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Rumbling concern greets the New Year
Page 22
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Although our ground breaking survey shows healthy Christmas business, most operators are gearing up to tackle problems in 2005.
MANY OPERATORS had a good Christmas period with 30% reporting more business than last year, according to the latest Commercial Motor/Michelin Business Monitor.
Over half of respondents said that business was on a par with 2003, with 20% suffering a downturn,
Apprehension
However, most operators are concerned about the future. Almost half of respondents (44%) named the Working Time Directive as their greatest fear for 2005. Other worries include a rise in fuel duty (19%), driver shortages (8%) and competition from foreign hauliers (2%).
This month's survey also revealed that despite a number of new initiatives to help tackle truck crime,a growing proportion of operators are nevertheless becoming victims.
In the fourth quarter 17% of operators were targeted, compared with 10% in the third quarter. More than half of these crimes (70%) were vehicle or load thefts; in 19% of cases vehicles were vandalised.
A shocking 4% of operators were assaulted in the last quarter, which was on a par with the third quarter.
While the police say they are taking truck crime more seriously, operators are not convinced — the proportion expressing satisfaction with the police fell 4% to just 5013`..