, particularly if ownerdrivers remain excluded from certain parts of it. Centuries of being the ultimate "freemarket" has left road transport well and truly at the mercy of its customers. And the WTD is set to make the

Tags

Organisations: FTA
People: Karen Dee

comments powered by Disqus